Archives for March 2021

Strong Q1 gains for Junior Market

March 31, 2021 by IC Insider.com

Junior Market stocks closed the first quarter of the year with gains of 12.8 percent, recording the highest gain by far of the three market segment of the Jamaica Stock Exchange as the volume of stocks traded climbed 378 percent with 46 more value than Tuesday.
The market index climbed 13.95 points to finish at 2,982.95. Just 30 securities traded, down from 38 on Tuesday, resulting in 13 stocks rising, 12 declining and five closed unchanged, resulting in 14,376,733 shares trading for $36,855,263, up from 3,008,031 shares for $7,749,677 on Monday. The average PE Ratio ended at 16.8 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Derrimon Trading led trading with 74 percent, with a transfer of 10.7 million units, followed by Tropical Battery with one million units for 7 percent of the day’s trade and Mailpac with 3.9 percent after trading 566,794 shares,
Trading averaged 479,224 shares at $1,228,509, up from 79,159 units at $203,939 on Tuesday. Trading month to date averages 252,633 units at $717,051, compared to 243,918 units at $714,145 on Monday. February closed with an average of 365,365 units at $881,118.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial advanced $1.89 to $22.90 with an exchange of 23,197 shares, Blue Power slipped 3 cents to $3.75 with 1,475 units changing hands, Caribbean Assurance Brokers rose 17 cents to $2 with 266,053 shares changing hands, Derrimon Trading lost 2 cents to end at $2.51 trading 10,631,676 stock units. Fontana fell 8 cents to $5.87 with 60,269 stocks crossing the exchange, Fosrich shed 7 cents to finish at $5.10 with 1,030 shares traded, Indies Pharma added 5 cents to end at $4 with 220,856 stock units changing hands. Knutsford Express shed 49 cents to close at $5.51 with 170 shares traded. Lasco Financial climbed 22 cents to $2.90 after trading 32,307 shares, Lasco Manufacturing gained 10 cents to end at $4.50 with 2,423 shares changing hands, Limners and Bards rose 6 cents to $2.75, with 257,417 stock units changing hands, Lumber Depot slipped 7 cents to $2.30 with a transfer of 359,623 units, Mailpac Group picked up 4 cents to finish at $3.49 trading 566,794 stock units. Medical Disposables traded 200 shares but lost 55 cents to close at $4.15 and SSL Venture Capital rose 4 cents to 60 cents while trading 4.400 shares.

Filed Under: Feature Stories, JSE Junior Market, Stock Market Tagged With: Access Financial, Best performing stock market, Blue Power, Caribbean Assurance Brokers, Caribbean Cream, Caribbean Flavours, Caribbean Producers, Daily Trading, Derrimon Trading, Dolphin Cove, Elite Diagnostic, Emerging markets, Everything Fresh, Express Catering, Fontana, FosRich, GWest, Honey Bun, iCreate, Indies Pharma, Jamaica Stock Exchange, Jamaican stocks, Jamaican Teas, Jetcon Corporation, Knutsford Express, Lasco Distributors, Lasco Financial, Lasco Manufacturing, Limners and Bards, Main Event, Medical Disposables, SSL Venture Capital, Trading Activity, tTech

