The main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange broke through resistance at 290,000 points on the All Jamaica Composite Index this week thanks mostly to a big surge in the price of Scotia Group to a record $57.99.
The All Jamaica Composite Index closed on Thursday at 293,186.46 points having hit 296,779.53 early in the day and technical indicators point to much higher levels in the months ahead and should 510,000 points by the end of 2018 before a great deal of resistance.
The central bank cut interest rates by 25 basis points recently and that seems to be lending support to the market, but apart from the movement in Scotia, there are not much gains evident in most stocks, except for what appears to be some amount of increased trading. The accompanying chart shows the next two levels of resistance, around 370,000 points and 510,000 points on the All Jamaica Composite. Those levels seem some distant away but should be reached in 2018. The first level is 26 percent away and the other 74 percent away.
Stocks to watch as the market ride on, include Barita Investments, Berger Paints, Caribbean Cement, Grace Kennedy, Jamaica Broilers, Jamaica Stock Exchange, NCB Financial Group, JMMB Group, Sagicor Group, Scotia Group and Supreme Ventures.
Thursday’s trading ends with new record
Scotiabank pushed up the JSE indices on Thursday.
The main market the Jamaica Stock Exchange surged sharply in the morning session on Thursday to new record highs, with the All Jamaica Composite Index jumping 6,239.79 points to 296,779.53 and the JSE Market Index climbing 5,685.16 points to 270,399.75 at 9:50, after Scotia Group jumped to a record high of $59.99.
The advance decline ratio was a negative 3 to 1 as the market cooled before the close, to end with the All Jamaica Composite Index still jumping 2,646.72 points to a record close at 293,186.46, the JSE Market Index climbed 2,411.46 points to record close of 267,126.05. The JSE US dollar market index gained 4.53 points to end at 187.14. Technical indicators are pointing to still higher closes ahead with 370,000 points on the All Jamaica seems probable before the rally faces major resistance, having seemingly cleared the 290,000 level.
The recent surge in the market over the past two weeks have been driven almost singlehandedly by Scotia Group moving from around $46 to the current adding approximately 13,000 points to the index. At the close of trading 26 securities changed hands in the main market with 3 trading in the US dollar market, leading to 5 stocks advancing and 14 declining.
The main market ended with 4,327,138 units valued at $83,944,827 changing hands compared to 3,180,409 units valued at $81,180,237 at the close on Wednesday. 
Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 20,410 units valued at US$6,756 bringing the total of all trades to J$84,816,398.
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 7 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and just 1 with a lower offer.
The main market ended trading with an average of 166,428 units valued at $3,228,647 for each security traded compared to an average of 127,216 units valued at $3,247,209. The average volume and value for the month to date ended at 172,185 units with an average value of $3,440,103 compared with an average of 173,624 units with an average value of $3,492,967 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for August ended at 184,094 units with an average value of $4,336,090.
Falling stocks overwhelmed rising ones
The main market the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed higher on Thursday with the All Jamaica Composite Index jumping 2,646.72 points to a record close at 293,186.46, the JSE Market Index climbed 2,411.46 points to record close of 267,126.05 after trading much higher in the morning session.
The sharp rise was due primarily to gains in Scotia Group as the advance decline ratio was a negative 3 to 1.
In market activity, the volume of securities trading with their last prices are: Barita Investments with a loss of $1, closed at $8 with 18,827 shares, Berger Paints falling 40 cents to close at $12.10 with 137,727 stock units, Cable and Wireless with a loss of 3 cents, to $1.03 with 686,724 shares. Caribbean Cement closed at $28, dropping $2.05 with 81,597 units,Carreras closed at $108 with 51,674 shares, Grace Kennedy traded at $42.90 with 16,980 shares. Jamaica Broilers closed at $18.50 with 1,846,484 stocks, Jamaica Producers lost 70 cents and closed at $15 with 32,069 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange closed at $6.30, with a loss of 5 cents and exchanging 35,994 units, JMMB Group traded 193,740 shares at $21.90. Kingston Properties closed 50 cents lower to $7 with 88,633 stock units, 
Kingston Wharves added 85 cents to close at $30.85 with 8,125 shares, Mayberry Investments closed at $4.50, losing 35 cents with 501,020 shares changing hands, NCB Financial Group traded $1.50 lower to $89.50 with 104,077 stock units, 1834 Investments closed at $1.40 with 1,402 shares. PanJam Investment added 1 cent to close at $33.48 with 17,094 units, Portland JSX exchanged 14,800 shares at $9.25, Radio Jamaica closed at $1.25, while losing 4 cents with 89,511 stocks, Sagicor Group ended at $33.25, with gains of 39 cents trading 46,363 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund closed at $10.99, gaining 1 cent with 30,998 shares, Salada Foods with a loss of 10 cents, closed at $8.50 with 53,870 units, Scotia Group traded 136,129 shares at $57.99, Seprod lost 60 cents, closing at $29.90 with 12,330 shares, Sterling Investments gained 60 cents, closing at $12.90 with 500 shares, Supreme Ventures closed at $11.01, losing 99 cents with 31,370 shares. Proven Investments US ordinary shares closed at 23.99 US cents with 16,400 units, Productive Business Solutions US ordinary shares closed at 60 US cents with 3,210 units, JMMB Group US 6% preference share ended at US$1.12 with 800 units and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% cumulative redeemable preference share traded $5 lower to $100 with 89,100 units.
