The Jamaica Stock exchange main market indices along with the combined index recorded another record close with the All Jamaica Composite Index rising 530.57 points to end at a new closing high of 194,922.67. The JSE Market Index gained 474.43 points to finish at a record closing high of 178,357.64.
The JSE combined index climbed 332.72 points to end at a record closing high of 190,229.21 with a gain for the year to date of 20 percent.
The Jamaica Stock Exchange closed trading with 42 securities trading as the prices of 9 gained while 16 declined in the overall market, including 5 stocks rising and 5 falling, in the junior market.
At the close with 4,243,795 units valued at $24,651,644 changed hands, compared to 43,666,008 units valued at $1,467,261,444 changing hands on Friday. The junior market accounted for 3,446,347 units changing hands, valued at $15,863,525 of the stocks traded.
The average trade for the day in the main market ended at 31,898 shares and 489,966 units month to date. On Friday, an average of 1,672,696 units traded and for the month to date, 948,034 units, in comparison the average for the October was 220,811 units.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 8 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 with lower offers.
In market activity, Barita Investments lost 10 cents in trading 3,800 shares, to end at $5, Berger Paints lost 30 cents in trading 6,250 units at $5.30, Cable & Wireless loss 9 cent to close at 71 cents, with 369,032 units trading, Caribbean Cement exchanged 14,937 shares at $27. Carreras traded 30,000 shares at $65.90, Grace Kennedy rose 3 cents and ended trading 2,115 units at $42. Jamaica Broilers closed at $14.90 with 5,300 shares changing hands, Jamaica Stock Exchange traded 49,658 shares and lost 1 cent to end at $5.51, 
JMMB Group closed trading with a loss of 9 cents with 50,699 shares to end at $13.60, Kingston Wharves traded 6,800 shares to close at $19, Mayberry Investments traded 10,000 shares to close at $3.66. National Commercial Bank dropped $1 and ended at $50 with 7,331 shares trading. Portland JSX traded 3,984 shares after losing 5 cents to end at $11, Radio Jamaica traded 57,500 units to close at $1.35, Sagicor Group lost 48 cents with 75,180 shares changing hands to close at $25.02. Scotia Investments lost $1.50 traded 1,600 shares to close at $28.50, Seprod traded 36,172 units to close with a rise of 41 cents at $27.40 and Proven Investments made a modest gain and closed at 19.50 US cents with 51,162 shares changing hands.
Archives for November 2016
Juniors volume surge – Monday
The junior market index lost 10.44 points to end at 2,416.30 on Monday as the prices of 5 stocks rose and 5 declined with 17 securities trading, compared with 14 on Friday. The movement in the junior market index left the gain for the year to date at 35 percent.
The volume of stocks traded jumped sharply on Monday by 1,865 percent from Friday’s level and ending with 3,446,347 units changing hands, valued at $15,863,525, up 1,928 percent from $782,192 on Friday.
Market activities ended with 4 securities closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 ending with lower offers.
An average of 202,726 units with an average value of $933,149 traded, compared to 11,694 units with an average value of $52,146 on the preceding trading day. 
The average for the month to date is 113,520 units for an average of $633,167 compared to 52,146 units valued at $108,825 on Friday and 129,138 units with an average value of $709,705 for October.
Eppley ordinary stock split into 150 stock units for each one previously held is reflected in the price one junior market on Monday with the ex-stock split date being November 28. There was no trading in the stock by the close.
In trading activity, AMG Packaging dropped $2.20 and closed with 11,433 units changing hands to close at $18.75, Cargo Handlers traded 2,400 units at $12.50, Caribbean Cream closed with 5,769 shares changing hands and gained 25 cents to end at $7.25, Caribbean Producers rose 5 cents in trading 4,000 units at $3.45. Consolidated Bakeries lost 10 cents in trading 10,000 shares to close at $2.30, General Accident dropped 35 cents and closed trading with 113,300 units at $2.65, Honey Bun with 358,200 shares changing hands, closed at $5.50 after falling 10 cents. 
