Slowdown Is Real! Bank Indonesia Survey Reveals Business Activities to Decline at the End of 2022

JAKARTA – Bank Indonesia (BI) has informed that based on the results of a survey, business activities in the fourth quarter of 2022 indicated a slowdown.

This is reflected in the Weighted Net Balance (WNB) of 10.27 percent. This figure is lower than the third quarter of 2022 which was 13.89 percent.

Head of the BI Communication Department Erwin Haryono said the value of SBT decreased in the agriculture, plantation, animal husbandry, forestry, and fisheries sectors due to the start of the planting season.

"(Despite the decline) the performance of business activities will remain strong in the fourth quarter of 2022", he said in a press statement on Friday, January 13.

According to Erwin, business activity remained strong at the end of last year, especially in the services sector and the transportation and communication sector, in line with the increased demand during Christmas and year-end holidays.

Meanwhile, production capacity used in the fourth quarter of 2022 remained good at 70.94 percent, although it was relatively decreased compared to the third quarter of 2022 at 73.67 percent.

In line with this, indications of the use of labor have also decreased.

"On the financial side of the business world there are indications of improvement from all aspects, namely the aspects of liquidity and profitability, accompanied by easier access to financing", he said.

Erwin added, in the first quarter of 2023, respondents predicted business activities would increase with a WNB of 13.66 percent.

He said the increase in business activity is expected to occur in the primary and secondary sectors, including the agricultural, plantation, animal husbandry, forestry, and fisheries sectors in line with the entry of the harvest season which begins in March.

"The increase in the mining and quarrying sector, as well as the processing industry sector, is in line with the increasing demand which is supported by storage capacity and the availability of production facilities", concluded Erwin.