More losses than gains on TTSE
Massy stock price recovers on Wednesday from Tuesday’s drop.
Trading levels on the Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange on Thursday rose above Wednesday’s with 14 securities changing hands compared to 15 on Wednesday.
At the close, 2 stocks advanced, 4 declined and 8 were unchanged as 478,341 shares traded at a value of $14,743,320 compared to Wednesday’s trades of 270,045 valued at $9,569,576. Massy Holdings dominated with 51 percent of the volume traded and 81 percent of the value of trades.
The Composite Index fell 0.28 points to 1,241.69, the All T&T Index declined 0.56 points to 1,788.86 and the Cross Listed Index closed at 93.28 points.
IC bid-offer Indicator| The Investor’s Choice bid-offer ended with 4 stocks with bids higher than last selling prices and 3 with lower offers.
Gains|Agostini’s closed at a 52 weeks’ high of $20.52, after gaining 1 cent with 40,000 shares valued at $820,800 trading and Republic Financial Holdings ended trading 600 shares and gained of 2 cents to close at $101.92.
Losses| The last traded prices of securities declining and the volume changing hands are Clico Investment that dropped to a new 52 weeks’ low of $20.50, losing 9 cents with 18,127 shares valued at $371,604, National Flour Mills with a loss of 5 cents, and closed at $2.05 with 1,000 units trading, 
Point Lisas closed 10 cents lower to $3.90 with 1,050 shares and Scotiabank closed at $58.02, losing 8 cents trading 30 shares.
Firm Trades| The last traded prices of securities and the volume traded unchanged at the close of trading are Berger Paints that closed at $4.05 with 800 shares, First Citizens trading 1,710 shares at $31.68. Grace Kennedy closed at $2.85 with 1,000 stock units, Guardian Holdings held firm at $16.60 with 7,500 shares. Massy Holdings closed at $48.92 with 245,331 units valued at $12,001,593, National Enterprisesexchanged 500 shares at $10.48, Sagicor Financial remained at $8.50 with 148,693 shares valued at $1,263,891 and Scotia Investments closed at $2.20 with 12,000 shares.
Jamaica’s forex trading moderates – Thursday
Trading in the Jamaican foreign exchange market slowed on Thursday, resulting in US$34.55 of purchases by dealers of all currencies and outflows of US$25.84 million.
In contrast, purchases by dealers on Wednesday amounted to the equivalent of US$50.57 million while dealers sold US$42.83 million.
In USA dollar trading, inflows ended at US$32.45 million versus US$40.92 million on Wednesday with outflows of US$24.24 million compared to US$34.27 million.
At the end of trading, the US dollar was sold at an average rate of J$129.96 from J$129.91 previously while dealers bought the US currency at an average of J$128.69 versus J$128.63 on Wednesday.
The selling rate for the Canadian dollar climbed to J$106.61 from J$105.61 at the close on Wednesday while the British Pound was more costly, with J$169.24 buying the British currency versus J$168.72 and the euro, gained in value against the Jamaican dollar, with it taking J$157.79 to buy the European common currency, versus J$155.69 previously.
Junior Market trades double
KLE Group traded more than 2.,2m shares on Thursday.
Trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday increase strongly over Wednesday’s levels, with 4,140,205 units valued at $15,416,896 changing hands twice the 1,873,051 units valued at $7,839,269 on Wednesday.
At the close of market activities, 25 securities changed hands, of which 10 securities advanced, 13 declined and 2 remained with the prices unchanged, resulting in the market index slipping 26.31 points to 3,079.61.
Trading ended with an average of 165,608 units for an average of $616,676 in contrast to 74,922 units for an average of $313,571 on Wednesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 163,397 units valued at $662,667, on Wednesday the average trade for the month to date 
was 162,844 units valued at $674,165. In contrast, August closed with average of 234,437 units valued at $1,295,260 for each security traded.
Trading ended with the market sentiments looking mixed for Wednesday activity as 4 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 1 with lower offers.
