The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange traded up more than 129 points after midday on Tuesday.
The market index hit a new intraday record high of 3,261.11 points with Lasco Manufacturing trading at a new high of $6.25 with over 4 million shares trading and Lasco Distributors trading up to $7.30 with 569,000 shares. The Junior Market index has since slipped back to 3,212.92, up 81.29 for the day at 12:30 but the All Jamaica Composite index dropped 3,016.25 points to 248,857.65.
Archives for April 2017
Junior Market jumps sharply to new record
April 25, 2017 by
April T-Bill cacelled as GOJ cash surges
April 25, 2017 by
Regular issue of Treasury bills would normally be held by the 19th of April but none were offered this time around based on the absence of an announcement by the Central Bank of Jamaica.
When the last issue of Treasury bill closed on Friday, 15 March 2017, the Bank of Jamaica stated that applications for the next offer of Government of Jamaica Treasury Bills must be lodged at the Bank of Jamaica by 10:45 a.m. on Wednesday, 19 April 2017. Bank of Jamaica acting on behalf of the government would make an announcement of the date and amounts for the upcoming issue. The website of Bank of Jamaica carries information when the public is being offered news bills and the result of the issue, a check on the site throws no information on the April issue, with no announcement no explanation for cancelation of the issue.
At the end of February, data out of the Ministry of Finance showed a budgetary surplus of $17.5 billion in revenues above forecast and a cash deficit of $5.5 billion. With March projected to generate large net inflows of revenues over outflows, the central government would not need to borrow from the financial market. Inflows was projected at $72 billion and expenditure at $35 billion for March, if achieved would result in a surplus of $30 billion for the financial year.
Market up 4 of 5 days to Monday
April 24, 2017 by
The main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange continued its quiet move higher as the market closed on Monday with gains on 4 days out of 5. The market ended with 26 securities changing hands and 1 trading in the US dollar market. At the close, 12 stocks advanced and 8 declined and 3 stocks closed at 52 weeks’ high.
Trading levels in main market ended at 1,892,384 units valued at $17,691,277 compared to 2,910,852 units valued at $97,817,290 at the close on Friday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for just 760 units valued at US$228.
The All Jamaica Composite Index gained 1,103.05 points to close at 251,873.90 the JSE Market Index advanced 1,005.00 points to finish at 229,485.66 and the JSE US dollar market index remained at 760 points at the close.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and US dollar markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 9 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 with lower offers.
The main market ended trading with an average of 184,556 units valued at $680,434 per security compared to an average of 116,434 units and $3,912,692 on Friday. The average trade for the month to date ended at 454,388 units and $5,163,911 versus an average of 454,388 units and $5,508,794 on the prior trading day. The average volume and value for March ended at 549,909 units and $1,379,459.
In market activity, Barita Investments closed at $7.10 with trades of 300 shares, Berger Paints closed at $14.99, with gains of $1.47 exchanging 1,230 shares, Cable and Wireless closed at $1.36, losing 4 cents with 1,031,203 shares changing hands, Caribbean Cement traded $2 lower at $30 with an exchange of 75,122 units. Carreras closed at a 52 weeks’ high of $75.90, with gains of 90 cents while exchanging 12,046 shares, Grace Kennedy closed at $44, with a loss of 50 cents trading 31,293 units, Jamaica Broilers closed at $16.80 with 19,196 shares changing owners, Jamaica Producers closed at $15.50 exchanging 2,602 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange closed 50 cents lower at $8, trading 107,792 shares. JMMB Group closed 29 cents higher to $19.99 trading 54,400 units, Kingston Properties gained 50 cents to close at $16 exchanging 5,980 units, Kingston Wharves closed at $32, while rising 50 cents trading 13,221 units,
NCB Financial Group traded at $65, with 37,342 shares changing hands, 1834 Investments gained 15 cents to close at $1.65, with an exchange of 40,389 shares, PanJam Investments closed 95 cents higher to $35.60 trading 5,345 shares. Pulse Investments lost 1 cent with 200,000 shares changing hands, to end at $8.04,Radio Jamaica was down 4 cents to close at $1.75 with trades of 5,300 shares, Sagicor Group closed at $33, losing 50 cents with an exchange of 39,945 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund rose 45 cents to close at $10.50, with 991 shares being swapped, Scotia Group closed at $41 exchanging 61,310 units, Seprod closed $1 higher to $36, trading 1,563 shares, Supreme Ventures closed at $6.35, losing 3 cents exchanging 57,364 shares. Proven Investments closed at 30 US cents with trades of 760 ordinary shares, Proven Investments 8.25% preference share gained 6 cents in trading 20,000 units at $5.17, JMMB 7.25% preference share traded 10 cents higher to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $2.51 with 25,000 units changing hands, and JMMB 7.50% preference share closed 8 cents higher to $1.88 with trades of 26,250 units.
