Trinidad & Tobago

BMI View: If Trinidad is to avoid a repeat of previous boom bust growth patterns, the current rapid economic expansion needs to be contained at a more moderate and sustainable pace.

now expects Brent light crude to average US$65/bbl in 2006 and US$57/bbl in 2007. Trinidad's fundamentals remain strong, with firm output growth in the energy and non-energy sectors,... 2006-08-21

In late May, the prime minister postponed local government elections (which were due in July) for one year, telling parliament that the government needed more time to complete local... 2006-07-14

Initial estimates suggest that the strong current position was unchanged in the first quarter, as strong import growth was offset by soaring energy exports. We expect the current... 2006-07-14

Over the past 12 months, the benchmark lending ('repo') rate has risen by 175 basis points (bps), reaching 6.75% in April 2006 (up from 5.00% in March 2005). Local commercial lending... 2006-07-11

With energy revenues accounting for approximately 50% of total government revenues, the continued strength of oil and gas prices makes for a robust fiscal position. BMI now expects... 2006-06-16

BMI View: Headline inflation was 6.9% y-o-y in April. Core inflation (excluding volatile items like food), rose 3.1% y-o-y, from 2.7% in March. The central bank took this as a sign... 2006-06-14

The domestic political climate is shifting gear in anticipation of the next general election, which is constitutionally due in 2007 but may well be called before then. The upcoming... 2006-05-18

With no let up in monetary pressures, the central bank raised the repo rate a further 25bps to 6.75% on March 28. Headline inflation was 6.5% y-o-y in February, down from 7.0% in... 2006-04-20

The government has drawn up an 18-point plan in an effort to tackle the rise of violent drug- and gang-related crime. The murder rate was an estimated 35.7 (per 100,000 inhabitants)... 2006-04-20