Trading picked up solidly on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday, with the volume of stocks traded climbing 51 percent and the value jumping 61 percent over Wednesday levels after dealings in 40 
securities compared with 43 on Wednesday and the Junior Market Index popping 38.47 points to end at 3,931.97, just 1.4 percent down for the year to date, with the prices of 15 stocks rising, 10 declining and 15 closing unchanged.
Investors traded 13,232,540 shares for $32,353,607, solidly up from 8,746,352 units at $20,082,467 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 330,814 shares at $808,840 compared to 203,404 shares at $467,034 on Wednesday, with the month to date averaging 277,785 units at $626,868 compared with 274,843 stocks at $616,772 on the previous day. Trading in September closed with an average of 220,239 units at $459,425.
Jamaican Teas led trading with 5.99 million shares for 45.2 percent of total volume and was followed by Dolla Financial with 3.81 million units for 28.8 percent of the day’s trade and EduFocal with 875,847 stock units for 6.6 percent market share.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 10.9, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial climbed 50 cents to end at $25 in an exchange of 30,132 shares, Blue Power shed 22 cents to $2.71, with 20,014 units changing hands, Dolla Financial ended trading of 3,811,220 shares and gained 7 cents in closing at $2.56. EduFocal skidded 14 cents to close at $2.39 while exchanging 875,847 stock units, Elite Diagnostic rallied 12 cents and ended at $1.89, with 46,915 stocks crossing the exchange, Express Catering dipped 9 cents in closing at $4.50 as investors exchanged 4,242 stocks. 
Honey Bun increased 15 cents to $6.46 with stakeholders exchanging 28,974 units, iCreate dropped 11 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ closing low of 67 cents with dealers trading 102,782 stock units, JFP Ltd lost 14 cents to close at $1.47 after an exchange of 14,838 shares. Lasco Manufacturing rose 29 cents and ended at $4.89 and closed after an exchange of 15,887 units, Main Event popped 45 cents in closing at $14 with shareholders swapping a mere 388 shares, Paramount Trading gained 9 cents to close at $1.69, with a mere three stocks crossing the market and Regency Petroleum advanced 13 cents in closing at $2.25 in switching ownership of 156,350 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Archives for October 2023
Trading rises on the Jamaica Stock Exchange
The value of stocks traded rose on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday, but the volume slipped marginally from the levels on Wednesday but the market closed mixed on Thursday, with the JSE USD and the Junior markets closing higher, but the Main Market finished lower.
At close, the JSE Combined Market Index shed 1,272.78 points higher to close at 326,891.48, the All Jamaican Composite Index dipped 951.42 points to settle at 346,651.73, the JSE Main Index lost 1,727.61 points to close at 311,809.96. The Junior Market Index rallied 38.47 points to 3,931.97 and the JSE USD Market Index rose 0.77 points to settle at 225.60.
Investors traded 22,006,435 shares in all three markets, marginally down on the 22,396,453 stocks on Wednesday. The value of stocks traded rose on the Junior and Main markets to $98 million from $88.4 million on Wednesday. The JSE USD market ended trading after 218,678 shares were traded, for US$7,411, compared to 194,347 units at US$314,203 on Wednesday.
In the preference, segment had no stocks with notable price changes.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 23.1 on 2022-23 earnings and 11.2 times those for 2023-24 at the close of trading.
ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
The PE ratio chart covers all ordinary shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, grouped by industry, allowing for easy comparisons between the same sector companies and the overall market. The EPS & PE ratios are based on 2023 and 2024 actual or projected earnings, excluding major one off items.
Investors need pertinent information to navigate numerous investment options in the local stock market successfully. The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily report charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
Investors should use the chart to help make rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the average for the sector and not going too far from it unless there are compelling reasons to do so. This approach helps to remove emotions from investment decisions and place them on fundamentals while at the same time not being too far from the majority of investors. 
Investors who buy when the price of a stock is close to the average will find that they are not inclined to overpay for a stock.
The net asset value of each company is reported as a guide to assess the value of stocks based on this measure quickly. The chart also shows daily changes in stock prices and the percentage year to date price movement based on the last traded prices.
