The Bank will be offering USD65 million over the next four weeks in its foreign exchange auction to eligible Authorised Dealers and Cambios.
The amount represents an increase over the quantity offered in August of US$35 million prior to the amount to be auctioned on Wednesday, 30 August.
September is usually a period when inflows tend to dip below normal levels and may be the reason why the amounts to be offered have been increased.
The weekly schedule outlined by the BOJ is: US$5 million on Wednesday, 30 August, the same amount as last week, US$10 million on Wednesday, September 6, US$20 million on September 13 and US$30 million on September 20.
The central bank is only returning to the market amounts it would have taken under the compulsory surrender of 25 percent from Authorised Dealers and Cambios during the month. It is unclear as to the reasons why Bank of Jamaica has not reduced their compulsory take from the market. In 200 the central bank hiked the amount when the price of oil was around US$100 a barrel as the amount to fund Petrojam was being provided by BOJ. Now that the price is around U$50 why is the weekly take not reduced?
In 2009, Bank of Jamaica established the Foreign Exchange Surrender Facility for public sector entities (PSE Facility). The aim of the facility is to centralize foreign currency demand of the public sector, especially Port Authority of Jamaica, National Water Commission and Petrojam. Under this facility Commercial Banks agreed to surrender fifteen percent (15%) of foreign currency purchases daily. The pre-existing requirement where Authorized Dealers and Cambios surrender within range of five percent (5%) to ten percent (10%) of their gross foreign currency purchases from commercial clients remains in effect. Therefore commercial banks are to surrender, in total between twenty percent (20%) to twenty-five percent (25%) of foreign currency purchases daily. At the start of 2015, the surrender requirements were increased thirty percent to thirty-five percent for Authorised dealers and twenty-five percent for cambios.
Archives for August 2017
Jamaican$ falls again – Tuesday
Trading in the Jamaican foreign exchange market on Tuesday resulted in the Jamaican dollar declining in value against the US dollar, following Monday’s decline with the selling rate ending at J$128.77 from J$128.68 previously.
Dealers bought the US currency at an average of J$127.36, versus J$127.23 on Monday. Trading ended with inflows of US$38.41 million compared to US$45.59 million on Monday with Bank of Jamaica is entitled to approximately 25 percent of the inflows or around $10 million of Tuesday’s intake. Outflows amounted to only US$35.70 million compared to US$30.40 million of all currencies on the prior trading day.
In USA dollar trading, inflows ended at US$ 31.76 million versus US$41.64 million on Monday with outflows of US$26.33 million compared to US$28.38 million.
The selling rate for the Canadian dollar climbed to J$104.44 from J$103.82 at the close on Monday while the British Pound was more costly, with J$167.23 buying the British currency versus J$166.02 and the euro, rose in value against the Jamaican dollar, with it jumping to J$156.41 to buy the European common currency, versus J$151.81 previously.
Trading jumps from Monday’s levels
Trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange ended on Tuesday with 26 securities changing hands with 11 advancing, 9 declining and 6 trading unchanged. The market index inched higher by 3.19 points to 3,093.37.
The volume traded amounted to 2,320,590 units valued at $10,336,084, compared to 1,303,888 units valued at $6,225,235 on Monday.
Trading ended with an average of 89,253 units for an average of $397,542 in contrast to 65,194 units for an average of $311,262 on Monday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 249,420 units valued at $1,528,275, in contrast to 258,319 units at an average of $1,591,093 previously. In contrast, July closed with average of 536,395 units at $1,905,441 for each security traded.
Trading ended with the market sentiments looking mixed for Wednesday’s activity as 4 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 with lower offers.
At the close of the market, the volume of stocks changing hands and their last traded price are: Access Financial settled at $47 with 2,250 shares, Blue Power traded at $40 with 1,300 shares, CAC 2000 finished with a loss of 9 cents, at $7.86 with 4,068 stocks trading, Caribbean Cream traded at $6.50 with 56,600 stocks, Caribbean Producers finished 15 cents higher at $3.80 with 15,000 stock units exchanged. Consolidated Bakeries traded 29 cents higher at $2.30 with 4,500 stocks, Derrimon Trading closed 80 cents higher at $7.90 with 4,000 units, Dolphin Cove concluded trading with a loss of 20 cents, at $17.30 with 2,050 stocks, Express Catering settled 15 cents higher at $4.15 with 436,106 units, General Accident finished 22 cents higher at $2.82 with 67,500 stocks, Honey Bun closed 20 cents higher at $5 with 22,869 shares. ISP Finance settled with a loss of $1, at $19 with 400 units, Jamaican Teas concluded with a loss of 10 cents, at $4.90 with 90,678 shares, Jetcon Corporation ended with a loss of 21 cents, at $5 with 69,256 units, KLE Group closed 1 cent higher at $3.01 with 40,899 stocks, Knutsford Express concluded trading 34 cents higher at $14.40 with 6,770 stocks. Lasco Distributors traded at $7 with 186,808 shares, Lasco Financial settled with a loss of 20 cents, at $3.60 with 204,349 stock units, Lasco Manufacturing concluded market activity with a loss of 15 cents, at $4.45 with 45,888 shares, Main Event closed at $4.50 with 343,513 shares, Medical Disposables closed with a loss of $1.25, at $4.25 with 42,000 shares. Paramount Trading ended 10 cents higher at $2.70 with 10,500 stocks, Stationery and Office finished with a loss of 10 cents, at $4 with 655,536 stocks after trading at a low for the day of $3.50, Derrimon Trading preference share concluded trading 3 cents higher at $2.03 with 7,000 stocks, Eppley 9.5% preference share finished 5 cents higher at $7.25 with 500 units and Eppley 10% preference share traded at $6.60 with 250 stock units changing hands.