Q1 miss for JSE Main Market

March 31, 2021 by IC Insider.com

Stocks ended trading on Wednesday with the market rebounding with more stocks rising than declining, after 43 percent fewer shares changed hands valued 45 percent less than on Tuesday at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market and ending the first quarter of the year marginally down from the year’s open.
The All Jamaican Composite Index advanced 2,324.91 points to 432,859.15, the Main Index rose 2,055.33 points to 394,659.55 and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.40 points to settle at 99.63.
Trading ended with 47 securities, up from 40 on Tuesday. Prices of 24 stocks rose, 17 declined and six closed unchanged. The PE Ratio averages 19.3 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with 16,826,539 shares trading for $130,489,494 down from 29,598,642 units at $238,503,294 on Tuesday. Transjamaican Highway led trading with 39 percent of the total volume after trading 6.56 million shares, followed by Wigton Windfarm with 15.8 percent for 2.66 million units and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 10.7 percent of the day’s trade for 1.80 million units changing hands.
Trading for the day averaged 358,011 units at $2,776,372, sharply down from 739,966 shares at $5,962,582 on Tuesday. Trading month to date averaged 354,304 units at $2,543,232, in contrast to 354,133 units at $2,532,457 on Tuesday. February closed with an average of 419,015 units at $2,509,660.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has twelve stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments rose $1.10 to $85.10 in exchanging 51,693 shares, Caribbean Cement rose by $1 to $68 traing of 5,594 shares, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund shed 40 cents to finish at $46.50, with 18,951 units crossing the market. First Rock Capital lost 20 cents to close at $16.60 in transferring 37,614 stock units, Grace Kennedy rose 50 cents to $88.50 trading 23,567 stocks, Jamaica Broilers climbed $1.85 to $29.30 with the swapping of 19,357 stock units. Jamaica Producers fell $1.63 to $20.52 in exchanging 22,427 units, Jamaica Stock Exchange advanced $1.03 to $18.99 after the ownership switch of 509,339 shares, Key Insurance lost 31 cents in ending at $5.70 with the swapping of 70,568 units, Margaritaville dropped $3 in closing at a 52 weeks’ low of $32 after 600 shares crossed the market. Mayberry Investments gained 38 cents to end at $5.48 with the transfer of 200 stock units, NCB Financial declined by $1 to $139 in trading 13,620 units. 138 Student Living lost 40 cents to close at $5.30 in an exchange of 1,478 shares, Palace Amusement shed $60 to close at a 52 weeks’ low of $640 in exchanging 1,037 stock units, Pan Jam Investment gained 50 cents to close at $65.50 with 520,029 stock units changing hands. Proven Investments shed 90 cents to close at $35 with an exchange of 11,160 stocks, Sagicor Group advanced $1.89 to close at $51.88 in trading 480,479 shares, Salada Foods rose $1.30 to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $6.75 with a transfer of 13,442 stocks, Scotia Group gained 37 cents to close at $41.52 trading 46,641 units. Supreme Ventures rose 40 cents to close at $15.40 with the swapping of 180,570 stock units, Sygnus Credit Investments declined 47 cents to $14.50 trading 34,579 units, Victoria Mutual Investments advanced 44 cents to $5.89 with the swapping of 122,135 shares, Wisynco Group shed 34 cents to close at $15.11 in exchanging 62,400 shares.
In the preference segment, 138 Student Living Preference share rose $1.12 to $5.44, with 20,000 shares clearing the market.

Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

Filed Under: Feature Stories, JSE Main Market, Stock Market Tagged With: 138 Student Living, Barita Investments, Caribbean Cement, Carreras, Community & Workers Credit Union, Daily Trading, Emerging markets, Eppley, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund, First Rock Capital, Grace Kennedy, Jamaica Broilers, Jamaica Producers, Jamaica Stock Exchange, Jamaican stocks, JMMB Group, Key Insurance, Kingston Properties, Kingston Wharves, Mayberry Investments, Mayberry Jamaica Equities, NCB Financial, PANJAM Investment, Proven Investments, QWI Investments, Radio Jamaica, Sagicor Group, Sagicor Real Estate Fund, Sagicor Select Fund, Salada Foods, Scotia Group, Seprod, Stanley Motta, Sterling Investments, Supreme Ventures, Sygnus Credit, Trading Activity, Transjamaican Highway, Victoria Mutual Investments, Wigton Windfarm, Wisynco Group

