Bank of Jamaica | Economic Data

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This section of the website contains new and revised economic data published by the Bank of Jamaica.

Tables
The economic statistics are grouped into eleven major categories as they appear in the Bank of Jamaica Statistical Digest. Below is a very brief description of some of the contents for each category. More detailed descriptions, and notes are provided at the back of the Statistical Digest.

Monetary Authorities

Monetary Survey contains information on money and credit based on the operations of the banking system and Central Government, compiled from monthly returns of assets and liabilities of the Central Bank, commercial banks and Central Government

Changes in the Determinants of Money Supply is based on monetary survey table. Data in this table show changes in the various factors affecting money supply. Minus sign denotes contractionary influence: no sign denotes expansionary influence.

Monetary Authorities Accounts is a monthly consolidated summary of the monetary assets and liabilities of the Central Bank and Central Government.

Central Bank: Monthly Summary of Assets and Liabilities includes foreign and local assets and liabilities.

Monetary Base (Base Money) Indicators contain information on currency issue, current account of commercial banks, and the statutory cash reserve of commercial banks, financial institutions and building societies.

Currency and Liquidity

Currency Notes provide data on all denomination of notes issued, redeemed and circulated. The tables are compiled from information available at the Bank of Jamaica.

Commercial Banks: Clearings includes the total of all cheques exchanged in the Clearing House of the Bank of Jamaica each month.

Commercial Banks: Liquid Assets, Liquid Ratios and Statutory Ratios are compiled from monthly reports of liquid assets submitted by the commercial banks. The Banking Law 1960 as amended by the Banking (Amendment) Act 1973 requires commercial banks to maintain a minimum of 20.0 percent of their prescribed liabilities as liquid assets. Such prescribed liabilities include deposit liabilities and such other liabilities as may by notice be specified by the Bank of Jamaica.

Commercial Banks

This collection of tables gives a summary of the monthly consolidated statement of the assets and liabilities of the commercial banks, as well as monthly reports of loans and advances.

Other Financial Institution

This is a collection of information on all Finance Houses and Trust Companies, Merchant Banks, Building Societies, Capital Development Fund and Credit Union. The data is compiled from monthly reports of assets and liabilities and loans and advances submitted by these institutions.

Interest Rates

These rates are compiled from information reported by the commercial banks and other financial institutions. The weighted deposit and loan rates in foreign and domestic currency are weighted based on the actual volumes of all loans extended at specific rates of interest. Rates of interest being offered on time deposits relate to amounts over J$100,000. The savings rate represents an average range of rates offered on all categories of savings deposits. The average lending rate is a simple average of the range of interest rates offered on demand loans only. Comparative Bank rates and Treasury bill rates and comparative Government Security Yields are also included.

Money & Capital Market

A collection of results on Government securities, stock exchange activities, and Bank of Jamaica reverse repurchase transactions. Data on Government of Jamaica Treasury Bills, issued and outstanding and holders of the instruments are compiled from the results of Treasury bill tenders at the Bank of Jamaica. Government of Jamaica Fixed Rate Local Registered Stocks is compiled from the results of the local registered stock auction. The Bank of Jamaica Reverse Repurchase are compiled by the Bank of Jamaica from results of its transactions with primary dealers. The stock exchange Index and Activities are compiled from reports submitted to the Bank of Jamaica by the Jamaica Stock Exchange.

External Sector

Selected tables providing information on Jamaica's external position, including international reserves, balance of visible trade, exports and imports to/from principal trading partners and tourism statistics.

Public Finance and Debt

The data on Government operations are compiled from monthly reports from the Ministry of Finance. It includes information of the national debt, Government direct and Guaranteed external debt, medium and long-term public and publicly guaranteed external debt and debt and debt service indicators. Government Guaranteed external debt represents non-central government debt with central government as guarantor, and is consequently a potential liability to central government.

Prices and Production

The Consumer Price Index (CPI) is compiled and published by the Statistical Institute of Jamaica. The series is based on a survey of household expenditure conducted in 1984. The 1984 survey represents 85 percent of all households and contains 288 items in the basket of goods and services used to measure the change in the CPI on a monthly basis. The Gross Domestic Product is compiled from the National Income and Product publication of the Statistical Institute of Jamaica. Productions of selected commodities are also compiled from monthly reports submitted by the Jamaica Bauxite Institute and the Statistical institute of Jamaica.

Installment Credit

Compiled from Monthly reports submitted by Commercial banks, Merchant Banks and Finance Houses engaged in hire purchase financing and other installment lending.

Housing

Housing units started and completed and the number and value of mortgages by major institutions are compiled from reports made by public and private sector institutions as recorded by the Planning Institute of Jamaica.