The Jamaica Stock Exchange started August on a positive note with rising stocks beating out declining ones and driving the market to the 39th record close for the year to date.
The market closed, with the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index rising 1,882.17 points to end at a record close of 577,132.36, the JSE Index gained 1,710.40 points to close at another high of 525,450.50 and the JSE Financial Index advanced by 1.17 points to close at 140.55.
Market activity resulted in 37 securities trading in the main and US dollar markets, leading to 21 securities advancing, 11 declining and 8 trading firm, compared to 40 securities trading on Wednesday.
At the close of trading, Jamaica Broilers ended at a 52 weeks’ record close of $36 after trading at an all-time high of $38, Sagicor Group ended at a record close of $65 and Victoria Mutual Investments ended at a record closing of $8.20, after hitting $9 during the day. Seprod traded at an all-time high of $70 but pulled back to close at $55. Trading ended with 83,800,065 units valued at over $247,863,696, compared to 53,548,880 units valued at $758,601,832 changing hands on Wednesday.
Wigton Windfarm led trading with 72.7 million units for 87 percent of total volume, Mayberry Investments followed with 3.3 million shares for 4 percent of the day’s volume and Victoria Mutual Investments with 2.9 million shares for 3.5 percent of total main market volume.
The market closed with an average of 2,464,708 units valued at $7,290,109 for each security traded. In contrast to 1,447,267 units valued at an average of $20,502,752 on Wednesday. July closed with an average of 1,297,718 shares valued at $17,985,644 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 7 stocks ending with bids higher than the last selling price and just 2 with lower offers.
In the main market activity, Barita Investments traded 8,100 shares and lost $3.50 to close at $91.50, Caribbean Cement rose $1.94 trading 7,300 units at $79.94, Grace Kennedy rose $1.99 in the trading of 50,453 units to close at $71.99, Jamaica Broilers exchanged 45,352 shares and rose $2 to close at $36. Jamaica Producers fell $1.50 trading 66,201 units to close at $27, Jamaica Stock Exchange dived $5 trading 150,179 shares to end at $25, Kingston Wharves declined $1.40 while trading 1,405 shares to end at $68.60, Mayberry Investments rose 25 cents to close at $9 in trading 3,311,186 shares. 138 Student Living lost 40 cents in exchanging 1,434 units to close $3.60, PanJam Investment jumped $5 in trading 54,339 shares in closing at $105,
Pulse Investments exchange 613,290 shares after rising 96 cents to close at $3.96, Sagicor Group jumped $2 in trading 866,828 shares to close at record high of $65. Sagicor Real Estate Fund lost 74 cents to end at $12.25 while trading 36,577 shares, Salada Foods traded 7,447 shares and lost $2.95 to close at $33.05, Scotia Group dipped 42 cents to close at $55.58 trading 45,245 shares, Seprod dropped $5 trading 18,752 units to close at $55. Supreme Ventures lost $1 trading of 157,071 units to end at a record high of $29, Victoria Mutual Investments traded 2,923,292 and gained 20 cents to end at a record high of $8.20 and Wisynco Group traded 214,850 and gained 28 cents to close at $27.78.
Trading in the US securities market resulted in 392,506 units valued $68,915 changing hands as, JMMB Group 6% preference share settled at $1 with 28,783 stock units trading, Proven Investments gained 10 cents and closed at 26 US cents with an exchange of 823 shares and Sygnus Credit Investments traded 362,900 shares at 11 US cents. The JSE USD Equities Index rose 3.90 points to close at 191.15.
Junior Market blast pass 3,500 to record
New record high for the JSE Junior Market.
Investors pushed most prices higher on the Junior Market in trading on Friday with the vast majority of companies contributing to market activity as the market index rocketed to cross the 3,500 mark for the first time.
The Junior Market Index jumped 74.67 points to close at a record 3,537.21 on a day when 35 securities changed hands, up from 32 on Wednesday, as prices of 21 securities rose, 9 declined and 5 remained unchanged.
At the close, Limners and Bards ended at a record close of $3.75, Elite Diagnostic closed at a record high of $6.22, Jamaican Teas ended at a record close of $7.26, but Caribbean Cream closed at a 52 weeks’ low of $4.25.
Market activities resulted in an exchange of 6,412,413 units valued at $28,100,938 compared to 16,230,256 units valued at $62,517,388 on Wednesday.