JSE USD market gains 10% for Q1

March 31, 2021 by IC Insider.com

Trading on Wednesday closed with the JSE USD Equity Index rising 3.84 points to 204.40 and finished the first quarter of the year up 9.7 percent, after trading 88 percent fewer shares than on Tuesday, on the US dollar market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange.
Five securities traded, compared to four on Tuesday, with the prices of two rising, two declining and one remaining unchanged.
The average PE Ratio ends at 13.5 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Trading ended in an exchange of 41,079 shares, for US$7,818 compared to 351,011 units at US$4,986 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 8,216 units at US$1,564, in contrast to 87,753 shares at US$1,246 on Tuesday. Trading averaged 68,746 units for the month to date at US$13,137 versus 71,289 units at US$13,623 on Tuesday. February ended with an average of 69,547 units for US$9,223.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with lower offers.
At the close, First Rock Capital increased 0.4 of a cent in closing at 8.9 US cents, with 231 units changing hands, Margaritaville rose by 1 cent to end at 11 US cents trading 600 stock units, Productive Business Solutions ended at US$1 in switching ownership of 212 stock units. Proven Investments shed 0.99 cents to end at 24.01 US cents while trading 17,855 units and Sygnus Credit Investments declined 0.79 of a cent to close at 14.01 US cents in exchanging 22,181 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

Filed Under: Global Market, Stock Market Tagged With: Daily Trading, Emerging markets, First Rock Capital, Jamaica Stock Exchange, Jamaican stocks, JSE US dollar market, Margaritaville, Productive Business Solution, Proven Investments, Sygnus Credit Investments, Trading Activity

Moderate changes to TTSE stocks

March 31, 2021 by IC Insider.com

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Trading resume after a one day break on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange on Wednesday, with the market rising after investors traded 27 percent fewer shares, with a 27 percent fall in value compared to Monday, and ended in more stocks falling than rising at the close.

Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange Head Quarters

Trading ended with 17 active securities compared to 19 on Monday, with prices of three rising, five declining and nine finishing unchanged. The Composite Index fell 0.14 points to 1,343.49, the All T$T Index climbed 0.51 points to settle at 1,780.17 and the Cross-Listed Index lost 0.11 points to 122.68.
In all, 165,945 shares traded for $1,986,818, down from 228,466 units at $2,730,561 on Monday.
An average of 9,761 shares traded at $116,872 down from 12,025 units at $143,714 on Monday. An average of 12,610 units traded at $342,338 for the month to date, versus 12,743 units at $352,868, on Monday. The average trade for February amounted to 15,920 units for $307,754.
The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Agostini’s remained at $26 while trading 137 shares, Angostura Holdings traded 49 shares at $15.49, Clico Investment Fund traded at $25.15 while exchanging 2,107 stock units, First Citizens Bank ended at $46.75, with 20,705 stocks clearing the market. JMMB Group lost 1 cent to close at $1.81, with 42,087 shares changing hands. L.J Williams B share fell 5 cents to close at $1.40 with an exchange of 7,112 stock units, Massy Holdings fell 50 cents to $63.50 after exchanging 612 shares, NCB Financial Group settled at $8.50, trading 6,475 stock units, National Enterprises rose 4 cents and settled at $2.99 and finished trading 1,181 stock units. National Flour Mills rose 5 cents to settle at $2.20 while investors swapped 20,510 stocks, One Caribbean Media advanced 15 cents to $4.75, with 37,570 units crossing the market, Point Lisas ended trading of 710 stock units $3. Republic Financial Holdings settled at $131.83 while exchanging just 326 units, Scotiabank close at $54 with 1,100 shares changing hands, Trinidad & Tobago NGL lost 1 cent in ending at $14.75 trading 21,188 stock units. Unilever Caribbean fell 10 cents to $16.10 after exchanging 175 stocks and West Indian Tobacco ended at $33, with 3,901 stocks crossing the exchange.

Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

Filed Under: Stock Market, TTSE Market Tagged With: Agostini's, Angostura Holdings, Clico Investment, Daily Trading, Emerging markets, Emerging Stock, First Citizens, JMMB Group, LJ Williams, Massy Holdings, National Enterprises, National Flour, NCB Financial Group, One Caribbean Media, Point Lisas, Republic Financial Holdings, Scotiabank, Trading Activity, Trinidad & Tobago NGL, TTSE, Unilever Caribbean, West Indian Tobacco

Salada jumps 23% to record high

March 30, 2021 by IC Insider.com

On a day of declines, Salada Foods jumped 24 percent to a new record close of $5.45 after the original stock was split into 10 units, effective for trading on Tuesday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market.

