Tuesday’s trading in foreign currencies in Jamaican closed with dealers buying the equivalent of US$34,883,289 in contrast to US$44,006,677 on Monday, while they sold the equivalent of US$38,197,799 versus US$45,314,596 previously.
In US dollar trading, dealers bought US$27,766,608 compared to US$40,659,188 on Monday. The buying rate for the US dollar rose 6 cents to $116.35 and US$35,932,831 was sold versus US$42,723,695 on Monday, the selling rate fell 1 cent to $116.98. The Canadian dollar buying rate rose 58 cents to $92.56 with dealers buying C$1,573,168 and selling C$889,991, at an average rate that declined 46 cents to $93.84. 
The rate for buying the British Pound increased $1.99 cents to $182.25 for the purchase of £3,643,918, while £869,965 was sold, at an average rate that fell 10 cents to $183.78. At the end of trading, it took J$130.45 to purchase the Euro, 20 cents more than on Monday, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$127.72 for 36 cents less than Monday’s rate. Other currencies bought, amounted to the equivalent of US$157,210, while the equivalent of US$184,358 was sold.
Highs & Lows| The highest buying rate for the US dollar rose 3 cents to $117.10, the lowest buying rate dropped $4.61 to $91, the highest selling rates put on 26 cents $122.78, while the lowest selling rate remained at $95.61. 
The highest buying rate for the Canadian dollar jumped $2.58 to $96.88, the lowest buying rate gained 4 cents at $75.03. The highest selling rate dipped $1.37 to $96.73 and the lowest selling rate lost 35 cent to $90. The highest buying rate for the British Pound, fell 45 cents to $183.90, the lowest buying rate remained at $147.82, with the highest selling rate diving $3.19 to $187.38 and the lowest selling rate fell $1.40 to $176.70.
Archives for June 2015
4 stocks rose on TTSE
Scotiabank traded 42,355 shares carrying a value of TT$2,642,175
At the close of the market, the Composite Index rose 0.58 points to close at 1,161.95, the All T&T Index advanced by 1.10 points to 1,970.55 and the Cross Listed Index gained 0.01 point at 46.37.
Gains| National Enterprises had 2,500 shares changing hands, climbed 10 cents to end at $17.20, Sagicor Financial closing with 210,250 shares valued at $1,318,268, the price edged up 1 cent to $6.27. Point Lisas Industrial Port traded at $3.95, for 5 cents more, with 10,355 units changing hands and Scotiabank traded 42,355 shares carrying a value of TT$2,642,175 to close at $62.30 with a gain of 5 cents.
Declines| Massy Holdings trading 35 shares to close at $64.34.
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading are, ANSA McAl with 500 shares changing hands and ended at $67.25.
CLICO Investment Fund with 33,780 units valued at $479,005 changing hands, closed at $22.60, First Citizens Bank with 13,402 shares trading to close at $35.75, Flavorite Foods ended trading with 1,400 shares at $4.80, Guardian Media had 481 shares at $19.76 and Republic Bank closed with 2,433 shares being purchased at $115.01 with a value of $4,273,073.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 6 stocks with offers that were lower.
Technical issues hit JSE on Tuesday
The Old Lady of North Street traded at a new 52 weeks’ High of $1.40 on Tuesday
The JSE Market Index declined 159.12 points to 97,271.15 the JSE All Jamaican Composite index fell 177.86 points to close at 107,661.94 but the JSE combined index fell just 13.51 points to end at 99,998.57 thanks to
gains in the junior market offsetting declines in the main market.IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator was showing a poor reading of 10 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 6 with offers that were lower, an improvement over the ratio on Monday of 5 to 5. In trading, Cable & Wireless had 200,000 units changing hands to close at 45 cents but looking better than for weeks with bid at 46 cents to buy 201,436 while the offers at 50 cents declined leaving only 315,000 units at the price. With the company reporting profits from operations of $186 million in the March quarter from revenues of $6 billion, the highest in a March quarter since 2007, investors may be quietly going after the stock. The company confirmed that the quarter had some business to business sales in the revenue figure which helped to push improvement up by 29 percent.
