Jakarta (ANTARA) – Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa announced a coordinated fiscal and monetary push to stabilize and strengthen the rupiah in the second semester of 2026.”The rupiah will gradually strengthen again in the second semester of 2026,” Purbaya stated at a working meeting with Commission XI of the House of Representatives on Wednesday.He added that the government is closely monitoring the currency's performance after facing intense pressure through early June.According to the finance minister, the recent strain on the rupiah stems primarily from volatile global market sentiment, financial market risks, and mounting pressures on both the current account and domestic financial transactions.To reverse this trend, the government is deploying policy interventions aimed at boosting investor confidence and reinforcing the domestic supply of foreign exchange.The strategic measures include improving coordination between fiscal, monetary, and financial sector policies.In parallel, the government is enhancing the management of export proceeds (DHE) and deepening the financial market to boost the domestic supply of foreign exchange and restore investor confidence.On Wednesday morning, the rupiah exchange rate reacted positively, strengthening by 158 points, or 0.88 percent, to trade at Rp17,900 per US dollar, compared to its previous closing position of Rp18,058 per US dollar.Market analysts attribute this positive momentum to the government's improved fiscal position following the recent price adjustments for non-subsidized fuels.State-owned oil and gas company Pertamina Patra Niaga announced price increases for Pertamax and Pertamax Green fuels, effective June 10, 2026.Under the new pricing scheme, non-subsidized Pertamax (RON 92) increased from Rp12,300 to Rp16,250 per liter, while Pertamax Green 95 (RON 95) rose from Rp12,900 to Rp17,000 per liter.To maintain public purchasing power, the government has kept the prices of subsidized fuels unchanged, with Pertalite remaining at Rp10,000 per liter and Biosolar at Rp6,800 per liter.The rupiah's defense was further bolstered by Bank Indonesia's (BI) decision to hike its benchmark interest rate by 25 basis points to 5.5 percent.This monetary tightening has successfully stimulated the domestic stock index and sustained strong foreign investor appetite in state bond auctions.