• The number of Americans seeking unemployment benefits for the first time fell for a second week while the overall number of people on jobless relief rolls slid to the ​lowest level in a month. This points to a stable labour market that should give the Federal Reserve leeway to focus on containing inflation.
• Meanwhile, the U.S. trade deficit in goods, which President Donald ‌Trump is trying to reduce through his aggressive use of tariffs on imported goods, was the widest in 16 months in July as exports fell for a third straight month and capital goods imports surged on the back of the artificial intelligence build-out. The wider goods trade gap last month puts trade on track to be a net drag on U.S. gross domestic product growth for a fourth straight quarter.
• Initial claims for state unemployment benefits fell 4,000 to a seasonally adjusted 203,000 for the week ended August ​22, the Labour Department said on Thursday. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 208,000 claims for the latest week.
• Claims are hovering at the lower end of their 189,000-230,000 range for this year, indicating ​that layoffs remain low even if hiring is soft. Despite a surprise drop in employment in July, the U.S. jobless rate ticked down again to 4.1%, a historically low ⁠
• The number of people receiving unemployment benefits after an initial week of aid, a proxy for hiring, fell 18,000 to a seasonally adjusted 1.778Mn during the week ended August 15, the claims report showed. The ​continued claims data covered the survey week for the monthly nonfarm payrolls report for August.
• Thomas Simons, chief U.S. economist at Jefferies, said recent data from payroll processor ADP and labour market analytics firm Revelio "paint a picture of a labour market that is in better balance than what is implied by the more volatile BLS (Bureau of Labour Statistics) numbers."
• "There is a modest, steady pace of private sector job creation that is right in line with the amount necessary to keep the unemployment rate steady," Simons said. "Businesses are replacing workers who leave, mostly driven by retirements, and the modest pace of payroll expansion beyond is in line with the modest pace of labour force growth."

(Source: Reuters)

• Qatar's prime minister visited Tehran ​on Thursday in an effort to revive stalled diplomacy six months into the war, as U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington was not currently talking to Iran.
• "We ‌don't want to speak to them. We're not looking to meet or anything," Trump told reporters in the Oval Office after the White House said a U.S. economic campaign against Tehran would continue until Iran decides to negotiate meaningfully.
• Major combat operations have been paused for weeks, but there has been little progress toward a wider peace agreement or reopening the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route. Six months after U.S. and Israeli forces attacked Iran, killing its ​supreme leader and maiming his son and successor, the Iranian government is under economic siege, but it still holds power and has shown little urgency to negotiate.
• Trump, facing political pressure at ​home over higher energy prices ahead of November congressional elections, has opted to focus on economic sanctions, but aggressively enforcing them would require taking ⁠measures against Iranian trade partners such as China and India.
• In Tehran, Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani urged a return to diplomacy during talks with Iran's top negotiator Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf on ​Thursday, Qatar's foreign ministry said.
• Iran in turn called on regional neighbours to prevent the U.S. from using their territory to carry out military or economic attacks on Iran, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said ​on his Telegram account.
• Mohsen Rezaei, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, told the Qatari prime minister that Tehran would strike U.S. military and economic interests if Washington engaged in "mischief" against Iran, Iranian media reported.
• Rezaei said the United States must take steps to meet Iran's conditions before Tehran moved to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Those conditions include an end to the U.S. blockade on Iranian ports, compensation and removal of sanctions.

(Source: Reuters)

• Dolphin Cove Limited (DCOVE) has clarified recent media reports suggesting that the company’s ownership and control had changed following the appointment of four new directors and an alleged sale of its majority shareholding.
• The clarification comes after a 19 August 2026 media report claimed that a buyer had taken control of Dolphin Cove. Four independent directors were appointed by shareholders on 17 August 2026, but the company says this appointment does not amount to a change in control or management.
• The report also claimed that World of Dolphins Inc. had sold its majority stake through a private, off-market agreement. However, the company clarified that no such sale has been completed as of the date of its announcement.
• World of Dolphins Inc. has previously indicated that it expects to sell its interest in Dolphin Cove, meaning a transaction could still take place in the future. The company will continue to disclose confirmed developments in accordance with Jamaica Stock Exchange rules and urges investors to rely on official company announcements rather than media reports.
• DCOVE’s stock price has declined by 13.4% since the start of the year to close at $10.73 on Wednesday, August 26, 2026. At this level, the stock trades at a price-to-book (P/B) ratio of 0.9x, which is below the Junior Market Others Sector average of 1.7x.