Junior market jumps 53 points
April 24, 2017 by
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I$P hits a new high on Monday.
Trading on the Junior Market on Monday pushed the market index up sharply 2 percent or 52.89 points, to end at 3,213.63. A total of 1,591,968 shares valued at $9,438,771 traded.
On Friday 105,074,102 units valued at over $530,770,260 changed hands. At the close, on Monday, 21 securities changed hands, with 7 advancing and 6 declining, compared to 17 on Friday.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average of 75,808 units for an average value of $449,465 traded, compared to 6,180,830 units for an average value of $31,221,780 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for the month to date are 603,081 units and $3,307,605. The average volume and value for the month to the previous trading day ended at 640,744 units and $3,511,758. The average volume and value for March was 137,459 units and $1,313,411.
Trading ended with 9 stocks having bids higher than their last sale prices and 2 ending with lower offers, than their last traded price.
At the close of the market on Friday, AMG Packaging closed at $5.50 with 1,733 units changing hands, Blue Power traded 5,895 shares to close at $20.50, Caribbean Cream rose 48 cents in trading 100,000 units to end at $7.98, Caribbean Flavours ended at $12.50 with 300 shares trading, Caribbean Producers fell 4 cents and ended at $3.71 with 103,007 shares trading, Consolidated Bakeries ended trading with a gain of 6 cents with 27,386 shares changing hands, to close at $2.86. C2W Music had 27,386 units changing hands to close at 37 cents, Dolphin Cove lost 6 cents and ended at $20 with 13,000 shares changing hands, General Insurance lost 10 cents and ended at $3.30 with 5,000 shares trading, Honey Bun had 2,391 shares changing hands, to close with a gain of 15 cents at $7.40, ISP Finance rose 93 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $17.03 with 500 units.
Jamaican Teas fell 15 cents trading 204,689 shares, to close at $4.85, Jetcon Corporation ended at $12.84 with 19,185 shares trading, Knutsford Express closed trading with 15,275 shares at $41, Lasco Distributors shed 39 cents and ended with 272,184 units trading at $6.90, Lasco Financial jumped 59 cents and ended with 8,800 shares changing hands at $4.75, Lasco Manufacturing closed at $5.75 while trading 583,590 shares, Main Event jumped 60 cents trading 31,673 shares to close at $6, Medical Disposables dropped 20 cents and closed at $6.50 with 19,860 units trading, tTech rose 20 cent, trading 2,500 shares to end at $7.50 and Eppley 9.5% preference shares traded 1,000 units to close at $6.02.
TTSE ends with moderate trading
April 24, 2017 by
Trading levels on the Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange fell back on Monday resulted in 9 securities exchanged compared to 17 on Friday with lower volume and value than on Friday.
At the close, 2 stocks advanced, 3 declined and 4 were unchanged with just 50,550 shares changing hands valued at $1,371,638 compared to Friday’s 229,684 shares valued at $1,612,238.
The Composite Index gained 0.55 points to 1,233.85, the All T&T Index added 0.77 points to 1,803.10 and the Cross Listed Index gained 0.05 points to close at 89.18.
IC bid-offer Indicator|The Investor’s Choice bid-offer ended with 10 stocks with bids higher than last selling prices and 5 with lower offers.
Gains| Republic Financial Holdings gained 10 cents to close at $102 trading 120 units and Trinidad & Tobago NGL advanced 49 cents, closing at $22.49, with an exchange of 15,579 shares valued at $350,504.
Losses| Massy Holdings closed at $51.43, with a loss of 2 cents exchanging 369 shares, National Flour Mills lost 1 cent to close at $2.55 with 200 shares changing hands and Unilever Caribbean closed $1.25 lower to $57, with an exchange of just 100 units.
