Berger & Scotia Group drop TOP 10

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The two main markets of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, pulled back this past week as the volatility in the price of some stocks resulted in shifts in the position of some stocks in the TOP 10. Movements were not enough to change the Junior Market list, even as Caribbean Producers saw a 25 percent fall during the week with heavy volume, the stock enjoyed partial recovery by weekend.
This week’s pull back, seems to support the comment last week, “that both markets are trading close to recent resistance levels which could act as a short term restraint on upward movement.”
In the main market, decline in the prices of Seprod down to $30 and Sterling Investments to $15.50 moved them into the top list and replaced Berger Paints and Scotia Group that maintained their prices and are now some distance from the top list.
The average PE ratio for the Junior Market Top stocks is 7.5 and 6.8 in the main market, these compare favourably with 13.7 for the main market and 13.4 for Juniors, based on 2017 estimated earnings. With several stocks trading below the average, the potential for more gains for the rest of 2017 seems positive, barring any major negative developments.
Recent TOP 10 listings remain just below the top spots with Access Financial, Jetcon Corporation, AMG Packaging, Dolphin Cove, Caribbean Cream and Blue Power sitting just below, with potential gains of more than 100 percent and in the main market, Grace Kennedy and Sagicor Group are just below the Top spots with good potential gains ahead.
The history of the Top stock performance indicates that, it takes a few months for most of the stocks to reach potential targeted prices as they tend not to be the stocks favoured by a large segment of investors, in the short term.
At the close of the week, IC Insider.com’s TOP 10 Junior Market stocks now trade at an average discount of 44 percent to the Junior Market average, while those in the main market are trading at a 49 percent discount, to the average of the market, leaving several stocks with room for growth in the months ahead.
At the close of the week, bid volumes for junior market stocks remained relatively low ranging from a high of 66,436 units at $5.15 for Lasco Manufacturing with an offer of 16,685 units at $5.20, Access with a bid of 35,425 at $42.50, Caribbean Producers with 34,300 units on the bid at $3.50, with 100,000 shares on offer at $3.80. Key Insurance closed with 15,213 units on the bid at $2.90 and 51,361 offered at $3.80 and Lasco Financial ended the week with a bid of $4.05 to buy 24,000 units with 47,888 units being offered for sale at $4.40.

Seprod shares dropped from $45.10 in February to $30 on Friday.

Caribbean Cement had a bid to buy 54,903 units at $28.50 and offers of 7,850 shares at $29.95. Carreras had just 1,233 units on the bid at $77 with 4,954 shares being offered at $80, JMMB Group’s has bids to buy 8,272 units at $19.80 with an offer to sell 6,224 shares at $20, Radio Jamaica bid ended trading at $1.68 to buy 883 units with 30,000 units on offer at $1.79 while Scotia Investments closed the week with 14,753 units on the bid to buy at $36.50 and 14,049 units offered for sale at $37.85. Interest in Seprod has fallen with only 250 units on the bid at $29.50 and selling of 95,352 units at $30, this is way off from the 52 weeks’ high of $45 the stock sold at late February this year.

Sagicor Barbados undervalued but

The Barbadian based Sagicor Group is reporting net profit of US$23.4 million for the first three months of 2017, compared to the prior year of US$22.3 million. Profit flowed from revenues for the quarter of US$282.5 million, compared to US $264.4 million for the corresponding period in 2016, an increase of US$18.1 million.
Profit attributable to shareholders’ of the group ended at US$13.3 million, compared to US$13.9 million for the 2016 period. Earnings per common share was 4.4 US cents, compared to the prior year of 4.6 US cents.
Net premium revenue rose t0 US$167.7 million, exceeding the prior year amount of US$157.3 million. Net investment income and other income rose to US$114.8 million compared to the prior year’s US$107 million.
Operating expenses rose to US$115 million from US$101.4 million for the same period in 2016. “Higher administration costs were incurred as a result of the expansion of cards and payments business in our Jamaica segment, along with the incurrence of some non-recurring costs also relating to our Jamaica segment”, Stephen McNamara, Chairman, stated in his report to shareholders. Policy holders’ benefits inched to US$137.2 million from US$134 million for the previous year.

