Just over half of respondents anticipate improvements in the local economy over the coming year, while 65 percent expect their financial outlook to improve over the next 12 months. Businesses in Central Trinidad and in Tobago remained the most confident about the business and economic outlook in the shortterm.
Fannie's and Freddie's purchases of their own or each other's mortgage-backed securities with their market-subsidized debt do not contribute usefully  4  Spreads averaged 148 basis points in 1997 and 280 basis points in 2003.