Firm Trades| Ansa McAL closed at $66.50 with 1,833 units changing owners, Clico Investments closed at $22.51 with trades of 400 shares, First Citizens closed at $32 trading 26,424 shares valued at $845,568 and JMMB Group exchanged 5,525 shares at $1.31.
Blue Power back in TOP stocks
April 23, 2017 by
Blue Power seems ripe for a stock split.
In another shortened trading week on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, there was only one new entry to the TOP 10 listings. Lasco Distributors rose to $7.29 at the end of the week and was replaced by former top tenner Blue Power that remains a prime candidate for s stock split.
NCB Financial Group which IC Insider.com said last week was worth watching, hit an all-time high of $75 but did not hold at that level and ended the week at $65 as some supply come to the market. Berger Paints is another stock that IC Insider.com said was worth watching pulled back during the week to make it more attractive.
The average PE ratio of the Junior Market are currently at an average of 12 and the main market at 13 based on this year’s estimated. At the close of the week, IC Insider.com’s TOP 10 Junior Market stocks continue to trade at an average discount of just under 35 percent to the Junior Market average, those in the main market are trading at a 52 percent discount, to the average of the market, leaving several stocks with good room for growth for the rest of the year.
The coming week should be dominated by the release of 2017 second quarter results for 
NCB Financial Group and the announcement of a dividend payment. IC Insider.com projects an increase in the payment based on increased profits.
Overall, bid volumes for junior market stocks remained low excepting for Caribbean Cream, with 181,732 units on the bid at $7.50, Key Insurance with 72,023 units at $3.05, Jamaican Teas with 68,000 shares with a bid of $4.60, and the next highest being Lasco Financial with 22,352 units at $4. Offers are buoyant with 2.7 million units being offered for Eppley at $12, over 400,000 for C2W Music at 50 cents, 200,000 for Jamaican Teas at $4.99, Knutsford Express with a bid of $41 for 229,236 shares and 140,000 shares of Lasco Manufacturing at $6.
Brokerage house, Barita Investments ended the week with 90,004 units offered at $7.10 and only 100 units on the bid of $7, Berger Paints ended the week with an offer of 24,070 units at $14.15 while 3,850 units are on the bid at $13.52. Caribbean Cement continues to trade with a heavy sell bias notwithstanding evidence of increased building activity and that this year’s first quarter results could be out at any time to provide direction for the stock. 
The cement producer had a bid to buy 27,600 units at $31 and offers of 67,879 shares at $32. JMMB Group’s buying interest picked up his past week and now has a bid at $19 to buy 256,195 units with an offer to sell 50,000 shares at $19.50, NCB Financial Group closed the week with a bid to buy only 1,400 shares at $65, with 261,390 units on offer at $65. Pulse Investments has offers to sell 98,000 units at $8.05 with buying at $7 for 1,000 shares. Radio Jamaica bid is at $1.75 to buy 26,159 units with 85,791 units on offer at $1.79 while investment banker and Scotia Group’s subsidiary, Scotia Investments, closed the week with only 10,000 units on the bid to buy at $37.01 and ended with 4,180 units offered at $39.40.
Profit for C2W Music
April 23, 2017 by
Things seem to be looking up at financially challenged C2W Music. The company reports profit of US$42,573 for the 2016, a major improvement over the years of losses since it listed on the Junior Market of the Stock Exchange a few years ago. In 2015 the company lost US$18,510.
Profit arose from fees and royalties amounting to US$$40,569, up from US$7,048 in 2015 and other income of US$26,180 compared to US$14,476 in 2015. Operating and administrative expense declined to US$17,849 almost half of the US$33,693 incurred in 2015. Cost was cut in bad debts to zero from $3,517 in 2015, drop in depreciation and amortization from $8,759 to $423 and travel expenses was wiped out in 2016 compared to $6,577 in 2015 but development and song writing expenses added $13,275 versus a credit of $4,440 in 2015.
The company ended with cash at bank of US$42,728, up from $21,417 at the end of 2015. Shareholders’ equity moved up to US$67,114 from US$24,541, Current liabilities stood at US$190,062 versus US$173,012 in 2015, including loans of $89,312. Current assets are much less than liabilities with only US$44,140 in this category.