At the close of the market, the volume of stocks changing hands and their last traded price are: Access Financial finished with a loss of $2 to $47 with 5,764 stock units changing hands, AMG Packaging conclude trading 20 cents higher at $3.50 with 30,868 stocks, Blue Power closing with a loss of 40 cents at $44.50, with 528 shares, C2W Music concluded market activity with a loss of 8 cents to 50 cents with 90,000 units traded. CAC 2000 closed with a loss of 60 cents, at $7.45 with 12,031 stock units, Cargo Handlers concluded at $10.40 with 3,040 shares, Caribbean Cream traded 30 cents higher at $6.30 with 66,200 shares, Caribbean Flavours closed with a loss of $1.15 at $11.80 with a mere 471 units, Caribbean Producers ended 10 cents higher at $4 with 10,000 stocks,
Derrimon Trading finished with a loss of $1 at $7 with 30,382 shares, Express Catering traded 30 cents higher at $4.80 with 96,468 units, Honey Bun traded 40 cents higher at $4.55 with 33,174 shares, Iron Rock closed with a loss of 1 cents, at $2.89 with 30,227 shares, ISP Finance climbed $1 to $20 with 1,500 shares, Jamaican Teas finished with a loss of 48 cents, at $4.52 with 105,144 stock units, Jetcon Corporation settled 15 cents higher at $4.45 with 309,650 shares, KLE Group ended with a loss of 23 cents, at $3 with 2,221,500 shares, Knutsford Express traded 1 cents higher at $15 with 140,032 units, Lasco Distributors ended with a loss of 5 cents, at $6.85 with 51,696 shares, Lasco Financial fell 35 cents t0 $3.35 with 501,500 shares, Lasco Manufacturing finished 10 cents higher at $4.20 with 103,397 shares, Main Event closed with a loss of 65 cents, at $4.35 with 126,593 shares, Paramount Trading concluded trading with a loss of 5 cents, at $2.90 with 5,000 stock units, Stationery and Office closed 50 cents higher at $5 with 153,232 units trading and tTech ended 25 cents higher at $7.25 with 11,808 shares.
Perkins leaving Jamaica’s Sagicor Bank
Fresh on the heels of announced changes at the top of Jamaica’s second largest financial entity, Scotia Group, another major financial institution has announced changes at the top of its operations.
Sagicor Group Jamaica today advised that the Board of Directors announced the retirement of Donovan Perkins as President & Chief Executive Officer of the Bank effective September 30, after over 25 years of outstanding service to the Bank. The board advised that Philip Armstrong, the Deputy CEO will act as Chief Executive Officer of the Bank, effective October 1. Armstrong has been with group for several years, joining Pan Caribbean Merchant Bank before the merger with Royal Bank that was renamed Sagicor Bank when Sagicor Group acquired it from Royal Bank in 2014. Sagicor Bank has assets of $115 billion as of March this year or 9.4 percent of the total commercial banking system.
Earlier this week Scotia Group, announced the departure of Jackie Sharp as head of the group, to be be replaced by David Noel a long standing employee of the group. Scotia Group controls $329 billion or 26.7 percent of Jamaica’s banking assets at the end of March this year, data from the country’s central bank shows.
Jamaica’s forex trading remains elevated – Wednesday
Trading in the Jamaican foreign exchange market remained elevated on Wednesday, resulted in US$50.57 of purchases by dealers of all currencies and outflows of US$42.83 million.
In contrast, purchases by dealers on Tuesday amounted to the equivalent of US$53.88 million while dealers sold US$42.39 million.
In USA dollar trading, inflows ended at US$40.92 million versus US$46.71 million on Tuesday with outflows of US$34.27 million compared to US$36.62 million.
At the end of trading, the US dollar was sold at an average rate of J$129.91 from J$129.42 previously while dealers bought the US currency at an average of J$128.63 versus J$128.29 on Tuesday.
The selling rate for the Canadian dollar climbed to J$105.61 from J$105.17 at the close on Tuesday while the British Pound was more costly, with J$168.72 buying the British currency versus J$165.79 and the euro, gained in value against the Jamaican dollar, with it taking J$155.69 to buy the European common currency, versus J$155.95 previously.
Junior Market index jumps 73.58 points
The Junior Market index jumped 73.58 points to 3,105.92 as the prices of 17 securities advanced, 3 declined and 5 remained with the prices unchanged, at the close on Wednesday with 25 securities changing hands as trading levels climbed sharply above Tuesday’s levels.
The market closed with 1,873,051 units valued at $7,839,269 compared to 890,459 units valued at $3,698,978 on Tuesday.