Sagicor Group Jamaica a subsidiary of the Barbadian compnay.

Total comprehensive income grew to US$28.6 million, compared to US$19.9 million for the same period last year. Included in comprehensive income were net gains on financial assets of US$7.9 million. “Retranslation losses Sagicor Group Jamaica, a subsidiary of the Barbados company.[/caption] amounted to US $0.7 million, compared to US $6.4 million reported in the prior year, and resulted from declines in the Jamaica and Trinidad currency against the United States dollar”, the Chairman stated.
Total assets amount to US $6.6 billion, with liabilities of US$5.8 billion and shareholders’ equity of US$818 million. The Group’s debt, which is included in other liabilities, was US$405.3 million.
The group’s stocks traded on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange atTT$8.99 and in Barbados at BD$2.45, (around US$1.30 per share. The price puts the PE ratio around 7 times 2017 earnings. The problem is that Barbados where the company is head quartered is in the midst of major economic problems that could make investing in the stock riskier than normal.

Trading improving for Jamaica stocks

The Jamaica Stock Exchnage main market fell on Friday with improved trading.

Trading levels hit rock bottom on the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Friday May 19, when less than 1 million units valued at a mere $11.8 million traded has been rebounding with this Friday’s level being the highest since Thursday last week. On Friday the value of traded stocks almost doubled that of Thursday this week.
Trading improved on the Monday with $31 million of trades but fell back on Wednesday to $27 million and picked up to $37 million on Thursday before moving higher on Friday. Trading levels in the main market ended at 4,417,748 units valued at $73,092,399 compared to 1,392,798 units valued at $37,103,714 at the close on Thursday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 56,375 units valued at US$17,199.
The All Jamaica Composite Index declined 1,094.79 points to close at 257,288.98 the JSE Market Index fell 997.48 points to finish at 234,419.39 and the JSE US dollar market index lost 1.69 points to close at 215.59.
The main market ended trading with an average of 152,336 units valued at $2,520,428 per security traded, compared to an average of 53,569 units valued at $1,427,066 on Tuesday. The average volume and value for the month to date ended at 392,814 units with an average value of $5,480,092 compared with an average of 406,174 units and $5,644,518 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for April ended at 382,748 units with an average value of $5,254,387.
Trading ended with 31 securities changing hands including 2 trading in the US dollar market. At the close, 8 stocks advanced and 8 declined.
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 1 with a lower offer.
In market activity, Barita Investments closed at $7.20 trading 100 shares, Berger Paints exchanged 7,134 shares at $19, Cable and Wireless closed at $1.30, trading 982,050 shares, Caribbean Cement traded 25 cents lower to close at $28.25 exchanging 51,000 shares. Carreras closed at $80, losing $1 with 7,731 shares changing hands, Grace Kennedy gained $1 and closed at $41, with 22,872 units trading, Jamaica Broilers traded 9,249 shares at $18, Jamaica Producers gained 15 cents to close at $16, with 12,538 shares changing hands, Jamaica Stock Exchange closed at $7, after falling 69 cents while exchanging 351,722 shares. JMMB Group exchanged 50,672 units at $20, Kingston Properties traded 52,625 shares at $12, Kingston Wharves lost 50 cents to close at $30.50, trading 5,378 units, Mayberry Investments traded 1,900 shares at $5.30, NCB Financial Group closed at $70.99, with gains of 38 cents after exchanging 242,233 shares, 1834 Investments lost 6 cents and closed at $1.40, with 135,646 shares changing owners, 138 Student Living exchanged 15,000 shares at $4.49, PanJam Investment closed at $35.62, gaining 62 cents in trading 20,553 shares. Portland JSX gained 5 cents to close at $10.15 with an exchange of 2,416 shares, Pulse Investments traded 17,157 shares at $14.50, Radio Jamaica lost 7 cents to close at $1.65, trading 126,425 shares, Sagicor Group added 2 cents to close at $33.02 exchanging 1,021,346 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund gained 12 cents, closing at $10.80, with 17,797 units changing hands. Salada Foods jumped $1.02 to close at $8.50 trading 10,000 shares, Scotia Group closed at $42, with an exchange of 85,543 units, Scotia Investments closed at $36.50, with a loss of $1 trading 500 shares. Seprod closed at $30 exchanging 170,000 shares, Sterling Investments closed at $15.50 trading 11,700 shares and Supreme Ventures lost 1 cent to close at $7.49 in an exchange of 211,461 shares. Margaritaville Turks closed at 34 US cents, with 20,500 units changing hands, Proven Investments closed at 28.5 US cents, gaining 0.01 US cent in trading 35,875 ordinary shares and JMMB Group 7.50% preference closed at $1.10 with trades of 775,000 units trading.

