BEI INDEX CLOSES HIGHER ON MONDAY

Jakarta, Nov. 16 (ANTARA) - The Composite Stock Price Index (IHSG) at the Indonesian Stock Exchange (BEI) closed higher late Monday morning.

The BEI index went up 24.451 points or 1.03 percent to 2,451.78 points.

The strengthening of Bakrie group shares bolstered the Indonesian stocks, according to Krishna Dwi Setiawan, a research analyst of PT Valbury Asia Securities.

"This positive condition has boosted the domestic market's optimism," he said.

The BEI recorded a total of 63,718 transactions with a total volume of 3.578 million shares, worth Rp2.676 trillion. Some 86 shares advanced, 61 lost and 59 remained static.

Among top gainers were PTBA shares that went up Rp 450 to
Rp 15,000, Indo Tambangraya (ITMG) shares that surged Rp 350 to
Rp 26,000, Bank Mandiri (BMRI) shares that advanced Rp 100 to
Rp 4,800, PGN (PGAS) shares that added Rp 100 to Rp3,725.

Meanwhile, the rupiah strengthened against the US dollar in the Jakarta interbank spot market here on Monday morning as investors continued to hunt the local unit.

The Indonesian currency traded at Rp9,345-Rp9,355 per US dollar, up 10 points from Rp9,355-Rp9,365 at the market's close last weekend.