Archives for October 2016

Junior market drops – Tuesday

Kurk Boothe - Medical Disposables Managing Director - the company's closed closed at a new high on Tuesday.

Kurk Boothe – Medical Disposables Managing Director – the company’s closed closed at a new high on Tuesday.

Sharp fall in prices of AMG Packaging and Lasco Distributors took a toll on the junior market index the junior market on Tuesday. Investors who were bullish on the likely out turn of the claim against Pfizer by Lasco Distributors seem to be more cautious now with the price off 38 percent from the peak of $9.01.
Trading volume on the junior market dropped 79 percent from Monday’s levels, ending with a 1,384,024 units changing hands, while value traded, fell 77 percent to $8,364,061 from $36,505,806 on Monday.
An average of 81,413 units with an average value of $492,004 traded, compared to 352,499 units with an average value of $1,921,358 on the preceding trading day. The average for the month to date, amounts to 147,097 units at $813,126.
ICI Jm sum 25-10-16At the close of the market on 17 securities traded, versus 19 on Monday resulting in 6 stocks advancing and 6 declining stocks as 1 stock hit a new high. The market index dropped 30.46 points to 2,345.58 to be up 31 percent for the year to date.
Market activities ended with 7 securities closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 ending with lower offers.
CAC 2000 that could being facing a $200 million legal claim pay out failed to trade but ended with and offer of $5.36 versus the last traded price of $6.30.
In trading activity, AMG Packaging dropped $3 while trading 7,848 shares to close at $17, Blue Power ended at $24.50 with 800 units changing hands, Cargo Handlers finally traded 3,000 shares at $10. Caribbean Cream rose 9 cent and ended with 12,500 shares changing hands at $7.10, Caribbean Producers traded 17,150 units to end at $3.75, Consolidated Bakeries had 30,186 units changing hands, with the price declining 9 cents to end at $2.50. General Accident jumped 40 cents and closed trading with 182,058 units at $3 but closed with the stock being offered at $2.97, Honey Bun gained 3 cents with 9,561 shares changing hands to close at $5.65. Iron Rock Insurance rose 1 cent in trading 104,660 units to close at $3.20, Jetcon Corporation ended with 82,581 shares trading at $4.20. ICI Jm trd sht 25-10-16Knutsford Express lost 5 cents and ended at $22.95 with 2,540 shares changing hands, Lasco Distributors traded 4,800 units trading with a loss of 33 cents at $6.50, Lasco Financial rose 1 cent and ended with 28,350 shares changing hands at $3.09, Lasco Manufacturing lost 1 cent and closed at $4.85 with 768,128 shares trading. Medical Disposables jumped 62 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $5.62 with 10,000 shares changing hands, the stock closed with the offer at $5.50, Paramount Trading rose 12 cents to close at $24 with 111,962 shares changing hands and Eppley 10% preference share, traded 7,900 units at $6.10.

Jamaican stocks suffer losses – Tuesday

Berger closed at a new high on Tuesday of $6.

Berger closed at a new high on Tuesday of $6.

