The Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange closed on Friday with an increased number of 16 securities changing hands compared to 15 on Thursday. A total of 6 stocks advanced, 4 were unchanged and 6 declined as 662,006 units were exchanged, for $5,506,299 compared to 482,036 shares valued at $3,773,912 on Thursday.
The Composite Index advanced 1.17 points to 1,225.08, the All T & T Index gained 0.28 points to 1,834.21 and the Cross Listed Index also gained 0.28 points to 82.43.
IC bid-offer Indicator|The Investor’s Choice bid-offer ended with 7 stocks with bids higher than last selling prices and 8 with lower offers.
Gains| Clico Investment closed 2 cents higher at $22.52, with 142,187 units traded at a value of $3,200,232, First Caribbean International gained 3 cents trading 31,963 units to close at a 52 weeks high of $8.53, Guardian Holdings exchanged 7,600 shares and gained 18 cents to end at $13.31. JMMB Group added 4 cents to close at a 52 weeks high of $1.20 with an exchange of 364,378 units valued at $437,724, Scotia Investments closed at $2.23, gaining 2 cents with 76,418 shares changing hands and Scotiabank gained 5 cents, in closing at $58.75 with 1,000 shares traded.
Losses| Massy Holdings closed at $51.40, losing 2 cents with only 75 units changing owners, National Commercial Bank was down 7 cents to $3.28 trading 1,000 shares and Point Lisas lost 5 cents to close at $3.70 with an exchange of 530 units.
Republic Financial Holdings closed at $108.28, after falling 6 cents with 9,302 shares being exchanged at a value of $1,007,221, Trinidad Cement slid 5 cents to $4.50, with 18,402 shares traded and West Indian Tobacco exchanged 100 units to close at $127.
Firm Trades| Grace Kennedy closed at $2.68 with 100 shares traded, Prestige Holdings remained unchanged at $11 with 169 units changing hands, Sagicor Financial closed at $8.50 trading 2,582 shares and Trinidad & Tobago NGL held firm at $21 with an exchange of 6,200 units.
6 stocks rise 6 fall on TTSE on Friday
Huge gains for Jamaican stocks
The Jamaica stock market, recorded the highest points gain in trading on Friday, with some big moves in the prices of National Commercial Bank, Scotia Group, Kingston Wharves and Jamaica Producers Group as some of the main 
movers contributing in a major way to the gains in the main market indices.
In the process the all All Jamaica Composite Index jumped sharply by 9,082.60 points to close at 226,121.49 and the JSE Market Index surges 8,121.44 points to finish at 206,567.37.
A combination of factors helped in the big move. The bullishness of the market is coming at a time of very low supplies for a number of stocks, including the four mentioned above, while NCB reported record profit for their December quarter, with a jump of 49 percent, to $3.56 billion, helping in moving the price from $52.02 at the close on Thursday to $58. The bank also announced increased dividend payment, from 50 cents per share in 2016 to 60 cents being paid in February.
The gain on Friday was the biggest daily increase, but in percentage terms, it sits in at the 5th largest daily gain.
NCB pushes all Jamaica by 2,600 points
On the back of a strong 49 percent jump in first quarter profits to December last year to $3.56 billion, National Commercial Bank rose to $55 and helped pushed the all Jamaica Composite Index over the 218,000 points level in the first half an hour of trading on Friday and more than 219,600 by 10:45.
By the cut off of this report, the stock hit a new high of $26.98 with 18,574 shares trading. 
Jamaica Producers jumped to $12.50, a new high with 2,773 and Access Financial traded at $27.50 for a new high.
All major markets indices hit new records during the morning session but with moderate trading taking place. The all Jamaica Composite Index jumped 2,607.52 points to 219,646.41 the Jamaica Stock Exchange Market Index leapt 2,331.57 points to 200,777.50, the Jamaica Stock Exchange combined index surged 2,504.69 points to 215,422.02 and the junior market index climbed 33.33 points to 2,844.60. By 11:17 am the all Jamaican Index pushed over the 220,146.59 rising by 3,091.13 points and 201,209.93 Jamaica Stock Exchange Market Index.
Securities changing hands, amount to 28 at 10:45 am as a total of 13 advanced and 12 declined, resulting in a volume of 554,414 shares changing hands, carrying a value of $6,229,690. The average trade for the early session amounted to just 19,801 units.