Salada Foods traded at a all-time high of $5.45 on Tuesday.

Trading ended with advancing stocks edging out those falling, with an exchange of 116 percent more shares 131 percent higher in value than on Monday on a day, but the market indices slipped at the close.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index declined 1,087.36 points to 430,534.24, the JSE Main Index shed 967.71 points to 392,604.22 and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.35 points to settle at 99.23.
Trading ended with 40 securities down from 49 on Monday and closed with prices of 17 stocks rising, 15 declining and eight remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio averages 19.3 based on ICInsider.com forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with 29,598,642 shares trading for $238,503,294 up sharply from 13,714,211 units at $103,241,108 on Monday. Mayberry Jamaican Equities led trading with 65.5 percent of total volume for 19.38 million shares, followed by Transjamaican Highway with 10.4 percent for 3.09 million units, Supreme Ventures with 10.4 percent for 3.07 million units and Wigton Windfarm with 6.2 percent market share for 1.83 million units changing hands.
Trading averaged 739,966 units at $5,962,582, up from an average of 279,882 shares at $2,106,961 on Monday. Trading month to date averages 354,133 units at $2,532,457, up from 338,336 units at $2,392,022 on Monday. February closed with an average of 419,015 units at $2,509,660.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Berger Paints shed 20 cents to close at $13, with 3,685 shares crossing the exchange, Caribbean Cement shed $1 to end at $67 in transferring 10,056 stocks. Eppley climbed $2.67 to close at $34.77 with the swapping of 1,417 shares. Eppley Caribbean Property Fund rose 41 cents to end at $46.90 after 38,402 units crossed the exchange, First Rock Capital advanced 80 cents to $16.80, with 15,817 stocks clearing the market, Grace Kennedy fell 50 cents to $88 with an exchange of 18,536 units. Jamaica Broilers fell $1.85 to $27.45 in trading 66,847 stocks, Jamaica Producers shed 85 cents to settle at $22.15 with the swapping of 15,257 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange declined 99 cents to $17.96 in exchanging 800 stocks. JMMB Group rose 29 cents to $32.89 in trading 403,731 shares, Key Insurance advanced 96 cents to $6.01 with 273,287 stocks changing hands, Mayberry Investments declined 64 cents to $5.10 after 78,980 units crossed the market. NCB Financial rose $1.50 to $140 in exchanging 8,370 shares, Proven Investments gained $1.90 to $35.90 trading 53,710 stock units. Sagicor Group advanced 49 cents to $49.99 with the swapping of 7,945 units. Sagicor Real Estate Fund rose $1.11 to $8.31 after a transfer of 300 stocks, Salada Foods jumped $1.05 to a record close of $5.45, trading 41,837 stock units. Seprod shed $1.50 to close at $69.60 in an exchange of 7,052 stock units, Sygnus Credit Investments gained 37 cents in ending at $14.97 trading 90,548 units and Wisynco Group fell 25 cents to $15.45 after a transfer of 20,763 shares.

Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

Filed Under: Feature Stories, JSE Main Market, Stock Market Tagged With: 138 Student Living, Barita Investments, Berger Paints, Caribbean Cement, Carreras, Community & Workers Credit Union, Daily Trading, Emerging markets, Eppley, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund, First Rock Capital, Grace Kennedy, Jamaica Broilers, Jamaica Producers, Jamaica Stock Exchange, Jamaican stocks, JMMB Group, Key Insurance, Mayberry Investments, Mayberry Jamaica Equities, NCB Financial, Portland JSX, Proven Investments, QWI Investments, Radio Jamaica, Sagicor Group, Sagicor Real Estate Fund, Sagicor Select Fund, Salada Foods, Scotia Group, Seprod, Stanley Motta, Supreme Ventures, Sygnus Credit, Trading Activity, Transjamaican Highway, Victoria Mutual Investments, Wigton Windfarm, Wisynco Group

