The all Jamaica Composite index is up 6.3 percent for the first two months of 2015 and the JSE index is up 6.2 percent and could be up nearly 40 percent for 2015 if the trend continues. The 2015 increase is the highest since the all Jamaica composite gained 9.4 percent in the first two months.
The JSE select index gain 9.2 percent over the same period. The movements to date translate to close to a 40 percent rise in the market for the year. If the movement was to continue at the same pace for the rest of the year it would take the all Jamaica index to 118,000 points by year-end and the JSE Index to 107,000.
The Jamaica Stock Exchange’s all Jamaica Composite index closed above 89,000 for the first time on Thursday, February 26, since mid-July 2103, and is a little more than 2,300 points from potential resistance at 91,720, the January, 2013 high. The market as measured by the index, has broken out of a channel going back to late last year, see green lines.
The junior market in contrast to the gains in the main market, is up only 1.7 percent.
Archives for February 2015
JSE could gain 40% for 2015
Cargo Handlers jumps $1.80
Cargo Handlers climbed $1.80 on Friday
At the close of the market, there were 2 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 stocks with offers that were lower. The junior market ended with 4 securities closing with no bids to buy and 5 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
Stocks trading in the junior market with gains are, Cargo Handlers finishing with 10,000 shares trading while gaining 10.6 percent or $1.80 to an all-time high of $18.80, Lasco Distributors closing with 136,000 shares to end with an increase of 5 cents to $1.55, a new 52 weeks’ high. Lasco Financial ended trading with 26,150 shares switching ownership 1 cent higher to $1.05, Lasco Manufacturing closed with 121,100 shares while gaining 9 cents to $1.24. Sweet River Abattoir ended trading with the price unchanged while 15,000 shares changed hands at $3.86.Stocks ending with losses are, AMG Packaging concluding trading with 1,470 shares changing hands to close down by 1 cent to $2.30, Caribbean Producers ended trading lower by 10 cents to $2 with only 3,000 shares and Dolphin Cove closed with 5,000 shares trading after falling 49 cents to $8.50.
Moderate JSE trading – Friday
Friday’s activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange saw moderate trading taking place, resulting in the prices of 8 stocks rising, 8 declining as 25 securities changed hands, ending in only 751,397 units trading, valued at $3,640,271, in all market segments.
Main Market| The JSE Market Index lost 33.26 points to close at 81,107.95, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index fell 37.18 points to 89,400.76 and the JSE combined index declined by 137.46 points to 82,801.92.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator is showing a fluidity in price movements with 7 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 6 stocks with offers that were lower.
Gains| Stocks gaining with last traded prices, at the end of trading in the main market are, Carreras closing with an increase of 45 cents to $44.50 as only 210 units traded. Gleaner finished with a mere 1,000 shares changing hands, the price jumped at 10 cents to 95 cents, Mayberry Investments finished trading with 35,551 units to end with an increase of 5 cents to $2 and Scotia Group saw trading in 2,897 shares as the price jumped at $1 to $22.
Firm| The stocks in the main market to close without a change in the last traded prices are, Caribbean Cement closing with 1,050 shares changing hands at $2.60, Desnoes & Geddes ending with 3,000 units traded at $5.50, Grace Kennedy finishing with 5,000 shares at $60.51. Jamaica Broilers ending with 19,937 shares changing hands to close $4.05, Jamaica Producers finished with 1,000 units trading at $17, Radio Jamaica ended trading with 816 units to close at $1.35 and Sagicor Group closed with 199,800 shares at $10.50.
Declines| The last traded prices of stocks with losses at the end of trading in the main market are, Cable & Wireless closed with 29,952 units trading as the price slipped 2 cents to 48 cents, Jamaica Money Market Brokers in trading 7,936 ordinary shares ended 19 cents lower at $6.91, Jamaica Stock Exchange closing with 3,000 units trading slipped 15 cents to $2, Kingston Wharves closed with 3,750 shares changing hands to close lower by 10 cents to $6.40 and Pan Jamaican Investment had only 128 units trading to end down 73 cents to $52.78.
Preference| Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference share traded 118,650 units at $2.
J$ slips against US & Pound- Friday
the Jamaican dollar slipped in value on Friday against the British Pound and the Us dollar but gained against the Canadian with purchases of all currencies by dealers amounting to US$41,792,863 compared with the US$36,782,160, on Thursday and selling of the equivalent of US$42,252,844 versus US$51,379,595 sold on Thursday.
