YOGYAKARTA – Investment opportunity is not only for the wealthy or well-established people from economic standpoint, but this financial business can be started at college by students to get used to planning better finance in the future by knowing the right way to invest in capital markets. This emerged in a public lecture delivered by Investor Sales Head of Citi Indonesia, I Made Budhi Purnama Artha, entitled "Financial Market Outlook 2012” at the auditorium of MM UGM, Friday (16/3).
In his presentation, Budhi Purnama said Indonesia’s economic growth in the next 3-4 years will inevitably be influenced by the economic situation in Europe and America. Despite the crisis, America’s economy is getting better while Europe shows just the opposite. "What is happening in Europe today will still last for the next 2-3 years. It is because Europe’s recovery is slower than America’s. Meanwhile in Asia, there is a correction of economic growth in some countries, one of which is Indonesia," he said.
He said that Indonesia’s economic growth this year is predicted to experience a slowdown. Construction and manufacturing are still the driving forces of economic growth. "Our growth will move in the level of 6.3 percent compared to last year (6.5 percent). Unemployment fell from 11 percent to 6.6 percent. The more interesting thing is that many informal sector businesses will change into the formal sector," he said.
The more conducive political condition means better investment opportunity until the year 2014 though in 2012 the government will implement an unpopular policy, fuel price increase. "In years 2013 and 2014 there will be more policies that are directed to build the party’s image," he added.
Branch manager of PT. Danareksa Sekuritas Yogyakarta, Yahuda Nawa Yanukrisna, the moderator of the discussion, said that the public lecture is very useful for students who want to become investors. One of the ways is to find economic and financial conditions, not only national but also global economic situation. "This financial market course is very useful for those who want to be investors in order to help make financial decisions in which our funds are supposed to be invested," he said.
Deputy Director for Academic Affairs and Research Program of MM UGM, Nurul Indarti, said the general lecture is held regularly by MM UGM to improve students’ knowledge. "This time we want students to explore the insights and knowledge related to financial market in year 2012," Nurul said.