Sagicor Financial is now an associated company of JMMB Group, following JMMB’s acquisition of over 33 million shares in Sagicor Financial representing a minority stake of 22.5 per cent. JMMB purchased the shares from Canadian entity Alignvest, by way of a private placement. The transaction totaled CA$332.1 million. JMMB can

Interest rates are one of the main forces affecting bond prices. When interest rates are low, as they are now, bond prices rise. That is great news for people who already hold bonds because it means the market value of their bond has gone up and they would make a

The Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA) is supporting the need for a more highly skilled and competitive labour force. This they believe will increase the country's ability to provide more value-added products and services to the manufacturing sector, pursuant to training. Metry Seaga, past president of the JMEA while

Dr Karim Youssef, International Monetary Fund (IMF) resident representative to Jamaica recently in commending Jamaica's step towards financial inclusion for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), has said that if the project achieved 50 per cent of its goals – it could be history making. Speaking at a Private Sector

Marathon Insurance Brokers has announced plans to raise $500 million through an initial public offer (IPO), which is slated for March next year. The proceeds of the IPO would be used to expand the 25-year-old insurance brokerage firm while financing its $100-million innovative online platform, Mibinsure.com. If the IPO is

With quarterly growth of 0.3 per cent, chairman of the 41-month-old Economic Growth Council (EGC), Michael Lee Chin, says that the permanent status of permanent secretaries under the Jamaican Constitution, has to be removed to enable higher gross domesitic product (GDP) growth levels. Lee Chin, who was speaking at the

BOJ governor, Richard Byles speaking at a Quarterly Monetary Policy Report press conference held at the BOJ offices in downtown Kingston on November 21. (Michael Gordon) The Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) in its latest Quarterly Monetary Policy Report has said that they will continue to ensure that  order is maintained

The financially plagued Key Insurance Company is considering a rights issue, as it seeks to recapitalise the company, which has been bleeding under heavy losses in recent time. Today the board of directors will be meeting, at which time the crucial decision will be made whether to pursue the

The Tourism Workers Pension Scheme, which was approved earlier this year in Parliament, has continued to receive the thumbs up across the pension/retirement landscape. The latest commendations came from the members of the Pension Industry Association of Jamaica (PIAJ), who were guests of the Jamaica Observer's weekly Monday Exchange at

Tourism Minister, Edmund Bartlett (left), converses with St Lucia's Minister of Tourism, Information and Broadcasting, Dominic Fedee, during a Government Leaders panel discussion at the Caribbean Hotel Investment Conference and Operations (CHICOS) Summit at the Secrets Wild Orchard and St James Resorts in Montego Bay, St. James, on November 15.