The main market indices of the Jamaica Stock Exchange declined again on Tuesday with the all Jamaica Composite Index diving 1,301.85 points to 183,453.24. The JSE Market Index lost 1,164.09 points to finish at 165,081.60 and the JSE combined index dropped 1,392.56 points to end at 177,190.85 and gained at 12 percent for the year to date.
At the close 5,164,481 units valued at $41,188,234 changed hands, compared to 14,409,476 units valued at $129,902,890 changing hands on Monday. The junior market accounted for 1,384,024 units trading valued at $8,364,061 of the stocks traded.
The average trade for the day in the main market ended at 157,519 units, compared to an average for the month to date of 280,102 units. On Monday, an average of 321,333 units traded with the average for the month to date at 402,684.
ICI -JSE sum -25-10-16The market closed with 41 securities trading as the prices of 16 gained while 14 declined in the overall market, including 7 stocks rising and 6 falling, in the junior market.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 15 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 with lower offers.
In market activity, Berger Paints gained 16 cents in trading 1,899 shares to end at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $6, Cable & Wireless lost 1 cent and closed at 84 cents with 272,908 units trading, Caribbean Cement traded 120,302 shares and gained 94 cents to close at $32.50, Carreras closed at $66 with 17,600 units changing hands. Ciboney traded 500,000 units but lost 4 cents to end at 16 cents, Grace Kennedy lost 4 cents and closed trading with 3,829 shares changing hands at $41.95, Jamaica Broilers closed at $14.50 after easing by 25 cents, with 282,556 shares switching owners. Jamaica Producers closed at $8.29 with 4,530 units trading, Jamaica Stock Exchange lost 44 cents and ended at $26.95 while trading 4,200 shares, JMMB Group lost 1 cent in trading 14,307 units to close at $13.65. ICI -JSE fn Qts -25-10-16Kingston Wharves traded 3,565 shares to close at $17, Mayberry Investments rose 15 cents and ended with 745,266 shares trading at $4, National Commercial Bank traded 60,773 shares to close with a rise of 16 cents at $43.49, Pan Jamaican Investments declined 1 cent to close at $22.56 after trading 61,235 shares. Portland JSX traded 8,780 units with the price rising 6 cents to $11.10, Radio Jamaica traded 14,435 units and gained 15 cents to end at $1.55. Sagicor Group had 31,499 shares changing hands and closed at $22.55, Scotia Group rose 11 cents and closed at $30.15 with 306,000 shares changing hands. Seprod had 5,000 units changing hands to close with a loss of 48 cents at $24.02, Supreme Ventures traded 168,442 shares and gained 50 cents to close at $5, Proven Investments traded 149,847 units at 19.5 US cents after rising 1.5 cents and JMMB Group 7.5% preference share traded 1,000,151 units at $1.08 for a loss of 1 cent.

6 stocks rose on TTSE – Tuesday

Witco had the largest dollar trade on the TTSE on Tuesday.

Witco had the largest dollar trade on the TTSE on Tuesday.

Trading on the Trinidad and Tobago Exchange ended on Tuesday with West Indian Tobacco having the largest dollar trade at $3.7 million. Elsewhere, trading ended with 14 securities changing hands, up from 7 on Monday.
Trading activity closed with 6 stocks rising while 4 declined and 4 remained unchanged as 571,256 shares valued at $5,404,483 changed hands, compared to 153,635 shares valued at $1,497,555 on Monday. Two stocks closed at new 52 weeks’ high.
The market closed with positive movements in two of the indices with the the Composite Index advancing by 3.81 points to close at 1,172.26. The All T&T Index closed with a gain of 0.65 points to 1,805.44, down 7.34 percent for 2016 and the Cross Listed Index fell 0.95 points to 71.94 points and is up 45.30 percent year to date.
IC bid-offer Indicator| The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator ended with 6 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 7 with lower offers.
Gains| Clico Investment Fund closed with 15,500 shares valued at $350,300 changing hands with a rise of 1 cent to $22.59, Firstcaribbean International Bank ended trading with 5,000 shares and closed with a rise of 19 cents at a 52 weeks’ high of $8, Grace Kennedy contributed 40,986 shares to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $2.65 after rising 5 cents. Point Lisas gained 10 cents and closed at $3.70 with 826 units changing hands, Prestige Holdings with 1,232 units changing hands, ended at $11.10 to record a gain of 10 cents and Scotiabank gained 5 cents and closed with 600 shares changing hands at $58.56.
Losses| Massy Holdings ended with 137 shares changing hands at $51.43 after losing 7 cents, TTSE sum 25-10-16Sagicor Financial traded 855 units and lost 20 cents to close at $7, Trinidad and Tobago NGL closed at $23.54 with 20,444 units with a value of $481,187 trading, after falling 1 cent and Trinidad Cement lost 2 cents in trading 7,898 units at $3.98.
Firm Trades| Angostura Holdings ended with 2,219 shares changing hands to close at $14.65, First Citizens traded 4,940 to close at $32, Guardian Holdings traded 7,721 shares with the price closing at $12.60 and JMMB Group closed at 85 cents with 434,803 units valued $369,582, switching ownership and West Indian Tobacco in trading 28,950 shares with a value of $3,676,650 to close $127.

Jamaican stocks gain in early trade

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Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange continues ICI JSE int trd 25-10-16on a moderate pace on Tuesday, with all the market indices rising. Trading volume and values rose from Monday’s level, with advancing stocks beating out declining ones 4 to 1.
The all Jamaica Composite Index gained 283.24 points to 185,038.33, the Jamaica Stock Exchange Market Index grew 253.58 points to 166,498.95, the Jamaica Stock Exchange combined index climbed 403.55 points to close at 178,986.96 and the junior market index inched up 16.42 points to 2,392.46.
At 11 am, a total of 27 securities traded, resulting in a volume of 1,521,635 shares changing hands carrying a value of $7,634,987, compared to 510,894 shares changing hands carrying a value of $4,041,514, on Monday.
The average number of shares traded amounts to 56,357 units compared to 28,383 on Monday. Market activity resulted in 3 stocks falling while the prices of 12 securities rose.

