Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Jakarta composite index (JCI) opened higher on Wednesday reflecting positive reaction of the market players to Bank Indonesias decision to maintain its benchmark interest rate (BI rate).

The central bank decided to maintain the BI rate at 7.5 percent in a meeting of the board of governors on Tuesday.

The index of the Indonesian Stock Exchange (BEI) rose 7.12 points or 0.13 percent to 5,426.23 points with index of 45 most liquid stocks up 0.19 percent to 942.04.

Head of Research of Valbury Asia Securities Alfiansyah said the market players considered positive the central bank decision that is seen as could sustain the JCI.

"The BI rate is considered in line with the effort to control inflation around 4 percent in 2015 and 2016, he said.

However, negative factors are still a threat to the JCI position such as the threat of default by Greece on repaying debt.

Greek default would have big impact on European market and global markets in general, he said.

In addition, the Chinese economic growth was estimated to shrink to less than 7 percent in the first quarter of this year from 7.3 percent in the last quarter of 2014, he said.

"Negative global factors are expected to continue to weigh on the JCI," he said.

Chief researcher of NH Korindo Securities Indonesia Reza Priyambada said the condition of the global markets are expected to improve slightly that investors may take advantage of the share price fall at BEI lately to buy shares curbing further fall in share prices on the domestic market.

Regional markets such as Hang Seng and Straits Times recorded gain in index butt Nikkei reported a decline.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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