In US dollar trading, dealers bought US$36,360,074 compared to US$31,445,586 on Thursday. The buying rate for the US dollar put on 3 cents to $115.15 and US$39,309,385 was sold versus US$49,329,254 on Thursday, the selling rate rose 5 cents to $115.64 The Canadian dollar buying rate jumped $1.34 to $92.04 with dealers buying C$2,968,466, and selling C$1,859,975, at an average rate that gained 39 cents to $92.64. The rate for buying the British Pound dipped 33 cents to $176.71 for the purchase of £1,911,861, while £763,754 was sold, at an average rate of $178.63, down by 1 cent. At the end of trading it took J$129.62 to purchase the Euro, $1.67 less than on Thursday, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$127.15 for $1.67 less than on Thursday. 
Other currencies bought, amounted to the equivalent of US$126,015 while the equivalent of US$273,697, was sold.
Highs & Lows| The highest buying rate for the US dollar, the lowest buying and the highest selling rates remained at $115.80, $94.36 and $120.91 respectively. The lowest selling rate dropped $17.11 to $96.39. The highest buying rate for the Canadian dollar jumped $3.20 to $96.20, the lowest buying rate fell 45 cents to $73.25. The highest selling rate rose $1.74 to $97 and the lowest selling rate jumped $11.74 to $87.25 The highest buying rate for the British Pound, slipped 80 cents to $178.10. The lowest buying rate fell 54 cents to $142.88, the highest selling rate lost $3.04 to $181.86 and the lowest selling rate declined 35 cents to $172.15.
TTSE closes with moderate trading
Trading on the Trinidad Stock Exchange ended with 9 securities changing hands of which 3 advanced, 2 declined and 4 traded firm with a total of 153,230 units, valued at $2,177,076.
At the close of the market, the Composite Index rose by 0.13 points to close at 1,148.79, the All T&T Index gained 0.19 points to close at 1,980.04 and the Cross Listed Index fell 0.01 points to end 41.58.
Gains| Stocks increasing in price at the close are, ANSA McAL gained 4 cents to end at $66.86 after trading 4,646 units valued at $310,632. Ansa Merchant Bank added 5,000 shares valued at $194,550 and ended up a cent at $38.91 and Scotiabank traded 1,181 shares to end at $62.15 for a 2 cents gain.
Declines| The stocks declining at the end of trading are, Clico Investment Fund with 15,258 shares valued at $343,582 trading, lost 3 cents to $22.50 and First Citizens Bank had 700 units changing hands at $35.73 after dropping 1 cent.
Firm Trades| Firstcaribbean International Bank closed with a volume of 39,574 shares traded for $199,082 at $5.03, Guardian Holdings contributed 72,883 shares with a value of $947,479 to close at $13, Prestige Holdings traded 2,491 shares at $9.90 and Sagicor Financial Corporation closed at $5.11 while trading 11,497 shares.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 3 stocks with the bid higher than their last selling prices and 5 stocks with offers that were lower.
Selling exceeds buying by US$15m – Thursday
Purchases of all currencies by dealers amounting to US$36,782,160 compared with the US$42,869,906, on Wednesday nearly US$15 million more than selling of the equivalent of US$51,379,595 versus US$41,114,060 sold on Wednesday.
In US dollar trading, dealers bought US$31,445,586 compared to US$36,345,296 on Wednesday. The buying rate for the US dollar lost 3 cents to $115.12 and US$49,329,254 was sold versus US$38,634,332 on Wednesday, the selling rate fell 1 cent to $115.59. The Canadian dollar buying rate dropped 59 cents to $90.69 with dealers buying C$1,219,191, and selling C$597,637, at an average rate that dipped 12 cents to $92.25. The rate for buying the British Pound climbed 92 cents to $177.04 for the purchase of £2,670,775, while £924,411 was sold, at an average rate of $178.64, up 52 cents. At the end of trading it took J$131.30 to purchase the Euro, 25 cents more than on Wednesday , according to data from Bank of Jamaica, while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$128.82 for 18 cents more than on Wednesday . Other currencies bought, amounted to the equivalent of US$268,778 while the equivalent of US$144,804, was sold.
