• The Canadian government told the Trump administration that new legislation combatting forced labour in supply chains should shield Canada from new tariffs. In a written submission to the United States Trade Representative's office, the federal government said it "remains committed to working closely with the United States to eradicate forced labour from global supply chains."
• "In light of Canada's existing prohibition, complementary supply chain transparency measures, newly introduced standalone forced labour import legislation and continued commitment to Canada-U.S. co-operation, Canada respectfully submits that there is no basis for the imposition of additional Section 301 duties on Canadian goods," the government said in its submission.
• Ottawa's case was among more than 1,500 written submissions from nations and industry groups ahead of a three-day hearing in Washington this week on U.S. President Donald Trump's use of Section 301 of the Trade Act of 1974 to rebuild his global tariff wall around the United States.
• S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer announced in March that his office was launching trade investigations into 60 countries, including Canada. Greer said Canada, Mexico, the United Kingdom and some other countries should be hit with 10% duties because they're not doing enough to enforce bans on forced labour. He also proposed a 12.5% duty on dozens of other countries that have partial or no bans on forced labour in supply chains.
• Canada already had legislation intended to curb forced labour in supply chains, which requires annual reports to the federal government. But the federal government tabled a bill last month to boost enforcement. Bill C-35 would create a public list of products that have been linked to forced labour in specific regions, based on intelligence from embassies and other authorities. It would require importers to prove that specific products from listed regions were not made through slavery.
• In separate submissions to the U.S. trade office, Canadian business and industry groups made the case that there are more effective paths to curbing the issue of forced labour than tariffs, particularly in the deeply integrated North American market. "We urge USTR to assess Canada separately under Section 301, suspend consideration of the proposed 10% tariff while Canada's enforcement reforms are implemented and evaluated and prioritise targeted bilateral enforcement co-operation over broad country-level measures," Canadian Chamber of Commerce vice-president Matthew Holmes wrote in his submission.

(Source: CBC)

• Dolla Financial Services Limited (DOLLA) has completed the acquisition of the loan portfolio of Evolve Loan Co. Limited, effective June 30, 2026. The acquired portfolio has an approximate gross value of J$700.0Mn and comprises approximately 1,800 customer relationships.
• DOLLA said the acquisition supports its strategy to expand its loan portfolio, grow its customer base, and strengthen long-term shareholder value. The Company also said it will provide further market updates as required under its continuous disclosure obligations.
• On the other side of the transaction, Supreme Ventures Limited (SVL) said the transaction forms part of its strategic initiative to optimise its financial services operations. The decision to let go of Evolve Loan Co. Ltd. allows SVL to reallocate resources toward the development of more efficient, innovative, and technology-driven financial solutions.
• SVL noted that it remains committed to expanding its digital financial services ecosystem and delivering enhanced value to its customers and shareholders through innovative products and solutions. This divestment sharpens SVL’s strategic focus on its core gaming and lottery franchise and technology-driven financial services, which could potentially drive further gains in earnings.
• DOLLA and SVL have both climbed year-to-date, appreciating 6.6% and 5.0%, to close at $2.92 and $18.15, respectively, on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. At these prices, DOLLA trades at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 10.8x, below the Junior Market Financial average of 13.3x. On the other hand, SVL’s price-to-book value (P/B) of 9.4x exceeds its Entertainment Sector peer, Palace Amusement Co. Ltd. (0.57x).

(Sources: Dolla Financial Services Limited, Supreme Ventures Limited & NCBCM Research)

• PBS Group Limited (PBS) yesterday announced a 10-year strategic agreement, valued in the eight-figure US dollar range, with a leading international bank to modernise and strengthen its data, analytics, and resilience infrastructure across Central America. Formally approved by the bank’s Board of Directors, the agreement positions PBS as a long-term strategic partner responsible for supporting the transformation and operation of critical enterprise platforms.
• The engagement spans a multi-phase implementation and a long-term managed services model, reinforcing PBS’ recurring revenue streams. As part of the initiative, PBS will deploy a next-generation data architecture powered by Oracle Exadata, Oracle Database 26AI, Oracle Database Appliance (ODA), and a Zero Data-Loss Disaster Recovery solution, alongside capabilities enabled through data integration architecture.
• The transformation will extend to the bank’s Analytics Unit through the modernisation of its enterprise Data Warehouse environment and integration capabilities. AI technologies will be embedded into selected operational processes to improve efficiency, strengthen risk management, and support faster data-driven decision-making. The project will be led by PBS’ Advanced Services Division.
• Group CEO Pedro M. Paris said the agreement highlights the Company’s consulting role in delivering the highly resilient, data-centric, and intelligence-driven platforms that modern financial institutions require. From an investor perspective, he added, it validates PBS’ strategy of building long-term relationships around mission-critical environments that combine high-value engineering capabilities with managed services. PBS Group Limited is publicly traded on the Jamaica and Barbados stock exchanges. Financially, the deal deepens PBS’ recurring revenue base and adds to earnings visibility.
• PBS’s stock price has declined 29.2% since the start of the year to close at US$0.69 on Tuesday, July 7, 2026. At this level, the stock trades at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 61.6x, above the JSE US-dollar (USD) Market average of 21.4x.

