JSE – ITSMONEYMARK

ItsMoneyMark Newsletter #57

Growing Corporate Profits, Shortage of Quality Assets: Jamaica

The better the corporate profits, the better the markets. In the U.S. corporate profits have been improving year over year continuously for more than a decade. Besides the anomalies, of course. Every year the query has come up, are we in a “bubble” and “when is this bubble going to bust.” The thing is, if corporate profits are strong, and growing annually, and/or upward trending, then stock markets will do well. The Dow Jones Industrial Average (US: DOW J) is evidence of that. Moving 10 years ago, from just below 13,000 points to this week hoovering around 34,000/ 35,000 points. If profits are stellar and growing, the index and the overall indices will make Mr. Market $$$.

ItsMoneyMark Newsletter #55

They call interest rates the silent creeper and the soul killer… especially if you are a business owner, and have some leverage or took on some leverage, for a variety of reasons. You could have made an honest business mistake, a bad business judgement, over-extended your business, decided to go into a non-productive asset, a distressed matter occurred, a super charged growth capital opportunity presented itself or some of all the above.

ItsMoneyMark Newsletter #51

Lots of Earnings this season! Let’s get into it!
Bank of Jamaica, hikes Main Benchmark rate by 1.5%
Well, effective February 21, 2022 (Monday), we kick-off the week with 4.0%, a 3.5% or + 350 bps change for fixed income paper or bond junkies. What a difference a little bit of time makes, and the ensuing, patty, gas, toll, groceries, etc. prices have made, also known as inflation.

ItsMoneyMark Newsletter #47

The U.S. Fed, Rates Hikes & Interest Rates

.S. President Biden took office on January 20, 2021. He approaches his 1-year anniversary of his 4-year term within a week of today. The Biden team has been making its move at the Fed with the November 2021, re-nomination of Jerome Powell to a 2nd term as Fed Chair.