Indonesia’s Central Bank Projects Retail Sales Stable in April 2026

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Bank Indonesia (BI) forecasts that the Real Sales Index (RSI) in April 2026 will remain steady at 231.0 year-on-year, though monthly retail sales are projected to decline.

Executive Director of BI’s Communication Department, Ramdan Denny Prakoso, said the index is supported by continued annual sales growth in the Spare Parts and Accessories Group, Other Household Goods, and the Apparel Subgroup.

“On a monthly basis, retail sales in April 2026 are projected to fall by 10.0 percent month-to-month (mtm), driven by the normalization of public demand following the National Religious Holiday Period (HBKN) of Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr 1447 H,” Denny stated in Jakarta, quoting BI’s official website on Wednesday, May 13, 2026.

He noted that the RSI stood at 256.7 in March, boosted by annual sales growth in Spare Parts and Accessories, Cultural and Recreational Goods, and Food, Beverages, and Tobacco. “Monthly retail sales in March grew by 10.3 percent (mtm), higher than February’s 4.1 percent growth,” he said.

The March increase was supported by sales across all groups, particularly Cultural and Recreational Goods, Food, Beverages and Tobacco, Motor Vehicle Fuel, and Apparel. “This reflects stronger public demand during the Ramadan and Eid al-Fitr 1447 H holiday period,” Denny added.

On the price outlook, inflationary pressures for the next three and six months, June and September 2026, are expected to rise.

This is reflected in the General Price Expectation Index (GPEI), which stood at 175.6 in June and 163.2 in September, higher than the May and August levels of 157.4 and 157.2, respectively. “The increase is driven by rising raw material prices,” Denny explained. ***