Government revenues fell and expenditure rose in December thus reducing the gains make in these areas, in the first nine months of the fiscal year. The fiscal surplus that was on target with the original plan has been cut by $5.7 billion and is now at $69.45 billion compared with a budgeted amount of $75.16 billion.
The decline in the primary surplus is in keeping with the reduction approved by the international Fund last year. The target was lower from 7.5 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) to 7.25 per cent for the remainder of the current fiscal year, freeing up approximately $4 billion to be spent and to 7 percent for the 2016/17 fiscal year.
For the period to January, tax revenues were ahead of target by $3.8 billion and is down from $6.6 billion from the end of 2015, interest cost that was down $4.8 billion to December, lost some of the savings, with it being $3.1 billion by January while the wages bill exceeded forecast by $3.7 billion in January having been $2.3 billion ahead of target up to December. Other expenditure that was underspend by $540 million to December is now over by $2.2 billion to January.
The fiscal deficit has climbed by $2.6 billion above forecast to $37.34 billion. Up to December the deficit was ahead of target by $5.8 billion at $25 billion.
Inflows from Bauxite Levy and grants continue to underperform with a shortfall of $5.2 billion to January.
Archives for March 2016
Flat trading for juniors – Tuesday
General Accident closed at a new 52 weeks’ high on Tuesday
The junior market eked out a meagre gain on Tuesday although declining stocks exceeded advancing ones by a wide margin. The market gained a mere 0.08 points to end at 1,947.99 with 13 securities trading of which 8 declined and 4 advanced, including 1 of that traded at a 52 weeks’ high. The market ended with 534,537 units changing hands, valued at $3,813,759.
At the close, 2 securities ended with no bid and 6 securities had no stocks being offered for sale. There were 7 stocks closing with bids that were higher than their last selling prices and 2 ended with lower offers.
In trading, Access Financial declined by $1 in trading 2,550 units to close at $16.50, Blue Power rose by $1.70 with 188,655 units changing hands, to end at $11, after it posted profits of $25 million in the January quarter, $13 million more than the comparative period last year. Caribbean Cream lost 52 cents while trading 1,000 shares to close at $3.73. Caribbean Producers had 9,352 units changing hands to close a gain of 5 cents at $4.60, Consolidated Bakeries traded 16,000 units to close with a loss of 10 cents at $1.40, General Accident traded 5,000 units at a 52 weeks’ high of $3 with a gain of 20 cents.
Honey Bun traded 27,600 shares to gain 20 cents and close at $14, Jamaican Teas lost 10 cents and ended with 2,484 units changing hands at $7.60, KLE Group closed at $1.90 with 32,420 shares changing hands with a loss of 30 cents. Lasco Distributors closed with 108,550 units trading, to end at $5.50, Lasco Financial ended at $3.10 with 22,622 shares changing hands, after falling by 13 cents, Lasco Manufacturing ended trading with 118,104 shares and lost 10 cents to close at $4 and tTech traded 200 shares to close with a loss of 18 cents at $4.67.