Dividends paid or payable and yields for each company are shown in the Main and Junior Markets’ daily report charts, along with the closing volume pertaining to the highest bid and the lowest offer for each company.
Trinidad Exchange rises as trading climbs
Trading picked up over that on Wednesday on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange on Thursday, with the volume of stocks traded rising 68 percent with the value climbing 69 percent, resulting from dealing in 22 securities compared with 21 on Wednesday, with four stocks rising, six declining and 12 remaining unchanged.
Investors exchanged 320,823 shares for $2,253,057, up from 190,875 stock units at $1,334,178 on Wednesday.
An average of 14,583 units were traded at $102,412 compared to 9,089 shares at $63,532 on Wednesday, with trading month to date averaging 12,644 shares at $126,214 compared with 12,512 units at $127,830 on the previous day. The average trade for September amounts to 21,948 shares at $198,506.
The Composite Index climbed 6.43 points to finish at 1,186.17, the All T&T Index advanced 13.64 points to 1,806.26, the SME Index remained unchanged at 79.99 and the Cross-Listed Index dipped 0.18 points to 73.16.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Agostini’s increased 45 cents to $67.50 after an exchange of 4,777 shares, Angostura Holdings climbed $2.31 to close at $22.50 as investors exchanged ten stock units, Ansa Merchant Bank ended at $42.12 with 540 stocks changing hands, Calypso Macro Investment Fund dipped 5 cents and ended at $22.50, with 1,400 units clearing the market. 
Endeavour Holdings remained at $15, with just four shares crossing the exchange, First Citizens Bank climbed 45 cents to close at $49.45 in trading 1,990 units, FirstCaribbean International Bank remained at $7 with investors dealing in 220 stock units, GraceKennedy ended at $3.30, with 20,000 stocks changing hands. Guardian Holdings ended at $18.65 as 142 units passed through the market, Guardian Media ended at $2.01 with investors trading 128 stock units, JMMB Group slid 1 cent to $1.40 with traders dealing in 100,500 stocks, Massy Holdings remained at $4.55 with a transfer of 81,452 shares. National Enterprises lost 1 cent in closing at $3.50 with investors trading 44,080 shares, National Flour Mills ended at $1.63 in exchanging a mere two stocks, 
NCB Financial closed trading 53,100 stock units at $2.84, Point Lisas shed 1 cent in closing at $3.50 while exchanging 203 units, Prestige Holdings rallied 24 cents to $10.74 in switching ownership of 2,001 shares. Republic Financial fell 73 cents to close at $118.01 with shareholders swapping 6,042 stock units, Scotiabank remained at $72 after a transfer of 1,695 stocks, Trinidad & Tobago NGL declined 5 cents to end at $10.95 and closed with an exchange of 2,362 units, Trinidad Cement ended at $2.90, with 124 shares crossing the market and West Indian Tobacco remained at $10 with investors trading 51 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading jumps on the JSE Main Market
Trading activity picked up on Wednesday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market and ended with the volume of stocks traded rising 87 percent and the value 278 percent more than on Tuesday, and ending with trading taking place in 49 securities compared with 56 on Tuesday, with 16 rising, 19 declining and 14 ending unchanged after Wisynco Group hit a 52 weeks intraday high of $22.
In contrast, First Rock Real Estate hit a 52 weeks intraday low of $6.71 and VM investments traded at an intraday low of $2.60 and bounced higher by the close.
A total of 13,455,754 shares were traded for $68,332,119 compared with 7,194,041 units at $18,098,887 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 274,607 shares at $1,394,533 compared to 128,465 shares at $323,194 on Tuesday and month to date, an average of 235,545 units at $1,445,789, compared with 233,380 units at $1,448,630 on the previous day. September closed with an average of 218,512 units at $1,768,691.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 7.78 million shares for 57.8 percent of total volume, followed by Wigton Windfarm with 1.91 million units for 14.2 percent of the day’s trade, Wisynco Group ended with 1.23 million units for 9.1 percent of market share and JMMB Group 7.5% with 1.04 million units for 7.7 percent of the total volume.
