Tourism is Jamaica’s largest earner of foreign exchange.
During the period of 2008 to 2015, the three main areas of foreign exchange earnings have switched positions between themselves, but since 2012 tourism has been the number one source of inflows and is widening the gap.
Tourism brought in US$1.98 billion in 2008 and remittances US$2 billion. Remittances grew by 10 percent to US$2.2 billion in 2015 over 2008, while tourism was up 18.8 percent to US$2.4 billion. In 2015 tourism inflows grew by 6.4 percent in contrast to the 3 percent increase in remittances. In 2014 tourism inflows grew by a strong 8.7 percent over 2013.
While remittances and tourism have been growing since 2008, exports of goods have gone in the opposite direction with 2015 exports falling to US$1.27 billion versus US$2.974 billion for 2008 for a decline of 54 percent. If the growth trend in tourism inflows continue at the 2015 pace, the sector will exceed the earnings by exports of goods in 2008 by 2018.
Jamaica enjoyed a strong 10.4 percent growth amounting to US$17.2 million in net remittances in April 2016 to reach US$184 million compared to April 2015. The growth reflected an increase in gross remittance inflows buttressed by a slight contraction in remittance outflows. 
The Trinidad and Tobago stock market closed on Friday with just 9 securities trading, resulting in 204,938 shares valued at $2,341,639 changing hands. The market closed with 3 stocks rising, 2 declining stocks and 4 remaining unchanged. 
Trinidad and Tobago NGL rose 1 cent and closed with 59,443 shares valued at $1,412,142 changing hands at $23.76.
At the end of market activities, Berger Paints traded 15,850 shares to end at $4.55, Cable & Wireless fell 2 cents in trading 115,600 shares to close at $1.17, 
Radio Jamaica rose 12 cents to close at $1.55 after 351,717 shares changed hands, Sagicor Group ended with 22,589 shares changing hands at $22.50. Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 37,688 shares but fell 2 cents to close at $10.10, Scotia Group loss 10 cents in trading 45,091 shares to end at $30.10, Scotia Investments had 4,000 units changing hands at $26.10 for a gain of $1.09, Seprod had 4,700 units changing hands at $17.40. Supreme Ventures lost 19 cents and ended at $4.51, with 13,725 units changing hands, Proven Investments traded 262,700 units to close at 19 US cents for a rise of 2 US cents and JMMB Group 7.5% traded 51,000 shares to close at $1.10.
Net inflows into the Jamaica’s foreign exchange market, rose by just under US$5 million on Friday pushing the surplus since the end of June to US$92 million. In Friday’s trading, dealers bought US$41,626,691 while they sold US$36,879,082 compared to US$30,215,014 purchased and US$36,917,077, sold on Thursday of all currencies. The value for the Jamaican dollar fell slightly against the US dollar and the Canadian dollar but rose against the selling rate for the Pound. 
A total of US$30,736,441 was sold versus US$33,427,390 on Thursday, with the selling rate rising 5 cents to end at $126.56. The Canadian dollar buying rate declined by 62 cents to end at $94.04, with dealers buying C$1,445,059 and selling C$5,118,612, at an average rate that climbed $2.85 to $99.99. The average rate for buying the British Pound gained $1.81 to $163.34 for the purchase of £1,690,154, while £411,245 was sold to end at $166.01, for a decline of $1.84.
The US dollar equivalent of other currencies traded amounts to US$1,411,604 being bought, while US$1,558,945 was sold.
Blue Power jumping $2.40, and closed with 13,375 units changing hands at $16.10, Cargo Handlers traded 1,875 shares to end a an all-time high of $56. 
Honey Bun had 17,500 shares changing hands, to close at with a loss of 5 cents at $5.45, Key Insurance traded 253,785 units to close at $2.50. Knutsford Express closed with 316 units changing hands to end at $19 with a rise of $4, Lasco Distributors ended with 161,341 shares changing hands, to end 10 cents lower at $7.30. Lasco Financial gained 9 cents and ended with 11,000 shares changing hands to close at $3.49, Lasco Manufacturing lost 3 cents and closed at $4.97 with 134,067 shares trading and Medical Disposables traded 19,698 shares and fell 5 cents to close at $3.50.
Cargo Handlers traded 1,875 units climbing $7 to a new all-time high of $56 while Knutsford Express jumped $4 to $19 with just 316 units changing hands. Caribbean Cement traded 87,953 to at $24.95 for a rise of $1.95 while National Commercial Bank fresh from reporting a 25 percent jump in June quarter results has so far traded just 9,333 units at $42, with the bid at $42 with a small volume being demanded.