Caribbean Cement had 131,225 units trading at $6 after adding 50 cents, Carreras gained 70 cents in trading just 2,382 shares to close at $49. Desnoes and Geddes traded at $7.55 with 54,724 shares, Gleaner ended with 65,885 shares changing hands to gain 11 cents, for a 52 weeks’ high of $1.40. Jamaica Broilers fell 59 cents in trading 7,410 units to end at $5.41, National Commercial Bank in trading 20,960 shares, to close at $29.04, Pan Jamaican Investment had 18,780 shares changing hands 50 cents higher at $61.50. Radio Jamaica ended with 124,000 shares trading at $3.50, Proven Investments ended with 51,900 ordinary share trading at 21 US cents, Sagicor Group gained 45 cents with 22,385 units trading, to end at $13, but had 1 million units on sale at $13 at the close and Proven 8% preference share traded 155,695 units at $5.
Cargo Handlers keep on sailing away
Activity on the Junior Market was moderate and closed with 11 securities trading and ended with only 347,331 units changing hands valued at $1,016,457. The JSE Junior Market Index advanced 15.05 points close at 914.77. The market ended with the prices of 4 stocks advancing, 5 declining with Cargo Handlers closing at 52 weeks’ high.
At the close of the junior market was flashing weak signals for Wednesday with 4 stocks having bids higher than their last selling prices, 5 with lower offers and 5 securities closing with no bids to buy while only 3 had no stocks being offered for sale.
Stocks trading in the junior market are, Access Financial Services closing with 5,951 shares trading 2 cents up at $11.02, AMG Packaging ending with just 200 units changing hands to close 1 cent lower at $3.19 but had an offer at $3.15 at the end to sell 27,775 shares. Cargo Handlers recorded yet another all-time high in trading 9,342 units $1.50 higher to close at $30, Caribbean Cream traded 1,000 units at $1.60, Caribbean Flavours trading 16,581 shares to close at $2.53 after losing 2 cents, 
Caribbean Producers traded 5,000 shares and lost 20 cents to $2.80, Dolphin Cove trading only 811 units at $13 for a new high, after gaining 40 cents. At the close Knutsford Express sold 920 shares at $6.10. Lasco Financial Services traded 218,100 shares and gained 12 cents to end at $1.93, Lasco Manufacturing had 26,937 shares changing hands at $1.45 to again 14 cents at the end, Medical Disposables ended at $2.25 with 10,000 shares changing hands with a loss of 5 cents and Derrimon Trading 11.75% preference share closed with a 10 cents loss at $2.40.
Tax Inflows up cost down for GOJ
Phillips pulling in revenues ahead of target and holding on cost.
Expenditure is down by $3.76 billion, with reduced spend on capital expenditure accounting for $2.1 billion, interest $571 million and other programmed expenditure of $1 billion. Programmed expenditure savings, may include amounts budgeted for wage increases but not yet paid and may be purely a timing issue than a real savings.
Government borrowed $13 billion less than forecast, paid out $1.7 billion more than budgeted and that should result in a reduction in interest cost going forward. Overall, the Fiscal deficit for the two month period, is $5 less that budgeted and pushed the overall deficit to $11.5 billion down from $16.5 billion planned.The wage bill is $27 billion for the two months. A settlement of 5 percent for the year would add $8 billion to the cost, but government would get taxes direct and indirect form its payment. The longer the parties take to settle the less costly it will be for the government, or the easier it will become to pay a higher amount, but there is a matter of year two to contend with as well.
JSE having technical issues
J$ 1 cent from $117 to US$1 Monday
Monday’s trading in foreign currencies in Jamaican came down from the lofty heights of Friday’s trading as foreign exchange dealers bought the equivalent of US$44,006,677, in contrast to US$109,789,460 on Friday, while they sold the equivalent of US$45,314,596 versus US$86,467,457 previously.
In US dollar trading, dealers bought US$40,659,188 compared to US$104,883,104 on Friday. The buying rate for the US dollar declined 43 cents to $116.29 and US$42,723,695 was sold versus US$83,731,477 on Friday, the selling rate rose 7 cents to $116.99. The Canadian dollar buying rate fell $1.38 to $91.98 with dealers buying C$1,474,785 and selling C$633,071, at an average rate that declined 14 cents to $94.30. 
The rate for buying the British Pound lost $1.58 cents to $180.26 for the purchase of £1,100,105, while £825,122 was sold, at an average rate that climbed 17 cents to $183.88. At the end of trading, it took J$130.26 to purchase the Euro, 57 cents less than on Friday, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$128.08 for 4 cents less than Friday’s rate. Other currencies bought, amounted to the equivalent of US$475,673, while the equivalent of US$783,772 was sold.