The All Jamaican Composite Index rose 309.44 points to close at 347,603.15, the JSE Main Index dropped 524.74 points to end at 313,537.57 and the JSE Financial Index declined 0.03 points to close at 68.65.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.1. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are based on the last traded prices and earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending up to August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows nine stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and seven with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments advanced 48 cents to end at $71.98, with 6,338 shares crossing the exchange, Eppley rallied $1.63 in closing at $33.95 after an exchange of 1,035 units, General Accident fell 55 cents and ended at $5.01 often investors traded 11,035 stocks. Jamaica Stock Exchange popped $1 to close at $9.30 with investors dealing in 2,762 stock units, 
Kingston Wharves gained 59 cents to close at $27.95 with shareholders swapping 873 stocks, Massy Holdings rallied $5 and ended at $96 with an exchange of 642 shares. NCB Financial lost 95 cents to $64.05 with an exchange of 4,868 stock units, Proven Investments climbed $2.35 to end at $22.51 with investors trading 322 units, Sagicor Group declined $1.39 to close at $42.11, with 79,903 shares crossing the market. Seprod rose 50 cents in closing at $72.50 with an exchange of 7,110 stocks, Supreme Ventures rallied 55 cents to end at $26.60 after 14,862 stock units passed through the market, Victoria Mutual Investments dropped 58 cents to close at $2.71 with traders dealing in 98,307 units.
In the preference segment, 138 Student Living preference share dipped 71 cents in closing at $95 as investors exchanged nine stocks and Transjamaican Highway 8% climbed 46 cents and ended at $2.10, with 242,529 shares clearing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading jumps on Junior Market
Trading picked up on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday, with the volume of stocks traded rising 49 percent and the value 65 percent more than Tuesday, with 43 securities trading compared with 42 on Tuesday and ended with 14 rising, 22 declining and seven closing unchanged.
Investors traded 8,746,352 shares for $20,082,467, up from 5,882,396 units at $12,191,518 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 203,404 shares at $467,034, compared to 140,057 shares at $290,274 on Tuesday with the month to date, averaging 274,843 units at $616,772 compared with 279,374 stock units at $626,269 on the previous day. September closed with an average of 220,239 units at $459,425.
EduFocal led trading with 3.11 million shares for 35.5 percent of total volume, followed by Dolla Financial with 1.46 million units for 16.7 percent of the day’s trade and JFP Ltd with 910,539 units for 10.4 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index skidded 27.93 points to close at 3,893.50.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 10.9, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Blue Power rose 23 cents and ended at $2.93 in switching ownership of 1,994 shares, CAC 2000 dropped 94 cents in closing at $4, with 2,166 units clearing the market, Cargo Handlers skidded 9 cents to close at $14.40 in an exchange of 500 stocks, Caribbean Cream shed 56 cents to end at $4.10 as investors exchanged a mere 35 stock units. EduFocal rallied 19 cents to $2.53 with shareholders swapping 3,105,393 stocks, Elite Diagnostic advanced 17 cents to $1.77, with 125,048 stock units changing hands, Express Catering gained 29 cents to close at $4.59 with traders dealing in 500 shares, Fontana popped 30 cents and ended at $11.68 with investors transferring 96,758 units. 
Honey Bun lost 15 cents to end at $6.31 with investors trading 1,573 shares, Indies Pharma dipped 20 cents in closing at $2.80, with just one stock crossing the market, Jetcon Corporation increased 11 cents to end at 99 cents with 2,508 units crossing the exchange, JFP Ltd climbed 13 cents and ended at $1.61 with an exchange of 910,539 stock units. Knutsford Express declined 8 cents in closing at $12.17 in trading 6,676 shares, Lasco Distributors fell 11 cents to close at $4.20 in an exchange of 34,351 units, Lasco Financial fell 10 cents to $1.90 with a transfer of 27,229 stock units, Lasco Manufacturing dropped 32 cents to $4.60 and closed after 53,000 stocks changed hands. Limners and Bards declined 21 cents in closing at $2.01, with 16,492 stock units crossing the market, 
Lumber Depot rallied 28 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $2.88 after exchanging 70,551 shares and Main Event skidded 45 cents and ended at $13.55 after an exchange of 21,078 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Upsurge of funds pumped into JSE USD Market
Investors pumped more funds into the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market on Wednesday, than on Tuesday. with the value of stocks traded surging 4,898 percent to US$314,203 from just US$6,287 on Tuesday while volume changing hands, declined 8 percent 194,347 shares compared to 212,100 units on Tuesday, resulting in trading of seven securities, compared to six on Tuesday with four rising and three ending unchanged.