(Sources: PBS Group Limited Press Release & NCBCM Research)

• The Government yesterday indicated that it is seeking to borrow up to US$750Mn (TT$5.09Bn) on the international capital market for "the financing of general development in Trinidad and Tobago or repaying borrowings effected for the general development."
• According to the notice, JP Morgan Securities LLC and Citibank will manage the bond issuance. Under the External Loans Order of 2026, the bond's principal, interest, and debt charges are exempt from taxes and exchange controls.
• However, the government has not yet disclosed the interest rate, bond term, or launch date.
• This notice comes almost 6 months after the country executed a Eurobond issuance (the TRITOB 6.50% 2036), which supported the partial redemption of its US$1Bn 2026 bond (the TRITOB 4.50% 2026). The 2036 issuance extended the average maturity of the external debt from 4.1 years to 6.3 years, strengthening the country's refinancing profile and reducing rollover risks.
• Currently, 40.7% of the 2026 Notes remain outstanding, and the proposed notes will likely be used to finance this outstanding amount as the notes mature on August 4, 2026.

(Sources: Trinidad Guardian, BMI, A Fitch Solutions Company & NCB Merchant Bank (TT) Ltd)

• Several Latin American countries urged the Trump administration to exempt them from proposed U.S. tariffs of 10% to 12.5%. They argued that they are working to prevent the import of goods produced with forced labour and have laws and enforcement processes in place to combat the problem.
• The proposed tariffs are part of the Trump administration's legal process to impose Section 301 duties over alleged failures to enforce import bans on products made with forced labour. The U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) said forced labour in foreign supply chains leads to unfair competition for U.S. workers.
• During a public hearing on the USTR’s proposal, representatives from Mexico, Peru, Guatemala and Ecuador rejected allegations that they are failing to enforce forced labour laws in their supply chains. Mexico noted the proposed tariff would unjustly punish thousands of law-abiding companies, while Peru argued there is no evidence that its exports have burdened U.S. commerce or justify such measures.
• A separate hearing on the proposed 25% tariff on Brazilian goods under a different Section 301 investigation also concluded on Tuesday, as the USTR continued its review of potential country-specific trade measures.
• Some U.S. steelmakers and trade groups urged the USTR to exempt imported pig iron, warning that tariffs on Brazilian pig iron could rise to 37.5% when combined with the proposed Brazil-specific duties. They argued the higher costs would place a large portion of U.S. steel production at a competitive disadvantage because pig iron is not readily available from domestic suppliers.
• The USTR is expected to consider the comments before issuing a final determination on the proposed tariffs and any exemptions.
• The hearings highlight that the proposed tariffs could have implications beyond trade enforcement, with both Latin American exporters and U.S. manufacturers warning that broader tariffs may disrupt regional supply chains, raise production costs and reduce competitiveness if exemptions are not granted.