(Source: JSE & NCBCM Research)

• Jamaica has completed its third Voluntary National Review (VNR) of the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The VNR is a country-led process that assesses Jamaica’s progress in implementing the SDGs.
• Previous Reviews were completed in 2018 and 2022, demonstrating Jamaica’s continuity and sustained commitment to the follow-up and review process for sustainable development planning. Speaking during the Planning Institute of Jamaica’s (PIOJ’s) quarterly press briefing at the agency’s New Kingston offices, Director General, Dr. Wayne Henry, said that preparation of the third VNR was led by the PIOJ, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, and the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN).
• He noted that the review also benefited from contributions from members of the National 2030 Agenda Oversight Committee and a wide range of other stakeholders. The Review reported on all 17 SDGs and 133 of the 234 unique indicators included in the global SDG indicator framework.
• With respect to the global picture, 15% of the targets tracked by UNSTAT (United Nations Statistics Division) are on track or have been met, 53% are making progress, and 32% are stagnating or regressing,” Dr Henry informed.
• Jamaica’s third Voluntary National Review (VNR), conducted a decade into the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), assessed progress across all 17 goals and identified strategies to accelerate development beyond 2030. It also recognised the country’s vulnerability as a Small Island Developing State (SIDS).
• The Review highlighted significant gains, including a reduction in poverty from 21.4% in 2015 to 7.8% in 2024 and a record-low unemployment rate of 3.3% in 2025. However, persistent challenges remain, particularly the rise in maternal mortality, the high proportion of youth not in employment, education or training, and the prevalence of informal employment.

(Source: JIS News)

• Brazil’s Treasury on Wednesday revealed a worsening public debt profile this year, projecting that the share linked to the benchmark Selic rate could reach a record 53% of the outstanding stock. With more liabilities tied to floating rates, higher borrowing costs feed directly into debt accumulation.
• Although Brazil’s central bank began easing its policy in March, the benchmark rate remains at 14%, while 12-month inflation stood at 4.2% in mid-August, leaving the country with one of the highest real interest rates among major economies. The new Treasury projection came in its revised annual financing plan, which forecast floating-rate debt at 49%-53% of the total this year, up from a previous projection of 46%-50%. The share grew to 51.1% in July.
• Latin America’s largest economy finances an unusually large portion of its debt through floating-rate bonds, a tool designed to maintain investor demand during periods of market stress. The Treasury has relied more heavily on such instruments amid weak appetite for inflation-linked securities, even while offering real yields above 7% on very long-dated bonds.
• “The increase in the share of floating-rate securities in federal public debt reflects a combination of heightened volatility and elevated interest rates, contributing to stronger investor preference for shorter-duration instruments that are less sensitive to interest-rate fluctuations,” the Treasury said in a statement.
• It also lowered its forecast for inflation-linked debt to 21%-25% of the total from 23%-27% previously, while the projected share of fixed-rate securities was cut to 20%-24% from 21%-25%. Foreign-exchange-linked debt remained at 3%-7%.
• The shift comes amid global market turbulence and concerns over Brazil’s fiscal outlook. Gross public debt, the country’s main measure of solvency, reached 81.9% of GDP, up more than 10 percentage points since President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva took office.
• The updated projections were released alongside July public debt data, which showed the federal debt stock rising 0.22% from the previous month to 9.289 trillion reais ($1.8 trillion), based on an exchange rate of 5.1550 reais to the dollar.

(Source: Reuters)

• The Panamanian government has declared a national state of emergency in response to the effects of El Niño. Cabinet Council Resolution No. 102-26 establishes the need for preventative mitigation and immediate response actions to strengthen the operational capacity of institutions to provide timely assistance in the event of any incidents.
• Official data records at least 15,643 people affected by floods from January 2026 to date. More than 70% of them were in the provinces of Bocas del Toro and Colón, with the remainder in the Ngäbe Buglé and Naso Tjër Di regions. Elsewhere, the Institute of Meteorology and Hydrology of Panama (IMHPA) forecasts that the phenomenon will intensify. Rainfall deficits are expected from October through December 2026 and January through March 2027. Effects could extend to May 2027 alongside high temperatures that could impact the population, the agricultural sector and water resources.
• The conditions could lead to droughts in river basins and low levels in lakes and reservoirs such as Bayano, affecting ship traffic and the availability of water for Panama Canal operations. Hydroelectric power generation and the stability of national energy resources may also be affected.
• The resolution tasks the Ministry of the Presidency with coordinating implementation and authorises procurement through the special procedure for national emergencies until June 30, 2027. The National Civil Protection System (Sinaproc) is authorised to receive contributions from humanitarian organisations.
• IMHPA director Luz Graciela de Calzadilla said the declaration seeks to anticipate both flooding and landslides where rainfall runs above average and drought where it falls short. Minister of Government Dinoska Montalvo said Bocas del Toro is registering 25% more rainfall than usual while 11 hydrographic basins are currently in a situation of “water stress”, complicating the operation of hydroelectric and water treatment plants.