Non-dividend stocks as investments?
The payment of dividends is only one element to consider in investing in stocks. Investing companies that do not pay dividends should not matter seriously, in the short.
This is true if companies are using the profits to grow the business.
Capital gain is the most important return investors look for in buying stocks. In the long run stocks that don’t pay dividends tend to grow faster than most, but ultimately they will make dividend payments to their shareholders, thus increasing the return on investment.
The most important factor in buying stocks is whether their values are relatively low enough to make for a profitable investment down the road. At the same time, investors should not only look at a company by itself and compare the likely growth with other stocks, with the ones showing the greatest potential being invested in.
If income is the main objective, then investors would need to look to those stocks paying the h level of dividends relative to the stock price.
Juniors crawl to a new record
tTech closed at a new all-time high of $6.90 on Thursday.
The market trading ended with 16 securities trading versus 19 on Wednesday, with 3 closing at 52 weeks’ high. The volume of stocks changing hands, ended at 542,606 units valued at $3,545,918, compared to 6,155,150 units valued at $25,573,851, on Wednesday.
An average of 33,913 units with an average value of $221,620 traded, compared to 323,955 units with an average value of $1,345,992 on the previous trading day. The average for the month to date is 186,317 units
with an average value of $987,878 versus 195,282 units with an average value of $1,013,387 for the preceding trading day. The average for December, ended at 131,147 units, with an average of $672,488.The market closed with 12 stocks with bids higher than their last sale and 2 with lower offers than the last sale.
At the close of trading, investors slashed $2.60 off the price of AMG Packaging to close at $20 with 18,888 units changing hands, Cargo Handlers shed 35 cents to end at $20.50, after 1,445 shares were traded, Caribbean Flavours pushed through 1,142 units to end at $10. Caribbean Producers exchanged 126,334 shares but fell 15 cents to $4, General Accident gained 10 cents at the close of trading, with 70,443 shares at $3, Honey Bun closed with 10,502 shares having changed hands at $6.65, Jamaican Teas rose 60 cents to end at record high of $8.60 with 1,000 shares having passed through the market. Jetcon Corporation closed trading with 128,963 shares, to end with a fall of 76 cents to $9.54,
KLE Group ended with 100 units changing hands at $2.49, Lasco Distributors ended trading with 73,952 units changing hands to end at $7.30. Lasco Financial had 28,397 shares changing hands to end at $3.80, Lasco Manufacturing with 44,145 units changing hands, closed with a fall of 10 cents at $5.10, Medical Disposables gained 35 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $5.90 with 100 shares trading. Paramount Trading closed at $3.20 with 12,800 shares changing hands, tTech closed trading with 20,000 units changing hands and gained 89 cents to end at a record $6.90 and Derrimon preference share, rose 12 cents to close at $2.12 as 4,395 units passed through the market.
New record close for JSE majors
Berger hit at a new 52 weeks’ high on Thursday.
The high levels of trading above the $220 million market seen in the market for the previous 5 trading days ended on Thursday with less than $100 million of trading. At the close, 3,687,829 units valued at $80,933,897 changed hands, compared to 13,315,100 units valued at $237,592,401 changing hands on Wednesday. Of the stocks traded, the junior market accounted for 542,606 units valued at $3,545,918.
The market closed with 43 securities changing hands, with 16 stocks rising and falling in the overall market, including 6 stocks rising and 5 falling, in the junior market. A total of 8 securities ended at new 52 weeks’ closing highs.
At the close the All Jamaica Composite Index gained 1,486.31 points to close at 217,038.89. The JSE Market Index rose 1,268.01 points to finish at 198,445.93 and the JSE combined index climbed 1,077.42 points to close at 212,917.33.
