Economic Highlights
May 02, 2018 United States: The U.S. Economy Has Hit a Milestone With the calendar’s turn from April to May, the U.S. economic expansion has become the nation’s second-longest on record. That milestone was reached as the Federal Reserve prepared to begin a two-day meeting in Washington on Tuesday. After a slow-but-steady slog over the
May 1, 2018 According to the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN), unemployment rate continued on a downward trajectory for January 2018 due to decline in the labour force along with a simultaneous increase in employment. In January 2018, unemployment rate was 9.6% a decrease of 3.1% when compared with 12.7% in January 2017, the latest
May 01,2018 For the period of April 2017 to March 2018, the GOJ reported Total Revenues & Grants of $560.84 billion, $7.27 billion more than the Government’s projection. Furthermore, year over year, this represents an increase of approximately 12.2% relative to the $499.88 billion recorded for the corresponding period in 2017. ‘Tax Revenue’ and ‘Capital
May 01,2018 United States: The U.S. Just Borrowed $488 Billion, a Record High for the First Quarter U.S. Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said he’s unconcerned about the bond market’s ability to absorb rising government debt after his department said it borrowed a record amount for the first quarter. “It’s a very large, robust market --
April 30, 2018 According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, for the 3-month period ended March 2018, compensation costs for civilian workers increased 0.8 percent. Wages and salaries (which make up about 70 percent of compensation costs) increased 0.9 percent, and benefits (which make up the remaining 30 percent of compensation) increased 0.7 percent. Civilian
April 30,2018 United States: Fed Far From Ready to Declare Mission Accomplished on Inflation The Federal Reserve is closing in on its elusive 2 percent inflation target but that doesn’t mean policy makers are ready to pronounce mission accomplished. The central bank’s preferred measure of inflation probably clocked in at that level last month after
April 27, 2018 United States: U.S. Growth Cools to 2.3% as Gains in Consumer Spending Ease U.S. economic growth cooled last quarter as consumers pulled back following outsize spending in the prior period, though solid business investment cushioned some of the weakness. Gross domestic product, the value of all goods and services produced in the
Brent Oil Brent oil prices increased by 0.48 % or US$0.36, as prices rose this week. Oil traded on April 26, 2018 at a price of $74.69 per barrel relative to US$74.33 last week. Brent oil began the year at US$68.07 per barrel. Petrojam prices 87 Octane prices increased week over week, by 1.19% (JMD$1.49).
April 26, 2018 United States: Fed at Odds With Itself as It Eases Bank Rules and Raises Rates Federal Reserve policy makers seem to be working at cross purposes. In laying out plans to ease some constraints imposed on banks after the financial crisis, the Fed is moving to free up tens of billions of
April 25, 2018 United States: Powell’s Policy Gambit Bets Job Market Stays Hot, Inflation Not Federal Reserve officials are sounding increasingly confident they can run the U.S. economy hot without a harmful rise of inflation, a risky gamble for Chairman Jerome Powell with unemployment low, price pressures edging higher and fiscal stimulus about to goose
