BEI INDEX OPENS LOWER ON ASTRA, BANK SELL-OFFS

Jakarta, Dec. 21 (ANTARA) - The Composite Stock Price Index (IHSG) at the Indonesian Stock Exchange (BEI) here on Monday morning got off to a weak start on Astra and bank share sell-offs.

The BEI index went down 27.584 points or 1.08 percent to 481,968 points, and the LQ-45 index fell 6,542 points or 1.34 percent to 489,910 points.

Despite Wall Street gains, investors were still worried over the Bank Century bailout case, according to Alfiansyah, a research analyst of PT Sinarmas Sekuritas.

He predicted that the Indonesian stocks would continue to slump despite corporate efforts at widow dressing.

Among top losers at the BEI were Astra International shares that fell Rp800 to Rp34,200, Telkom shares that weakened Rp350 to Rp9,750, Astra Agro Lestari shares that lost Rp300 to Rp23,300, BRI shares that declined Rp150 to Rp7,400, Bukit Asam shares that plunged Rp50 to Rp15,200, and P Gas shares and slided Rp50 to Rp3,700.

BCA shares fell Rp100 to Rp4,750, Inco shares went down Rp100 to Rp3,425, Bumi shares declined Rp75 to Rp4,475, and Gudang Garam shares lost Rp50 to Rp14,750.