Trading ended with an average of 183,212 units for an average of $802,884 in contrast to 479,173 units for an average of $2,057,215 on Wednesday. July ended with an average of 138,412 units with a value of $563,215 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 3 stocks closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 closed with lower offers.
Stocks ending with price changes|Access Financial gained $1.45 to end at $47.95, trading 500 shares, AMG Packaging rose 3 cents to end at $2.30 with 19,256 stock units trading, Blue Power shed 50 cents to settle at $12.50 with 125,315 shares changing hands. CAC 2000 gained 10 cents to end at $16 with 30,300 stock units trading, Caribbean Cream dived $1.06 to settle at a 52 weeks’ closing low of $4.25 with 9,376 shares changing hands, Caribbean Flavours climbed $1.06 to settle at $17.16 with 50,301 shares changing hands. Cargo Handlers gained 97 to end at $10.97, trading 100 shares, Caribbean Producers ended at $4.80, trading 28,075 shares, Consolidated Bakeries rose 10 cents to end at $2.30 trading 50,536 stock units Derrimon Trading gained 20 cents to end at $2.80, in exchanging 466,558 shares. Dolphin Cove fell 5 cents to end at $12 with 100 stock units trading. Express Catering climbed 20 cents to settle at $6.70 with 69,027 shares changing hands, Everything Fresh gained 4 cents to end at $1.35 with 165,730 stock units changing hands, Elite Diagnostic rose 52 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $6.22, trading 158,926 shares. Fosrich Group added 20 cents to settle at $4.90 with 12,025 shares changing hands, Fontana dropped 15 cents to settle at $8.60 with 311,145 shares changing hands, General Accident climbed 35 cents to $4.90 trading 102,460 shares, GWest Corporation traded 15,899 shares at $1.54. Honey Bun fell 35 cents to end at $5, with 434,837 shares changing hands, iCreate exchanged 68,780 shares to close at 70 cents, Indies Pharma gained 20 cents to end at $3.30 trading 58,782 stock units, Jamaican Teas gained $1.61 to end at a record close of $7.26 trading 39,035 stock units changing hands. 
Jetcon Corporation climbed 23 cents to settle at $1.93 with 103,043 shares trading, Knutsford Express shed 50 cents to end at $12 with an exchange of 2,643 stock units, Key Insurance dropped 65 cents to settle at $3.25 with 200 shares changing hands, Limners and Bards gained 60 cents to end at record close of $3.75 with 3,292,680 stock units trading. Lasco Distributors added 7 cents to end at $3.40, trading 48,900 stock units. Lasco Financial rose 35 cents to $5.50, in trading 83,035 shares, Lasco Manufacturing inched 5 cents higher to settle at $4.25 with 306,360 shares changing hands, Main Event climbed 95 cents to end at $7.95, trading 50,790 shares, Medical Disposables gained 50 cents to end at $8 with 18,200 stock units trading. Paramount Trading fell 2 cents to $2.38, trading 102,000 shares, Iron Rock Insurance rose 5 cents to settle at $4.05 with 23,679 shares changing hands, Stationery and Office Supplies fell 45 cents to end at $12.20, in trading 17,920 shares and tTech closed at $6, trading 145,900 shares.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
Reduced trading on TTSE – Friday
Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange Head Quarters
After being closed for the emancipation holiday trading resumed on the Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange on Friday, with less market activity than on Wednesday.
At the close of trading, the Composite Index rose 1.34 points to 1,400.07. The All T&T Index shed 0.51 points to 1,779.53, while the Cross Listed Index added 0.44 points to close at 138.16.
Market activity ended with 12 securities changing hands against 14 on Wednesday, of which, one advanced, 3 declined and 8 remained unchanged. Trading ended with 334,929 shares at a value of $2,398,327 compared to 173,952 shares at a value of $3,902,423, on Wednesday.
IC bid-offer Indicator| The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator ended with 6 stocks closing with bids that were higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
Gains| Grace Kennedy gained 15 cents and ended at a 52 weeks’ high of $3.50, with 273,335 units crossing the exchange.
Losses| Sagicor Financial lost 10 cents and completed trading 1,887 shares at $10, Trinidad & Tobago NGL fell 29 cents in trading 18,617 units in closing at $28.01 and West Indian Tobacco lost 20 cents trading of 94 shares to close at $110.
