The Jamaica Stock Exchange announced the payment a final dividend for 2016 of 3.56 cents per share in May, bringing the for 2016 profits and $190.2 million, Mrs. Marlene Street-Forrest, newly promoted Managing Director of Stock Exchange informed IC Insider.com.
In 2015 we paid $140.2 million, representing 80 percent of consolidated profit and $190.2 million of the 2016 profits a total of 85 percent of group profits Street-Forrest stated. The payments over the last two years is in contrast with the stated dividend policy is no less 20 percent of profits to be paid in each year.
The payment was approved at a Special Meeting of the Board of Directors held on April 25 and is payable on May 31, 2017 to shareholders of record on May 11. The stock will start trading ex-dividend on May 9, 2017.
Last year, the JSE paid a dividend of 12.96 cents per share in December and a dividend of 53 cents per share, on May 6, 2016 based on number of shares in issue at the time. The JSE later in the year split their issued shares into 5 for each one.
The JSE will need to enjoy another big break in 2017, if they are to beat the results of $224 million made in 2016 from revenues of $921 million. In the first quarter of 2016, the JSE earned one off income estimated by IC Insider.com around $110 million from the sales of the Desnoes and Geddes shares to Heineken after the latter acquired majority shares in the local company.
$190m JSE dividends for 2016
JSE falls sharply on Tuesday
Trading in the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Tuesday with 23 securities changing hands with 2 trading in the US dollar market. At the close, 8 stocks advanced and 9 declined.
Trading levels in main market ended at 5,505,950 units valued at $95,998,334 compared to 1,892,384 units valued at $17,691,277 at the close on Monday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 10,079 units valued at US$5,123.
The All Jamaica Composite Index dropped 2,960.08 points to close at 248,913.82 the JSE Market Index slid 2,696.97 points to finish at 226,788.69 and the JSE US dollar market index remained unchanged at 219 points.
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 11 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 with lower offers.
The main market ended trading with an average of 158,066 units valued at $680,434 per traded security compared to an average of 258,710 units carrying an average value of $3,912,692 on Monday. 
The average volume for the month to date ended at 440,411 units with an average value of $5,163,911 versus 454,388 units with an average value of $5,508,794 on the prior trading day. The average volume and value for March ended at 549,909 units and $1,379,459.
In market activity, Barita Investments closed at $7.10 with an exchange of 73,748 shares, Berger Paints closed at $15, gaining 1 cent in exchanging 75,342 shares, Cable and Wireless closed at $1.35, losing 1 cent with 1,116,376 shares changing hands, Caribbean Cement traded $1 higher to $31 with trades of 20,823 units. Carreras closed at $75.10, with a loss of 80 cents while 2,840 shares were swapped, Grace Kennedy tumbled to $41, losing $3 in trading 1,204,283 units, Jamaica Broilers closed at $16.80 with 8,414 shares changing owners, Jamaica Producers closed at $15.50 with an exchange of 68,731 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange closed 40 cents higher to $8.40, with trades of 2,120,627 shares. JMMB Group closed at $20.31, while gaining 32 cents trading 119,977 units, Kingston Wharves closed at $32 exchanging 5,700 units, NCB Financial Group traded at $65, with 65,960 shares changing hands, 
1834 Investments gained 20 cents to close at $1.85, with an exchange of 10,000 shares, 138 Student Living traded 2 cents higher to close at S4.48 with 2,050 shares changing hands, PanJam Investment closed 60 cents lower to $35 with trades of 10,169 shares. Pulse Investments closed at $8.04 with an exchange of 70,000 shares, Radio Jamaica lost 10 cents to close at $1.65 trading 48,055 shares, Sagicor Group closed at $32, losing $1 in exchanging 38,500 units, Sagicor Real Estate Fund closed at $10.30, with a loss of 20 cents trading 25,072 shares, Scotia Group closed with a loss of $1.88 at $39.12, with 255,649 units changing owners, Scotia Investments gained 92 cents to close at $38 with trades of 126,000 shares, Seprod lost 1 cent to close at $35.99 trading 5,420 shares, and Supreme Ventures closed at $6.38, gaining 3 cents exchanging 32,214 shares. Proven Investments closed at 30 US cents with trades of 8,330 ordinary shares and JMMB Group USD5.75% preference share closed at US$1.50 with trades of 1,749 units.