Lawsuit may cost CAC $200m

Steven Marston, Chief Executive Officer

Steven Marston,
Chief Executive Officer

CAC 2000 (CAC) could be facing a $200 million charge to the 2016 financial results arising from the successful claim X-ray Diagnostics against the company.
CAC in a release to the Jamaica Stock Exchange stated that the court ruled in favour of the Claimant and awarded damages of US$372,100 and J$568,187 plus loss of profits of $7,077,874. Interest at commercial rates and legal fees were also awarded.
CAC further advised that on application, the court granted a stay of execution of 42 days and that its legal counsel is reviewing the judgment but, in the interim, the company will be providing for these amounts less the insurance amount of $20 million in the 2016 accounts.
IC Insider estimates that the company will likely be hit with a total cost of US$1 million and J$100 million before the insurance coverage when interest and legal fees are factored in.
The judgement resulted from a claim in negligence and or breach of contract as a result of a fire that occurred at the Claimant’s premises on May 11th, 2003. The Claimant prevailed at first instance in the Supreme Court with CAC appealing the judgment on account of the trial judge in the Supreme Court excluding the testimony and or report of the Company’s expert from the evidence. The Court of Appeal held that the exclusion of such evidence “created an unnecessary imbalance which was not in the interest of justice.”
CAC logo 12-15CAC reported a loss of $9 million after tax for the July 2016 quarter and profit of $31 million after tax for the nine months period, compared to $39 million for the July 2015 quarter and a profit of $71.6 million for the nine months to July 2015.
The net results came from sales revenues of $679 million for the nine months period compared to $674 million for 2015 and $198 million for the July quarter versus $259 million in 2015. The company saw a large climb in administrative cost of 42 percent for the nine months in 2016 and 57 percent for the quarter.
CAC successfully raised $120 million before cost of approximately $10 million in its initial public offering in December 2015. The stock traded traded on the junior market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange at $6.30 on Monday.

Jamaican$ holds vs US dollar – Monday

FX_USPound The selling rate of the Jamaican dollar closed unchanged on Monday as dealers bought the equivalent of US$66,732,742 of all currencies, and sold US$47,361,025, compared to US$62,281,233 purchased and US$50,300,502 sold on Friday.
In US dollar trading, dealers bought US$63,006,330 compared to US$57,960,736 on Friday. The buying rate for the US dollar fell 7 cents to close at $128.70. A total of US$44,536,359 was sold versus US$48,096,845 on Friday, with the selling rate remaining at $129.19. The Canadian dollar buying rate dropped 81 cents to $94.90, ICI FX sum 24-10-16with dealers buying C$2,442,115 and selling C$1,709,029 at an average rate that rose 15 cents to $97.50. The average rate for buying the British Pound dropped 63 cents to $154.41 for the purchase of £1,505,320 while £955,498 was sold with a fall of 24 cents to end at $157.29.
At the end of trading on Monday, dealers sold €327,853 with the selling rate for the Euro, closing at $142.92 for rise of $1.66, according to data from Bank of Jamaica. Dealers purchased €101,358 of the European common currency at $134.07 after falling $2.29. The US dollar equivalent of other currencies traded, amounts to US$14,149 being bought and selling of US$8,876.
ICI FX h&l 24-10-16Highs & Lows| Notable changes to the highest and lowest rates for the regularly traded currencies, in the foreign exchange market on Monday, include a jump of $14.71 in the lowest buying rate for the US Dollar to $104.71. The lowest buying rate for the Canadian dollar declined $1.37 to $77.31, the highest selling rate fell $1.78 to $100.60. The highest buying rate for the British Pound surged $7.95 to $166. Trading in the Euro resulted in a fall of $1.50 in the highest buying rate to $138, the lowest buying rate dipped $1.24 to $112.30 and the highest selling rate fell $1.36 to $146.38.

