Rupiah Weakens, Breaches Above Rp 17,000 per US Dollar, Pressured by US-Israel vs Iran War
The rupiah closed weaker in trading on Monday, 30 March 2026. Its exchange rate fell by 22 points or 0.13 per cent to Rp 17,002 per US dollar from the previous close at Rp 16,980 per US dollar.
Currency and commodity analyst Ibrahim Assuaibi assessed that this weakening was triggered by the escalation of the Iran war following the Houthi group’s opening of a new front in the conflict. Financial market participants are exercising caution in determining their investments.
“The market remains vigilant against the potential escalation of the Iran war after the Yemen-based Houthi group attacked Israel over the weekend. The Houthi group could open a new front in the war, given their capability to launch attacks in the Red Sea,” he stated in a written remark in Jakarta on Monday.
Quoting Sputnik, the Yemen Ansar Allah Movement, or Houthi, attacked Israel with missiles for the second time in a day and will continue attacks until Israel halts its assaults on Iran and Lebanon.
As reported by Anadolu, Yemen’s Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi stated that his group will support Iran against “US-Israel aggression” and is prepared for any developments in the ongoing confrontation.
The Houthi group views the illegal US and Zionist Israeli attacks on Iran as a “war against Islam and Muslims” and warns that the conflict targets the entire region.
Other sentiment stems from Iran’s readiness to face a US blood invasion following Washington’s deployment of thousands of troops to the Middle East.
“President Donald Trump stated that negotiations with Iran are progressing well and an agreement may be reached soon. However, he did not mention a clear deadline, while also warning of further attacks on Tehran,” he said.
Looking at US economic data, the University of Michigan revealed that American households are becoming pessimistic about the economic situation. “Consumer sentiment in March fell from 55.5 to 53.3, below the expected 54. Expectations for inflation over the next 12 months jumped from 3.4 per cent in February to 3.8 per cent, while for five years it remained unchanged at 3.2 per cent,” Ibrahim disclosed.
The Jakarta Interbank Spot Dollar Rate (JISDOR) from Bank Indonesia today also moved weaker to Rp 16,993 per US dollar from the previous Rp 16,957 per US dollar.