December 4, 2014
St Vincent gov’t offers tax break on end-of-year bonuses
The St Vincent and the Grenadines government says it will give a tax break to any firm or individual employer who pays their workers an end-of-year bonuses of EC$250 (One EC Dollar=US$0.37 cents) or more. Employees will not be taxed on the first…
December 3, 2014
South Stream gas line cancelled by Russia’s President
Russian President Vladimir Putin's announcement that he is cancelling the planned $50bn (£32bn; €40bn) South Stream gas pipeline has caused a mixture of surprise, relief and dismay in countries dependent on Russian gas across central and eastern…
December 1, 2014
US Black Friday sales fall 11%
US retailers reported sluggish Black Friday spending, with sales falling 11% from the same period last year, according to the National Retail Federation (NRF). US consumers spent on average $380.95 per person, down 6.4% from a year ago. Overall,…
November 26, 2014
HSBC and Goldman sued for allegedly fixing metal price
Goldman Sachs and HSBC are among four platinum and palladium dealers to be sued in New York for allegedly fixing the price of the metals. The four companies are said to have rigged prices for eight years. BASF and Standard bank were also sued in the…
November 25, 2014
US economy grows faster than first forecast
The US economy grew much faster than first reported during the third quarter, official figures have shown. It expanded at an annualised rate of 3.9% between July and September, up from the 3.5% first estimated by the Bureau of Economic Analysis. The…
November 25, 2014
Flight attendant guilty of money laundering
A Dominican flight attendant was on Monday fined EC$10,000 to be paid forthwith or spend 9 months in jail in connection with two money laundering charges. Thirty-year-old Sherita Kernelle Newton, an employee of regional carrier LIAT, was charged…
November 15, 2014
Oil prices likely to fall into next year, says IEA
Oil prices are likely to continue falling well into 2015, the International Energy Agency has said. The IEA, a consultancy to 29 countries, said weak demand and the US shale gas boom meant crude's recent fall below $80 a barrel was not over. On…
November 15, 2014
Exxon to become second largest firm to Microsoft
Energy giant Exxon has ceded its position as the world's second-largest public company to tech firm Microsoft, after concerns about the falling price of oil drove its shares down. Exxon's shares traded at $94.90 midday on Friday, reducing the total…
November 13, 2014
Baptist Hospital is First Hospital in South Florida as a Comprehensive Stroke Center
Baptist Hospital of Miami, in partnership with Baptist Health Neuroscience Center, has received certification as a Comprehensive Stroke Center from The Joint Commission and the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. Baptist Hospital…
November 11, 2014
Jamaica to export more banana to the UK
Jamaica will be supplying more bananas to the United Kingdom (UK), while Trinidad and Tobago has given clearance for the produce to enter its territory. Agriculture Minister Derrick Kellier said last week that on October 16, a contract was signed…