Junior market jumps 2.3% by 72 points
Lasco Manufacturing traded at an intraday high of $6.25 on Tuesday.
The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange traded up more than 129 points just after midday on Tuesday, to hit a new intraday record high of 3,261.11 points with Lasco Manufacturing trading at a new high of $6.25 with over 4 million shares trading and Lasco Distributors trading up to $7.30 with 569,000 shares well ahead of the close.
The market index has since slipped back to close sharply up by 2.3 percent or 71.93 points, to end at 3,203.56 with a 6,965,751 shares valued at $41,054,916 trading. By close, declining stocks outnumber advancing stocks 9 to 4 with 20 securities changing hands versus 21 on Monday with 1,591,968 units valued at $9,438,771 changing hands.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average of 348,288 units for an average value of $2,052,746 traded, compared to 75,808 units for an average value of $449,465 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for the month to date are 587,157 units and $3,229,177. The average volume and value for the month to the previous trading day ended at 603,081 units and $3,307,605. The average volume and value for March was 137,459 units and $1,313,411.
Trading ended with 9 stocks having bids higher than their last sale prices and 2 ending with lower offers, than their last traded price.At the close of the market on Monday, Access Financial Services jumped $4.75 to $41.75 in trading traded 2,000 units, AMG Packaging lost 50 cents in closing at $5 with 13,814 units changing hands, Cargo Handlers traded 23,977 shares to close at $20.50, Caribbean Cream lost 44 cents in trading 188 units to end at $7.54, Caribbean Flavours ended at $12.50 with 1,000 shares trading, Caribbean Producers lost 1 cent and ended at $3.70 with 365,081 shares trading, Consolidated Bakeries ended trading with a gain of 4 cents with 339,160 shares changing hands, to close at $2.90. C2W Music had 27,386 units changing hands to close at 37 cents, Dolphin Cove rose 8 cents and ended at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $20.08 with 240 shares changing hands, General Insurance ended at $3.30 with 1,500 shares trading,
Honey Bun had 3,944 shares changing hands, to close at $7.40, ISP Finance rose 93 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $17.03 with 500 units. Jamaican Teas fell 13 cents trading101,650 shares, to close at $4.72, Jetcon Corporation fell 4 cents and ended at $12.80 with 24,015 shares trading, Knutsford Express closed trading with 61,726 shares at $41, Lasco Distributors rose 8 cents and ended with 621,283 units trading at $6.98, Lasco Financial lost 24 cents and ended with 10,000 shares changing hands at $4.51, Lasco Manufacturing dropped 49 cents to close at $5.26 while trading 5,336,241 shares, Main Event lost 1 cent trading 16,340 shares to close at $5.99, Medical Disposables dropped 50 cents and closed at $6 with 42,173 units trading and Eppley 9.5% preference shares traded 1,419 units at $6.02.
Falling stocks 2 to 1 over gainers
Trading on the Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange resulted in 13 securities changing hands on Tuesday compared to 9 on Monday. Market activity led to 3 stocks advancing, 6 declining and 4 unchanged with 113,158 shares traded at a value of $864,641 compared to Monday’s 50,550 shares valued at $1,371,638.
The Composite Index lost 0.12 points to 1,233.73, the All T&T Index declined 0.28 points to 1,802.82 and the Cross Listed Index added 0.01 point to close at 89.19.
IC bid-offer Indicator|The Investor’s Choice bid-offer ended with 8 stocks with bids higher than last selling prices and 4 with lower offers.
Gains| Sagicor Financial gained 2 cents to close at $9.02 exchanging 1,000 units, Scotia Investments closed at a 52 weeks’ high of $2.75, with gains of 5 cents, trading 11,000 shares and Trinidad & Tobago NGL added 1 cent, closing at $22.50, with 250 shares changing hands.
