BEI INDEX OPENS 0.79 PERCENT HIGHER ON WEDNESDAY MORNING

Jakarta, Feb. 25 (ANTARA) - The Composite Stock Price Index at the Indonesian Stock Exchange opened 10.092 points or 0.79 percent higher to 1,305.961 points on gains at some regional bourses in the early trading on Wednesday.
The Jakarta bourse advanced following gains at Wall Street and Japan bourses which had earlier tumbled, Edwin Sinaga, a stock market observer, said here on Wednesday.
Improvement in the world's crude oil prices also prompted investors to buy shares of mining industries such as Medco, he said.
The stock market was very positive currently boosting blue chip shares to surge, he said.
Astra Agro shares went up from Rp12,300 to Rp12,700 per share, Astra International shares added from Rp10,950 to Rp11,200 per share, and Inco shares rose from Rp2,075 to Rp2,100 per share.
Medco shares gained from Rp1,660 to Rp1,670, state telecommunication PT Telkom shares increased from Rp6,500 to Rp6,550 per share, and Berlian Laju Tanker shares advanced from Rp500 to Rp520 per share.
The Indonesian stocks gained also because of a report that Indonesia would get additional foreign exchange reserve funds under an agreement reached in the recent ASEAN+3 (China, Japan and South Korea) Meeting.
Another positive sentiment was the government's decision to increase the economic stimulus package funds from Rp71.3 trillion to Rp73.3 trillion, he said.
If the favorable condition in the stock market continued, the BEI index could further strengthen to over 1,300 points, he said.