Lacklustre trading on Tuesday

March 30, 2021 by IC Insider.com

On the day ahead of the opening of Fesco Initial Public Offer of shares, the Junior Market delivered a lacklustre performance resulting in 58 percent less volume and value of shares trading than Monday.
At the close, the market index slipped 3.41 points to finish at 2,969, with the market enjoying a 12.3 percent rise for the year, with just one more day left for the first quarter to end. This year’s performance contrast with a 32.7 fall in the market index at the same time in 2020. Since then, the market has gained 32 percent in value.
A total of 38 securities traded, down from 37 on Monday, resulting in an equal number of 15 stocks rising and declining as eight remained unchanged. The average PE Ratio ended at 16.8 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings. The market closed with an exchange of 3,008,031 shares for $7,749,677 down from 7,215,425 units at $18,425,745 on Monday.
GWest Corporation led trading with 19.4 percent of total volume for 583,204 shares, followed by Derrimon Trading 17.2 percent, with a transfer of 518,007 units and Lumber Depot with 12 percent, with an exchange of 359,623 units.
Trading averaged 79,159 units at $203,939, down from 195,011 at $497,993 on Monday. Trading month to date averages 243,918 units at $714,145, verusu 252,356 units at $740,275 on Monday. February closed with an average of 365,365 units at $881,118.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging advanced 18 cents to $2.08 with an exchange of 16,000 shares, Blue Power slipped 6 cents to end at $3.78 with 24,025 units crossing the market, Cargo Handlers climbed 21 cents to $8.71 with 100 stocks traded. Caribbean Assurance Brokers declined by 8 cents to $1.83 with 18,965 shares changing hands, Derrimon Trading lost 5 cents to end at $2.53 with a transfer of 518,007 stock units, Dolphin Cove rose 7 cents to $8.10 with an exchange of 1,149 units. General Accident climbed 34 cents to $5.84 with 4,000 stocks crossing the exchange, Honey Bun gained 7 cents to finish at $5.09 with 17,268 shares traded, Indies Pharma slipped 5 cents to $3.95 with 258,289 stock units changing hands. Iron Rock Insurance climbed 80 cents to $3.60 with a transfer of 520 units, ISP Finance dipped 20 cents to $23.80 with an exchange of 350 stocks, Knutsford Express shed 35 cents to close at $6 with 1,420 shares traded. Limners and Bards fell 10 cents to $2.69, with 59,408 stock units changing hands, Lumber Depot slipped 7 cents to $2.30 with a transfer of 359,623 units, Mailpac Group lost 5 cents to finish at $3.45 with an exchange of 165,721 stock units. Paramount Trading declined by 11 cents to end at $1.30 with investors swapping 22,050 units, Stationery and Office Supplies advanced 20 cents to $5.50 with 47 units traded and tTech climbed 34 cents to $4.81 with 18,908 shares crossing the exchange.

Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

Filed Under: Feature Stories, JSE Junior Market, Stock Market Tagged With: AMG Packaging, Best performing stock market, Blue Power, CAC2000, Cargo Handlers, Caribbean Assurance Brokers, Caribbean Cream, Caribbean Flavours, Caribbean Producers, Consolidated Bakeries, Daily Trading, Derrimon Trading, Dolphin Cove, Elite Diagnostic, Emerging markets, Everything Fresh, Express Catering, Fontana, FosRich, General Accident, GWest, Honey Bun, iCreate, Indies Pharma, ISP Finance, Jamaica Stock Exchange, Jamaican stocks, Jamaican Teas, Jetcon Corporation, KLE Group, Knutsford Express, Lasco Distributors, Lasco Financial, Lasco Manufacturing, Limners and Bards, Paramount Trading, SSL Venture Capital, Stationery and Office, Trading Activity, tTech