Losses| Clico Investment closed at $22.50, with a loss of 1 cent trading 19,179 shares valued at $431,534, JMMB Group traded 1 cent lower to close at $1.30 exchanging 71,262 units, 
National Flour Mills lost 2 cents to close at $2.53 with 800 shares changing hands. Readymix traded at $12, losing 62 cents with an exchange of 5,583 units, Republic Financial Holdings closed at a 52 weeks’ low of $101.90, with a 10 cent loss, trading 1,047 shares and Trinidad Cement lost 1 cent to close at $4.21 with trades of 116 units.
Firm Trades| First Citizens closed at $32 with 920 units changing owners, Guardian Holdings closed at $15.45 with trades of 100 shares, Massy Holdings closed at $51.43 exchanging 1,611 shares and One Caribbean Media traded 290 shares at $16.85.
Junior Market jumps sharply to new record
The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange traded up more than 129 points after midday on Tuesday.
The market index hit a new intraday record high of 3,261.11 points with Lasco Manufacturing trading at a new high of $6.25 with over 4 million shares trading and Lasco Distributors trading up to $7.30 with 569,000 shares. The Junior Market index has since slipped back to 3,212.92, up 81.29 for the day at 12:30 but the All Jamaica Composite index dropped 3,016.25 points to 248,857.65.
April T-Bill cacelled as GOJ cash surges
Regular issue of Treasury bills would normally be held by the 19th of April but none were offered this time around based on the absence of an announcement by the Central Bank of Jamaica.
When the last issue of Treasury bill closed on Friday, 15 March 2017, the Bank of Jamaica stated that applications for the next offer of Government of Jamaica Treasury Bills must be lodged at the Bank of Jamaica by 10:45 a.m. on Wednesday, 19 April 2017. Bank of Jamaica acting on behalf of the government would make an announcement of the date and amounts for the upcoming issue. The website of Bank of Jamaica carries information when the public is being offered news bills and the result of the issue, a check on the site throws no information on the April issue, with no announcement no explanation for cancelation of the issue.
At the end of February, data out of the Ministry of Finance showed a budgetary surplus of $17.5 billion in revenues above forecast and a cash deficit of $5.5 billion. With March projected to generate large net inflows of revenues over outflows, the central government would not need to borrow from the financial market. Inflows was projected at $72 billion and expenditure at $35 billion for March, if achieved would result in a surplus of $30 billion for the financial year.
Market up 4 of 5 days to Monday
The main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange continued its quiet move higher as the market closed on Monday with gains on 4 days out of 5. The market ended with 26 securities changing hands and 1 trading in the US dollar market. At the close, 12 stocks advanced and 8 declined and 3 stocks closed at 52 weeks’ high.
Trading levels in main market ended at 1,892,384 units valued at $17,691,277 compared to 2,910,852 units valued at $97,817,290 at the close on Friday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for just 760 units valued at US$228.
The All Jamaica Composite Index gained 1,103.05 points to close at 251,873.90 the JSE Market Index advanced 1,005.00 points to finish at 229,485.66 and the JSE US dollar market index remained at 760 points at the close.
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 9 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 with lower offers.
The main market ended trading with an average of 184,556 units valued at $680,434 per security compared to an average of 116,434 units and $3,912,692 on Friday. The average trade for the month to date ended at 454,388 units and $5,163,911 versus an average of 454,388 units and $5,508,794 on the prior trading day. The average volume and value for March ended at 549,909 units and $1,379,459.
