Introduction to business, world year-end stories

Introduction to business, world year-end stories

More than six years after the economic crisis hammered
Indonesia and other countries in the region, the nation's economy
is still struggling to make a full recovery as the rebuilding
process remains slow.

While progress is apparent in some macroeconomic indicators --
the stable rupiah, lower inflation and a steady decline in
interest rates -- improvement in other areas, like the
unemployment and poverty indices, remain hard to come by. While
most sectors of the economy remained in the doldrums this year,
others showed some encouraging signs of improvement.

This is the second edition of Review 2003. Friday's edition
focused on the National scene and Jakarta, with today's being on
the performance of several business sectors, and the World scene.

Other year-end stories that will follow:

Monday, Dec. 29 : Features and Sports

Tuesday, Dec. 30 : Outlook 2004

Wednesday, Dec. 31 : Outlook 2004