Highest valued Jamaican$ since mid-2016

The Jamaican dollar made its strongest gains against the US dollar in November in foreign exchange trading on Friday, with it taking 20 cents less to buy the US dollar than on Thursday.
On Friday, the rate of exchange to buy the US dollar by the public, dropped to $126.34 as dealers sold US$28.17 million of the US dollar, compared to US$25.95 million at an average rate of $126.54 on Thursday.
Friday’s rate is the lowest since July 20, 2016, when the average rate ended at $126.36. The currency also appreciated from J$128.27 at the end of 2016. US currency purchases amounted to US$35.34 million on Friday, at an average rate of $125.46, compared to Thursday, with US$23.03 million at $125.27.
The gain took place in a remarkable month for the local dollar, with the rate closing at the end of October at $127.29 and now seeming as it could break below the $126 mark by the end of November. The local currency came under pressure in early September, as Jamaicans secured funds to invest in new bonds government of Jamaica was issuing to retire older expensive debt. The payout of the retiring bonds left the market flooded with US dollars. Demand waned for the US dollar, leading to sell off since mid-September, after the US dollar peaked against the Jamaican dollar at J$131.31, with the rate retreating weekly since.
The fate of the currency is now in the hands of the central bank, as the country enters a period of heighten inflows and relatively less demand up to April. For November, the central bank selling to the market by way of auction was limited US$27 million with the last two weeks being $4 million each. The central bank indicates that market intelligence suggest no need to intervene on the sell side for the first two weeks in December.
Trading volumes in the market for this past week, fell to the lowest, for November, with US$223 million Inflows and outflows of US$217 million compared to inflows in the previous weeks of US$252 million to $271 million and outflows of US$240 million to US$281 million of all currencies.
Dealers’ purchased US$43.45 million, versus US$24.92 million on Thursday in all currencies in Jamaica’s forex market and sold US$34.28 million compared with US$26.96 million of all currencies sold, previously.
The selling rate for the Canadian dollar rose to J$99.50 from J$99.41 at the close on Thursday. The selling rate for the British Pound dropped to J$167.32 versus J$168.40 previously and the euro fell value against the Jamaican dollar, rising to J$148.92 to buy the European common currency, versus prior selling rate of J$151.68.