In market activity, Barita Investments closed at $7.10 with trades of 300 shares, Berger Paints closed at $14.99, with gains of $1.47 exchanging 1,230 shares, Cable and Wireless closed at $1.36, losing 4 cents with 1,031,203 shares changing hands, Caribbean Cement traded $2 lower at $30 with an exchange of 75,122 units. Carreras closed at a 52 weeks’ high of $75.90, with gains of 90 cents while exchanging 12,046 shares, Grace Kennedy closed at $44, with a loss of 50 cents trading 31,293 units, Jamaica Broilers closed at $16.80 with 19,196 shares changing owners, Jamaica Producers closed at $15.50 exchanging 2,602 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange closed 50 cents lower at $8, trading 107,792 shares. JMMB Group closed 29 cents higher to $19.99 trading 54,400 units, Kingston Properties gained 50 cents to close at $16 exchanging 5,980 units, Kingston Wharves closed at $32, while rising 50 cents trading 13,221 units,
NCB Financial Group traded at $65, with 37,342 shares changing hands, 1834 Investments gained 15 cents to close at $1.65, with an exchange of 40,389 shares, PanJam Investments closed 95 cents higher to $35.60 trading 5,345 shares. Pulse Investments lost 1 cent with 200,000 shares changing hands, to end at $8.04,Radio Jamaica was down 4 cents to close at $1.75 with trades of 5,300 shares, Sagicor Group closed at $33, losing 50 cents with an exchange of 39,945 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund rose 45 cents to close at $10.50, with 991 shares being swapped, Scotia Group closed at $41 exchanging 61,310 units, Seprod closed $1 higher to $36, trading 1,563 shares, Supreme Ventures closed at $6.35, losing 3 cents exchanging 57,364 shares. Proven Investments closed at 30 US cents with trades of 760 ordinary shares, Proven Investments 8.25% preference share gained 6 cents in trading 20,000 units at $5.17, JMMB 7.25% preference share traded 10 cents higher to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $2.51 with 25,000 units changing hands, and JMMB 7.50% preference share closed 8 cents higher to $1.88 with trades of 26,250 units.
Junior market jumps 53 points
I$P hits a new high on Monday.
Trading on the Junior Market on Monday pushed the market index up sharply 2 percent or 52.89 points, to end at 3,213.63. A total of 1,591,968 shares valued at $9,438,771 traded.
On Friday 105,074,102 units valued at over $530,770,260 changed hands. At the close, on Monday, 21 securities changed hands, with 7 advancing and 6 declining, compared to 17 on Friday.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average of 75,808 units for an average value of $449,465 traded, compared to 6,180,830 units for an average value of $31,221,780 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for the month to date are 603,081 units and $3,307,605. The average volume and value for the month to the previous trading day ended at 640,744 units and $3,511,758. The average volume and value for March was 137,459 units and $1,313,411.
Trading ended with 9 stocks having bids higher than their last sale prices and 2 ending with lower offers, than their last traded price.
At the close of the market on Friday, AMG Packaging closed at $5.50 with 1,733 units changing hands, Blue Power traded 5,895 shares to close at $20.50, Caribbean Cream rose 48 cents in trading 100,000 units to end at $7.98, Caribbean Flavours ended at $12.50 with 300 shares trading, Caribbean Producers fell 4 cents and ended at $3.71 with 103,007 shares trading, Consolidated Bakeries ended trading with a gain of 6 cents with 27,386 shares changing hands, to close at $2.86. C2W Music had 27,386 units changing hands to close at 37 cents, Dolphin Cove lost 6 cents and ended at $20 with 13,000 shares changing hands, General Insurance lost 10 cents and ended at $3.30 with 5,000 shares trading, Honey Bun had 2,391 shares changing hands, to close with a gain of 15 cents at $7.40, ISP Finance rose 93 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $17.03 with 500 units.
Jamaican Teas fell 15 cents trading 204,689 shares, to close at $4.85, Jetcon Corporation ended at $12.84 with 19,185 shares trading, Knutsford Express closed trading with 15,275 shares at $41, Lasco Distributors shed 39 cents and ended with 272,184 units trading at $6.90, Lasco Financial jumped 59 cents and ended with 8,800 shares changing hands at $4.75, Lasco Manufacturing closed at $5.75 while trading 583,590 shares, Main Event jumped 60 cents trading 31,673 shares to close at $6, Medical Disposables dropped 20 cents and closed at $6.50 with 19,860 units trading, tTech rose 20 cent, trading 2,500 shares to end at $7.50 and Eppley 9.5% preference shares traded 1,000 units to close at $6.02.
TTSE ends with moderate trading
Trading levels on the Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange fell back on Monday resulted in 9 securities exchanged compared to 17 on Friday with lower volume and value than on Friday.