Source: Reuters

• A Qatari LNG tanker was at risk of exploding, and a Saudi crude tanker was damaged near the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, sending oil prices higher as maritime authorities raised the threat risk for vessels transiting the waterway to "severe." The attacks also disrupted ‌a fragile détente between Washington and Tehran in place since late June, when the two governments agreed to reopen the crucial strait following the three-month war that throttled worldwide energy supplies. On Tuesday, the White House revoked a license it granted Iran to sell oil in an effort to ease tensions.
• While traffic through the strait has picked up in the last week, it remains spotty, ranging between one-third and one-fifth of its pre-war levels. Washington's decision to pull the license came with a warning to Iran that its actions in the strait were "wholly unacceptable" and would be met with consequences. The White House granted the license in June, easing decades-old sanctions as part of an agreement to reopen the strait. “This is not a small step by Washington," said Brett Erickson, managing principal at Obsidian Risk Advisors. The revoked license "was one of the concessions Iran needed to justify lifting its blockade over the Strait of Hormuz."
• The U.S. Navy-led Joint Maritime Information Centre (JMIC) on Tuesday raised the threat level to transit the strait ⁠to "severe" from "substantial" following the attacks, citing deliberate hostile action likely under current conditions, the first time the threat level has been set at that severe status since June 15. "The recent confirmed incidents highlight that the threat environment remains heightened and warrants extreme vigilance," JMIC said in a note, adding that mariners should expect continued naval presence, congestion along transit routes, and more intense hailing by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
• Further to this, on July 8^th, U.S President Donald Trump expressed that the ceasefire deal with Iran is “over”, adding that dealing with Tehran is a “waste of time”. He also warned that the U.S. was preparing for another night of strikes. Attacks have repeatedly threatened the shaky ceasefire, but Trump’s comments added new uncertainty, and oil prices shot up after he spoke. A renewed conflict could engulf the wider Middle East and would likely again halt energy shipments through the strait that are crucial to the global economy.

(Sources: Reuters, Al Jazeera, AP News)

• The United States (U.S.) trade deficit widened sharply in May as imports of capital goods surged to a record high, suggesting that trade remained a drag on gross domestic product in the second quarter. Efforts by businesses to avoid shortages and higher prices related to the conflict in the Middle East, as well as potential new tariffs, also contributed to the large trade shortfall, with the report ‌from the Commerce Department on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, showing overall imports rising to a 14-month high. The U.S.-Israeli war with Iran also boosted oil exports, with shipments of petroleum hitting a record high.
• Though imports will likely subtract from economic growth, their persistent strength is also a sign of resilient domestic demand. Imports are partly being driven by an artificial intelligence investment boom. The deficit swelled to a 14-month high despite President Donald Trump's tariffs on imports.
• The trade gap jumped 42.2% to $77.6Bn, the highest level since March 2025, the Commerce Department's Bureau of Economic Analysis and Census Bureau said. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast the deficit would be $78.5Bn. Part of the surge in the deficit reflected higher prices.
• Imports also increased 3.3% to $395.3Bn, ⁠the highest level since March 2025, also likely because of a strong dollar. Goods imports surged 4.0% to $317.0Bn, the highest level since April 2025, when they soared amid front-running ahead of the imposition of Trump's tariffs. Although the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the tariffs earlier this year, the White House responded with a global duty. New "Section 301" duties have been proposed. Trump has defended the tariffs as necessary to address the trade deficit and revive industries.
• Capital goods imports soared $1.1Bn to a record high $128.0Bn, lifted by large increases in imports of computer accessories and semiconductors. Imports of computers, however, dropped $3.4Bn. Businesses are spending heavily on AI, whose buildup is heavily reliant on imports. Higher capital goods imports typically imply strong business investment, but economists said rising prices made it difficult to estimate the impact. When adjusted for inflation, capital goods imports fell to $108.7Bn from $110.5Bn in April.
• The U.S. continued to run goods trade deficits with a range of countries, including Vietnam, Mexico, Taiwan, China, Canada, Germany, South Korea, India and Ireland, despite Trump's tariffs. The U.S. has declined to extend the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement without changes, and ⁠economists said swelling ​deficits would make the negotiations tougher. But goods trade surpluses were posted with a number of countries, among them the Netherlands, Hong Kong, Australia, the United Kingdom and Brazil.

(Sources: Reuters & Yahoo News)

• Mailpac Group Limited (MAILPAC) opened its 2026 financial year on a positive footing, with Q1 2026 earnings rising by 6.0% year-over-year (YoY) to J$64.60Mn. Revenue growth and improved operational efficiency outweighed higher finance costs and a heftier tax bill.
• Revenues jumped 10.3% to $790.15Mn, buoyed by continued growth in customer activity across the company's e-commerce logistics offerings.
• Cost of sales lagged revenue growth, up 4.5% to J$342.46Mn. Consequently, gross profits climbed 15.2% to J$447.69Mn, and gross margins widened to 56.7% from 54.3%. This expansion was driven by ongoing improvements in efficiency. Operating expenses (OPEX), however, outpaced revenues, rising 15.2% to J$305.42Mn. The increase was mainly due to higher administrative and general expenses. Despite higher OPEX, operating profits improved 15.1% to J$142.27Mn, and operating margins inched up from 17.3% to 18.0%. Further down, finance and policy costs climbed 13.7% to J$63.13Mn and taxation charges nearly doubled to J$14.87Mn, tempering the flow-through to the bottom line.
• With positive results for Q1, the Board remains confident in Mailpac's outlook for 2026. They noted consumer demand for convenient logistics solutions continues to grow, and the Company is well positioned to evolve with its customers. Additionally, the company remains focused on expanding service capabilities and delivering sustainable value to all stakeholders. To that end, it continued to invest across its logistics network, technology platforms, and operating infrastructure during the quarter to support future capacity and service delivery.
• Mailpac’s stock price has increased by 9.9% since the start of the year to close at $2.66 on Monday, July 6, 2026. At this level, the stock trades at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 26.6x, which is above the Junior Market Distribution Sector average of 17.5x.