(Source: Newsroom Panama)

• The Personal Consumption Expenditures (PCE), the Federal Reserve’s (Fed) preferred forecasting tool, increased by a seasonally adjusted monthly gain of 0.2%, lifting the year-over-year rate to 3.7%, the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) reported. Each of those headline figures came in 0.1 percentage point ahead of the Dow Jones consensus.
• When food and energy prices are stripped out, the core PCE index advanced 0.2% monthly and 3.3% on an annual basis, in line with forecasts. While the Fed considers both measures, core inflation is widely regarded within the central bank as a more useful guide to where prices are headed over time.
• Consumer spending rose $36.3Bn, or 0.2%, in July, according to the BEA. The increase reflected an $86.2Bn gain in spending on services that was partly offset by a $49.9Bn decline in spending on goods. Personal income also climbed $115.1Bn, or 0.4%, for the month. Disposable personal income rose 0.5%, and the personal saving rate came in at 3.0%, attributing the income gains primarily to increases in compensation, government social benefits, and personal income receipts on assets.
• The report comes with Fed officials weighing their next policy move as inflation, despite generally soft monthly readings this summer, is still well above the central bank’s 2% goal. With the rate-setting Federal Open Market Committee not meeting formally in August, officials have a bit of a respite before deciding their next gathering on Sept. 15-16.
• Markets are pricing in only about a 1 in 3 probability of a move then, with the best chance for a rate hike coming in December. Since taking office in May, Warsh has been circumspect about where he sees policy heading, instead preferring that markets set the tone.
• Government bond yields have been on the rise lately. Both the 10- and 30-year Treasurys recently saw yields hit their highest levels since 2007, just before the global financial crisis. The surge has come from a variety of factors, including investors’ concern about the Fed’s commitment to its inflation target as well as debt and deficit issues with the federal budget.
• Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent a week ago announced an initiative in which his department would step up its buybacks of government debt. However, market participants have expressed doubt about whether the move will have a meaningful impact on yields.

(Sources: Yahoo Finance and CNBC)

• Iran has held new talks with neighbouring Oman on management of the Strait of Hormuz, blockaded over nearly six months of conflict, with Oman's foreign minister saying he was hopeful a temporary corridor through the waterway could be announced soon.
• Iran and Oman have held on-and-off talks for weeks about controlling traffic through the strait, which handled one-fifth of global oil and liquefied natural gas shipments before the war began in February.
• Most shipping has since been shut down, as Iran and the U.S. have tried to assert control over the strategic channel, imposing separate blockades.
• Iran and Oman said on Tuesday that they discussed "a joint temporary navigational corridor" through the strait and agreed to clear it of mines.
• "I am hopeful we will soon announce a temporary corridor for the Strait of Hormuz and practical arrangements to restore safe navigation," Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi posted on X following talks with his Iranian counterpart.
• S. President Donald Trump, who has threatened to bomb Oman, repeated an earlier assertion that all mines in the strait had been cleared, and warned Iran against trying to lay any more.

(Source: MSN)

