Economic Highlights
July 03, 2018 According to the latest report published by Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, “In May 2018, compared with April 2018, industrial producer prices rose by 0.8% in the euro area (EA19) and by 1.0% in the EU28.” However, in April 2018 there was no price increase in the euro area
Date: July 3, 2018 United States: Investment-Grade Bond Investors Brace for a Rising Tide of M&A The U.S. corporate bond market is bracing for a flood of supply from mergers and acquisitions in the second half of the year. Borrowers will have to pay up after a first-half deluge helped wreck spreads. Sales of investment-grade
United States: Trade War Winner Is Who Loses Least as U.S. Duties Loom U.S. President Donald Trump’s assertion that trade wars are “good, and easy to win” is fake news if economists are to be believed. The victor in an economic war of attrition will instead be which nation loses least. The first salvos are
Date: June 29, 2018 United States: Beaten-Up U.S. Corporate Debt Is Enticing Few Bargain Hunters Blue-chip corporate bonds are on track to be the worst-performing U.S. asset class this year, and money managers caution that it may be too soon to start looking for bargains. The strong economy is triggering fears of rising inflation and unexpectedly
Real GDP grew for the first quarter of 2018 at an annual rate of 2% based on the third estimate by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The fourth quarter of 2017 yielded an increase of 2.9% Established on more complete data, the general picture of economic growth remains the same. According to the Bureau, “Private
Date: June 28, 2018 Brent Oil Brent oil prices increased by 5.41% or US$3.97, as prices rose this week. Oil traded on June 28, 2018 at a price of $77.41 per barrel relative to US$73.44 last week. Brent oil began the year at US$68.07 per barrel. Petrojam prices 87 Octane prices decreased week over week,
June 27, 2018 Bank of Jamaica announces its decision to lower the policy rate (the interest rate offered on overnight placements with Bank of Jamaica) by 50 basis points to 2.00 per cent, effective 28 June 2018. In March, April and May 2018, inflation fell below the lower end of the Bank’s inflation target of
Date: June 27, 2018 C2W Music Limited held its Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM) today June 27, 2018 at the Jamaica Stock Exchange Limited. The formal introduction of the speakers was given by Ms. Lamar Harris, CEO of Stocks and Securities Limited (SSL). She noted that, ‘During the Annual General Meeting of C2W, the company initiated
June 27, 2018 Unemployment rates trended downwards for the month of May in 350 of the 388 metropolitan states compared to a year earlier. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this was, “higher in 20 areas and unchaged in 18 areas”. Jobless rates lower than 3% were recorded in 96 areas, while 2 areas
Date: June 27, 2018 United States: S&P Affirms U.S. Rating, Expects Last-Minute Debt Fixes to Continue S&P Global Ratings affirmed the U.S.’s sovereign credit score at AA+, the assessor’s second-highest grade, citing the country’s “diversified and resilient economy” while noting the impact of ongoing political wrangling on public finances. S&P kept a stable outlook on the
