INDONESIAN STOCKS OPEN HIGHER ON US GAINS

Jakarta, Nov. 3 (ANTARA) - The Composite Stock Price Index (IHSG) at the Indonesian Stock Exchange (BEI) here on Tuesday morning opened higher following overnight gains in US markets.

The BEI index rose 0.38 percent or 9.438 points to 2,380.007, and the LQ-45 index was up 2.306 points or 0.50 percent at 468.025.

Wall Street gains were the main factor that bolstered the BEI index to advance, although the market was actually still sluggish, according to Harry Kurniawan, a domestic money market observer.

US shares gained ground Monday on upbeat economic data and Ford's stronger-than-expected earnings in the third quarter, with the Dow Jones industrial average advancing 0.79 percent.

The domestic market was actually still hampered by the KPK (Corruption Eradication Commission)-Police rivalry, he said.

However, investors finally decided to buy small-cap shares which could gain further, Harry Kurniawan, concurrently Director of PT Makinta Securities, said.

Among top gainers were Indo Tambang Mega shares that jumped Rp500 to Rp22,950, United Tractor shares that rose Rp250 to Rp15,100, Telkom shares that surged Rp150 to Rp8,400, Gudang Garam shares that advanced Rp150 to Rp15,650, Astra Internasional shares that added Rp100 to Rp31.550, Indosat shares that increased Rp50 to Rp5,150 and Mayora shares that strengthened Rp25 to Rp2,975.