Trading averaged 27,764 share at US$44,886 versus 35,350 units at US$1,048 on Tuesday, with a month to date average of 52,850 shares at US$4,921 compared to 54,606 units at US$2,124 on the previous day. September ended with an average of 73,281 units for US$5,102.
The US Denominated Equities Index popped 2.49 points to 224.83.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 8.6. The PE ratio is computed based on the last traded price divided by projected earnings done by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Productive Business Solutions rallied 5 cents to US$1.55 after a transfer of 120 shares, Proven Investments rose 0.3 of a cent in closing at 14.6 US cents after 439 stocks were exchanged, 
Sterling Investments climbed 0.25 of a cent to end at 1.7 US cents after 368 stock units changed hands. Sygnus Credit Investments ended at 9 US cents, with 7,431 units crossing the exchange, Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share ended at 10 US cents after 495 shares were traded and Transjamaican Highway gained 0.03 of a cent and ended at 1.61 US cents after an exchange of 29,107 units
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 5.75% ended at US$2 with an exchange of 156,387 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading bounced on Jamaica Stock Exchange
Trading bounced on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday from the depressed levels on Tuesday when just 13.3 million shares changed hands valued at a mere $30 million, but the market closed mixed on Wednesday, with the JSE USD Market inching higher and broke six consecutive days of decline with Main Market inching lower, while the Junior Market slipped to close just under the 3,900 mark.
At close, the JSE Combined Market Index shed 740.51 points higher to close at 328,164.26, the All Jamaican Composite Index popped 309.44 points to 347,603.15, the JSE Main Index shed 524.74 points to conclude trading at 313,537.57. The Junior Market Index declined 27.93 points to conclude trading at 3,893.50 and the JSE USD Market Index, after falling for the sixth consecutive days, advanced 2.49 points to end trading at 224.83.
Investors traded 22,396,453 shares in all three markets, up from 13,288,537 stock units on Tuesday. The value of stocks traded fell on the Junior and Main markets to $88.4 million, up from $30.29 million on Tuesday. The JSE USD market ended trading after 194,347 shares were traded, for US$314,203, compared to 212,100 units at US$6,287 on Tuesday.
In the preference segment had no stocks with notable price changes.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 23.2 on 2022-23 earnings and 11.2 times those for 2023-24 at the close of trading. ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
The PE ratio chart covers all ordinary shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, grouped by industry, allowing for easy comparisons between the same sector companies and the overall market. The EPS & PE ratios are based on 2023 and 2024 actual or projected earnings, excluding major one off items.
Investors need pertinent information to navigate numerous investment options in the local stock market successfully. The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily report charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
Investors should use the chart to help make rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the average for the sector and only going too far from it if there are compelling reasons to do so. This approach helps to remove emotions from investment decisions and place them on fundamentals while at the same time not being too far from the majority of investors. Investors who buy when the price of a stock is close to the average will find that they are not inclined to overpay for a stock.
The net asset value of each company is reported as a guide to assess the value of stocks based on this measure quickly. The chart also shows daily changes in stock prices and the percentage year to date price movement based on the last traded prices.
Dividends paid or payable and yields for each company are shown in the Main and Junior Markets’ daily report charts, along with the closing volume pertaining to the highest bid and the lowest offer for each company.
Trading climbs on the Trinidad Exchange
Trading picked up on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange on Wednesday, with a 139 percent jump in the volume of stocks traded valued 7 percent more than on Tuesday, resulting from dealing in 21 securities up from 19 on Tuesday and ended with prices of seven stocks rising, six declining and eight remaining unchanged.
Investors exchanged 190,875 shares for $1,334,178 versus 79,915 stock units at $1,248,213 on Tuesday.
An average of 9,089 units were traded at $63,532 compared with 4,206 shares at $65,695 on Tuesday, with trading month to date averaging 12,512 shares at $127,830 compared with 12,749 units at $132,287 on the previous day. The average trade for September amounts to 21,948 shares at $198,506.