ISP Finance traded 28,623 shares to end at $8, Jamaican Teas traded 16,966 shares to close at $4.10, Jetcon Corporation closed with 149,100 units changing hands, 1 cent higher at $5.01, Key Insurance traded 21,100 shares with a rise of 15 cents to end at $2.50, Knutsford Express traded 750 units at $20. Lasco Distributors gained 20 cents with 8,000 shares changing hands, to close at $6.80, Lasco Financial rose 5 cents and ended with 202,636 shares changing hands at $3.20. Lasco Manufacturing closed with a loss of 1 cent at $4.69 with 2,507,570 shares changing hands, Paramount Trading with 5,000 units changing hands closed at $3.50 and tTech traded 1,500 shares but rose 50 cents to $5.50.
JSE main market up in morning trading
Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange resulted in the main market indices climbing while junior market index decline marginally in early Monday trading. With the exception of 3.3 million shares in 1834 Investments and 633,843 shares of General Accident trading was moderate.
A total of 20 securities traded of which 6 advanced and only 10 fell, resulting in a volume of 4,494,219 shares changing hands carrying a value of a $16,491,042 compared with 497,348 shares changing hands with a value of $2,887,938 on Friday. The average number of shares traded, amount to 224,711 units versus 22,607 units on Friday.
At 10:50 am the all Jamaica Composite Index jumped 675.21 points to 195,067.31 the Jamaica Stock Exchange Market Index climbed 603.76 points to 178,486.97, the Jamaica Stock Exchange combined index surged 491.73 points to close at 190,388.22 and the junior market index fell 6.64 points to end at 2,420.10.
Barita up 61% & exits top 5 Pulse in
Barita is one of the top IC Insider’s stock for growth over the next 12 months in the main market.
Barita has been replaced by Pulse Investments. The latter just released the September quarterly report with the best quality of earnings in years, with an improving cash flow compare with prior periods and increased earnings of 32 cents per share. Excluding fair value gains on real estate holdings, earnings per share would be around 23 cents or 90 cents per share annualised. The stock price has room for growth in the coming months.
Kingsley Cooper Chairman of Pulse
Barita reported earnings excluding one off write down of investments of $171 million or 38 cents per share in the September quarter up 140 percent over the $70 million earned in the similar period in 2015.Barita Investments is undergoing change and this has driven up fee income sharply which is replacing interest income formerly generated form the repo business. Net interest income climbed sharply in 2016 as new business jumping to $127 million from just $44 million in the September 2015 quarter. Barita has also built up a large pool of unrealized gain on investments which can be released to profit in the future.
The other selections in the top 5 have not changed much during the week, except for a rise in the price of Key Insurance to $2.45. The junior market listings are being generally held back due to a lack of supply of shares being offered for sale.
J$ gains vs all in FX trading – Friday
The Jamaican dollar gained against the four major currencies in trading on Friday as volumes climb. Dealers bought the equivalent of US$43,223,641 of all currencies and sold US$46,444,892, compared to US$23,131,959 purchased and US$18,138,969 sold on Thursday.
In US dollar trading, dealers bought US$38,657,105 compared to US$19,995,977 on Thursday. The buying rate for the US dollar rose 34 cents to close at $128.49. A total of US$43,567,152 was sold versus US$17,183,431 on Thursday, with the selling rate falling a fraction of a cent, to just under $129.07. The Canadian dollar buying rate climbed 27 cents to $92.57, with dealers buying C$1,600,642 and selling C$1,365,863 at an average rate that fell 49 cents to $94.91. 
The average rate for buying the British Pound rose by 61 cents to $158.23 for the purchase of £2,256,134 while £992,218 was sold with a fall of $1.27 to end at $159.51.
At the end of trading on Friday, dealers sold €461,281 with the selling rate for the Euro, closing with a fall of $1.58 to $139.57, according to data from Bank of Jamaica. Dealers purchased €510,595 of the European common currency at $134.90 after jumping $4.36. The US dollar equivalent of other currencies traded, amounts to US$98,934 being bought and selling of US$162,509.
Highs & Lows| Notable changes to the highest and lowest rates for the regularly traded currencies, in the foreign exchange market on Friday, include a drop in the lowest selling rate for the US dollar by $19.96, to $104.04. A rise of $1.45 in the highest buying rate for the Canadian dollar to $97.55. The highest selling rate for the British Pound declined by $2.96 to $164.98 and the highest buying rate for the Euro rose $1.60 to $135.80.
First Citizens jumps to $34
First Citizens jumped back to $34 at the close of trading on TTSE on Friday.
Trading activity closed with 383,440 shares changing hands with a value of $8,737,234, in contrast to Thursday’s volume of 513,946 with a value of $9,953,673.