(Sources: Mailpac Group Financial Statements & NCBCM Research)

• Following a delay in submission, which led to the JSE suspending its shares on July 1^st, Atlantic Hardware (AHPC) has now released its audited financials for the year ending December 2025 (FY2025). Earnings fell 23.9% year-over-year to J$68.87Mn, as a sharp rise in operating expenses and higher depreciation charges eroded the benefit of double-digit revenue growth.
• Revenues climbed 13.7% to J$1.82Bn, while its cost of sales rose at a slower pace of 11.2% to J$1.26Bn. Consequently, gross profits grew 19.6% to J$551.78Mn, while gross margins widened to 30.4% from 28.9%.
• However, selling, general and administrative expenses far outpaced revenue growth, rising sharply (+59.2%) to J$340.17Mn. Consequently, operating profits fell 13.3% to J$229.49Mn, and operating margins narrowed from 16.6% to 12.6%. Depreciation and amortisation expenses rose more than three folds to J$59.72Mn, primarily driven by a sharp increase in depreciation from right-of-use assets (leased land and buildings), which jumped to J$46.32Mn from J$7.19Mn following lease modifications. This outweighed a J$27.80Mn gain on the sale of fixed assets and a 12.1% reduction in interest expense to J$126.90Mn. As a result, pre-tax profits were down 36.5% to J$74.91Mn.
• However, AHPC bounced back in the first quarter of (Q1 2026). Profits tripled year-over-year to J$74.25Mn. Post-Hurricane Melissa demand and operational scaling meant revenues surged 49.5% to J$687.1Mn. The company also benefited from a 46.7% drop in finance costs following substantial debt repayments funded by its Junior Market IPO and the accompanying 100% tax break, which should last for the next 5 years.
• Looking ahead, its new agro-distribution segment offers an opportunity for revenue diversification and demand for wholesale building materials should help to support the company’s performance. This pipeline is expected to be underpinned by the Government of Jamaica's multi-year post-Hurricane Melissa reconstruction and unspent disaster donations still in the early stages of deployment.
• With its earnings now released, the JSE has resumed the trading of AHPC shares. AHPC’s stock price has increased by 1.3% since the start of the year to close at $1.52 on Monday, July 6, 2026. At this level, the stock trades at a price-to-earnings (P/E) ratio of 30.4x, which is above the Junior Market Distribution Sector average of 24.1x.

(Sources: Atlantic Hardware & Plumbing Financial Statements & NCBCM Research)

• The Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to the Dominican Republic, Chen Luning, stated that one of the main priorities of his diplomatic mission is to promote the establishment of a direct flight between the two countries to strengthen tourism, trade, and cultural exchange.
• According to the ambassador, his team is actively working to make the initiative a reality, noting that the Dominican Republic has significant potential to attract visitors from the Chinese market, which he described as one of the world's most important outbound tourism markets.
• China has a population of approximately 1.4 billion people, and millions of Chinese citizens travel abroad each year in search of new tourist destinations. Chen described the Dominican Republic as an "ideal destination" for Chinese tourists.
• Chen acknowledged that geographical distance remains the main challenge to establishing the route. However, he noted that there are viable alternatives, including a stopover in Europe, and that Chinese officials remain in constant communication with Dominican aeronautical authorities and airlines interested in developing the service.
• A direct air connection would facilitate the movement of travellers and businesspeople between the two countries, while boosting tourism, trade, investment and bilateral relations by opening new opportunities for economic cooperation.
• Chen also highlighted the large Chinese community residing in the Dominican Republic that is engaged in various commercial activities, noting that a direct flight could further strengthen people-to-people and business links between the two countries.

(Source: Dominican Today)