Firm Trades| First Citizens Bank finished at $39.95 with 2,200 units crossing the exchange, JMMB Group ended at $2.50, with 13,886 units crossing the exchange, National Enterprises ended at $6.20, with investors exchanging 2,000 shares, One Caribbean Media closed at $10.10, with 4,940 units crossing the exchange, Point Lisas settled at $3.75, with 5,000 units crossing the exchange. Republic Financial traded 3,145 units and ended at $121.33, Scotiabank closed at $59.75 after exchanging 4,825 shares and Trinidad Cement completed trading at $2.45, after exchanging 5,000 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those at which the last trade took place.
$45 for Barita Investments rights
Barita Investments headquarters
Barita Investments will offer 116,845,955 ordinary shares to its ordinary stockholders by way of a renounceable rights issue of 11 shares for each 100 own as of August 20.
The exercise price will be $45 per share with the last date for renunciation will be September 10. Shareholders will have up to September 15, to accept the amount of their offer but can apply for additional shares from amounts not taken up by allottees, up to September 20.
The current offer is the second rights issue to purchase additional shares in the company, in less than a year. The stock traded on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Friday to close at $91.50, for a rise of 72 percent for the year to date. but it has gained 862 percent in the last twelve months, not including gains from the issue of rights in March.
August off with record breaking run for JSE
The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange is up 52.35 points to cross over the 3,500 points level for the first time in the market’s history.
The move after an hour trading on Friday pushed the Junior Market Index to a record high of 3,514.89 points. The JSE Main Index rose 5,119.76 points to a record of 528,859.86 and the All Jamaican Composite Index added 5,633.92 points to trade at 580,884.11.
The Limners and Bards the (Lab) traded at $3.65 to record a 265 percent gain since the IPO and the listing a week ago. Pulse Investments traded at $3.90 up from $3 at the close on Wednesday. General Accident trades at $4.90, Jamaican Teas rose to a record high of $7 from $5.65 on Wednesday and Caribbean Cream fell to $4.40 on limited volume.
JSE continues to lead the world
Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE) performance continues to lead the global markets by a big margin according to data tracked by Bloomberg Business.
Last year, the JSE was rated as the best performing market in the world. The main market of the local stock exchange, grew 67.5 percent over the past twelve months the JSE index is up 38 percent for the first seven months of this year. The nearest rival is Argentina Merval TR Index, up 43 percent and 37 percent over the same periods. Brazil Ibovespa Brasil Sao Paulo Stock Exchange Index chips in at 33 percent for the last twelve months and 17 percent for 2019 to date.
The next best performance half a world away from the west, with New Zealand X20 Index coming in with 29 percent for the twelve months period and 25 percent for 2019 to date.
The data shows that the vast majority of markets are having a tough time with many of them suffering declines.
July’s record run for JSE
JSE main market had 14 days of record close in July and heading much higher going forward.
Jamaica Stock Exchange’s main market ended July with the 14th record close for the month and the 38th for 2019 and 38 percent gain for the year to date, to remain the world’s top-performing market for the past 12 months.
The market closed July with the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index jumping 7,284.40 points to a record close at 575,250.19 points, the JSE Index climbed 6,619.61 points to close at another high of 523,740.10 and the JSE Financial Index advanced by 1.02 points to close at 139.38.
Market activity, resulted in 40 securities trading in the main and US dollar markets, leading to 21 securities advancing, 11 declining and 8 trading firm, compared to 35 securities trading on Tuesday.
At the close of trading, Barita Investments inched higher to a record close of $95 after it rose to a high of $100, Victoria Mutual Investments ended at a record closing high of $8 and Sygnus Credit Investments closed at 52 weeks’ high of $22. Trading ended with 53,548,880 units valued at $758,601,832, compared to 184,796,002 units valued $1,610,513,368 changing hands on Tuesday.
Wigton Windfarm led trading with 24.8 million units for 46 percent of total volume, JMMB Group 7.5% followed with 10 million shares for 19 percent of the day’s volume and Sagicor Group with 7.9 million shares for 15 percent of total main market volume.
The market closed with average of 1,447,267 units valued at an average of $20,502,752 for each security traded. In contrast to 5,774,875 units for an average of $50,328,543 on Tuesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 1,297,718 shares valued at $17,985,644 changing hands, compared to 1,290,587 shares valued at $17,854,655 for each security traded. June closed with an average of 1,608,485 units valued at $19,605,318 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 6 stocks ending with bids higher than the last selling price and just 1 with a lower offer.