Stocks eke out gains on JSE USD market

March 30, 2021 by IC Insider.com

Trading ended with the market eking out a modest gain on Tuesday after trading 29 percent fewer shares than on Monday, at the close of the US dollar market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange.
Trading ended with four securities changing hands, down from five on Monday and ended with the prices of three rising, none declining and one remaining unchanged.
The JSE USD Equity Index rose 0.70 points to close at 200.56. The PE Ratio averaged13.5 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Trading ended with 351,011 shares for US$4,986, down from 495,631 units at US$31,968 on Monday.
Trading averaged 87,753 units at US$1,246, versus 99,126 shares at US$6,394 on Monday. Trading averaged 71,289 units for the month to date at US$13,623 in contrast to 70,717 units at US$14,054 on Monday. February ended with an average of 69,547 units for US$9,223.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with lower offers.
At the close, Proven Investments rose 0.01 of a cent to 25 US cents, with 1,051 shares changing hands, Sterling Investments settled at 1.98 US cents with an exchange of 247 units, Sygnus Credit Investments carved out a gain of 0.78 cents in ending at 14.8 US cents and trading 12,266 shares and Transjamaican Highway increased 0.02 of one cent to close at 0.88 US cents, with 337,447 units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

Filed Under: Global Market, Stock Market Tagged With: Daily Trading, Emerging markets, Equityline Mortgage Investments, Jamaica Stock Exchange, Jamaican stocks, JSE US dollar market, Proven Investments, Sterling Investments, Sygnus Credit Investments, Trading Activity, Transjamaican Highway

Bank of Jamaica sees contraction & growth

March 30, 2021 by IC Insider.com

Bank of Jamaica is forecasting a contraction in the economy in the range of 10 to 12 percent in 2020/21 fiscal year before partially recovering with growth in the range of 4 to 8 percent in the 2022 fiscal year to March.

BOJ interest holds overnight rate.

“A projected decline in real GDP for the March 2021 quarter is expected to be mainly reflected in Hotels & Restaurants, Transport, Storage & Communication and Other Services,” the central bank states. “The overall decline for the quarter, which is expected to be smaller than the contractions of the previous three quarters, is largely based on the adverse, albeit receding, impact of the global COVID-19 pandemic on travel and entertainment activities,” the bank’s release stated. The Bank’s current assessment suggests that the risks to the GDP forecast are balanced.
Monetary Policy
“While the impact of the Covid-19 virus has recently led to an increase in the stringency of measures in Jamaica to control its spread, there remains optimism about future GDP growth as vaccination programmes have commenced both locally and globally. Bank of Jamaica has maintained an accommodative monetary policy stance aimed at supporting a speedy economic recovery once this crisis passes. Bank of Jamaica remains committed to ensuring that inflation remains low and stable, within its target and, at the same time, is prepared to take all necessary actions to ensure that Jamaica’s financial system remains sound”, the release went on to state.
“The Bank intends to maintain this monetary policy stance until there are clear signs that economic activity in Jamaica is returning to pre-COVID-19 levels.” Against this background, the central bank has held the policy rate at the historic low level of 0.50 percent based on its assessment that inflation will generally continue to remain within the target of 4 to 6 percent over the next two years. The bank’s accommodative monetary policy posture is also aimed at supporting a recovery in economic activity in Jamaica, a release from the bank states.

Filed Under: Economy Tagged With: Bank Of Jamaica, BOJ overnight rate, Jamaica GDP

