BEI INDEX OPENS LOWER ON MINING, ASTRA GROUP LOSSES

Jakarta, Feb. 15 (ANTARA) - The Composite Stock Price Index (IHSG) at the Indonesian Stock Exchange (BEI) here on Monday morning opened lower as investors dumped Astra Group and mining shares.

The BEI index went down 15.523 points or 0.61 percent to 2,518.622 points, and the LQ-45 index dropped 3.701 points or 0.75 percent to 489.568 points.

The sole agent of Toyota cars, PT Toyota Astra Motor (TAM), recalled 13 Prius hybrid sedans which it had sold in Indonesia, according to Ahmad Riyadi, a research analyst of PT Millenium Danatham Securities.

Astra planned to repair the Prius sedans by reprogramming the cars' anti-brake lock system software, he said.

Among top losers at the BEI were Astra International shares that weakened Rp500 to Rp34,800, mining company Indo Tambang Mega shares that fell Rp200 to Rp30,650, Astra Agro Lestari shares that dropped Rp200 to Rp23,800, United Tractor shares that lost Rp100 to Rp16,050, BRI shares that declined Rp50 to Rp7,500, private bank BCA shares that went down Rp50 to Rp4,575, and Bukit Asam shares that plunged Rp100 to Rp15,750.

The rupiah tended to be stable against the US dollar in the Jakarta interbank spot market here on Monday morning, on balanced demand and supply. The Indonesian currency traded Rp9,335-Rp9,345 per US dollar.