The average trade for the day in the main market ended at 116,490 shares compared to an average of 275,383 units traded on Wednesday. An average of 291,945 units traded for the month to date, versus 467,399 units on the previous trading day. The average for the month of December ended at 549,379 units.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 21 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 with lower offers.In market activity, Berger Paints jumped $1, pushing the price to a new closing high at $10.50 while trading 123,265 shares, Cable and Wireless ended with 626,427 units at $1.18, after losing 7 cents, Caribbean Cement surged $3 in trading 865,850 shares to close at 52 weeks’ high of $36.50. Carreras closed at $66.70 with 27,280 shares changing hands, 1834 Investments traded 62,439 units at $1.30, Grace Kennedy had 50,652 units trading to close at $40.65, after gaining 15 cents, Jamaica Broilers lost 2 cents and closed at $15 with 21,213 shares changing hands. Jamaica Producers traded 250,000 shares after losing 30 cents to end $11.50, Jamaica Stock Exchange lost 10 cents to close at $5.50, having traded 51,865 shares, JMMB Group traded 114,080 units at $15.50, gaining 15 cents, Kingston Wharves ended up trading just 600 units and adding 26 cents to close at $27.75.
Mayberry Investments traded 36,000 shares with gains of 75 cents, to close at $5, National Commercial Bank lost 58 cents to close at $52.02 after swapping 519,708 shares, Pan Jamaican gained 35 cents and closed at $30 with 26,688 units traded, Portland JSX closed at $9 after falling by 50 cents while trading 7,079 units. Pulse Investments traded 45,950 units, gaining 35 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $5.30, Radio Jamaica lost 5 cents, closing at $1.35 with 15,200 shares traded, Sagicor Group closed with 49,810 shares changing hands with a gain of 96 cents to $30. Sagicor Real Estate fund traded 20,400 units and closed at $9.50, Scotia Group, with 118,490 shares changing hands lost 89 cents to close at $36.11. Scotia Investments traded 28,694 units, gaining 99 cents to close at $33.49, Supreme Ventures lost 11 cents in trading 10,500 shares to close at $5.10 and Proven Investments traded 67,260 ordinary shares to close at 23 US cents.
TCL fall pulls TTSE market index down
Trinidad Cement shares suffer big fall.
Market activity resulted in 15 securities traded, compared to 13 on Wednesday with 6 stocks advancing, 4 holding firm and 5 declining. The number of shares that changed hands amounted to 482,036 units valued at $3,773,912 compared to 95,386 shares valued at $2,016,084 on Wednesday.
At the close the Composite Index advanced 1.89 points to 1,223.91, thanks to gains in three Jamaican based stocks, the All T & T Index slid 3.19 points to 1,833.93 and the Cross Listed Index gained 0.96 points to 82.15.
IC bid-offer Indicator|The Investor’s Choice bid-offer ended with 7 stocks with bids higher than last selling prices and 8 with lower offers.
Gains| Angostura Holdings added 1 cent to close trading at $14.72 with an exchange of 11,968 shares, JMMB Group rose 6 cents to close at a 52 weeks high of $1.16 with 43,691 units being purchased, National Commercial Bank climbed 15 cents, closing at a 52 weeks high of $3.35 with 193,012 units traded, valued at $632,749. Scotia Investments closed at $2.21, gaining 1 cent with 1,100 shares changing hands, Trinidad & Tobago NGL traded 9,694 units to close at $21, for a gain of 35 cents and West Indian Tobacco added 2 cents to close at $127.02 with 578 shares changing owners.
Losses| Clico Investment lost 8 cents, closing at $22.50 with trades of 86,187 shares valued at $1,939,787, Massy Holdings closed at $51.42, a loss of 2 cents with 578 units traded, Sagicor Financial closed down by 5 cents to $8.50 with 22,247 shares being exchanged. Scotiabank traded 331 units, closing at $58.70, after a loss of 5 cents and Trinidad Cement traded just 500 shares to close at $4.55, after losing 50 cents.Firm Trades| Ansa McAL was unchanged at $65.84 with 2,306 units changing hands, First Citizens exchanged a mere 42 shares to close at $34.93, Grace Kennedy closed at $2.68 with 109,095 shares traded and Guardian Holdings held firm at $13.13 with 707 units changing hands.
Huge interest in Main Event
The Jamaica Stock Exchange latest potential listing on junior market, Main Event, pulled in just over 1,000 applications worth $670 million dollars, being 458 percent over subscribed.
The offering which closed on the same day it opened Tuesday January 24, is one with the largest number of applicant and is in line with Caribbean Producers and General Accident both with more than 1,100 applications.
According to Gary Peart, Chief Executive officer of Mayberry Investments, the broker for the deal there were several small applications. The level of over subscription is far worse than meets the eye with 22 million shares available to the wider public, to be split up amongst approximately 900 applicants. That works out at around 25,000 shares for each applicant.