At the close, AMG Packaging closed at $12.50 with 1,000 units changing hands, Blue Power closed with 10,300 units changing hands to close at $13.70 with a loss of $1.30, Caribbean Cream rose 11 cents with 152,336 shares changing hands to close at $6.81, Caribbean Flavours traded 28,448 units to end at $6.53 with a fall of 47 cents. Caribbean Producers traded 52,670 units at $3.25, with a fall of 1 cent, Consolidated Bakeries gained 10 cents in trading 185,000 units at $2.15, Derrimon Trading fell 1 cent to end at $3.06 with 9,627 shares changing hands, Dolphin Cove ended at $13.65 with 5,000 shares trading to gain 74 cents. General Accident traded 44,000 units at $2.05, Honey Bun had 28,735 shares changing hands, to close at $5.50. 
Lasco Distributors ended with 40,453 shares changing hands, to end at $7.40, Lasco Financial ended with 93,581 shares changing hands to close at $3.40, Lasco Manufacturing rose 5 cents and closed at $5 with 64,682 shares trading, Medical Disposables traded 18,106 shares and fell 45 cents to close at $3.55. Sweet River traded 1,000 shares and fell 1 cent to close at $3.85, tTech traded 48,502 units to end at $4 and Derrimon Trading preference share ended with 24,148 shares changing hands to close at $2.07.
The Jamaica Stock Exchange recorded gains in the two main market indices at the close on Thursday, but more stocks recorded gains than losses. A total of 44 securities traded, with 19 rising, 10 declining, including 5 stocks rising and 7 declining from the junior market, as the market continues to consolidate. 
Cable & Wireless gained 2 cents in trading 126,771 shares to close at $1.19, Caribbean Cement rose 50 cents in trading only 3,498 shares to close at $23, Carreras gained 10 cents in exchanging 1,800 shares at $64.94. Trading in 1834 Investments, resulted in 33,500 shares changing hands to close with a gain of 10 cents at $1.40, Grace Kennedy gained $2.50 to close at $125 with 2,640 shares changing hands, Jamaica Broilers ended with 8,429 shares changing hands and rose 49 cents to $15, Jamaica Producers rose 15 cents in trading 7,850 shares to end at $8.20. Jamaica Stock Exchange dropped 50 cents to end at $22.50 while trading 49,495 shares, JMMB Group fell 4 cents trading 19,849 units to end at $9.95, Kingston Wharves with 20,624 units changing hands and closed at $16. Mayberry Investments ended with 39,431 shares trading to close at $3, National Commercial Bank and gained 50 cents with 5,709 units changing hands, to close at $42.50, Pan Jamaican traded 98,664 shares and rose by 50 cents to end at $25.
Pulse Investments traded just 1,500 shares and gained 40 cents to end at $3.70, Radio Jamaica rose 1 cent to close at $1.43 after 20,330 shares changed hands, Sagicor Group ended with 39,720 shares changing hands and gained 50 cents to $22.50. Scotia Group traded 3,636 shares to end at $30.20, Scotia Investments had 100,000 units changing hands at $25.01 for a fall of $1.09, Seprod had 9,842 units changing hands at $17.40, Supreme Ventures lost 10 cents and ended at $4.70, with 9,000 units changing hands. Proven Investments traded 12,522 units to close at 17 US cents for a rise of 1 US cents and JMMB Group 7.5% traded 90,000 shares to close at $1.10.
Net outflows of Jamaica’s foreign exchange market, rose to more than US$6.7 million on Thursday leaving the surplus since the end of June at US$87 million. In Thursday’s trading, dealers bought US$30,215,014 while they sold US$36,917,077, compared to US$33,586,589 purchased and US$34,833,179 sold on Wednesday of all currencies. The value for the Jamaican dollar fell slightly against the US dollar and the Pound while it rose against the Canadian dollar. 
The Canadian dollar buying rate declined by 42 cents to end at $94.66, with dealers buying C$2,490,968 and selling C$3,189,437, at an average rate that fell 32 cents to $97.14. The average rate for buying the British Pound fell $1.22 to $161.53 for the purchase of £862,897, while £639,354 was sold to end at $167.85, with a gain of $2.42.
Highs & Lows| Notable changes to the highest and lowest traded rates, for the Jamaican dollar in the foreign exchange market on Thursday, include, a gain of $1.27 in the highest buying rate of the Canadian Dollar to $97.30, a rise of $2 in the lowest selling rate to $91, while trading in the British Pound resulted in a fall of $8.08 in the highest buying rate to $165.80 as the highest selling rate jumped $10.53 to $182.80 and the lowest selling rate fell $2.80 to end at $158.
