JAKARTA, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Against the backdrop of a possible U.S. recession, which has sent stock markets across the globe tumbling, the Indonesian government is preparing measures to safeguard the country's economic stability.

    "We can almost be sure that there will be a U.S. recession as we see the ongoing prospects," Coordinating Minister for the Economy Boediono was quoted by major newspaper The Jakarta Post assaying Wednesday.

    "We will safeguard the state budget as the country's economic anchor to anticipate this situation," Boediono said.

    Earlier Tuesday, share index in the Indonesian bourse fell the most in five years by 7.7 percent to close at 2,294.52, following falls in other markets in the world.

    The government, Boediono said, would focus on developing infrastructure and stabilizing the prices of staple foodstuffs at home to help keep the economy growing.

    Infrastructure development is an essential factor for economic growth as it helps to reduce costs, while surging prices of staple foods will affect the inflation rate and eventually people's purchasing power.

    Boediono was however upbeat that Indonesia would only be slightly affected by the U.S. recession as the price of the country's top commodities, including those from the energy, agriculture and mining sectors, kept increasing due to high global demand.