Highs & Lows| The highest buying rate for the US dollar, the lowest buying and the highest selling rates remained at $115.80, $94.36 and $120.91 respectively. The lowest selling rate jumped $22.75 to $113.50. The highest buying rate for the Canadian dollar remained at $93, the lowest buying rate rose $1.32 to $73.70. The highest selling rate was unchanged at $95.26 and the lowest selling rate fell $11.69 to $75.51 The highest buying rate for the British Pound, slipped 50 cents to $178.90. The lowest buying rate climbed 66 cents to $143.42, the highest selling rate gained $1.74 to $184.90 and the lowest selling rate climbed 50 cents to $172.50.
JSE near 20 months’ high
Thursday’s activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, ended with big gains in the main market indices, as heavily weighted National Commercial Bank traded as high as $24, Desnoes & Geddes end at $5.50, Kingston Wharves closed up at $6.50 and Sagicor Group gained 10 cents. At the end, the prices of 8 stocks rose 5 declined as 21 securities changed hands, with 3,414,320 units trading, valued at $11,037,316, in all market segments.
Main Market| The JSE Market Index gained 922.34 points to 81,141.21, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index rose 1,031.22 points to close at 89,437.94, the highest since July 15, 2013 and the JSE combined index gained 841.81 points to close at 82,939.38.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 5 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 stocks with offers that were lower.
Scotia Investments put on $2.05 on Thursday.
Firm| The stocks in the main market to close without a change in the last traded prices are, Gleaner ending with 2,007,266 units trading at 85 cents. Grace Kennedy finishing with 1,000 shares at $60.51, followed by 138 Student Living, closing with only 2,500 units at $4.40, Radio Jamaica ending with 1,200 shares changing hands to close at $1.35 and Scotia Group finishing with 20,450 shares trading at $21.
Declines| The last traded prices of stocks with losses at the end of trading in the main market are, Berger Paints concluding trading with 49,151 shares changing hands, to close down by 2 cents at $1.55. Caribbean Cement closing with 20,172 units trading as the price slipped 25 cents to $2.60, Carreras ending trading with 17,074 shares trading lower by 45 cents to $44.05, National Commercial Bank in having 40,112 shares changing hands, closed 15 cents lower at $22 after trading at a new intraday 52 weeks’ high of $24.
TCL jumps 19 cents to $2.50
Trinidad Cement stock gained 19 cents in Thursday’s trading ahead of the rights issue which starts next week, but still below the price of $2.90 that the each of the share in the rights issue will be priced at.
Trading on the Trinidad Stock Exchange ended with 9 securities changing hands of which 4 advanced, 4 declined and 1 traded firm with a total of 768,222 units, valued at $3,782,768. At the close of the market, the Composite Index rose by 0.10 points to close at 1,148.66, the All T&T Index gained 1.09 points to close at 1,979.85 and the Cross Listed Index fell 0.12 points to end 41.57.
Gains| Stocks increasing in price at the close are, Clico Investment Fund with only 480 shares trading, advanced by 1 cents to $22.53 while National Enterprises added 32,693 shares, valued at $567,368 and gained 6 cent at $17.40. National Flour Mills closed with 7,953 shares with a gain of 2 cents to end at $1.52 and Trinidad Cement with 368,999 shares changing hands for a value of $921,497.50, gained 19 cents to end the day at $2.50.
Declines| The stocks declining at the end of trading are, Grace Kennedy closed trading with 15,000 shares at $3.60 with a 1 cent decline. Massy Holdings trading 1,238 shares to close at 63.59, with a loss of 1 cent for a new 52 weeks’ low. Republic Bank traded 1,000 shares at $118.38, to close with a decline of 2 cents and Sagicor Financial Corporation suffered a loss of 14 cents to close at $5.10 while trading 305,259 shares for $1,557,119.
Firm Trades| Guardian Holdings contributed 35,600 shares with a value of $462,800 and closed at $13.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 5 stocks with the bid higher than their last selling prices and 5 stocks with offers that were lower.
Trading drops in junior market
Activity on the Junior Market closed with 4 securities traded ending with 341,891 units changing hands valued at $ 422,360. The JSE Junior Market Index declined 2.78 points to close at 710.76 with the price of 1 stock declining and 3 ended with the prices unchanged.
At the close of the market, there were 3 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 1 with the offer lower. The junior market ended with 4 securities closing with no bids to buy and 6 securities had no stocks being offered for sale.
Stocks trading in the junior market are, Lasco Financial closed with 275,700 shares trading lower by 11 cents to $1.04 Caribbean Producers closed with 15,202 shares trading at $2.10, Derrimon Trading had 3,689 units changing hands at $2.04, General Accident closed with 47,300 shares changing hands at $1.70.
