Jamaica’s unemployment rate declined in December last year, compared with the same period in 2014, as 31,400 persons more persons obtained employment than in 2014, according to data recently released by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN).
Persons gaining employment went mostly in the Occupational group ‘Service Workers, Shops and Market Sales Workers’ with an increase of 15.9 percent or 34,700 persons, from 218,300 in December 2014 to 253,000 in December 2015, STATIN stated in their latest report on employment in Jamaica. The group ‘Elementary Occupations’ increased by 20.6 percent from 137,100 persons in December 2014 to 165,300 persons at the end of 2015.
Construction sector employed more in late 2015.
The largest increase in the number of employed persons by Industry occurred in the groups ‘Wholesale & Retail, Repair of Motor Vehicle & Equipment’ and ‘Construction’ with an increase of 14,200 persons or 6 percent, while the group ‘Construction’ increased by 9,800 persons (12.9 percent).
Employment in the industry group ‘Agriculture, Hunting, Forestry & Fishing’ declined for the period moving from 199,600 in December 2014 to 194,000. Manufacturing suffered a decline of 5,200 persons (6.6 percent).
What the business sector did, reflected itself in a much smoother monthly movement than what they said about the future. When it comes to money, the stock market reflects what people are doing with their money as opposed to what they say. The chart shows the movement in the all Jamaica Composite Index, plotted against the two business surveys published by the country’s central bank.
Trading jumped sharply in the Jamaican foreign exchange market on Thursday with over US$120 million dollar changing hands for an unusually high level of trading. The rate of the local dollar saw further erosion climbing to $123.14 for the selling rate for the US dollar. The Jamaican dollar declined against the Pound and gained against the Canadian dollar. 
The Canadian dollar buying rate declined by 17 cents to end at $93.92 with dealers buying C$883,954 and selling C$612,031, at an average rate that fell 33 cents to $97.02. The rate for buying the British Pound fell 3 cents to $176.73 for the purchase of £1,759,249, while £830,527 was sold, as the rate rose $1.16 to $179.73.
Highs & Lows| Notable changes to the highest and lowest traded rates for the Jamaican dollar against the main currencies on Thursday are, a fall of $6.53 in the lowest selling rate of the US dollar to end at $93.50, a fall of $3.78 in the lowest buying rate of the Canadian dollar to $73 and a rise of $2 in the lowest selling rate to end at $90. A fall of $1 in the highest buying rate for the British Pound to $180.50, a rise of $1.72 in the highest selling rate to $185.76 and a rise of $1 in the lowest selling rate to $168.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading showed 19 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 with lower offers. The higher bids jumped sharply, but that is most likely associated with month end widow dressing.
Pulse Investments traded 185,515 shares with a fall of 30 cents to close at $2.50, Radio Jamaica traded 94,200 shares and climbed 7 cents to close at $1.15, Sagicor Group fell 15 cents to end with 605,440 shares changing hands at $22.05, Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 25,645 shares to close at $10.15 after falling 10 cents, Scotia Group closed with a loss of $2.99 to end at $31 while 20,164 units changed hands, Scotia Investments traded 115,465 shares to close at $25.50 and Supreme Ventures closed at $5.39 with 240,047 shares changing hands for a loss of 34 cents, Proven Investments closed with 24,500 ordinary shares trading and gained 2 US cents to 20 US cents and JMMB Group 7.50% preference shares ended with 1500,00 units trading at $1.04.
the Jamaican dollar crossed over the 123 level to the US dollar in trading in the foreign exchange market on Wednesday to a record low of $123.11 as the Jamaican dollar declined against the three majors, the trade against, compared to the closing rates on Tuesday. The market closed with dealers buying the equivalent of US$40,752,667 and selling US$33,016,027, in contrast to US$37,190,702 purchased and US$42,292,086 sold on Tuesday. 
A total of US$31,727,298 was sold versus US$35,486,211 on Tuesday, that did not prevent the selling rate from rising 22 cents to $123.11. The Canadian dollar buying rate declined by $2.59 to end at $94.09 with dealers buying C$912,746 and selling C$640,401, at an average rate that fell $2.60 to $97.35. The rate for buying the British Pound climbed 44 cents to $176.76 for the purchase of £1,651,764, while £495,529 was sold, as the rate slipped $1.04 to $178.57.
traded was an unusually large amount of US$4,643,557 being bought, while US$63,620 was sold.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading showed 11 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 6 with lower offers.
Jamaica Stock Exchange traded 30,330 units at $21, 
ISP Finance had 50,000 shares changing hands and rose 29 cents to close at $2.74, Jamaican Teas traded 397,510 shares and gained 20 cents to end at $3.70, Jetcon Corporation climbed 35 cents to end at $2.85 while 352,125 units traded. KLE Group traded 1,000,000 shares with a rise of 5 cents to $1.45, Lasco Distributors gained 68 cents and ended at $7.20 with 265,511 trading. Lasco Financial closed at $3.10 with 1,493,865 shares changing hands but rose 10 cents, Lasco Manufacturing fell by 5 cents to close at $4.70 with 597,108 shares trading, Derrimon Trading preference share ended with 21,500 units changing hands to end with a loss of 2 cents at $2.12 and Eppley 10% reference share traded 799,880 units at $6.10.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading showed 17 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 6 with lower offers.
Kingston Wharves traded 5,000 shares to close at $11.50 after rising 20 cents, National Commercial Bank traded 80,951 shares to close at $39, after slipping by $1, Palace amusement traded 402 units as the price jumped to a 52 weeks’ high of $95 by rising $9.99. Radio Jamaica traded 563,999 shares but fell 2 cents to close at $1.18, Sagicor Group rose 20 cents in ending with 3,635 shares changing hands at $22.50, Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 46,437 shares to close at $10, Scotia Group closed with a gain of 50 cents at $30.50 with 6,019 units changing hands. Proven Investments ordinary share traded 316,675 units and fell 1 US cents to close at 18 US cents and JMMB Group 7.5% preference shares traded 1,943,418 units at $1.06, with a rise of 1 cent.
The improvement in both indices reflected increases in the number of respondents of the view that conditions were or will be “better” while there were declines in the number of respondents indicating that conditions were “worse” the BOJ report stated. The recent improvement is reflective of a gradual improvement since the latter half of 2013 and it been on the increase since with the occasional slip as occurred in July 2015.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading showed 17 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 6 with lower offers.
National Commercial Bank traded 24,476 shares to close at $40, Pulse Investments traded 12,996 units as the price slipped by 50 cents to $2.50. Radio Jamaica traded 1,895,681 shares to gain 7 cents to close at $1.20, Sagicor Group fell 15 cents in ending with 76,203 shares changing hands to close at $22.30 Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 23,300 shares to close at $10 after losing 20 cents, Scotia Group closed unchanged at $30 with 125,253 units changing hands. Scotia Investments ended at $27.50 with 49,431 shares trading, Supreme Ventures gained 50 cents with 1,007,250 shares trading to end at $5.50. Proven Investments ordinary share traded 43,000 units to gain 2 US cents to close at 19 us cents and JMMB Group 7.5% preference shares traded 91,582 units at $1.05.