Rupiah Ends Week Under Pressure Despite Late Friday Recovery

JAKARTA, Sept 26 — Indonesia’s rupiah came under renewed pressure this week as higher US Treasury yields and a stronger dollar weighed on Asian currencies, although it recovered from its Friday morning low before the market closed.

The rupiah weakened to around 17,933 per US dollar on Friday morning, according to Indonesian news agency ANTARA. Reuters reported that it traded as weak as 17,935 during the day and was heading for its largest weekly decline since late May.

The currency later recovered. Bisnis.com reported a Friday closing rate of 17,903 per dollar, citing market data that showed a modest gain for the day. That closing figure does not establish whether the rupiah ultimately recorded its worst weekly performance since May.

The pressure followed a rise in US government bond yields and expectations that American interest rates would remain elevated for longer. Those conditions have supported the dollar and made it harder for regional currencies, including the rupiah, to gain ground.

Bank Indonesia kept its benchmark interest rate at 5.75% on Wednesday. Reuters reported that the central bank had raised rates by a combined 100 basis points between May and June to help support the currency.

Friday’s late recovery therefore offered some relief, but the rupiah’s movement through the week showed how sensitive it remains to shifts in US interest rate expectations and the dollar.