In the main market activity, Caribbean Cement fell $1.99 trading 161,377 units at $78, Eppley traded 7,553 after losing 50 cents to end at $16.40, Grace Kennedy lost $2 in the trading of 153,600 to close at $70, Jamaica Broilers exchanged 1,135,364 and rose $1.25 to close at $34. Jamaica Producers fell 50 cents trading 9,595 units to close at $28.50, JMMB Group gained $2 trading 107,504 shares to end at $53, Kingston Properties traded 141,647 shares and rose 50 cents to end at $6, Mayberry Investments fell 25 cents to close at $8.75 in trading 92,573 shares. 
Mayberry Jamaica Equities traded 3,752,372 to gain 50 cents and ended at $12.50, NCB Financial lost $2 exchanging 162,275 units to close $213, Proven Investments lost 70 cents trading 5,326 shares in closing at $35.80, Sagicor Group jumped $5 in trading 7,879,535 shares to close at a record high of $63. Sagicor Real Estate Fund climbed $1.98 to end at $12.99 while trading 102,792 shares, Scotia Group dipped 25 cents to close at $56 trading 109,341 shares, Seprod jumped $5 trading 13,758 units to close at $60. Sygnus Credit Investments jumped $3.50 trading of 109,800 units to end at a record high of $22, Victoria Mutual Investments traded 2,051,094 and gained 68 cents to end at a record high of $8 and Wisynco Group traded 214,850 but fell 49 cents to close at $27.50.
Productive Business Solution 9.5% preference share traded 83,400 units and gained $1.99 to end at $107.99.
Trading in the US securities market resulted in 19,171 units valued US$8,433 changing hands with, JMMB Group 6% preference share settled at $1 with 7,000 stock units trading, Proven Investments closed at 25 US cents with an exchange of 771 shares and Sygnus Credit Investments traded 11,4000 shares at 11 US cents. The JSE USD Equities Index shed 0.16 points to close at 187.25.
Record run continues for Junior Market
Investors’ attention is now focused on the Junior Market with their buying interest lifted it 16 percent, from this year’s low and pushed the market to a second day close, at a record high of 3,462.54 after rising 21.62 points.
At the close, The Lab climbed to $3.50 but ended at a record close of $3.15, Jamaican Teas ended at a record close of $5.65
and Stationery and Office Supplies closed at a record high of $12.65.
Trading ended with 32 securities changing hands, down from 36 on Tuesday, as prices of 16 securities advanced, 8 declined and 8 remained unchanged.
Market activities resulted in an exchange of 16,230,256 units valued at $62,517,388 compared to 6,233,349 units for $30,586,927 on Tuesday.
Trading ended with an average of 479,173 units for an average of $2,057,215 in contrast to 450,840 units for an average of $1,736,594 on Tuesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 138,412 units with a value of $563,215 for each security traded, compared to 119,198 units with a value of $473,306 traded previously. June ended with an average of 166,169 units at $674,841 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 9 stocks closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 closed with lower offers. 
Stocks ending with price changes| AMG Packaging lost 8 cents in trading 89,430 shares to close at $2.27, Blue Power declined $1.20 in trading of 57,206 units to close at $13, Caribbean Cream exchanged 161 stock units and rose 29 cents higher to $5.29, Caribbean Flavours climbed 4 cents exchanging 1,778 shares at $16.10. Cargo Handlers lost 95 cents in trading of 200 units at $10, Caribbean Producers closed 1 cent higher at $4.80, with 52,587 stock units trading, Caribbean Producers ended trading with 52,587 shares, after rising 1 cent to end at $4.80, Consolidated Bakeries ended trading with 42,456 shares, after rising 11 cents to end at $2.20. Dolphin Cove ended trading with 1,200 shares, after rising 5 cents to close at $12.05, Express Catering climbed 25 cents and exchanged 242,715 shares to close at $6.50. Everything Fresh ended trading of 44,175 shares, after rising 11 cents to end at $1.31, Elite Diagnostic closed 5 cents higher at $5.70, with 252,600 stock units trading. Fosrich Group dipped 26 cents in trading of 32,841 units to end at $4.70, Fontana closed trading of 335,330 units and gained 25 cents to end at $8.75, GWest Corporation ended with a loss of 1 cent at $1.54 with 38,657 stock units changing hands, Indies Pharma lost 10 cents in trading of 69,350 units at $3.10. Jamaican Teas closed trading of 49,450 units and gained 65 cents to end at record closing high of $5.65, 
Knutsford Express climbed $1.52 to settle at $12.50 with 340,610 shares changing hands, Limners and Bards climbed 15 cents and exchanged 5,684,628 shares to end at a record closing high of $3.15. Lasco Distributors climbed 18 cents trading 513,676 shares to end at $3.33, Lasco Financial closed trading of 6,941,822 units and climbed 55 cents to end at $5.15, Lasco Manufacturing lost 15 cents in trading 50,166 units to close at $4.20. Iron Rock Insurance closed with a loss of 10 cents at $4, in swapping 59,344 shares, Stationery and Office Supplies gained $1.25 to end at a record high of $12.65, in trading 1,154 stock units and tTech ended trading of 10,410 shares, after rising 10 cents to close at $6.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
Sedate trading on TTSE – Wednesday
Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange inched higher on Wednesday, with the Composite Index rising 1.51 points to 1,398.73. The All T&T Index added 3.04 points to end at 1,780.04, while the Cross Listed Index lost 0.01 points to close at 137.72.
