The Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange resumed trading on Friday, after the break for the country’s Independence Day on Thursday. At the close 8 securities changed hands compared to 16 on Wednesday.
The market closed with 1 stock advancing, 2 declining and 5 holding firm as 191,728 shares valued at $1,095,850 traded, compared to Wednesday’s 256,519 units valued at $2,932,389.
The Composite Index declined 0.08 points to 1,240.41, the All T&T Index slipped 1.15 points to 1,790.06 but the Cross Listed Index gained 0.14 points to 92.77 points.
IC bid-offer Indicator| The Investor’s Choice bid-offer continued to reflect negative investors sentiments with 4 stocks with bids higher than last selling prices and 7 with lower offers.
Gains| JMMB Group was the sole security rising at the close and ended with a gain of 3 cents, to closed at $1.31, with 105,000 shares.
Losses| Clico Investment lost 4 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ low of $20.70 with just 100 shares changing hands and Trinidad & Tobago NGL declined 49 cents to end at $22 with 31,945 shares valued at $702,790.
Firm Trades| The last traded prices of securities and the volume traded unchanged at the close of trading are Guardian Holdings closing at $16.60 with 148 shares, National Enterprises trading 295 shares at $10.47, NCB Financial Group holding at $5 with 11,480 shares, Sagicor Financial ending at $8.30, with 2,687 shares while Trinidad Cement exchanged 40,073 shares at $4.20.
Trinidad stocks still drifting
Huge 8,689 points jump in JSE index – Friday
Scotiabank traded at a new $52 added around 5,000 points in the big surge in the indices on Friday.
A huge surge in a number of main market stock indices of the Jamaica Stock Exchange saw the All Jamaica Composite Index soared 8,689.74 points to close at 289,247.13 on Friday as Scotia group traded as high as $52 and NCG Financial jumped back $90.
The JSE Market Index climbed 7,917.33 points to 263,536.88 and the JSE US dollar market index rose 4.60 points to 187.18. Friday’s close is the third highest in the history of the market and is only bettered by 9,082.60 points rise on January 27 and 9,076.76 points on February 9 this year, the next in line is 7,697.11 points gain in October 2015.
At the close of trading, 25 securities changed hands in the main market with 2 trading in the US dollar market, leading to 13 stocks advancing and 6 declining as 3 securities traded at record highs during the day and 2 closing at record highs with Scotia Group trading at a high of $52 during trading but ended back at $50, the closing price on Thursday while Supreme Ventures moved to $12.90 and Productivity Business Solutions traded at 60 US cents up from the IPO price of 55 cents but with just 100 units trading.
The main market ended with 1353,000 units valued at $37,486,124 changing hands compared to 5,056,094 units valued at $68,305,370 at the close on Thursday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 14,200 units valued at 
US$3,444 bringing the total of all trades to J$37,930,400.
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 8 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 with lower offers.
The main market ended trading with an average of 54,120 units valued at $1,499,445 for each security traded compared to an average of 174,348 units valued at $2,355,358 on Thursday. The average volume and value for August ended at 184,094 units with an average value of $4,336,090.
US$ Demand falls sharply in Jamaica – Friday
Trading in the Jamaican foreign exchange market on Friday, resulted in a big difference between purchases and sales, with purchasing of all currencies ending at US$42.05 million and outflows at US$26.69 million.
Purchases by dealers on Thursday amounted to the equivalent of US$83.06 million while dealers sold US$59.28 million.
At the end of trading, the US dollar was sold at J$129.52 from J$129.65 previously while dealers bought the US currency at an average of J$128.42 versus J$128.87 on Thursday.
In USA dollar trading, inflows ended at US$38.63 million versus US$76.39 million on Thursday with outflows of US$24.41 million compared to US$53.52 million.
The selling rate for the Canadian dollar rose to J$104.30 from J$103.77 at the close on Thursday while the British Pound was more costly, with J$167.22 buying the British currency versus J$165.72 and the euro, gained in value against the Jamaican dollar, with it taking J$153.82 to buy the European common currency, versus J$153.55 previously.
Junior index rise in moderate trading
Trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Friday with 19 securities changing hands, resulting in an exchange of 689,176 units valued at $4,663,095 compared to 1,911,988 units valued at $7,957,392 on Thursday.
At the close of market activities, the Junior Market Index rose 20.35 points to end at 3,119.25 as the prices of 7 advanced, 5 declined and the prices of 7 remained unchanged.
Trading ended with an average of 36,272 units for an average of $245,426 in contrast to 95,599 units for an average of $397,870 on Thursday. In contrast, August closed with average of 234,437 units at $1,295,260 for each security traded.
Trading ended with the market sentiments still looking mixed for Monday’s activity, as 8 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 with lower offers.
