BEI INDEX OPENS LOWER ON MINING FALLS

Jakarta, April 19 (ANTARA) - The Composite Stock Price Index (IHSG) at the Indonesian Stock Exchange (BEI) here on Monday morning got off to a weak start on mining falls and Wall Stress losses.

The BEI index went down 1.36 percent or 39.856 points to 2,839.142 points, and the LQ-45 index fell 8.261 points or 1.49 percent to 549.144 points.

Transactions at the BEI were dominated by mining share sell-offs after strong rallies last week, Alfiansyah, a research analyst of PT Sinarmas Securities, said.

Medco shares sold a total volume of 3.75 million worth Rp10.93 billion at the final exchange rate of Rp2,925 per share, or down Rp100 per unit, and nickel company PT Inco shares were sold at 5.25 million shares and valued Rp25.72 billion at the final exchange rate of Rp4,925 per share, or down Rp175.

State bank BRI shares also lost Rp100 to Rp8,050 per share, and were traded at a total volume of 3.11 million worth Rp24.93 billion.

The Indonesian stocks were also negatively affected by Wall Street falls followed by reginal bourse losses.

However, Alfiansyah believed that the BEI index still had a chance to climb again to 2,900 points.

Other top losers at the BEI were Astra Agro Lestari shares that plunged Rp350 to Rp23,500, United Tractor shares that lost Rp300 to Rp19,150, Bukit Asam shares that fell Rp300 to Rp17,650 and Astra International shares that declined Rp250 to R42,650.