If the 2016 results is anything to go by, the stocks is worth watching but the company’s auditors, Baker Tilly Strachan Lafayette, in their report made a number of observation about the contents of the financial report, “We were unable to obtain sufficient appropriate audit evidence about the completeness of royalty income due to the inability of the external monitoring agencies to properly document the company’s repertoire of works with their current technological systems. Additionally, due to difficulties with the systems of performing rights societies in the region and the reporting by them to the company, we were unable to determine completeness of sub-publishing revenues. Accordingly, we were unable to determine whether any adjustments to the amounts recorded were necessary.”
“Further, the company derives a portion of its income from sponsorship which cannot be controlled until they are recorded in the accounting records and are, therefore, not susceptible to independent audit verification. Accordingly, we were unable to satisfy ourselves as to the completeness of the contributions recorded.”
“It has been established that the Performing Rights Societies of the Caribbean legally owes C2W Music publishing and sub-publishing, royalties for the years 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015 and 2016, and are working to rectify systems issues so such royalties could be identified and paid. In addition, the company has moved into a 360 all Rights revenue model which will increase revenues based on numerous other revenue streams other than music publishing revenue, which was previously the Company’s primary source of revenue. The expectations are that the company will generate adequate cash flows and profitability to allow the company to continue in operational existence in the foreseeable future. On this basis, the Directors have maintained the going concern assumption in the preparation of these financial statements.”
JSE majors climbed at week end
April 21, 2017 by
Scotia Investments traded 2 million sahres on Friday.
Trading ended in main market with 2,910,852 units valued at $97,817,290 compared to 12,546,567 units valued at $314,956,099 at the close on Thursday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for a mere 250 units valued at US$75.
The All Jamaica Composite Index gained 1,335.21 points to close at 250,770.85 the JSE Market Index advanced 1,216.53 points to finish at 228,480.66 and the JSE US dollar market index gained 2.74 points to close at 219.00.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and US dollar markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 11 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 with lower offers.
The main market ended trading with an average of 116,434 units valued at $3,912,692 per security compared to an average of 238,986 units and $466,995 on Thursday. The average trade for the month to date ended at 454,388 units and $5,508,794 versus an average of 464,688 units and $5,641,802 on the prior trading day. The average volume and value for March ended at 549,909 units and $1,379,459.In market activity, Berger Paints lost 48 cents and closed at $13.52, in trading 45,730 shares, Cable and Wireless closed at $1.40, gaining 4 cents with trades of 69,032 shares, Caribbean Cement traded 80,949 units at $32. Carreras closed at $75, with gains of 99 cents, exchanging 324 shares, Grace Kennedy closed at $44.50, with 46,392 units changing hands, Jamaica Broilers closed 11 cents lower at $16.80 trading 15,649 shares, Jamaica Producers closed at $15.50, exchanging 950 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange gained 55 cents to close at $8.50, with an exchange of 17,958 shares. JMMB Group closed 70 cents higher at $19.70, trading 28,174 units, Kingston Wharves gained 49 cents to close at $31.50 trading 6,650 units, Mayberry Investments closed at $4.75, with gains of 20 cents, exchanging 8,500 shares, NCB Financial Group traded at $65, with 45,850 shares changing hands,
1834 Investments gained 2 cents to close at $1.50, with an exchange of 65,558 shares, 138 Student Living lost 3 cents, closing at $4.46 with 938 units traded, Pan Jamaican closed 35 cents lower to $34.65 trading 84,581 shares. Radio Jamaica gained 3 cents to close at $1.79 with trades of 9,565 shares, Sagicor Group gained 20 cents and closed at $33.50, trading 177,474 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund closed at $10.05, with 37,732 shares being exchanged, Salada closed 40 cents lower to 52 weeks’ low of $6.50, with 3,870 shares changing hands, Scotia Group closed at $41, with a loss of 90 cents, exchanging 106,302 units, Scotia Investments closed 7 cents higher at $37.08 trading 2,000,000 shares, Sterling Investments gained 15 cents to close at $17.15 with trades of 1,180 units, Supreme Ventures closed at $6.38, gaining 27 cents in swapping 55,750 shares. Proven Investments closed at 30 US cents, trading 250 ordinary shares, JMMB Group 7.25% preference share closed at $1.50 with 994 units changing hands and JMMB Group 7.50% preference share closed at $1.05 with trades of 750 units.