BOJ intervenes in rigged foreign exchange market

BOJ 3Bank of Jamaica intervened in the rigged foreign exchange market on Friday by selling US$30 million to authorised dealers and cambios, the sale did not prevent the value of the Jamaican dollar from slipping 4 Jamaican cents to end at an average of $129.19 to US$1 as US$58 million was bought by dealers and US$48 million was sold to end users.
Jamaica’s foreign exchange market has been rigged by dealers since July this year as inflows to the market exceeded demand by end users by a wide margin. The central bank in said in a release on the intervention on Friday, “In response to an unwarranted and disruptive movement in the exchange rate over the past few days, Bank of Jamaica today intervened in the market by selling the funds into the market. The intervention is intended to reassure users of foreign exchange that the Bank is standing behind the preservation of orderly conditions in the market.”
“During the week of October 24, the Bank will formally give notice to holders of specified BOJ foreign-currency-denominated certificates of deposit that these instruments will be redeemed prior to their original maturity dates. The total value of these securities amounts to US$258 million. The early redemption of these CDs will add significantly to the volume of US dollar liquidity available to institutions and individuals.”
Concomitant with the decision to release funds into the market from CDs, the central also announced elsewhere fresh issues of CDs for investors to purchase.

Jamaican stocks mostly fall – Monday

Scotia Group traded 1.18 million shares on Monday

Scotia Group traded 1.18 million shares on Monday

The main market indices of the Jamaica Stock Exchange declined again on Monday with the all Jamaica Composite Index jumping 1,273.92 points to 184,755.09. The JSE Market Index climbed 1,139.12 points to finish at 166,245.69 and the JSE combined index gained 1,099.99 points to end at 178,583.41 and gained at 13 percent for the year to date.
At the close 14,409,476 units valued at $129,902,890 changed hands, compared to 17,656,211 units valued at $101,436,212 changing hands on Friday. The junior market accounted for 6,697,473 units trading valued at $36,505,806 of the stocks traded.
The average trade for the day in the main market ended at 321333 units, compared to an average for the month to date of 402,684 units. On Friday, an average of 871,081 units traded with the average for the month to date at 484,035.
The market closed with 43 securities trading as the prices of 13 gained while 16 declined in the overall market, including 6 stocks rising and 6 falling, in the junior market.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the ICI -JSE sum -24-10-16Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 13 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 with lower offers.
In market activity, Barita Investments gained 1 cent in trading 446,721 shares to end at $4.41, Cable & Wireless lost 5 cents closed at 85 cents with 218,904 units trading, Caribbean Cement traded 19,296 shares and gained 6 cents to close at $31.56, Carreras closed at $66 with 3,000 units changing hands. Grace Kennedy closed trading with 90,024 shares changing hands at $41.99, Jamaica Broilers closed at $14.75 after easing 1 cent, with 283,408 shares switching owners. Jamaica Producers fell 1 cent to $8.29 with 435,508 units trading, Jamaica Stock Exchange lost 58 cents and ended at $27.39 while trading 1,000 shares, JMMB Group gained 16 cents in trading 291,976 units to close at $13.66. Kingston Wharves traded 34,845 shares to close at $17, Mayberry Investments ended with 662,483 shares trading at $3.85, National Commercial Bank traded 105,250 shares to close with a fall of 16 cents at $43.33, Student Living closed at $4.71 while trading 43,800 shares and gained 1 cents.ICI -JSE fn Qts -24-10-16 Pan Jamaican Investments gained 1 cent and closed at $22.56 after trading 84,165 shares, Portland JSX traded 549,651 units with the price falling 6 cents to $11.04, Pulse Investments traded 20,000 shares and lost 60 cents to close at $3.30, Radio Jamaica traded 400,000 units and gained 5 cents to end at $1.40. Sagicor Group had 48,361 shares changing hands and closed with a fall of 45 cents at $22.55, Scotia Group rose 2 cents and closed at $30.04 with 1,179,017 shares changing hands. Scotia Investments dropped $2.91 with 28,735 units changing hands to close at $31.04. Seprod had 18,853 units changing hands to close at $24.60, Sterling Investments lost 1 cents in trading 38,000 shares to close at $14.99, Supreme Ventures traded 2,215,656 shares buy fell 2 cents to close at $4.50 after the company’s Chief Executive passed over the week end and Proven Investments traded 150,800 units at 18 US cents after rising 1.5 cents.

Juniors’ volume jumps 2,755% – Monday

Cargo Handlers traded at a new all-time high of $10.