Trading ended with an average of 74,922 units for an average of $313,571 in contrast to 44,523 units for an average of $184,949 on Tuesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 162,844 units valued at $674,165, compared with an average of 192,151 units valued at $794,363 on the previous trading day. In contrast, August closed with average of 234,437 units valued at $1,295,260 for each security traded.
Trading ended with the market sentiments looking negative for Thursday’s activity as 3 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 ending at $49 with 100 stock units, AMG Packaging traded 30 cents higher at $3.30 with 3,000 shares. Blue Power finished $3.40 higher at $44.90 with 1,744 shares, CAC 2000 rose 5 cents to $8.05 with 416 units, Caribbean Cream ended with a loss of 60 cents at $6, with 4,150 stocks, Caribbean Flavours climbed $1.15 higher to $12.95 with 3,700 units, Caribbean Producers ended 5 cents higher at $3.90 while trading 7,830 stocks. Consolidated Bakeries concluded trading 33 cents higher at $2.28 with 100 units, Derrimon Trading jumped $1 higher to $8 with 613 shares, Express Catering ended 30 cents higher at $4.50 with 7,636 units, General Accident settled with a loss of 2 cents at $2.80, with 12,200 stock units. 
Honey Bun closed 15 cents higher at $4.15 with 2,725 shares, Iron Rock ended at $2.90 with 22,590 stocks, Jamaican Teas closed 78 cents higher at $5 with 1,400 units, Jetcon Corporation finished 20 cents higher at $4.30 with 56,661 shares, KLE Group closed with a loss of 4 cents at $3.23, with 15,000 shares, Knutsford Express settled 99 cents higher at $14.99 with 3,290 stock units, Lasco Distributors settled at $6.90 trading 65,656 stocks, Lasco Financial ended 20 cents higher at $3.70 with 1,347,961 shares changing hands. Lasco Manufacturing finished 10 cents higher at $4.10 with 3,583 stock units, Medical Disposables traded 9,940 shares at $5.35, Paramount Trading ended 25 cents higher at $2.95 with 1,500 stocks, investors responded well to the surge in the profit of Stationery and Office and pushed the price 45 cents higher to $4.50 with 295,964 shares trading, tTech finished 50 cents higher to $7 with 5,192 units and Derrimon Trading traded at $2 with 100 shares.
Scotia stars again
Jacqueline Sharp
Scotia Group remains the star performer on the Jamaica Stock Exchange and is almost the sole stock resulting in the main market hitting new record highs in the past two weeks.
Although the stock traded at $57.99 with a gain of nearly $3 and the advance decline ratio was strongly positive, the market indices slipped at the close on Wednesday.
In wider market activity, the volume of stocks changing hands and their last traded price are: Barita Investments with a loss of 50 cents in closing at $9 with just 350 shares, Berger Paints closing 34 cents higher to $12.50 with 56,008 shares. Cable and Wireless gained 1 cent, to end at $1.06 with 14,000 shares, Caribbean Cement with a gains of $3.55, closed at $30.05 with 51,576 stock units,Carreras closing at $108 with 65,566 shares, Grace Kennedy added 90 cents and closed at $42.90 with 273,004 shares. Jamaica Broilers rose 79 cents, to $18.50 with 2,900 shares, Jamaica Producers ended with a loss of 10 cents, at $15.70 with 630 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange closed at $6.35 with 4,292 shares and JMMB Group traded 90 cents higher to $21.90 with 92,900 shares. Kingston Wharves gained 47 cents to close at $30 with 12,645 shares, Mayberry Investments closed at $4.85 with 101,445 shares, NCB Financial Group closed $2.50 higher to $91 with 51,608 shares, 138 Student Living closed at $4.75 with 1,216 shares, 1834 Investments gained 6 cents to close at $1.40 with 1,898 shares. 
PanJam Investment added 44 cents to close at $33.47 with 10,550 stock units, Radio Jamaica rose 7 cents to $1.29, with 5,719 shares, Sagicor Group closed at $32.86 trading 927,951 units, Salada Foods closed at $8.60 with 100,500 shares, Scotia Group traded $2.99 higher to close at a new high of $57.99 with 153,874 shares, Scotia Investments exchanged 2,025 shares at $35.50, Seprod closed at $30.50 with 2,850 shares, Sterling Investments with a loss of 50 cents, closed at $12.30 with 998,453 shares, Supreme Ventures closed at $12, losing 65 cents with 5,514 shares changing hands. erotic job escorts near me. Margaritaville Turks US ordinary shares closed at 30 US cents with 3,970 units traded, Proven Investments US ordinary share closed at 23.99 US cents, down from 24 cents, with 1,050,020 units, Productive Business Solutions US ordinary shares closed at 60 US cents with 900 units and Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.5% preference share ended at $2 with 242,935 units trading.
