BSI optimistic that homecoming activity will drive increase in consumer spending

Jakarta (ANTARA) — Anggoro Eko Cahyo, Chief Executive Officer of PT Bank Syariah Indonesia Tbk (BSI), expressed optimism that the Lebaran homecoming exodus this year will drive an increase in consumer spending, particularly in regions outside Jakarta.

“With this homecoming flow, people living in cities will spend their money in their respective regions, and we believe this is excellent because each region’s economy ultimately grows as spending increases,” Anggoro Eko Cahyo said in Jakarta on Tuesday.

He noted that this optimism regarding increased consumer spending during the Lebaran holiday period aligns with the company’s financing distribution, which remained positive in January-February 2026, the two months preceding the Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr period of 1447 Hijri.

He stated that BSI’s financing this year is focused on the consumer segment, which represented 46 per cent of the portfolio in the fourth quarter of 2025.

Anggoro reported that financing performance during the two months of early 2026 remained consistent with the company’s plan.

“We are [planning proportional monthly financing growth from our] annual [target]. This year we are targeting double-digit growth, and our active financing over the past two months remains on track,” he said.

When asked about the tendency of consumers to save their Eid allowances (THR), Anggoro stated that this demonstrates increasingly sound and prudent financial understanding among the public.

He explained that consumers now recognise that their resources are limited, including money, so they are attempting to manage when such funds should be utilised and when they should be saved.

However, Anggoro believed that public enthusiasm for spending will remain strong, particularly approaching a major religious holiday such as Eid al-Fitr.

Nevertheless, he highlighted that the proportion of expenditure could shift between the amounts saved, spent on family needs, and used for personal purposes.

“Spending can take various forms—spending could be for family, could be for oneself. It could be that spending for family remains the same, but personal spending might decrease. The budget for new clothes might not be as much as last year,” he explained.

“But my point is that this increase in understanding of the importance of saving is a positive signal for the public, showing that they already understand that saving is important,” Anggoro added.