The Composite Index declined 0.72 points to 1,190.73 points, the All T & T Index closed 0.27 points higher to 1,804.87 points, down 7.37 percent year to date. The Cross Listed Index declined 0.24 points to 77.07 points with year to date gains of 55.67 percent.
IC bid-offer Indicator |The Investor’s Choice bid-offer ended with 4 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 9 with lower offers.
Gains| First Citizens jumped 98 cents to close at $34 while trading 42,311 shares with a value of $1,407,258 and Massy Holdings closed at $50.99, a gain of 2 cents with 3,000 shares changing hands.
< Strong> Losses|National Commercial Bank lost 3 cents and closed at $2.87 with 60,750 shares trading, Republic Financial Holdings lost 50 cents to close at $108.50 with 20,000 shares having by bought by new owners, valued at $2,174,200. Scotiabank closed at $58.69, down 1 cent with 56,309 shares changing ownership with a value
of $3,305,014 while investors picked up just 90 shares of Trinidad & Tobago NGL at $22.49 after slipping by a cent.Firm Trades | Stock trading with price unchanged at the close, are Ansa McAL with 1,201 shares at $61.94, Clico Investment having 3,151 shares changing hands at $22.60, First Caribbean International Bank closed at $8.50 with 50,570 shares valued at $429,845. Grace Kennedy ended at $2.74 with 92,429 shares, Guardian Holdings closed at $12.90 with 387 shares changing hands, JMMB Group closed at 90 cents with a mere 99 shares switching owners, Sagicor Financial closed at $7.50 with 50,718 shares valued at $380,385 and West Indian Tobacco closed at $127 with 2,425 shares changing hands with a value of $307,975.
Another record close for JSE
Grace Kennedy traded more than 28 million shares on the JSE on Friday.
The JSE combined index climbed 1,085.80 points to end at a record closing high of 189,896.49 with a gain for the year to date of 20 percent.
The Jamaica Stock Exchange closed trading with 41 securities trading as the prices of 19 gained while 8 declined in the overall market, including 7 stocks rising and 3 falling, in the junior market.
At the close with 43,666,008 units valued at $1,467,261,444 changed hands, compared to 6,296,810 units valued at $50,570,213 changing hands on Thursday. The junior market accounted for 175,408 units changing hands, valued at $782,192 of the stocks traded.
The average trade for the day in the main market ended at 1,672,696 and 948,034 units month to date. On Thursday, an average of 188,585 units traded and for the month to date, 2523,372 units, in comparison the average for the October was 220,811 units.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 8 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 with lower offers.In market activity, Barita traded 58,534 shares, to end at $5.10, Berger Paints traded 3,100 units at $5.60, Cable & Wireless gained 9 cent to close at 80 cents, with 197,639 units trading, Caribbean Cement lost $1 in exchanging 12,030 shares at $27. Carreras lost 10 cents in exchanging 18,870 shares at $65.90. Trading in Ciboney shares resulted in a gain of 2 cents to close with 40,000 units changing hands at 20 cents, Grace Kennedy rose $1.87 and ended trading 28,422,521 units at $41.97, Jamaica Broilers rose 30 cents and closed at $14.90 with 38,575 shares changing hands, Jamaica Producers lost 32 cents and closed at $8.30 with 574,795 shares changing owners. Jamaica Stock Exchange traded 217,496 shares and rose 2 cents to end at $5.52, JMMB Group closed trading with 40,600 shares to end at $13.69, Kingston Wharves gained 20 cents in trading 99,659 shares to close at $19, Mayberry Investments traded 10,000 shares to close at $3.66, National Commercial Bank gained $1 and ended at $51 with 3,158,556 shares trading.
138 Student Living ordinary share traded at $5 with 60,400 units changing hands, PAN JAM Investment traded 15,925 shares to end at $24, Pulse Investments traded 25,000 shares after gaining 10 cents to end at $4, Radio Jamaica traded 130,200 units but lost 5 cents to close at $1.35, Sagicor Group had 67,480 shares changing hands to close at $25.50. Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 2,660 units with the price falling 28 cents to $10.25. Scotia Group traded 697,692 shares to close with a gain of 15 cents at $31.71, Seprod traded 1,646,200 units to close with a rise of $1.09 at $26.99 and Supreme Ventures lost 10 cents and closed at $4.70 with 7,946,940 shares changing hands.
