• U.S. job openings unexpectedly increased in May, but a decline in hiring added to signs that the labour market had shifted into lower gear amid uncertainty over the Trump administration's tariffs on imports, with a 90-day pause on higher reciprocal duties ending.
• Job openings, a measure of labour demand, were up 374,000 to 7.77Mn by the last day of May, the Labour Department's Bureau of Labour Statistics said in its Job Openings and Labour Turnover Survey, or JOLTS report. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast 7.30Mn vacancies.
• Economists were mostly dismissive of the surprise rise in job openings, noting that the bulk of the increase was in the leisure and hospitality sector. Hiring, however, decreased by 112,000 to 5.50Mn, with declines concentrated in healthcare and social assistance, manufacturing, as well as professional and business services. But hiring surged by 107,000 in accommodation and food services. Ultimately, the hire rate fell to 3.4% from 3.5%.
• Economists said the JOLTS report suggested the Federal Reserve could wait until September to resume cutting interest rates. The U.S. central bank last month left its benchmark overnight interest rate in the 4.25%-4.50% range, where it has been since December.

(Source: Reuters)

• Euro zone inflation edged up last month to the European Central Bank's 2% target from 1.9% a month earlier, driven primarily by services inflation, while softer prices in energy and industrial goods helped moderate the overall increase.
• Before last month’s increase from the 1.9% low, inflation fell from as high as 2.5% in January 2025. Anticipating this fall, the ECB has lowered interest rates from record highs by two full percentage points over the last year, and debate has turned to whether it needs to ease policy further to prevent inflation from becoming too low, given weak growth.
• Last month, services inflation edged up to 3.3% from 3.2%, as prices rose 0.7% the month, supporting the argument of policy hawks that domestic inflation remains uncomfortably high, reducing the risk of undershooting.
• The development in services costs, which have been stubbornly high for years, is pivotal as it has raised fears that domestic inflation could get stuck above 2.0%.
• Financial investors expect one more ECB rate cut to 1.75% towards the end of the year, then anticipate a period of steady rates before possible increases towards the end of 2026.
• Core inflation, a closely watched measure that excludes volatile food and fuel prices, meanwhile, held steady at 2.3%, in line with expectations.
• The outlook, however, is complicated by the fact that it depends on the outcome of a trade dispute between the EU and the U.S. President Donald Trump's administration. For now, the conflict has reduced price pressures because it has sapped economic confidence, pushing up the value of the euro and lowering energy prices.

(Source: Reuters)

• Following its Monetary Policy Committee (MPC) meetings on June 25 and 26, 2025, the Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) announced that it has maintained its policy rate at 5.75%. This pause follows a previous 25bps rate cut in May 2025. The decision was made on the balance of a run of stable inflation since last September and uncertainties from global trade policies, interest rate paths in major economies, and recent geopolitical tensions that pose upside risks to inflation.
• Inflation has remained stable within the Bank’s target range of 4.0 to 6.0% since September 2024. Annual headline inflation in May 2025, as reported by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN), was 5.2%, in line with the outturn in May 2024. Core inflation (which excludes the prices of agricultural food products and fuel from the consumer price index (CPI) was 4.6% for May 2025, remaining below the upper limit of the target since July 2023.
• The BOJ expects inflation to remain within its target range of 4.0% to 6.0% over the next eight quarters. The private sector’s expectations for future inflation, a key driver of headline inflation, have stabilised. Meanwhile, international drivers of headline inflation, such as grains, liquefied natural gas, and oil prices, have generally trended down.
• Still, risks to the inflation forecast are skewed to the upside, which means that inflation could be higher than projected. Most notably, geopolitical tensions, if prolonged or intensified, could cause upward pressures on international commodity prices. Additionally, while the direct impact of recent changes in global trade policy on domestic inflation is expected to be moderate, the second-round impact of these policies could be higher than anticipated.
• That said, the MPC communicated that it would continue to monitor the incoming data and adjust its policy accordingly at subsequent meetings.

(Source: BOJ)

• Caribbean Information and Credit Rating Services Limited (CariCRIS) has reaffirmed the regional scale ratings of GraceKennedy Limited (GK) at CariA (Local and Foreign Currency Ratings) and the Jamaica national scale ratings at jmAA (Local and Foreign Currency Ratings).
• CariCRIS has reaffirmed the Group’s regional scale rating of CariA (Local Currency Rating) for its bond issue of up to J$3Bn, as well as its Jamaica national scale rating of jmAA (Local Currency Rating). The CariA rating reflects a good level of creditworthiness for both the obligor and the debt obligation when compared to others within the Caribbean. The jmAA rating indicates a high level of creditworthiness relative to other issuers and debt obligations within Jamaica.
• CariCRIS also expects continued strong demand for the Group’s food products and services, supported by new product launches and enhanced distribution channels. The demand is expected to be bolstered by economic growth conditions in its main market, Jamaica. Notwithstanding this, the Group’s performance may be adversely affected by lingering geopolitical pressures and impending trade tensions with high levels of policy uncertainty.
• The ratings and/or outlook could improve if there is an enhancement in the Government of Jamaica’s creditworthiness. Additionally, they could also improve if the company sustained financial performance indicators such as a PAT margin of 5.5% or higher, an operating profit margin of 7.5% or higher, and a return on assets (ROA) exceeding 5%, each maintained for at least two consecutive years.
• Conversely, a downgrade could result from significant financial or operational deterioration, including sustained revenue decline, profit margin compression, rising debt levels, weakened debt service capacity, or a drop in the Government of Jamaica’s creditworthiness.

