RUPIAH

RUPIAH
The rupiah ended weaker Monday as banks longed the U.S. dollar
after a bomb blast over the weekend in a central Jakarta shopping
mall.

The bomb was the latest in a string of explosions to rock the
capital and comes amid pressure from the U.S. to tighten security
in the country.

Indonesia Muslim groups have threatened to target U.S.
interests in Indonesia if Washington takes retaliatory action
against Afghanistan in connection with the Sept. 11 terrorist
attacks.

Fears over possible unrest pushed the dollar to an intraday
high of Rp 9,560.

But traders said the central bank intervened to sell about $30
million in the afternoon, which brought the dollar back to close
Asian trading between Rp 9,480 and Rp 9,500, but still higher
than Rp 9,410 to Rp 9,430 late Friday.

The central bank's policy is to intervene when necessary to
stabilize the rupiah, but never to comment on specific action
taken.

Local companies that have kept the dollar on an upward trend
in recent weeks to meet debt payments stayed out of the market
Monday waiting for the dollar to move back closer to Rp 9,400.