Interest rates rise sharply in March

Government of Jamaica Treasury bill (T-bill) rates reached their highest level since August last year when the average rate for the half-year instrument touched 2.01 percent and the three months hit 1.87 percent.
At the March auction, for T-bill, rates moved up from 1.337 percent in February to 1.85 percent in March for the shorter-term treasury rate and from 1.387 percent for the 192 days to 1.796 percent. The rates are coming from a low of 1.252 percent and 1.453 percent, respectively in January this year.
In January, $3.12 billion chased after the $700 million offer for the 91 days offer, in March the demand dropped sharply to just $1.05 billion, for the half T-bills, the amounts applied for fell from $2.32 billion to $1.41 billion.
On February 7, Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) 30 days CD rates averaged just 1.17 percent as $15.64 billion chased after $10 billion offered by the country’s central bank. In the March 16 auction, the average rate jumped to 3.51 percent, with the highest being 4.5 percent for $100 million as investors placed just $7.66 billion for the $8 billion BOJ offered. BOJ also offered CDS on March 11, amounting to $10 billion, with $14.15 billion going after it at an average yield of 2.78 percent.
The rise in interest rates occurs at a time of falling liquidity and the largest intake of taxes for the financial year by the government. Historically, March is the month with the highest fiscal surplus for the year as the intake of taxes is the highest. The result of the increased inflow of taxes drains liquidity from the system. This year, the situation is worsened by the $25 billion initially drained from the financial market by the Initial public offer of Trans Jamaica Highway. With the government planning to pay $73 billion to reduce the public sector debt, investors can look forward to increased liquidity before too long.