Remittances jump 21% or US$500m in 2020

March 30, 2021 by IC Insider.com

Remittance inflows to Jamaica is up a strong 21 percent for 2020, with inflows jumping US$499.4 million to a record US$2.905 billion for January to December 2020 period, with the United States contributing US$386 million of the increase, data out of Bank of Jamaica shows.
The USA accounted for $1.69 billion of total inflows while the United Kingdom provided US$271 million. up by $34 million, Canada delivered US$52 million more than in 2019 after landing US$257 million in 2020. Contributions from the Cayman Islands, Jamaica’s fourth largest contributor to the country’s remittances, were virtually flat year over year, with US$145 million of inflows in 2020 versus US$142 million in 2019.
In the first two months of the year, gross inflows rose 9 percent and 8 percent, respectively, but fell 9 percent in March and 10 percent in April, compared with the same periods in 2019. In May, inflows rose 16 percent but jumped sharply by 42 percent in June, to record the highest growth for the year with inflows of $275 million. The other months of the year grew in the 30 percent range, except for November that increased by 19 percent.
Inflows for December grew 35 percent to record the highest monthly inflow for the year at US$301 million. July followed with US$293 million, increasing 37 percent over the 2019 period and August was next with US$280 million with an increase of 31 percent over 2019.

Filed Under: Breaking News, Economy, FX Market

Another down day for JSE majors

March 29, 2021 by IC Insider.com

Investors hit the bulk of prices of stocks trading and leading the market into decline, with advancing stocks vastly outnumbered by those declining on Monday after an exchange of 77 percent more shares valued 126 percent more than on Friday at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market.
The All Jamaican Composite Index declined 1,805.24 points to 431,621.60, the JSE Main Index retreated 1,581.94 points to 393,571.93 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.58 points to close at 98.88.
Trading ended with 49 securities compared to 45 on Friday and closed with prices of 12 stocks rising, 27 declining and 10 remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio averages 19.8 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with 13,714,211 shares trading for $103,241,108 up from 7,739,040 units at $45,618,469 on Friday. Wigton Windfarm led trading with 24.8 percent of total volume for 3.4 million shares followed by Jamaica Stock Exchange, 22.1 percent with 3.03 million, Sagicor Select Manufacturing & Distribution Fund ended with 16.9 percent for 2.32 million units and Transjamaican Highway with 10.9 percent after 1.50 million units changed hands.
Trading for the day averaged 279,882 units at $2,106,961, down from an average of 171,979 shares at $1,013,744 on Friday. Trading month to date averaged 338,137 units at $2,423,642, in contrast to 341,423 units at $2,407,074 on Friday. February closed with an average of 419,015 units at $2,509,660.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has seven stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
At the close, Berger Paints lost 30 cents to close at $13.20, with 569 stocks changing hands, Caribbean Cement climbed $3.05 to $68 in trading 2,151 shares, Eppley fell 90 cents to $32.10 in crossing the exchange with 3,457 stock units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund rose 82 cents to $46.49 after transferring 8,634 units. First Rock Capital shed 72 cents to close at $16 after 69,545 shares crossed the market, Jamaica Producers shed 22 cents to $23 trading 14,217 stock units, JMMB Group advanced $1.10 to $32.60 in an exchange of 46,776 stocks. Key Insurance lost 23 cents at $5.05 trading 25 units, Mayberry Investments gained 24 cents to settle at $5.74 with the swapping of 17,516 stocks. NCB Financial declined $1.50 to $138.50 in an exchange of 26,177 shares, Palace Amusement climbed $20 to $700 trading 156 stock units, Pan Jam Investment fell $1 to $65 after clearing the market of 188,074 shares. Proven Investments shed 90 cents to settle at $34 in switching ownership of 64,707 stocks, Sagicor Group fell 48 cents to $49.50 with an exchange of 16,194 stocks, Sagicor Real Estate Fund declined $1.10 to end at $7.20 with the swapping of 5,522 shares. Salada Foods lost 50 to finish at $44 with 63,894 stock units crossing the market, Seprod advanced $2.10 to $71.10 with 6,110 units changing hands. Supreme Ventures lost 30 cents to end at $15 with the swapping of 47,761 shares and Wisynco Group rose 40 cents to $15.70 with an exchange of 19,151 stock units.
In the preference segment, Eppley 8.75% preference share fell 41 cents to $7.11 in exchanging 100 stocks and JMMB Group 7.25% gained 20 cents in ending at $1.45 with 15 stock units switching owners.