• Releases from Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE) listed companies saw a mix of developments, spanning dividend announcements, refinancing activity, financial reporting delays and corporate transactions during the week. Several listed companies provided updates on distributions, capital management and strategic developments.
• Dividend activity remained in focus, with Stationery & Office Supplies Limited (SOS) declaring a dividend of $0.02 per ordinary stock unit, payable on September 29, 2026, to shareholders on record as of September 14, 2026. Sagicor Group Jamaica Limited (SJ), meanwhile, announced that its Board will meet on September 4, 2026, to consider the payment of a first interim dividend for the 2026 financial year.
• Digitalisation of shareholder payment processes continues to be a theme, with Sygnus Credit Investments Limited (SCI) and Sygnus Real Estate Finance Limited (SRF) announcing plans to transition from cheque-based dividend payments to electronic direct deposits effective January 1, 2027. Both companies encouraged shareholders to submit their direct deposit instructions ahead of the transition to avoid interruptions to dividend payments.
• Refinancing activity was also in focus, with Mayberry Jamaican Equities Limited (MJE) announcing changes to two of its bond tranches as part of plans to refinance through a new public bond offering. The company will redeem its MJE 8.75% 2026 Fixed Rate bonds ahead of their October maturity date, while trading in the MJE 10.00% 2026 Fixed Rate bonds will be suspended. The securities are to be delisted effective August 26, 2026, as part of the refinancing process.
• Beyond dividends and refinancing, there was also an update on delayed financial reporting. Mailpac Group Limited (MAILPAC) advised that publication of its annual report for the year ended December 31, 2025, has been further delayed, with the company now expecting to release the report on or before August 28, 2026.
• Meanwhile, MFS Capital Partners Limited (MFS) announced that it completed its acquisition of Century Business Machines Limited (CBM), acquiring 100% of the company’s issued share capital and making CBM a wholly owned subsidiary. Management noted that the acquisition supports MFS’s strategy to diversify its product offerings, expand its operations and strengthen the growth of its balance sheet. Through CBM, MFS broadens its product offering to include office supplies, technology solutions and office furniture, while gaining access to an established corporate customer base.
• The transaction also presents potential cost synergies through the consolidation of shared functions such as financial control, human resources and marketing, which could reduce duplicated overhead and improve operating efficiency. However, the extent to which the acquisition creates value will depend on MFS’s ability to successfully integrate CBM, realise these synergies and translate the enlarged revenue base into stronger earnings and returns for shareholders.

(Sources: JSE & NCBCM Research)

• The Bahamas’ total public-sector debt surged by nearly $1.28Bn over the past fiscal year, driven partly by substantial borrowing linked to the government’s acquisition of the Grand Bahama Power Company and increased financing across state-owned enterprises.
• According to the Ministry of Finance’s Public Debt Statistical Bulletin for the 2025/2026 fiscal year, total public-sector debt stood at an estimated $14.70Bn at the end of June 2026. This represented an increase of $1.276Bn, or 9.5%, compared with the $13.42Bn recorded at the end of June 2025.
• Central government’s net financing activities accounted for 54.6% of the increase, while government agencies and government business enterprises accounted for the remaining 45.4%. The report revealed that the outstanding debt of agencies and government business enterprises climbed by $579.1Mn, or 35.1%, to $2.230Bn during the period, with a significant portion of that increase connected to Grand Bahama’s energy-sector overhaul.
• The Grand Bahama Energy Company (GBEC), the special-purpose vehicle established to acquire the Grand Bahama Power Company (GBPC), obtained $150Mn in external financing towards the purchase. GBEC secured another $50Mn from a domestic financial institution, bringing the financing associated with the share purchase to $200Mn.
• The company also obtained an $80Mn loan facility to support GBPC’s capital expenditure and working-capital requirements. The debt bulletin further revealed that approximately $131.8Mn represented legacy commercial debt held by GBPC when it was acquired, with some 83.3 % of that debt denominated in Bahamian dollars and the remaining 16.7% in foreign currency.
• The GBPC-related facilities were among the major factors contributing to the sharp rise in government-guaranteed debt. Total debt guaranteed by the government more than doubled during the fiscal year, increasing by $373.4Mn, or 113.2%, to $703.4Mn at the end of June, and around 98.7% of the government’s guaranteed exposure was tied to government agencies and business enterprises. GBEC accounted for $280.0Mn in newly guaranteed facilities.
• Meanwhile, central government debt increased by $696.9Mn, or 5.9%, to $12.466 Bn. Despite the increase in the nominal debt stock, the central government’s debt-to-GDP ratio declined marginally to 70.7% from 70.9% a year earlier, a reduction the Ministry of Finance attributed to the pace of economic growth relative to net new borrowing.
• Public-sector debt-service payments, including refinancing operations, totalled $3.341Bn, a $1.741Bn, or 34.3%, decline from the previous year, when costs were elevated by the government’s external bond liability-management exercise. Interest payments stood at $731.3Mn, while principal repayments amounted to $2.610Bn.

(Source: Tribune 242)