Cargo Handlers traded at a new all-time high of $10.

Trading volume on the junior market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange rose sharply on Monday as 19 securities were active. Volume traded surged 2,755 percent from Friday’s levels, ending with a 6,697,473 units changing hands, while value traded, leapt 2,495 percent to $36,505,806 from $1,406,575, on Friday.
Victoria Mutual Wealth Management was involved in a series of large volume of crossed trades that helped in a major way to boost the level of trading.
An average of 352,499 units with an average value of $1,921,358 traded, compared to 18,046 units with an average value of $108,198 on the preceding trading day. The average for the month to date, amounts to 151,789 units at $836,063.
At the close of the market on 18 securities traded, versus 13 on Friday resulting in 6 stocks advancing and 6 declining stocks as 1 stock hit a new high. The market index rose 4.24 points to 2,376.04 to be up 33 percent for the year to date.
ICI Jm sum 24-10-16Market activities ended with 5 securities closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 ending with lower offers.
In trading activity, Blue Power ended at $24.50 with 5,300 units changing hands, CAC 2000 traded 1,183,488 units at $6.30, Cargo Handlers finally traded after the 10 for 1 stock split and hit a new high of $10 as 7,000 shares traded. Caribbean Cream rose 1 cent and ended with 459,592 shares changing hands at $7.01, Caribbean Producers gained by 5 cents in trading 443,187 units to end at $3.75, C2W Music traded 29,357 shares to close at 25 cents. Consolidated Bakeries had 144,528 units changing hands, with the price declining 1 cent to end at $2.59. Dolphin Cove had 164,564 units changing hands, with the price ending at $12.21 after rising 16 cents, General Accident lost 20 cents and closed trading with 1,441,893 units at $2.60, Honey Bun with 102,499 shares changing hands, closed at $5.62. ISP Finance traded 24,623 units at $7.03,ICI Jm trd sht 24-10-16 Jetcon Corporation ended with 54,796 shares trading at $4.20. Knutsford Express ended at $23 with 8,500 shares changing hands, Lasco Distributors traded 250,864 units trading with a loss of 16 cents at $6.83, Lasco Financial lost 1 cent and ended with 99,572 shares changing hands at $3.09, Lasco Manufacturing rose 7 cents and closed at $4.86 with 9,123 shares trading. Medical Disposables rose 40 cents to close at $5 with 1,335,514 shares changing hands, Paramount Trading lost 12 cents to close at $23.88 with 113,273 shares changing hands and Eppley 9.5% preference share, traded 819,800 units and fell 14 cents to $6.16.

More recovery for First Citizens – Monday

First Citizens rose 50 cents on TTSE on Monday

First Citizens rose 50 cents on TTSE on Monday

First Citizens Bank was the most noted mover on Trinidad and Tobago Exchange when trading ended on Monday with the largest gain. The price recovered another 50 cents of the $3.93 it lost last week Thursday. Elsewhere trading ended with only 7 securities changing hands, down from 9 on Friday.
Trading activity closed with 3 stocks rising while 3 declined and 1 remained unchanged as 153,635 shares valued at $1,497,555 changed hands, compared to 522,024 shares valued at $1,246,175 on Friday as one stock closed at new 52 weeks’ high.
The market closed with sharp movements in the indices. The the Composite Index advanced by 1.25 points to close at 1,168.45 The All T&T Index closed with a gain of 2.73 points to 1,804.78, down 7.52 percent for 2016 and the Cross Listed Index fell 0.04 points to 70.99 points and is up 43.47 percent year to date.
IC bid-offer Indicator| The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator ended with 9 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 8 with lower offers.
Gains| First Citizens gained 50 cents to close at $32 with 3,512 units trading, JMMB Group gained 3 closed at a 52 weeks’ high of 85 cents with 101,000 units, switching ownership and National Enterprises ended TTSE sum 24-10-16with 2,000 shares changing hands with the price closing with a gain of 5 cents at $10.25.
Losses| Clico Investment Fund closed with 42,110 shares valued at $951,273 changing hands with a loss of 1 cent at $22.59, Sagicor Financial Corporation traded 855 units and lost 20 cents to close at $7 and West Indian Tobacco traded 2,500 shares to close $127 after shedding 5 cents.
Firm Trades| Grace Kennedy contributed 1,658 shares to close at $2.60.