The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Net take-up in 36 industrial estates in Greater Jakarta has doubled in the first semester from the previous period, a report by property consultant Procon Indah shows. During the January-June period, 58.22 hectares of land were sold, pushing up land absorption in industrial estates in Jakarta, Tangerang, Bekasi, Karawang, Purwakarta, Serang and Bogor to 112.58 hectares -- the highest in two years.

Jakarta, Surabaya, Medan and Bandung are the most sought after cities for investors seeking to engage in the retail sector, a recent study from property consultant Jones Lang LaSalle reveals. The study, revealed Thursday, suggests that the cities are launch pads for new entrants into the retail sector to expand in Indonesia. "For retailers with international brands, the cities are categorized as 'must-have locations'.

Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, Analyst The fuel price hikes in May resulted in double-digit inflation. By July 2008, the year-on-year inflation rate had reached 11.97 percent. Some analysts might have contended that the heightening inflationary pressures were likely to hurt consumer purchasing power and thereby lead to slower economic growth. Danareksa's consumer survey suggests, however, consumer spending is likely to continue fueling economic growth.

The Jakarta Post, Jakarta Indonesia, Southeast Asia's largest economy, has been cashing in from increasing foreign tourist arrivals, thanks to better security, more money on promotion and mushrooming leisure events. Between January and June this year, the country recorded a 11.6 percent jump in tourist arrivals to 2.9 million from 2.59 in the same period last year, says a recent report from the Central Statistics Agency (BPS).

The East Java Manpower Agency said it would cooperate with police and immigration officials to conduct raids on thousands of expatriates working in the province without the proper authorization. "Raids will be conducted simultaneously in a number of companies on Aug. 19," Setiadjit, deputy head of the agency, told The Jakarta Post on Thursday. The agency has records of only 638 expatriates working in East Java. Police records, however, show a total of 5,784 expatriates residing in the province.