TTSE turns positive on Friday

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Trading on the Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange on Friday resulted in a turnaround in the fortunes of the exchange with the market indices breaking the 6 days losing streak as 12 securities changing hands compared to 14 on Thursday with 6 stocks rising and no declines.
The market closed with 761,387 shares exchanged at a value of $3,029,637 up from Thursday’s 128,271 units valued at $1,640,227.
The Composite Index rose 0.47 points to 1,214.11, the All T&T Index gained 0.36 points to 1,793.40 and the Cross Listed Index was up 0.08 points to close at 85.09.
IC bid-offer Indicator| The Investor’s Choice bid-offer ended with 5 stocks with bids higher than last selling prices and 6 with lower offers.
Gains| Grace Kennedy gained 4 cents to close at $2.85 exchanging 19,137 shares, Guardian Holdings closed at $16.02, with gains of 2 cents trading 4,302 shares, Point Lisas closed at a 52 weeks’ high of $4.05, gaining 5 cents with 480 shares changing hands. Sagicor Financial gained 1 cent to close at $8.99, with an exchange of 5,000 shares, Scotiabank traded 1 cent higher, closing at $58.01 with trades of 3,921 shares and Trinidad & Tobago NGL gained 14 cents and closed at $20.75, with 3,346 shares trading.
Firm Trades| Angostura Holdings held firm at $15 trading 5,000 shares, Ansa Merchant Bank exchanged 8,000 shares at $40 valued at $320,000, Clico Investment closed at $22.51 exchanging 2,583 shares. First Caribbean International traded 21,000 shares at $7.75, JMMB Group closed at $1.27, with an exchange of 288,168 shares valued at $366,549 and NCB Financial Group traded 400,000 shares valued at $1,580,000 at $3.95.

Juniors index in sharp fall on Friday

Knutsford Express traded at a new high of $70 on Friday.