Juniors rise on low volumes – Friday
ISP Finance closed at a new high of $8 on the junior market on Friday.
The volume of stocks traded declined sharply on Friday by 83 percent from Thursday’s level and ending with 175,408 units changing hands, valued at $782,192, down 85 percent from $5,281,239 on Thursday.
Market activities ended with 5 securities closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and 1 ending with a lower offer.
An average of 11,694 units with an average value of $52,146 traded, compared to 72,603 units with an average value of $377,231 on the preceding trading day. The average for the month to date is 52,146 units for an average of $108,825 compared to 114,221 units valued at $648,781 on Thursday and 129,138 units with an average value of $709,705 for October.In trading activity, Caribbean Cream closed with 6,000 shares changing hands and lost 14 cents to $7, Caribbean Producers lost 5 cents in trading 200 units at $3.40, C2W Music traded 4,047 units at 25 cents, General Accident gained 15 cents and closed trading with 16,852 units at $3, Honey Bun with 8,500 shares changing hands, closed at $5.60. ISP Finance traded just 200 shares to end at an all-time high of $8, Jamaican Teas traded 1,340 shares to close at $4.10, with a rise of 11 cents.
Jetcon Corporation closed with 1,900 units changing hands at $5, Key Insurance traded 6,783 shares with a gain of 20 cents to end at $2.35, Knutsford Express traded 934 units at $20, Lasco Distributors gained 20 cents with 2,200 shares changing hands, to close at $6.80, Lasco Financial rose 5 cents and ended with 6,860 shares changing hands at $3.20. Lasco Manufacturing closed at $4.70 with 105,000 shares changing hands, Paramount Trading gaine 40 cents with 8,894 units changing hands to close at $3.50 and tTech traded 5,698 shares but fell 75 cents to $5.
JSE climbs sharply in morning session
Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange resulted in the main market indices climbing sharply with a rise of $2 in the price of National Commercial Bank with just 1,000 shares changing hands, while junior market index inched up moderately.
A total of 22 securities traded of which 10 advanced and only 3 fell, resulting in a volume of a mere 497,348 shares changing hands carrying a value of a $2,887,938 compared with 3,513,020 shares changing hands with a value of $22,530,339 on Thursday at 11:30 AM. The average number of shares traded, amount to 22,607units versus 26,142 units on Thursday.
At 10:45 am the all Jamaica Composite Index jumped 1,480.50 points to 194,907.23 the Jamaica Stock Exchange Market Index climbed 1,323.83 points to 178,343.83, the Jamaica Stock Exchange combined index surged 1,288.80 points to close at 190,099.49 and the junior market index rose5.95 points to end at 2,404.92.
In trading Cable & Wireless had 185,639 units changing hands at 75 cents, Jamaica Stock Exchange traded 34,094 shares at $5.50, Radio Jamaica had 102,700 units changing hands at $1.35 and 138 Student Living Jamaica had 60,400 units trading at $5.
Police in covert activity on motorists
New leg of Highway 2000
The operations have been successful particularly in Kingston and St. Andrew and St. Catherine, netting traffic tickets for driving offences including improper overtaking, exceeding the speed limit, and sometimes when motorists are stopped there are accompanying charges, such as defective vehicles or failure to wear seat belts. Since the start of the year, a total of 388,811 tickets have been issued on the island’s roads.
“Covert operations target certain areas where indiscipline and bad driving are rampant. We have done a number of operations and you never know where we might be next. Motorists found in breach will be dealt with,” warned Acting SSP Courtney Coubrie, Head of the Police Traffic Division.
The covert operations are done with police officers using unmarked vehicles, with a marked vehicle in close proximity to assist in apprehending offenders where necessary. “We frequent areas where there is a high level of indiscipline and lawlessness. In the past what usually happens is that the marked vehicle is easily seen from a distance as we are normally on long stretches of roads. If the officers tried to respond to those who commit a violation, on seeing the marked vehicles, motorists tend to divert in an attempt to evade the police,” explained DSP Errol Adams, Operations Officer, Police Traffic Division.
Another challenge is that on the highways, once a marked vehicle is in position to do speed checks, if a motorist realizes, there is the usual communication with the flashing of the headlights. However, in a covert operation, because the vehicle is unmarked, the police are able to detect numerous breaches before persons are aware of their presence.