At the close of the market the volume of stocks changing hands and their last traded price are: AMG Packaging ended with a loss of 18 cents, at $3.30 with 11,000 shares, Blue Power finished $1 higher at $41 with 856 shares, Cargo Handlers settled at $9.60 with 1,550 shares, Caribbean Cream rose 35 cents to $6.85 with just 1,632 units, Caribbean Producers finished at $3.80 with 3,000 shares, 
Dolphin Cove settled at $17.30 trading 200 units, Express Catering fell 7 cents, to $4.70 exchanging 12,895 stock units, General Accident ended at $2.80 with 9,956 shares, Honey Bun finished at $4.90 with 14,470 units, Jamaican Teas concluded trading 40 cents higher at $5 with 500 stocks, Jetcon Corporation closed with a loss of 30 cents, at $4.50 with 17,858 shares, KLE Group settled 5 cents higher at $3.05 with 25,147 units, Key Insurance closed at $3.10 with 1,857 stock units, Knutsford Express ended at $14.50 trading 64,743 shares, Lasco Distributors settled with a loss of 10 cents, at $6.90 with 388,392 stock units, Lasco Financial finished 25 cents higher at $3.90 with 26,100 units, Lasco Manufacturing settled with a loss of 15 cents, at $4.45 with 2,300 units, Medical Disposables traded 1 cents higher at $4.27 with 9,073 shares and Stationery and Office settled at $4.20 with 97,647 shares changing hands.
JSE just below resistance at 190,000 points
The main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange surged to a new high at 12.30 pm on Friday with the all Jamaica Composite index jumping 8,505.30 points to a record 289,062.69 while the main market index rose 7,749.29 points to a record 263,368.84.
The Combined Index jumped 7,344.21 points to a record 276,121.30 as market sentiments suggest that the market may be at an early stage of a major bull run. The junior market that slipped 1.95 points at 11am is now up 18.94 to 3,117.84 while the US dollar market index that was unchnaged at 182.58 in the morning session is now up4.60 to 187.18.
Scotia Group is a mjor contributor to the big market gain with the privce jumping to $52 and only 389 units are now offered at $52. Supreme Ventures traded at a new high of $12.90 but sits at $12.50 with half an hour of trading to go.
New record for JSE main market
The main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange surged to a new high at 11 am on Friday with the all Jamaica Composite index jumping 4,315.47 points to a record 284,872.86 while the main market index rose 3,931.88 points to a record 259,551.43.
The Combined Index climbed 3,602.38 points to a record 272,379.47 as market sentiments suggest that the market may be at an early stage of a major bull run. The Junior Market slipped 1.95 points to 3,096.95 while the US dollar market index is unchanged at 182.58.
Sagicor Group traded 242,800 units valued $8 million and Lasco Distributors had 214,992 units trading valued at $1,68 million and Salada Foods had 100,000 units changing hands with a gain of 50 cents to $8.50.
Major end of month JSE moves
Supreme Ventures closed at record high of $12 on Thursday.
In an active day of market activities, 29 securities traded with Scotia Group hitting a record high of $50 ahead of the third quarter results due for release within a week and Supreme Ventures (SVL) closed at a high of $12 on the Jamaica Stock Exchange
Investors continue to respond positively to SVL half year results that rose 41 percent but Sterling Investments dropped to a 52 weeks’ low of $12.75.
Elsewhere in the main market overvalued Jamaica Producers traded 1,082,752 shares to close at $15.99 after adding 5 cents and 138 Student Living gained 30 cents to close at $5.45 with 1,589,048 shares. Productive Business Solutions that went to the public to raise fresh capital had the US dollar ordinary shares and the preference shares were listed at the start of the day but there was no trading in them.
PBS shares were listed on Thursday.
Pulse Investments gained 4 cents, closing at $1.99 with 4,826 shares, Radio Jamaica closed at $1.22 with 1,000 shares, Sagicor Group closed at $31.80 with gains of 20 cents trading 44,472 units, Sagicor Real Estate fund ended at $12.05, after gaining 5 cents with 500 shares, Salada Foods dropped $2 to $8 with 100,000 shares, Scotia Group advanced $3 to $50 with 75,994 shares, Scotia Investments eased 1 cent to $35.50 with 200 shares, Seprod traded 2,500 shares at $33, Sterling Investments declined $1.25 to $12.75 with 2,000 shares, Supreme Ventures closed at $12, gaining $1.01 with 114,906 shares. Margaritaville Turks US ordinary shares closed at 30 US cents with 1,000 units, Proven Investments US ordinary shares closed at 24 US cents with 51,749 units, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.5% preference share with gains of 15 cents, closed at $2 with 745,140 units and Proven 8.25% cumulative redeemable preference share gained 40 cents to close at $5.50 with 21,000 units.
Jamaica’s forex inflows jump – Thursday
Trading in the Jamaican foreign exchange market on Thursday resulted in a big surge in the amounts purchased and sold by dealers and a fall in the value of the local currency against the US dollar.
Trading ended with inflows of US$83.06 million compared to US$45.12 million on Wednesday. Outflows amounted to only US$59.28 million compared to US$45.80 million of all currencies on the prior trading day. Inflows for August ended at US$955 million up from US$939 million in July while outflows were almost the same in both months at US$751 million versus US$750 million in July. Interestingly while inflows for June was in the order of August and July at US$939 million outflows were far higher at US$872 million.