The Junior Market closed down on Thursday, with the index diving 71.37 points to end at 3,293.57 with 22 securities trading, compared to 21 on Thursday. Knutsford Express closed trading at all-time high of $70 with investors responding to the 5 for 1 stock split to take effect next week.
At the close of trading, 7 stocks advanced and 8 declined with 2,514,401 units valued at $21,351,143 changed hands, compared to 5,121,628 units valued at $19,594,786 on Thursday. Trading ended with 7 stocks having bids higher than their last sale prices and 2 with lower offers.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average of 114,291 units for an average value of $970,507 compared to 243,887 units for an average value of $933,085, on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for the month to date are 91,672 units and $621,105, while at the close of the prior day it was 90,541 units and $601,694. The average volume and value for April ended at 502,597 units and $2,768,003.
At the close of the market, AMG Packaging rose 30 cents and closed at $4.80 with 9,516 units changing hands Blue Power rose 25 cents to end at $52 with 600 units changing hands, Caribbean Cream closed trading with 24,704 units to end at $8.40, Caribbean Producers had 31,000 units changing hands compared more than 3 million units each on Wednesday and Thursday, the price rose 30 cents to close at $3.50, Consolidated Bakeries jumped 50 cents trading 236,038 shares to close at $3, strong> Derrimon Trading fell 75 cents and ended at $8.75 with 3,000 shares changing hands, Dolphin Covetraded at an all-time high of $22.50 but by the close of the market, fell $1 from Thursday’s close and ended at $20 with 213,272 shares changing hands, Eppley had 22,931 units changing hands to close of $12, Honey Bun lost 23 cents with 7,459 shares changing hands at $7, ISP Finance ended at $26.50 with 486 units changing hands. Jamaican Teas rose 2 cents and closed trading with 14,000 shares, at $4.52. Jetcon Corporation and ended at $14.90 with 29,293 shares trading, Knutsford Express rose $2 and closed with 13,198 shares trading at an all-time high of $70. Lasco Distributors fell 5 cents and ended with 1,273,645 units trading at $7.05, Lasco Financial ended with 21,248 shares changing hands at $4, Lasco Manufacturing lost 45 cents to close at $5.20 while trading 168,679 shares, Main Event added 25 cents and ended trading of 202,483 shares at $8, Medical Disposables lost 20 cents and ended at $5.65 with 26,755 units trading, Paramount Trading ended with a fall of 5 cents as 36,200 shares changed hands at $3.05, tTech had 385,646 units changing hands at $7.50 and Eppley 8.25% preference share traded 5,000 units at $6.05.

Junior index slips on Thursday

CPJ traded more than 3 million shares for the second consecutive day.

The Junior Market closed down on Thursday, with the index falling 10.30 points to end at 3,364.94 with 21 securities trading, compared to 26 on Wednesday. Eppley ordinary stock traded at an intraday all-time high of $12.50.
At the close of trading, 10 stocks advanced and 7 declined with 5,121,628 units valued at $19,594,786 changed hands, compared to 4,044,209 units valued at $14,886,455 on Wednesday. Trading ended with 8 stocks having bids higher than their last sale prices and 2 with lower offers.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average of 243,887 units for an average value of $933,085 compared to 155,547 units for an average value of $572,556, on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for the month to date are 90,541 units and $601,694, while at the close of the prior day it was 82,470 units and $582,200. The average volume and value for April ended at 502,597 units and $2,768,003.
At the close of the market, Blue Power jumped $6.75 to end at $51.75 with 500 units changing hands, CAC 2000 ended with 44,509 shares changing hands, to close at $7.70 with a 40 cents rise, Caribbean Cream closed trading with 23,000 units to end at $8.40, Caribbean Flavours added 4 cents in trading 10,800 units to end at $12.05, Caribbean Producers had a second day, trading more three million shares, ending with 3,561,000 units changing hands compared to 3,100,200 on Wednesday, the price rose 20 cents to close at $3.20, Consolidated Bakeries fell 40 cents trading 203,000 shares to close at $2.40, Eppley had 32,197 units changing hands to close of $12, General Accident fell 9 cents and closed trading with 101,500 shares at $3, Honey Bun lost 2 cents with 8,295 shares changing hands at $7.23. ISP Finance dropped $1.50 and ended at $26.50 with 605 units changing hands. Jamaican Teas slipped 19 cents and closed trading with 729,183 shares, at $4.50. Jetcon Corporation lost 10 cents and ended at $14.90 with 8,337 shares trading, KLE Group gained 5 cents and ended at $2.35 with 9,500 shares changing hands, Knutsford Express rose $2 and closed with 9,017 shares trading at $68. Lasco Distributors rose 10 cents and ended with 147,900 units trading at $7.10, Lasco Financial fell 20 cents and ended with 32,300 shares changing hands at $4, Lasco Manufacturing rose 1 cent to close at $5.65 while trading 7,750 shares, Main Event added 55 cents and ended trading of 22,697 shares at $7.75, Paramount Trading ended with a rise of 10 cents as 150,000 shares changed hands at $3.10, tTech had 14,538 units changing hands at $7.50 and Eppley 10% preference share traded 5,000 units at $6.50.

