Paramount puts stock split resolution to AGM in October.
No recommendation is being put to the shareholders as to the level of the split. The timing and extent of the split is proposed to be left for the directors of the company to determine. The resolution included on the agenda of the annual general meeting and included in the company’s annual report states: “That each of the issued ordinary stock units in the capital of the company be sub-divided in accordance with the Articles of Incorporation of the company, into such number of stock units as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors.”
Based on the current stock price of $17.50 and lack of supply, the split seems likely to be in the order of 5 or 6 to 1. The top 10 shareholders of Paramount own just over 95 percent of the 154.24 million shares issued by the company.
When trading resumed Thursday on the on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, it lasted just over half an hour before activity came to an abrupt end, with only a few securities having traded to that point. 
Stocks on the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange rose with sizable gains at the close of trading on Wednesday with four digit gains in the main indices as over advancing stocks gained the upper hand at the close.
At the close, the JSE Market Index garnered 1,178.43 points to end at 163,111.09. The all Jamaica Composite Index rose 1,317.90 points to close at 181,249.54 and the JSE combined index climbed 1,138.30 points, to end at 175,576.51.
Margaritaville Turks traded 120,000 shares to close at 23.5 US cents after gaining 0.50 cent, Mayberry Investments traded 28,428 but fell 15 cents in closing at $3.70, National Commercial Bank rose 80 cents to $41 with 15,162 shares changing hands. Pan Jamaican Investment traded 84,575 shares to close $23.50 after rising 19 cents, Sagicor Group rose 30 cents in trading 220,817 shares to close at $24, Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 8,000 shares to close with at $10.20, Scotia Group climbed $1.30 and closed at $30.30 with 10,100 shares changing hands. Scotia Investments closed at $26 with 8,800 shares changing hands, Supreme Ventures lost 20 cents to close at $4.60 with 22,100 shares. Proven Investments traded 468,600 ordinary shares to close at 18.5 US cents after declining by 0.49 cents, JMMB Group 7.50% preference share traded 100,000 units at $1.10 and Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference share traded 482,849 units at $2.13.
Trading activity picks up on the Trinidad and Tobago stock market improved on Wednesday over the levels of trading on Tuesday. Market activity resulted in only 204,982 shares valued at $2,918,765 changing hands compared to 30,059 shares valued at $790,965 on Tuesday.
Losses| Ansa Merchant Bank lost 5 cents in trading 556 units to end at $40, Calypso Macro Index Fund dropped $1 while trading 17,592 units at a 52 weeks’ low of $22 and Republic Financial Holdings fell 1 cent and ended with 5,000 shares changing hands at $109.99.
Net inflows into the foreign exchange market in Jamaica delivered another day of strong surplus of US$6 million on Wednesday. The net inflows did not prevent further slippage in the value of the Jamaican dollar against the main currencies it usually trades against except for the Canadian currency. 
The Canadian dollar buying rate dropped $1.85 to $94.17, with dealers buying C$876,284 and selling C$459,094 at an average rate that fell 59 cents to $96.35. The average rate for buying the British Pound rose 32 cents to $163.88 for the purchase of £1,467,810 while £848,877 was sold as the rate jumped $1.41 to end at $166.43.
Highs & Lows| Notable changes to the highest and lowest traded rates, for the Jamaican dollar in the foreign exchange market on Wednesday, include a rise of $1.90 in the lowest selling rate of the Canadian dollar to end at $93.50. The highest buying rate of the British Pound rose $1.66 to $169, the highest selling rate fell by $1.07 to $172.27 while the lowest selling rate climbed $1.75 to $161.75. Trading in the Euro resulted in a drop of $4.79 in the highest buying rate to end at $141.10 and a fall of $1 in the lowest selling rate to $134.50. 
Market activities ended with 5 securities closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 ending with lower offers.
Honey Bun with 16,248 shares changing hands and closed at $6, Jetcon Corporation had just 30,993 units changing hands, to end at $4.70, Lasco Distributors closed with a loss of 5 cents as 130,170 units traded at $7. Lasco Financial ended with 124,025 shares changing hands at $3.05, after declining by 17 cents, Lasco Manufacturing rose 2 cents and closed at $5 with 252,795 shares trading. Medical Disposables traded 44,073 shares to end at a new record high of $4.36 trading as high as $4.60 but gained just 1 cent at the close, Sweet River Abattoir with 24,000 units traded with a rise of 1 cent to end at $3.85 and tTech ended with 5,000 shares changing hands at $6.50.
Net inflows into the foreign exchange market in Jamaica delivered another day of strong surplus of US$5.5 million on Tuesday, leading to gains in the value of the Jamaican dollar against the main currencies it usually trades against except for the United States currency. 
A total of US$30,026,760 was sold versus US$27,511,067 on Monday, with the selling rate rising 11 cents to end at $128.07. The Canadian dollar buying rate rose 22 cents to $96.02, with dealers buying C$2,658,342 and selling C$1,994,738 at an average rate that fell 29 cents to $96.94. The average rate for buying the British Pound rose $1.15 to $163.56 for the purchase of £2,171,012 while £826,625 was sold as the rate declined 11 cents to end at $165.02.
€168,789 of the European common currency at $141.30 after jumping $3.25 from the rate on Monday. The US dollar equivalent of other currencies traded, amounts to US$19,806 being bought and the selling of US$10,499.
Market activities ended with 5 securities closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 ending with lower offers.
Caribbean Producers traded 135,746 units to end at $3.30 with the loss of 10 cents, C2W Music closed with a gain of 1 cent as 7,539 units changed hands to close at 24 cents, Consolidated Bakeries gained 25 cents in trading 135,825 shares to close at $2.50. Derrimon Trading ended at $4 with 12,360 shares changing hands, Jetcon Corporation had just 100 units changing hands, to end at $4.70, Lasco Distributors closed with 125,554 units trading and ended at $7.05. Lasco Financial ended with 16,097 shares changing hands at $3.22, after declining by 3 cents, Lasco Manufacturing fell 2 cents and closed at $4.98 with 2,278 shares trading and Medical Disposables traded 21,442 shares to end at a new record high of $4.35 after gaining 35 cents.
The market index ended with sizable losses, with the JSE Market Index all Jamaica Composite Index dropping 1,595.99 points to close at 179,931.64 and the JSE combined index falling 1,108.42 points, to end at 174,438.21.
Margaritaville Turks traded 48,100 shares to close at 23 US cents after easing by 1 cent, National Commercial Bank fell 5 cents to $40.20 with 19,860 shares changing hands. Pan Jamaican Investment traded 19,860 shares to close $23.31 after falling 68 cents, 138 Student Living ordinary share traded at $4.80 while with 512,500 shares changing hands, Portland JSX closed at $11 after trading 24,700 shares, Radio Jamaica traded 95,519 shares and lost 9 cents to land at $1.31. Sagicor Group rose 19 cents in trading 602,900 shares to close at $23.51, Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 49,223 shares to close with at $10.20, Scotia Group lost $1 and closed at $29 with 40,289 shares changing hands and Supreme Ventures lost 5 cents to close at $4.80 with 14,000 shares
Trading activity on the Trinidad and Tobago stock market on Tuesday ended well down on the levels of trading Monday with just 30,000 units. The value of stocks traded dropped sharply against Monday’s level. 
and Tobago NGL rose 10 cents and closed at $23.65 with 8,236 units changing hands.