(Source: CariCRIS)

• The Dominican Republic has emerged as the Caribbean leader in proportional egg exports, dedicating 20.73% of its egg production, about 820 million units, to international trade, according to the Datos Productivos Latam 2024 report by the Latin American Egg Institute (ILH) and the Latin American Poultry Association (ALA).
• Pavel Concepción, president of the Dominican Poultry Association (ADA), emphasised that the country accounts for 45.77% of all Caribbean egg exports, outperforming larger Latin American economies.
• Additionally, the Dominican Republic boasts the lowest average egg price on the continent, just US$1.87 per dozen. This stands in stark contrast to prices in countries like the USA (US$4.95), Uruguay (US$5.55) and Chile (US$3.86). The affordability of eggs has spurred significant domestic consumption, with Dominicans consuming an average of 293 eggs per person annually, placing the country fifth in Latin America for per capita egg consumption.
• Concepción also highlighted the growth of the poultry industry, with current chicken production reaching 22.5 million birds per month, one million more than in 2024, fully meeting national demand with recognised quality standards.
• Looking ahead, the industry plans to invest more than RD$7Bn by 2025. Projects include a refrigeration plant with capacity for eight million pounds of chicken and an egg processing facility to produce liquid and powdered egg products for local and global markets. The ILH has recognised the Dominican Republic as a model in Latin America, noting its combination of high production, low prices, and strong consumption, where eggs represent just 1.76% of household spending.

(Source: Dominican Today)

• Chile's economic activity rose 3.2% in May when compared to a year earlier, driven by a strong performance of its key mining sector, but still landed below market forecasts, central bank (BCCh: Banco Central de Chile) data showed on Tuesday, July 1, 2025.
• The IMACEC index¹, which accounts for about 90% of the Andean country's gross domestic product, accelerated from the 2.5% year-on-year increase reported in April but missed the 3.7% expansion forecast by economists polled by Reuters.
• The mining sector of the world's largest copper producer posted the main activity jump as it grew 10.3% year-on-year, boosted by higher output of the red metal, the bank said. "The (annual) IMACEC result was explained by the growth of all its components, with the performances of services and mining being the highlights," it added in a statement.
• On a monthly basis, economic activity in the Andean country was down 0.2%, the bank said. "Economic activity remains solid, despite the modest month-to-month decline in May, which followed a decent run," Pantheon Macroeconomics' chief Latin America economist, Andres Abadia, said. "The outlook remains positive."
• After recording a 2.6% growth for 2024, Fitch Solutions forecasts growth to come in at 2.4% this year and 2.3% in 2026. This forecast is underpinned by the expected continued recovery of private consumption, with consumer confidence and retail sales looking strong and robust mining exports.
• Notably, Fitch’s mining production outlook remains solid for this year, and the state mining company Cadelco is partnering with the private sector on new lithium projects. However, elevated inflation poses some headwinds in 2025, as neither Fitch nor the BCCh expects inflation to fall to the 4.0% upper tolerance range by year-end, but inflation should moderate by year-end.

______________________

¹Spanish acronym for Monthly Index of Economic Activity

(Sources: Reuters and Fitch Connect)

• China is ready to have discussions about trade policies, including tariffs and subsidies, that Washington has identified as obstacles to reforming the World Trade Organisation, a senior delegate at China's mission to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) said.
• China had heard "every word" the U.S. had said at the WTO about its trade practices and is open to discussing tariffs, industrial policy and some benefits it gains from its developing country status, as part of broader conversations on reform ahead of a 2026 ministerial meeting in Cameroon, the delegate said.
• Washington, however, argues that there can be no meaningful WTO reform until China and other major economies relinquish privileges known as Special and Differential Treatment (SDT) granted to developing countries, which the U.S. says give them an unfair advantage.
• The delegate said China's developing country status was non-negotiable, but it might forgo SDT in upcoming negotiations, as it did recently on fisheries and domestic regulations. However, former WTO spokesperson Keith M. Rockwell, a senior research fellow at the Hinrich Foundation, was sceptical that China would fully relinquish SDT in areas like agriculture.
• The U.S. opposes countries picking and choosing SDT benefits and wants China to completely renounce them. The delegate said China was open to discussing subsidies to ensure a fairer playing field, provided it was met with goodwill in return. But it would not accept any attempts to try to change its economic system, they added.

