Local Stock Market Commentary:

The week began with moderate activity with 13,948 shares trading in the local market today.
AML Foods Ltd. (AML) traded 10,491 shares increasing by +$0.03 to close at $1.10.
Cable Bahamas (CAB) traded 457 shares to close unchanged at $10.03.
Finco (FIN) traded 900 shares to close unchanged at $9.30.
Focol Holdings Ltd. (FCL) traded 100 shares to close unchanged at $4.50.
Focol Class 'B' Perpetual Preference (FCLB) traded 2,000 shares at a par value of $1.00, valuing $2,000.

Precious Metals:

Gold closed at $991.60, Silver at $16.20, Platinum at $1,287.00 and Crude Oil at $67.08 a barrel.

Foreign Currencies:

Against the US Dollar, the Euro closed at 1.4614, Pound Sterling at 1.588, Yen at 89.58 and the Canadian Dollar at 0.9201.

Stocks:

Consolidated Water Company Ltd. (CWCO) fell -$0.48 or -2.80% to close at $16.69.

International Stock Market News:

U.S. stocks rose, sending benchmark indexes up the most in five weeks, as takeovers in the drug and technology industries added to evidence that mergers and acquisitions are rebounding from the slowest pace in six years.

European stocks rose for the first time in three days, amid signs that mergers and acquisitions will increase and as German Chancellor Angela Merkel?s re- election boosted the country?s utilities.

Asian stocks fell, dragging the MSCI Asia Pacific Index to its biggest loss in two weeks, as the yen surged and disappointing U.S. data raised concerns about the strength of the economic recovery.

Crude oil rose as U.S. equities increased the most in five weeks and Iran test-fired Shahab-3 missiles amid threats of greater sanctions because of its nuclear program.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average soared by +124.17 points or +1.28% to close at 9,789.36 with a volume of 163.78 million shares.

The top advancers today were Boeing Co, Traveler Cos In, American Express and 3M Co. The top decliners today were IBM and Kraft Food Inc.

iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index advanced by +$0.49 or +1.29% to close at $38.58.

The Standard and Poor's 500 Index increased by +18.60 points or +1.78% to close at 1,062.98.

The Financial Times 100 Index in London climbed by +83.50 points or by +1.64% to close at 5,165.70.

NIKKEI 225 Stock Average tumbled by -256.46 or by -2.50% to close at 10,009.52

Note: Bloomberg used as source for international data