The Composite Index gained 2.28 points to finish at 1,179.74, the All T&T Index dipped 8.83 points to close at 1,792.62, the SME Index remained unchanged at 79.99 and the Cross-Listed Index increased 1.98 points to end at 73.34.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Agostini’s fell 11 cents and ended at $67.05 after a transfer of 200 shares, Angostura Holdings skidded $2.76 to end at $20.19 with investors dealing in 650 stock units, Ansa McAl remained at $54.05 with a transfer of 7,175 units. 
Ansa Merchant Bank ended at $42.12, with 122 stocks crossing the market, Calypso Macro Investment Fund increased 5 cents to close at $22.55 in an exchange of 16 stocks, First Citizens Group remained at $49 with a transfer of 3,273 stock units. FirstCaribbean International Bank rose 1 cent and ended at $7 after 35 shares passed through the market, GraceKennedy advanced 7 cents to close at $3.30 after 256 stock units changed hands, Guardian Holdings ended at $18.65 with traders dealing in 2,159 stocks. JMMB Group shed 8 cents to $1.41 with an exchange of 9,500 shares, Massy Holdings dipped 4 cents to $4.55 as investors traded 5,004 units, National Enterprises dropped 4 cents in closing at $3.51, with 101,750 stock units changing hands.
NCB Financial rallied 29 cents to close at $2.84 after an exchange of 34,500 shares, One Caribbean Media remained at $3.50 while investors traded 290 stock units, Point Lisas ended at $3.51, with 176 stocks crossing the exchange. Prestige Holdings gained 25 cents in closing at $10.50 after investors traded 5,500 units, Republic Financial remained at $118.74 with shareholders swapping 89 stocks, Scotiabank climbed 5 cents and ended at $72, with 1,214 stock units crossing the market. Trinidad & Tobago NGL popped 11 cents to $11 with stakeholders exchanging 1,000 shares, Trinidad Cement ended at $2.90 in switching ownership of 17,750 units and Unilever Caribbean declined 2 cents to $11.54 in trading 216 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Worst fall for remittances
Remittance inflows to Jamaica in August slipped by 5.9 percent or US$18 million, the worst monthly decline for 2023, with total inflows of US$289, down from US$307 in August 2022, data out of the Bank of Jamaica show. The decline beats the 5.8 percent decline in April, with a slippage then of US$17 million.
So far, January, March and May are the only months with positive inflows compared with 2022.
In a year of primarily monthly declines, inflows are down by 1.1 percent or US$26 million to US$2.24 billion to August from US$2.267 million for the first eight months last year and now seem likely to come in just below the US$3.44 billion total inflows for 2022.
6 days of decline for the JSE USD Market
Trading dropped sharply on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market ended on Tuesday, with the volume of stocks changing hands declining 84 percent valued 81 percent lower than on Monday and resulting in six securities being traded, compared to six on Monday with no stocks rising, four declining and two ending unchanged and resulted in the market declining for the sixth consecutive day.
A total of 212,100 shares were exchanged for US$6,287 compared with 1,287,632 units at US$32,552 on Monday.
Trading averaged 35,350 shares for US$1,048, down from 214,605 stock units at US$5,425 on Monday, with trading for the month to date averaging 54,606 units at US$2,124 compared to 55,835 stock units at US$2,192 on the previous day. Trading in September ended with an average of 73,281 units for US$5,102.
The US Denominated Equities Index slipped 0.75 points to 222.34.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 8.4. The PE ratio is computed based on the last traded price divided by projected earnings done by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Proven Investments declined 0.38 of one cent and ended at 14.3 US cents with investors swapping 16,040 shares, 
Sterling Investments lost 0.25 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ low of 1.45 US cents after 22,305 stock units passed through the market, Sygnus Credit Investments dipped 0.1 of a cent in closing at 9 US cents after trading 1,612 units. Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share ended at 10 US cents, with 377 stocks changing hands and Transjamaican Highway dipped 0.03 of a cent to end at 1.58 US cents, with 171,393 shares clearing the market.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 5.75% ended at US$2 and closed with an exchange of 373 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