Market activity ended with 14 securities changing hands against 17 on Tuesday, of which, 5 advanced, 3 declined and 6 remained unchanged. Trading ended with 173,952 shares at a value of $3,902,423 compared to 298,128 shares changing hands with a value of $4,548,413, on Tuesday.
IC bid-offer Indicator| The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator ended with 4 stocks closing with bids that were higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
Gains| Republic Financial rose 13 cents to settle at $121.33, in exchanging 50 units, Sagicor Financial closed with an increase of 10 cents at $10.10, with 17,077 units trading, Scotiabank climbed 75 cents and settled at $59.75, with investors exchanging 12,215 shares. Unilever Caribbean added 99 cents and settled at $25, with 1,584 stock units changing hands and West Indian Tobacco ended trading of 522 shares and rose 26 cents to close at $110.25.
Losses| Clico Investments Fund shed 5 cents and settled at $24.05, after exchanging 63,700 shares, First Citizens Bank dropped 5 cents and completed trading of 6,823 shares at $39.95 
and Massy Holdings declined 51 cents and settled at $54.49, with investors exchanging 6,675 shares.
Firm Trades| First Caribbean International Bank ended at $8.34, with investors exchanging 2,000 shares, Guardian Media settled at $10.75, with 1,752 stock units changing hands, JMMB Group completed trading of 40,484 units at $2.50, National Flour closed at $1.69, with 200 units crossing the exchange. Trinidad Cement completed trading at $2.45, with investors exchanging 100 shares and Trinidad & Tobago NGL traded 20,770 units in closing at $28.30.
Prices of securities trading are those at which the last trade took place.
Carib Cement 2019 profit mixed
Carib Cement silos
Caribbean Cement revenues climbed 5.6 percent in the June quarter to $4.68 billion and 4 percent year to June, with $9.13 billion booked.
The company reported lower profit the June quarter than in 2018, due mainly to $485 million incurred as foreign currency losses and ended up with profit after tax at $368 million versus $674 million in 2018. Or the half-year profit after tax grew 48.6 percent to $15 billion. The company reported earnings per share of 43 cents versus 79 cents in the similar quarter in 2018 and $1.76 compared to $1.18 in the 2018 six months period.
Expenses excluding depreciation and finance grew 2.7 percent for the quarter to $2.94 billion and fell 21 percent for the half-year to $5.47 billion. The sharp reduction in cost results from the termination of an equipment lease agreement with the parent company and the purchase of those assets. The acquisition of the assets drove depreciation charge for the quarter to $405 million from $340 million in 2018 and $796 million from $467 million for the six months periods. Finance cost including foreign exchange losses rose to $688 million from $412 million for the quarter and $856 million versus $386 million for the half-year.
The results boosted shareholders’ equity to $7.9 billion from $6.4 billion at the end of December last year as the company wiped out accumulated losses of $994 million at the end of 2018 leaving a surplus of $493 million. Borrowing amounts to $9.8 billion while cash funds amount to $394 million and net current assets stood at negative $759 million.
The stock trades at $80 on the Jamaica Stock Exchange main market. IC Insider.com projects earnings for the full year to December at $5 per share that would place the PE ratio at 16, just around the markets PE of 17. With the economy doing well and increased construction activities, investors should have their eyes focused on increased future earnings.