At the close, 2 stocks advanced, 3 declined and 4 were unchanged with just 50,550 shares changing hands valued at $1,371,638 compared to Friday’s 229,684 shares valued at $1,612,238.
The Composite Index gained 0.55 points to 1,233.85, the All T&T Index added 0.77 points to 1,803.10 and the Cross Listed Index gained 0.05 points to close at 89.18.
IC bid-offer Indicator|The Investor’s Choice bid-offer ended with 10 stocks with bids higher than last selling prices and 5 with lower offers.
Gains| Republic Financial Holdings gained 10 cents to close at $102 trading 120 units and Trinidad & Tobago NGL advanced 49 cents, closing at $22.49, with an exchange of 15,579 shares valued at $350,504.
Losses| Massy Holdings closed at $51.43, with a loss of 2 cents exchanging 369 shares, National Flour Mills lost 1 cent to close at $2.55 with 200 shares changing hands and Unilever Caribbean closed $1.25 lower to $57, with an exchange of just 100 units.
Firm Trades| Ansa McAL closed at $66.50 with 1,833 units changing owners, Clico Investments closed at $22.51 with trades of 400 shares, First Citizens closed at $32 trading 26,424 shares valued at $845,568 and JMMB Group exchanged 5,525 shares at $1.31.
Blue Power back in TOP stocks
Blue Power seems ripe for a stock split.
In another shortened trading week on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, there was only one new entry to the TOP 10 listings. Lasco Distributors rose to $7.29 at the end of the week and was replaced by former top tenner Blue Power that remains a prime candidate for s stock split.
NCB Financial Group which IC Insider.com said last week was worth watching, hit an all-time high of $75 but did not hold at that level and ended the week at $65 as some supply come to the market. Berger Paints is another stock that IC Insider.com said was worth watching pulled back during the week to make it more attractive.
The average PE ratio of the Junior Market are currently at an average of 12 and the main market at 13 based on this year’s estimated. At the close of the week, IC Insider.com’s TOP 10 Junior Market stocks continue to trade at an average discount of just under 35 percent to the Junior Market average, those in the main market are trading at a 52 percent discount, to the average of the market, leaving several stocks with good room for growth for the rest of the year.
The coming week should be dominated by the release of 2017 second quarter results for 
NCB Financial Group and the announcement of a dividend payment. IC Insider.com projects an increase in the payment based on increased profits.
Overall, bid volumes for junior market stocks remained low excepting for Caribbean Cream, with 181,732 units on the bid at $7.50, Key Insurance with 72,023 units at $3.05, Jamaican Teas with 68,000 shares with a bid of $4.60, and the next highest being Lasco Financial with 22,352 units at $4. Offers are buoyant with 2.7 million units being offered for Eppley at $12, over 400,000 for C2W Music at 50 cents, 200,000 for Jamaican Teas at $4.99, Knutsford Express with a bid of $41 for 229,236 shares and 140,000 shares of Lasco Manufacturing at $6.
Brokerage house, Barita Investments ended the week with 90,004 units offered at $7.10 and only 100 units on the bid of $7, Berger Paints ended the week with an offer of 24,070 units at $14.15 while 3,850 units are on the bid at $13.52. Caribbean Cement continues to trade with a heavy sell bias notwithstanding evidence of increased building activity and that this year’s first quarter results could be out at any time to provide direction for the stock. 
The cement producer had a bid to buy 27,600 units at $31 and offers of 67,879 shares at $32. JMMB Group’s buying interest picked up his past week and now has a bid at $19 to buy 256,195 units with an offer to sell 50,000 shares at $19.50, NCB Financial Group closed the week with a bid to buy only 1,400 shares at $65, with 261,390 units on offer at $65. Pulse Investments has offers to sell 98,000 units at $8.05 with buying at $7 for 1,000 shares. Radio Jamaica bid is at $1.75 to buy 26,159 units with 85,791 units on offer at $1.79 while investment banker and Scotia Group’s subsidiary, Scotia Investments, closed the week with only 10,000 units on the bid to buy at $37.01 and ended with 4,180 units offered at $39.40.
