Economic Highlights
Brent Oil Brent oil prices decreased by 2.76% or US$1.94, as prices fell this week. Oil traded on April 5, 2018 at a price of $68.33 per barrel relative to US$70.27 last week. Brent oil began the year at US$68.07 per barrel. Petrojam prices 87 Octane prices decrease week over week, by 0.22% (JMD$0.27). Additionally
April 6, 2018 United States: U.S. Needs China More Than China Needs the U.S. Not one to be outdone by any adversary, Donald Trump has upped the ante in a rapidly escalating trade war with China, threatening an additional $100 billion of tariffs on top of the initial round of $50 billion. In doing so,
April 5, 2018 Untied States: U.S. Leaves Door Open to China Talks Amid Trade-War Fears The Trump administration indicated it’s willing to negotiate with China on escalating frictions between the world’s two biggest economies, helping to ease fears among investors of a tit-for-tat trade conflict. U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross said China’s response isn’t expected
April 4, 2018 Unemployment Unemployment rate for both euro area (EA19) and EU 28 nudged down marginally from January to February of this year, according to data published by Eurostat, the statistical institute of the Europe Union. This is the lowest rate recorded in both areas since December 2008. The euro area (EA19) unemployment rate
April 04, 2018 For the period of April 2017 to February 2018, the GOJ reported Total Revenues & Grants of $476.14 billion, $11.05 billion more than the Government’s projection. Furthermore, year over year, this represents an increase of approximately 10.8% relative to the $429.62 billion recorded for the corresponding period in 2017. ‘Tax Revenue’, ‘Non-Tax
March 29,2018 United States: U.S. Economic Growth Revised Higher on Spending, Inventories The U.S. economy grew in the fourth quarter at a faster pace than last estimated, helped by an upward revision to household spending on services and a smaller drag from inventories, according to Commerce Department data released Wednesday. The revisions to GDP, the
March 28, 2018 Estimates released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis, show an increase in real gross domestic product (GDP) at an annual rate of 2.9 percent in the fourth quarter of 2017, a marginal decrease from the 3.2 percent recorded in the third quarter. The slowdown in real GDP growth rate in the fourth
Bank of Jamaica announces its decision to maintain the policy interest rate (the rate offered on overnight placements with Bank of Jamaica) at 2.75 per cent. This policy stance reflects the Bank’s assessment that headline inflation for the next eight quarters should remain within the target of 4.0 per cent to 6.0 per cent, with
March 27, 2018 Based on data from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union, the United States and China are the two main trading partners of the European Union (EU). “ In 2017, the United States (€631 billion, or 16.9% of total EU trade in goods) and China (€573 bn, or 15.3%) continued to
March 26,2018 United States: U.S. Stock Futures Start Week With a Reprieve A positive start for U.S. stock futures provided a respite for traders after the market’s worst drubbing in two years. They speculated this week couldn’t be worse than the last one, but weren’t sure. “It all depends on the news out of the
