6:00 PM, April 20, 2012 Miami – Caribbean markets gained on Friday and closed mixed in the week. Financials led the most active list in the weekly trading and Scotia Group Jamaica and Sagicor Life Jamaica Limited led the most active list in Kingston trading.

The JSE Market Index increased 71.81 to 91,461.78 and the JSE Select Index gained 4.52 to close at 2,749.96. For the week the JSE Market Index fell 0.5%.

Trinidad Composite Index slipped 0.30 to 1,010.81 and for the week the index rose 0.02%. Bahamas Stock Exchange Index rose 0.01 to 1,303.77.

Of the 22 stocks traded on Jamaica Stock Exchange, 10 increased, 5 decreased and 7 were unchanged.

In today’s trading in Kingston, 1,264,571 shares changed hands worth J$20.7 million. Scotia Group Jamaica led the most active list with a trading of 420,020 shares followed by Sagicor Life Jamaica Limited with 201,162.

Sagicor Life Jamaica Limited increased 11 cents to J$10.93 and traded 201,162 and Barita Investments Limited - Series A added 29 cents to J$3.09 and traded 179,700. Jamaica Broilers Ltd. added 1 cent to J$4.85 and traded 89,530.

Scotia Group Jamaica fell 9 cents to J$22.94 and traded 420,020 and Pan-Jamaican Investment Trust Ltd. declined 46 cents to J$57.54 and traded 35,272. Jamaica Money Market Brokers Ltd. decreased 2 cents to J$11.50 and traded 18,654.

Trinidad Market Overview

Trinidad Composite Index slipped 0.30 to 1,010.81 and of the 16 stocks traded 4 advanced, 1 declined and 11 closed unchanged.

Guardian Holdings Limited led the most active list with a rise of 9 cents to TT$14.15 and traded 120,753 and Neal & Massy Holdings Limited increased 15 cent to TT$46.25 and traded 30,000. Scotia Investments Jamaica Limited raised 2 cent to TT$2.30 and traded 23,000.

National Commercial Bank Jamaica Limited fell 3 cents to TT$1.95 and traded 15,817.

World Market Review

U.S. indexes gained momentum after better-than-estimated earnings and leading economic index rose in March. The market sentiment was cautiously positive after earnings from Microsoft, General Electric and McDonald’s either met or exceeded expectations.

Investors in Europe also took a note of the improvement in the German sentiment.

For the week, the S&P 500 index increased 0.6% and added 9.7% in the year so far and the Nasdaq index decreased 0.3% and up 15.3% for the year so far.

On the earnings front, General Electric first quarter net declined 12% to $3.03 billion and Honeywell first quarter net soared 17% to $823 million. Ingersoll-Rand first quarter net swung to $95.6 million profit. McDonald’s first quarter net rose 5% to $1.27 billion. Microsoft third quarter net fell to $5.1 billion.

Finance ministers are expected to agree to contribute more funding to the International Monetary Fund to bolster reserves that will be used to support the euro zone economies. The IMF is seeking $400 billion in additional reserves unlike its lack of willingness to support smaller nations during the Asian crisis in the late nineties.

In the last three decades the IMF track record in saving economies around the world has failed to live up to the expectations set in its charter and has become a tool for Western politicians to promote their global agenda.

The European indexes pared gains after trading higher in the day after German business sentiment improved unexpectedly in April. The UK retail sales rose in March. International Airlines Group completed the acquisition of bmi from Lufthansa.