Cheryl Blackman has joined FirstCaribbean's wealth management unit as legal and compliance director, effective January 2. Blackman, a trained attorney, will oversee seven risk and control managers located in each of FirstCaribbean's Wealth Management Centres. She previously served as FirstCaribbean's legal counsel since 2002. - Contributed

NEW YORK (AP):

Wall Street scored its second straight big advance yesterday, extending its recovery after economic figures suggested the job market is holding up and as lawmakers promised measures that could ease concerns about consumer spending.

The Dow Jones industrials rose more than 100 points.

Stunning turnaround

While stocks fluctuated throughout the session, trading was decidedly more calm than on Wednesday, when Wall Street executed a stunning turnaround that transformed a sharp sell-off into big gains for stocks. Yesterday's rise was notable, however, as investors will often move in a day after a rally or plunge to take profits or scoop up bargains.

That the buying largely continued was a positive sign, observers said.

Investors were clearly interested in buying, but despite the size of the advance, there didn't appear to be much conviction it - the market is still searching for clues about the economy in hopes of determining whether it will soon pick up or perhaps slow and tip into recession.

In addition, the market wobbled during the session after Fitch Ratings lowered its rating on bond insurer Security Capital Assurance Limited Bond insurers have been hurt in the fallout from the mortgage and credit crises, and news of their problems has shaken the market.

According to preliminary calculations, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 108.44, or 0.88 per cent, to 12,378.61, following a nearly 300 point surge on Wednesday.

Broader stock indicators also rose.

The Standard & Poor's 500 index rose 13.54, or 1.01 per cent, to 1,352.14, and the Nasdaq composite index advanced 44.51, or 1.92 per cent, to 2,360.92.

- AP

Nakeeta Nembhard takes note of community comments on behalf of the Ministry of Energy, Mining and Telecommunications during a community consultation on the new Energy Policy 2006-2020 on Tuesday at the Lions Civic Centre in Edgewater, St. Catherine. The ministry began a series of islandwide consultations this week, which run until the end of January, aimed at building consensus on the issues and energy supply initiatives proposed under the policy. - Contributed