Trading activity picking up on JSE

Trading continues to show improving levels on Thursday on the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, with the value of trading rising for the third day in a row. The market closed with 27 securities changing hands including 1 trading in the US dollar market. At the close, 9 st0cks advanced and 10 declined.
Trading levels in the main market ended at 1,392,798 units valued at $37,103,714 compared to 1,213,938 units valued at $26,942,858 at the close on Wednesday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 1,450,000 units valued at US$411,800.
The All Jamaica Composite Index advanced 31.85 points to close at 258,383.77 the JSE Market Index gained 29.02 points to finish at 235,416.87 and the JSE US dollar market index fell 0.64 points to close at 217.28.
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 3 with lower offers.
The main market ended trading with an average of 53,569 units valued at $1,427,066 per security traded, compared to an average of 46,690 units valued at $1,036,264 on Tuesday. The average volume and value for the month to date ended at 406,174 units with an average value of $5,644,518 compared with an average of 426,916 units and $5,892,603 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for April ended at 382,748 units with an average value of $5,254,387.
In market activity, Barita Investments gained 10 cents to close at $7.20 exchanging 100 shares, Berger Paints traded 37,357 shares at $19, Cable and Wireless closed at $1.30, with a loss of 5 cents trading 47,024 shares. Carreras closed at $81, after losing $2 with 17,589 shares changing hands, Grace Kennedy closed at $40, with a loss of $3 trading 488,958 units, Jamaica Broilers traded $1.50 lower to close at $18, after exchanging 8,741 shares, Jamaica Producers lost 15 cents to close at $15.85, with trades of 51,274 shares and Jamaica Stock Exchange gained 19 cents, closing at $7.69 with an exchange of 15,592 shares. JMMB Group closed at $20, gaining 1 cent with 41,891 units changing hands, after the recent 2 for 1 stock split Kingston Properties traded $2 higher to close at an all-time high of $12 in exchanging 10,253 shares, Kingston Wharves gained $1.60 to close at $31, with trades of 22,374 units, Mayberry Investments traded 100 shares at $5.30, NCB Financial Group closed at $70.61, losing 89 cents after exchanging 43,749 shares, 1834 Investments closed at $1.46, with 75,850 shares changing owners, 138 Student Living exchanged 4,372 shares at $4.49, PanJam Investment closed at $35, with a loss of 50 cents trading 22,040 shares. Pulse Investments traded 5,000 shares at $14.50, Radio Jamaica closed at $1.72, with trades of 2,450 shares, Sagicor Group closed at $33, gaining 50 cents exchanging 207,022 shares, Sagicor Real Estate fund closed at $10.68, with gains of 3 cents trading 7,400 units, Scotia Group traded 10 cents lower to close at $42, with an exchange of 5,300 units, Seprod closed at $30 exchanging 6,846 shares, Sterling Investments traded $1.40 lower to close at $15.50, with trades of 10,210 shares, Supreme Ventures gained cents to close at $7.50 trading 10,106 shares. Proven Investments closed at 28.4 US cents, losing 0.1 US cent in exchanging 1,450,000 ordinary shares, JMMB 7.50% preference gained 1 cent to close at $2.06, with 231,200 changing hands and JMMB Group 7.50% preference closed at $1.10 with trades of 20,000 units.