At the end of trading the US dollar was sold rate of J$129.65 from J$129.33 previously, even as inflows rose sharply over Wednesday’s intake. Dealers bought the US currency at an average of J$128.87 versus J$128.16 on Wednesday.
In USA dollar trading, inflows ended at US$76.39 million versus US$39.70 million on Wednesday with outflows of US$53.52 million compared to US$37.91 million.
The selling rate for the Canadian dollar rose to J$103.77 from J$103.71 at the close on Wednesday while the British Pound was less costly, with J$165.72 buying the British currency versus J$167.53 and the euro, lost value against the Jamaican dollar, with it taking J$153.55 to buy the European common currency, versus J$157.24 previously.
Sharp movement in some JSE stocks
Scotia Group closed at a new high of $50 on Thursday.
Scotia Group jumped $3 to hit an all-time high of $50 and Supreme Ventures hit a new high of $12 but the movements were inadequate to prevent to market index of the Jamaica Stock Exchange from slipping at the close on Thursday.
Sterling Investments dropped to a 52 weeks’ low of $12.75 while Investors sold Berger Paints shares down to $13 on Thursday from $15.80 close on Wednesday with a low offer by the Ansa McAl group of $10.88 per share, to buy out the minority shareholders.
Productive Business Solutions that went to the public to raise fresh capital had the US dollar ordinary shares and the preference shares were listed at the start of the day but there was no trading in them.
The All Jamaica Composite Index declined 252.73 points to close at 280,557.39, the JSE Market Index gained 230.27 points to 255,619.55 and the JSE US dollar market index rose 3.69 points to 182.58.
At the close of trading, 29 securities changed hands in the main market with 2 trading in the US dollar market, leading to 14 stocks advancing and 11 declining. The main market ended with 5,056,094 units valued at $68,305,370 changing hands compared to 4,844,593 units valued at $284,429,479 at the close on Wednesday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 52,749 units valued at US$12,720 bringing the total of all trades to J$69,946,219.
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 8 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 with lower offers.
The main market ended trading with an average of 174,348 units valued at $2,355,358 for each security traded compared to an average of 210,634 units valued at $12,366,499. The average volume and value for the month to date ended at $184,094 units with an average value of $4,336,090 compared with an average of 184,581 units with an average value of $4,435,127 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for July ended at 160,668 units with an average value of $2,691,438.
Junior Market inches higher
Trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange concluded trading on Thursday with 20 securities changing hands, 6 advanced, 9 declined and 5 traded firm leading to the index rising 5.60 points to 3,098.90.
A total of 1,911,988 units valued at $7,957,391 changed hands, compared to 2,037,393 units valued at $8,042,723 on Wednesday. Trading ended with an average of 95,599 units for an average of $397,870 in contrast to 88,582 units for an average of $349,684 on Wednesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 234,437 units valued at $1,295,260, compared to 241,379 units at an average value of $1,336,050 previously. In contrast, July closed with average of 536,395 units at $1,905,441 for each security traded. Trading ended with the market sentiments looking more positive for Friday activity than for recent days as 8 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 with lower offers.
At the close of the market, the volume of stocks trading and their last traded price are: Access Financial that finished $2 higher at $49 with 1,465 units, AMG Packaging closing 3 cents higher at $3.48 with 40,200 stock units, C2W Music concluded with a loss of 2 cents, at $0.43 with 149,354 stocks, Caribbean Flavours finished with a loss of $1.29, at $11.71 with 200 units, Caribbean Producers traded at $3.80 with 43,254 shares. Consolidated Bakeries ended with a loss of 35 cents, at $1.95 with 6,000 stocks, Eppley finished at $12 trading 5,030 units, Express Catering ended 57 cents higher at $4.77 with 141,480 units, Honey Bun concluded trading 10 cents higher at $4.90 with 100 shares, Jamaican Teas ended with a loss of 23 cents, at $4.60 with 36,260 units, Jetcon Corporation settled 
at $4.80 with 641,573 shares, after trading as low as $4.50. KLE Group settled with a loss of 15 cents, at $3 with 54,650 units, Knutsford Express settled at $14.50 exchanging 13,642 shares, Lasco Distributors ended with a loss of 15 cents at $7 with 106,910 units, Lasco Financial finished with a loss of 34 cents, at $3.65 with 355,750 stock units, Lasco Manufacturing closed 20 cents higher at $4.60 with 39,332 units, Main Event closed with a loss of 55 cents, at $4.50 with 21,962 shares, Paramount Trading settled at $2.70 with 89,960 shares, Stationery and Office ended 20 cents higher at $4.20 with 122,234 units, as it may have found a bottom after trading shortly after listing at $6 before pulling back in to the mid $3 range and tTech finished with a loss of 4 cents, at $6.51 with 42,632 shares.