Trading sinks on TTSE – Tuesday
Trading on the Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange on Tuesday ended with 7 securities changing hands compared to 8 on Monday with market volume falling lower than the depressed level on Monday.
At the close, 2 stocks advanced, 3 declined and 2 were unchanged as 58,067 shares traded at a value of $755,391 compared to Monday’s trades of 84,002 valued at $566,877.
The Composite Index declined 0.12 points to 1,241.59, the All T&T Index fell 0.57 points to 1,791.21 but the Cross Listed Index added 0.05 points to 92.93 points.
IC bid-offer Indicator| The Investor’s Choice bid-offer ended with 4 stocks with bids higher than last selling prices and 8 with lower offers.
Gains| The last traded prices of securities gaining and the volume changing hands are Guardian Holdings inching up 1 cent, to close at $16.51 with 1,410 shares and JMMB Group with a 1 cent gain, to $1.27 with 18,490 shares.
Losses| The last traded prices of securities declining and volume changing hands are First Citizens falling 1 cent to $31.67 with 1,513 shares and Trinidad & Tobago NGL trading 40 cents lower to $22.50 with 1,943 shares.
Firm Trades| The last traded prices of securities closing unchanged and the volume changing hands are, Angostura Holdings closed at $15 with 1,000 shares, Clico Investments closing at $20.75 with 25,875 shares valued at $536,648 and Sagicor Financial that remained at $8.30 with 7,836 shares.
Value slips for Jamaican$ – Monday
Trading in the Jamaican foreign exchange market on Monday resulted in the Jamaican dollar declining in value against the US dollar, with the selling rate ending at J$128.68 from J$128.41 previously. Dealers bought the US currency at an average of J$127.23, versus J$127.17 on Friday.
Trading ended with inflows of US$45.59 million compared to US$32.69 million on Friday with Bank of Jamaica is entitled to approximately 25 percent of the inflows or around $11.4 of Monday’s intake. Outflows amounted to only US$30.40 million compared to US$19.34 million of all currencies on the prior trading day.
In USA dollar trading, inflows ended at US$41.64 million versus US$28.37 million on Friday with outflows of US$28.38 million compared to US$16.32 million.
The selling rate for the Canadian dollar climbed to J$103.82 from J$103.11 at the close on Friday while the British Pound was more costly, with J$166.02 buying the British currency versus J$165.59 and the euro, rose in value against the Jamaican dollar, with it taking J$151.81 to buy the European common currency, versus J$150.79 previously.
NCB Financial hits another high
NCB Financial Group closed at another new high of $5.05 on the Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange on Monday as investors continue to respond positively to the strong nine months results of the group.
At the close of trading only 8 securities changed hands compared to 14 on Friday and all three indices advanced on a day when the volume and value of trades were lower than Friday. The market closed with 3 stocks advancing, 2 declining and 3 holding firm as 84,002 shares traded valued $566,877 compared to Friday’s trades of 161,029 valued at $1,432,085.
The Composite Index advanced 3.82 points to 1,241.71, the All T&T Index gained 0.08 points to 1,791.78 and the Cross Listed Index added 1.13 points to 92.88 points.
IC bid-offer Indicator| The Investor’s Choice bid-offer ended with 3 stocks with bids higher than last selling prices and 8 with lower offers.
Gains| The last traded prices of securities that rose and the volume changing hands are, JMMB Group with gains of 3 cents closing at $1.26 with 1,000 shares, NCB Financial Group advancing to a 52 weeks’ high of $5.05, after gaining 5 cents with 1,000 shares changing hands and Republic Financial Holdings that closed 10 cents higher to $102 with 100 shares.
Losses| The last traded prices of securities declining and the volume changing hands are Trinidad & Tobago NGL with a loss of 10 cents, closed at $22.90 with 13,014 shares and Unilever Caribbean traded 2 cents lower to a 52 weeks’ low of $50.98 with just 45 units changing hands.
Firm Trades| The last traded prices of securities and the volume traded unchanged at the close of trading are, Grace Kennedy remaining at $2.85 with 39,200 shares, Sagicor Financial ending at $8.30 with 3,358 shares and Trinidad Cement having exchanged 26,285 shares closed at $4.20.