 

8 straight days of weakness on TTSE

Prices remained under pressure on Thursday on the Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange, continuing a negative trend since Thursday May 18. At the close on Thursday 5 stocks declined, 1 advanced and 8 were unchanged with a total of 14 securities changing hands compared to 19 on Wednesday.
The Composite Index lost 1.30 points to 1,213.64, the All T&T Index fell 1.75 points to 1,793.04 and the Cross Listed Index was down 0.11 points to close at 85.01. Trading closed with on. A total of 128,271 shares were traded at a value of $1,640,227 compared to Wednesday’s 328,366 shares valued at $8,363,330.04.
IC bid-offer Indicator| The Investor’s Choice bid-offer ended with 4 stocks with bids higher than last selling prices and 6 with lower offers.
Gains| Clico Investment was the sole stock rising as it just squeezed a gain of 1 cent to close at $22.51 with 9,000 shares trading.
Losses| Trinidad & Tobago NGL (TTNGL) loss a further 52 cents on top of the 66 cents fall, closing at $20.61 with 659 shares. The stock was trading at $22.50 at the start of the month, falling to $22 on May 17, the same day that the Board of Directors of sanctioned the additional sale of the shares by its majority shareholder.
JMMB Group lost 1 cent, closing at $1.27 exchanging 4,280 shares, NCB Financial Group traded 5 cent lower to close at $3.95, with 52,000 shares changing hands, Sagicor Financial closed at $8.98, losing 1 cent trading 2,000 shares and West Indian Tobacco lost 4 cents to close at $126.40, with 294 shares changing hands.
Firm Trades| First Citizens held firm at $31.85 trading 27,593 shares valued at $878,837, First Caribbean International exchanged 15,100 shares at $7.75, Guardian Holdings traded 5,801 shares at $16, and National Enterprises closed at $10.50, with an exchange of 2,402 shares. Prestige Holdingsclosed at $10.90, with 100 shares being traded, Readymix held firm at $11, with 1,251 shares changing hands, Scotia Investments traded 2,350 shares at $2.45 and Trinidad Cement closed at $4.20 trading 5,441 shares.

Bahamian company to list soon

Cable Bahamas is set to be the next company to list on the Jamaica Stock Exchange. The exchange approved the listing a short time ago. Information available to IC Insider.com is that the list will be on the US dollar exchange and will comprise ordinary and preference shares.
According to the company’s financials there are 43,884,754 ordinary shares and 8 different category of preference shares issued. The net asset value of the ordinary shares are around BH$2 each.
The company has been providing cable TV services in The Bahamas since March 1995 and Internet services since March 2000. On June 30, 1995, the company completed a $30 million public equity issue, resulting in 3,000 Bahamian shareholders holding shares in the company. In its first full year of operations, revenue was $12 million and net income $2.5 million and the year-end subscriber count was 37,400.
By the end of 2000, the share price stood at $8.50 with a cumulative growth of over 750%, total subscribers were 51,609 and net income was $7.3 million. Two significant growth areas for the company are its high-speed Internet services and its wholly owned submarine 600 km fiber-optic cable system, which is operated by its subsidiary, Caribbean Crossings Ltd.
Late 2010, Cable Bahamas purchased System Resource Group (SRG) to enable the company to introduce new services and lower prices to the consumer. This union allows the company to become the Bahamas’ 100 percent Bahamian-owned public converged communications services provider offering voice, broadband data and video products.
With the introduction of REVOICE, a cutting-edge home phone service, Cable Bahamas became a triple-play provider in the Bahamas, offering TV, Internet and phone services at bundled prices.
The network comprises 14 free-to-air broadcast systems on 11 islands, eight stand-alone cable TV systems, and four triple play systems networked by a submarine fibre. Together, this network services 99 per cent of the Bahamian population. The company’s submarine fibre continues into the United States, connecting to a terrestrial fibre in South Florida, creating a terrestrial fibre ring around the state, and providing triple play services to four additional systems. These combined networks make up the complete Cable Bahamas network.
Revenue earned for the 2016 December quarter, was BH$47.887 million compared to BH$41.730 million and for the year to December BH$180.588 versus BH$165.678. The company reported losses of BH$9.2 million in the December quarter inclusive of a fixed asset write off of BH$5.8 million and $7.8 million for the year. Total shareholders’ equity stood at BH$91 million at the end of December 2016 and losses incurred in the March 2017 quarter of BH$7 million pushed shareholders’ equity down to BH$84 million at the end of March this year. Revenues in the March 2017 quarter rose 17 percent to $51 million up from $43.7 million in 2016 but operating cost jumped even faster by 60 percent to $46.6 million from $29 million with depreciation and amortization rising from $9 million to $16.8 million.
The stock last traded in the Bahamas at BH$4.05, with 900 units trading. Selling by investors is at $4.40 and above with buying interest at $4.05 and below.
The shares will only be listed as none will be offered to the public as an Initial Public Offering. Scotia Investments is the sponsoring broker.
Two other listing should be heading to the market within weeks as Stationery and Supplies and the Musson subsidiary Productive Business Solutions with operations in the Caribbean, Central America and the USA come to the market with a US$41 Million offer of ordinary shares.

