Jakarta Index Opens Slightly Higher, Rupiah Loses More Value

Jakarta, Nov 6 (Antara) - The Jakarta composite index (JCI) opened slightly higher, here on Thursday to follow the regional trend, analysts said. The index of the Indonesian Stock Exchange (BEI) rose 3.11 points or 0.06 percent to 5,069.94 points with index of 45 most liquid stocks up 0.09 percent to 864.84 points. The majority of markets in Asia including BEI gained slightly this morning in line with the rise in the U.S. market index after the Republicans took control of the Congress. The Republicans, which ousted the Democrats from the Senate for the first time in many years are considered more pro business, Samuel Sekuritas` analyst Tiesha Narandha Putri said . Meanwhile, the increase in the prices of oil could have positive impact on commodity shares pushing the JCI to a positive areas, Tiesha said. "In addition an increase in demand for crude palm oil (CPO), could strengthen the plantation shares ahead of Christmas and New Year," she said. PT Asjaya Indosurya Securities` analyst William Suryawijaya predicted the JCI would tend to increase to hover around 5,054-5,113 points on Thursday. Regional markets such as Hang Seng, Nikkei and Straits Times recorded gain in index . Meanwhile, rupiah lost more value agai8nst the US dollar in the first minutes of trading on Thursday. The currency traded at the level of 12,155 per US dollar weakening from earlier level of 12,108 per dollar.