Highs & Lows| The highest buying rate for the US dollar dipped 3 cents to $117.07, the lowest buying rate and the highest selling rates remained at $$95.61 and $122.52, respectively while the lowest selling rate dropped $17.69 to $95.61. The highest buying rate for the Canadian dollar moved down 30 cents to $94.30, the lowest buying rate gained 4 cents at $74.99. 
The highest selling rate rose $1.55 to $98.10 and the lowest selling rate lost $1.45 to $90.35. The highest buying rate for the British Pound, fell 65 cents to $184.35, the lowest buying rate put on 8 cents to $147.82, with the highest selling rate rising $2.57 to $190.57 and the lowest selling rate climbed $1.60 to $178.10.
Trading low keyed on TTSE
Trading on the Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange remained subdued on Monday, the market ended with 10 securities changing hands of which 1 advanced, 4 declined, 6 traded firm, with a total of 134,168 units, valued at $6,531,028 changing hands.
At the close of the market, the Composite Index lost 0.15 points to close at 1,161.37, the All T&T Index fell 0.30 points to 1,969.45 and the Cross Listed Index remained at 46.36.
Gains| Point Lisas Industrial Port traded at a new 52 weeks’ high of $3.90 with just 600 units changing hands and gained 7 cents and Republic Bank closed with 37,154 shares being purchased 1 cent up at $115.01 with a value of $4,273,073.
Declines| National Flour had 10,566 shares changing hands fell 5 cents to end at $2.
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading are, ANSA McAl with 6,798 shares changing hands for $457,166 ended at $67.25. CLICO Investment Fund with 74,493 units valued at $1,683,541 changing hands at $22.60, Firstcaribbean International Bank ended trading with 1,500 shares at $5, First Citizens Bank with 1,604 shares trading to close at $35.75. Massy Holdings trading 35 shares to close at $64.34, Sagicor Financial closing with 1,100 shares at $6.26, and Scotiabank traded 318 shares to close at $62.25.
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 4 stocks with offers that were lower.
Profit drops at Blue Power
Sales for the Blue Power to April this year increased from $1.046 billion to $1.06 billion, with both divisions showing improvement. Lumber Depot division moved from sales of $728 million to $735 million while the Blue Power division improved from $318 million to $325 million.
While revenues were flat administrative cost climbed 16 percent or $22 million to $157 million, helping to push profits down for the full year.
Profits for the financial year stood at $71 million before tax with the Lumber Depot division contributing $26 million and the Blue Power division adding $45 million in 2014 profit was $93 million. The company produced only $7 million in profit in the final fiscal quarter compared to $12.4 million in the January quarter from slightly less sales in the fourth quarter. After providing for corporate taxes $654,000 were profit for the year ended at $70 million as the company became liable to tax after completing five years on the Junior Market in the third week of April compared to net profit for the previous year of $93 million. Earnings per share ended at $1.24.
The company that will meet shortly to consider a dividend has cash of $166 million on and as of April with cash generated from operations being $55 million compared to just $13 million in the prior year.
The stock which is priced at $9.50 on the junior market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange may be fully priced currently.
Declining stocks on top Monday
Carreras drops $2.20
The JSE Market Index declined 236.68 points to 97,430.27 the JSE All Jamaican Composite index fell 264.54 points to close at 107,839.80 but the JSE combined index dropped 234.79 points to end at 100,012.08.IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator was showing a poor reading of 5 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 with offers that were lower.
In trading, Cable & Wireless had 128,943 units changing hands at 45 cents at the close, after shedding 2 cents. Caribbean Cement had 68,775 units trading at $5.50, Carreras lost $2.20 while trading 20,000 shares to close at $48.30, Desnoes and Geddes traded at $7.56 with 35,000 shares,
Gleaner ended with 5,600 shares changing hands to gain 10 cents, for a 52 weeks’ high of $1.29. Grace Kennedy ended with 21,158 units at $63.50 by dropping 50 cents, Jamaica Broilers gained 50 cents in trading 7,605 units to end at $6, JMMB Group added 10 cents in trading 400,538 shares and ended at $7.50. Mayberry had 36,805 shares trading, to end at a $2.52, National Commercial Bank fell 47 cents while trading 99,459 shares, to close at $29.03, Sagicor Group fell 15 cents with 485,685 units trading, to end at $12.55, but only after it traded during the day at a 52 weeks’ high of $13.10, Sagicor Real Estate Fund saw trading in 6,053 units but lost 40 cents in closing at $7.30, Scotia Group had 11,027 units trading 4 cents up at $23.25.