JSE main market retreats on Wednesday

Trading in the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Wednesday with 26 securities changing hands with 1 trading in the US dollar market. At the close, 8 stocks advanced and 12 declined.
Trading levels in the main market ended at 1,213,938 units valued at $26,942,858 compared to 2,049,349 units valued at $29,749,255 at the close on Monday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 8,950 units valued at US$2,551.
The All Jamaica Composite Index declined 1252.85 points to close at 258,351.92 the JSE Market Index dropped 1,141.49 points to finish at 235,387.85 and the JSE US dollar market index advanced 11.73 points to close at 217.92.
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 1 with a lower offer.
The main market ended trading with an average of 46,690 units valued at $1,036,264 per security traded, compared to an average of 81,974 units valued at $1,189,970 on Monday. The average volume and value for the month to date ended at 426,916 units with an average value of $5,892,603 compared with an average of 450,680 units and $6,196,124 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for April ended at 382,748 units with an average value of $5,254,387.
In market activity, Berger Paints traded 9,963 shares at $19, Cable and Wireless closed at $1.35, with a loss of 2 cents exchanging 21,085 shares and Caribbean Cement traded 50 cents higher to close at $28.50 with trades of 84,386 units. Carreras exchanged 7,452 shares at $83, Grace Kennedy closed at $43, gaining 1 cent with trades of 55,130 units, Jamaica Broilers closed at $19.50, with gains of 95 cents, after 42,750 shares changed hands, Jamaica Producers gained 1 cent to close at $16, with an exchange of 38,937 shares and Jamaica Stock Exchange lost 4 cents to close at $7.50 trading 3,917 shares. JMMB Group closed at $19.99, losing 2 cents with trades of 20,721 units, Kingston Properties traded for the first time after last week’s 2 for 1 stock split and jumped $1.70 to close at a new record high of $10 exchanging 7,820 shares, Kingston Wharves fell $2.10 to close at $29.40, with an exchange of 11,200 units, Mayberry Investments gained $1.12 to close at $5.30, with 200 shares changing hands, NCB Financial Group closed at $71.50, losing 50 cents after trading 13,881 shares, 1834 Investments gained 1 cent to close at $1.46, with trades of 2,800 shares, 138 Student Living exchanged 32,606 shares at $4.49, PanJam Investment closed at $35.50, with a loss of 11 cents exchanging 14,745 shares. Radio Jamaica closed at $1.72, gaining 7 cents trading 10,616 shares, Sagicor Group closed at $32.50 with trades of 431,201 shares, Sagicor Real Estate fund closed at $10.65, losing 64 cents exchanging 10,599 units, Scotia Group closed at $42.10, with a loss of $1.20 trading 28,989 units, Scotia Investments traded 5,193 shares at $37.50, after losing 35 cents, Seprod dropped $4 to close at $30 exchanging 27,802 shares, strong>Sterling Investments traded 10,400 shares at $16.90 and Supreme Ventures lost 49 cents to close at $7, with trades of 75,850 shares. Proven Investments closed at 29 US cents trading 8,950 ordinary shares and JMMB Group 7.50% preference closed at $1.10 with trades of 243,195 units.