(Source: Reuters)

• U.S. manufacturing remained sluggish in June, with new orders subdued and prices paid for inputs creeping higher, suggesting that the Trump administration's tariffs on imported goods continued to hamper businesses' ability to plan ahead.
• The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) said on Tuesday that its manufacturing PMI nudged up to 49.0 last month from a six-month low of 48.5 in May. Despite this increase, it was the fourth straight month that the PMI was below the 50 mark, which indicates contraction in the sector that accounts for 10.2% of the economy.
• The survey joined with weak data on the housing market, consumer spending and swelling unemployment rolls that have suggested the economy's underlying momentum slowed further in the second quarter, even as gross domestic product probably rebounded as the drag from a record trade deficit faded due to falling imports.
• President Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs, which have led businesses and households to front-run imports and goods purchases to avoid higher prices from duties, have muddled the economic picture. Economists warned it could take time for the tariff-related distortions to wash out of the economic data.
• The PMI last month was likely lifted by longer delivery times, which under normal circumstances would be related to strong demand. However, the extensive tariffs have caused bottlenecks in the supply chain, resulting in factories waiting longer for raw material deliveries.
• Though production at factories picked up last month, it was probably the result of manufacturers working through backlog orders. The ISM survey's forward-looking new orders sub-index dropped to 46.4 from 47.6 in May. This measure has now contracted for five consecutive months. With manufacturers facing weak demand and higher prices for inputs, employment declined further last month. The survey's measure of manufacturing employment fell to 45.0 from 46.8 in May.

(Source: Reuters)

• Tourism Minister Hon. Edmund Bartlett says Jamaica’s tourism industry is on track for continued growth in 2025, driven by a drop in crime and a more favourable U.S. travel advisory.
• “Jamaica’s tourism industry remains on a strong trajectory. The outlook for 2025 is highly optimistic, bolstered by significant reductions in crime and the recent favourable shift in the United States (US) government’s travel advisory. These factors are creating a more welcoming environment for our visitors and partners,” Mr. Bartlett highlighted.
• Despite a 1% dip in stopover arrivals from January to June 25 compared to the same period last year, Mr. Bartlett noted encouraging signs of recovery. The first week of June recorded a 1.5% increase over 2024, with 210,011 stopover visitors.
• The Minister outlined a multi-pronged strategy to boost the sector, including improving visitor experiences, promoting sustainability, and diversifying source markets. “Diversification remains at the core of our strategy. While our traditional markets, such as the United States, are vital, we recognise the importance of broadening our reach into emerging regions to ensure resilience against global economic fluctuations,” he added.
• Although the U.S. market dipped by 4.1% in 2024 due to economic uncertainty and election-year dynamics, gains were made elsewhere. Europe saw a 9.1% increase, while Canada rose by 6.2%. The Caribbean and Latin America outpaced expectations, growing by 25.1% and 13.2%, respectively. He further noted that they are actively expanding into high-growth regions like Latin America, Asia-Pacific, and the Middle East, which presents a large growth potential.
• He also spotlighted India and China as major emerging travel markets. India, with a booming middle class and projected to become the world’s third-largest economy, and China, with its large outbound travel market, both offer significant opportunities.

(Sources: Caribbean National Weekly)

• The Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) noted that for more than a decade, Jamaica has been implementing sound macroeconomic policies supported by strong policy frameworks.
• Its 2025 Article IV Consultation highlights Jamaica’s continued macroeconomic resilience despite recent climate-related shocks, such as Hurricanes Beryl and Raphael. The economy experienced a temporary slowdown in FY2024/25, particularly in agriculture and tourism, but is expected to rebound to its growth potential by FY2025/26.
• Key indicators remain strong: unemployment reached a record low of 3.7%, inflation stayed within the central bank’s 4–6% target, public debt continued its downward trend, and external reserves were bolstered by consecutive current account surpluses.
• The IMF highlighted that the government of Jamaica has advanced important reforms in fiscal transparency, public sector wage management, financial regulation, and institutional oversight, including the operationalisation of the Fiscal Commission.
• The outlook suggests that, following the expected recovery in FY2025/26, Jamaica’s growth will return to its potential rate, with inflation stabilising within the Bank of Jamaica’s target range. However, downside risks remain elevated due to tightening global financial conditions, weaker growth in key tourism source markets, potential trade disruptions, and the ongoing threat of extreme weather events.
• The IMF noted that Jamaican authorities are maintaining sound macroeconomic management underpinned by strong policy frameworks. A prudent fiscal stance is guiding public debt toward the target set in the Fiscal Responsibility Law (60% debt-to-GDP ratio by 2027/2028), while monetary policy has effectively anchored inflation near the midpoint of the target range, with inflation expectations trending toward the upper bound.
• It further highlighted that the BOJ’s decision to lower policy rates in 2024 was appropriate, given the transitory nature of climate-related shocks and the anticipated return of inflation to target. Looking ahead, the current fiscal and monetary policy mix positions Jamaica well to manage external risks and sustain macroeconomic stability.

(Sources: IMF & NCBCM Research)