Lasco’s big trade – Friday
April 21, 2017 by
Lasco’s ICool drinks.
On Thursday 4,322,025 units valued at over $20,003,894 that were traded. At the close, on Friday, 17 securities changed hands, with 7 advancing and 7 declining, compared to 23 on Thursday.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average of 6,180,830 units for an average value of $31,221,780 traded, compared to 187,914 units for an average value of $869,735 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for the month to date are 640,744 units and $3,511,758. The average volume and value for the month to the previous trading day ended at 214,583 units and $1,380,218. The average volume and value for March was 137,459 units and $1,313,411.
Trading ended with 4 stocks having bids higher than their last sale prices and 4 ending with lower offers, than their last traded price.
At the close of the market on Thursday, AMG Packaging rose 40 cents to close at $5.50 with 15,377 units changing hands, Cargo Handlers traded 209 shares and rose 40 cents to close at $20.50, Caribbean Cream lost 40 cents in trading 6,375 units to end at $7.50, Caribbean Producers rose 1 cent and ended at $3.75 with 14,369 shares trading, Derrimon Trading lost 30 cents and ended at $8.20 with 30,045 shares trading, Honey Bun had 6,129 shares changing hands, to close with a fall of 25 cents at $7.25, Iron Rock Insurance ended at $3 with 19,769 shares changing hands, Jamaican Teas gained 50 cents trading 201,800 shares to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $5, 
after the stock was split 2 for 1 last week, Jetcon Corporation rose 74 cents to end at $12.84 with 34,483 shares trading, Key Insurance traded 27,977 units to close at $3.05, Knutsford Express closed trading with 8,026 shares at $41, Lasco Distributors gained 49 cents and ended with 2,083,974 units trading at $7.29, Lasco Financial lost 9 cents and ended with 23,367 shares changing hands at $4.16, Lasco Manufacturing gained 75 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $5.75, Main Event dropped 80 cents trading 22,768 shares to close at $5.40, Paramount Trading dropped 45 cents and closed at $3 with 6,000 units trading and tTech lost 20 cent, trading 10,163 shares to end at $7.30.
TTSE still consolidating
April 21, 2017 by
Trading volume picked up in trading on the Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange on Friday from Thursday’s low level but the value of stocks traded ended up just slightly lower as the number of securities rose.
Market activity resulted in 17 securities changing hands compared to 12 on Thursday with 5 stocks advancing, 2 declining and 10 holding firm. Trading closed with an exchange of 229,684 shares valued at $1,612,238 compared to Thursday’s 70,937 shares valued at $1,807,695.
The Composite Index gained 1.71 points to 1,233.30, the All T&T Index advanced 8.77 points to 1,802.33 and the Cross Listed Index lost 0.74 points to close at 89.13.
IC bid-offer Indicator|The Investor’s Choice bid-offer ended with 10 stocks with bids higher than last selling prices and 6 with lower offers.
Gains| Angostura Holdings gained 10 cents to close at $15 exchanging 5,000 units, Clico Investment closed at $22.51, with a 1 cent gain, trading 1,000 units, Guardian Holdings closed at $15.45, gaining 45 cents with an exchange of 20,186 shares valued at $311,597. National Enterprises traded 49 cents higher to close at $10.50, with 1,038 shares changing hands and Readymix closed at $12.62, gaining 12 cents in the process with 600 units trading.
Losses| First Caribbean International Bank 
closed at $8.60, with a loss of 15 cents exchanging 11,851 shares and Sagicor Financial lost 10 cents to close at $9, with 10,494 shares changing owners.
Firm Trades| Ansa McAL closed at $66.50 trading 650 units, First Citizens traded 590 shares at $32, Grace Kennedy closed at $2.70 with trades of 135,978 units valued at $367,141, JMMB Group exchanged 31,617 shares at $1.31, National Flour Mills closed at $2.56 with an exchange of 520 shares. Scotia Investments traded 1,955 units at $2.70, Scotiabank exchanged 7,027 shares at $58 valued at $407,816, Trinidad Cement held firm at $4.22 with just 10 shares changing hands. Trinidad & Tobago NGL was unchanged at $22 trading 430 shares and West Indian Tobacco closed at $127 with 738 units traded.
