Trinidad & Tobago

In light of the fall in global oil prices, the government of Trinidad and Tobago has proposed a series of ambitious reforms. Keith Rowley, the recently elected prime minister, has raised the possibility of amending the tax code to better reflect the current state of the energy sector. The move has been lauded by oil executives, who believe...

Due to the country’s abundant low-cost hydrocarbons, Trinidad and Tobago has historically given a low priority to the development and use of alternative and renewable energy sources. That same high dependence on oil and gas has placed the country comparatively high up on global rankings in terms of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

The Trinidad and Tobago insurance industry was affected by a slower economy in 2015, and the macroeconomic environment will remain difficult in 2016. Despite this, most of the largest insurers remain profitable. Key metrics suggest the industry is resilient, although companies will have to adapt their business models to keep abreast of market...

Trinidad and Tobago’s capital markets have developed against a background of strong energy sector growth, so the current “lower prices for a longer time” outlook for hydrocarbons prices is expected to translate into slower and more modest growth in the near-term. Share prices have remained broadly flat on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange...

The government bond market in Trinidad and Tobago was somewhat subdued in 2015, with no public auctions of TT$-denominated debt taking place. However, as the government embarks on what should be an aggressive domestic borrowing programme in 2016 and the interest rate environment changes, activity could be set to increase markedly.

The fiscal year 2015/16 may be remembered as a period offering both risk and opportunity to investors in the Trinidad and Tobago stock market. While the effects of lower energy prices on an oil and natural gas driven economy cannot be ignored, it remains to be seen how capital markets in T&T will react.