Indonesia Retail Sales Growth Accelerated to 5.5% YoY in Mar-25

Indonesia Retail Sales Growth Accelerated to 5.5% YoY in Mar-25

Retail sales in Indonesia rose by 5.5% YoY in Mar-25 (vs Feb-25; +2.0%). The growth was driven by stronger sales in clothing (+12.4%), cultural & recreational goods (+9.2%), and food (+6.8%) amid Ramadan and ahead of Eid al-Fitr. In contrast, sales of information and communication equipment (-12.9%) and home appliances (-5.7%) declined. On MoM basis, retail sales jumped 13.6%. However, sales are projected to fall by 2.2% in Apr-25. (Trading Economics)

INDUSTRY
Japanese Automakers Suffer USD 19 bn Loss from Trump's Auto Tariffs 
Japanese carmakers are facing over USD 19 bn in potential losses due to US President Donald Trump's new auto and parts import tariffs. Toyota may be hit hardest, estimating a USD 1.2 bn blow in Apr-May alone. As most imported vehicles were hit with 25% tariffs starting 03 Apr-25 (and most auto parts from 03 May-25). Honda has postponed a USD 11 bn Canadian EV investment and shifted hybrid Civic production to the US. Nissan halted some Mexico-to-US shipments, and Mazda cut exports to Canada. (Bisnis.com)

COMPANY
DFI Retail Nusantara (HERO) Anticipated Consumption Slowdown 
HERO noted a slowdown in consumer spending, particularly on non-essential goods, as weakened purchasing power was expected to continue through 2Q25. Despite the pressure, the Co. remained optimistic about maintaining strong performance in essential segments such as health, beauty, and household needs. Seasonal events like Eid and the disbursement of civil servant bonuses were positive contributors to spending. (Bisnis.com)