The interest in the shares and the low level of shares that will be allocated to each applicant is going to have an electric impact on the post listing pricing by the market.
Trinidad Cement price drops sharply
Trinidad Cement shares suffer big fall.
The market closed with the All Composite and the All T&T indices sustaining losses. Trading activity resulted in 3 stocks advancing, 8 holding firm and 2 declining. A total of only 95,386 units were exchanged at a value of $2,016,084 compared to 757,514 shares valued at $7,647,257 on Tuesday.
The Composite Index lost 1.03 points to 1,222.02, the All T&T Index declined 2.20 points to 1,837.12 and the Cross Listed Index only added 0.02 points to 81.19.
IC bid-offer Indicator|The Investor’s Choice bid-offer ended with 8 stocks with bids higher than last selling prices and 9 with lower offers.
Gains| Grace Kennedy gained 4 cents to close at $2.68 with 35,738 units changing hands, Guardian Holdings added 3 cents, closing at $13.13 with an exchange of 477 shares and Sagicor Financial closed at a 52 weeks’ high of $8.55, an increase of 9 cents with 10,000 shares being traded.
Losses| Republic Financial Holdings closed at $108.34, a loss of 4 cents with trades of 1,744 shares and Trinidad Cement traded 4,000 shares to close at $5.05, after losing 45 cents.
Firm Trades| Ansa McAL closed at $65.84 with 40 units changing hands, Clico Investment traded 18,224 shares valued at $411,481 and closed at $22.58, National Enterprises exchanged 100 shares holding firm at $10.77, National Flour Mills was unchanged at $2.70 with an exchange of 3,651 shares. Prestige Holdings closed at $11 with trades of 422 units, Scotiabank with an exchange of 20,100 units valued at $1,180,863, to close at $58.75, Trinidad & Tobago NGL traded 470 shares and closed at $2.65 and L.J. Williams 8% preference share remained unchanged at $3.30 with 420 units, with ownership being switched.
New record close for JSE majors
Scotiabank traded large volumes on Wednesday.
The market enjoyed another day of good volumes, with values exceeding $237 million, as the market continues to trade above the $220,000 market for the fifth consecutive day.
The market closed with 45 securities changing hands, 19 stocks gained and 12 declined in the overall market, including 7 stocks rising and 7 falling, in the junior market. A total of 8 securities ended at new 52 weeks’ closing highs.
At the close the All Jamaica Composite Index gained 1,486.31 points to close at 215,646.20. The JSE Market Index rose 1,329.03 points to finish at 197,200.62 and the JSE combined index climbed 1,462.70 points to close at 211,694.92.
At the close with 13,315,100 units valued at $237,592,401 changed hands, compared to 10,692,647 units valued at $273,030,077 changing hands on Tuesday. Of the stocks traded, the junior market accounted for 6,155,150 units valued at $25,573,851.
The average trade for the day in the main market ended at 275,383 shares compared to an average of 360,513 units traded on Tuesday. An average of 467,399 units traded for the month to date, versus 659,416 units on the previous trading day. The average for the month of December ended at 549,379 units.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 17 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 with lower offers.
In market activity, Barita closed at $5.75 after trading 100,000 shares, Berger Paints jumped $1 which pushed the price to a new closing high at $9.50 while trading 27,437 shares, Cable and Wireless ended with 96,651 units at $1.25, after gaining 5 cents, Caribbean Cement jumped $2.98 and traded 57,643 shares to close at $33.50. Carreras closed at $66.70 with a loss of 5 cents and 8,729 shares changing hands, 1834 Investments traded 50,000 units at $1.30, Grace Kennedy had 1,260 units trading to close at $40.50, Jamaica Broilers lost 23 cents and closed at $15.02 with 26,933 shares changing hands. Jamaica Producers traded 121,025 shares, gaining $1.80 to end at 52 weeks’ high of $11.80, Jamaica Stock Exchange traded 53,840 shares at $5.60, 
JMMB Group traded 623,532 units at $15.35 in gaining 4 cents, Kingston Properties closed at $8.50 with 18,435 units traded, Kingston Wharves ended up trading 30,000 units to close at $27.49, after losing 26 cents. National Commercial Bank swapped 134,201 shares to close at $52.60, Pan Jamaican lost 30 cents and closed at $29.65 with 11,923 units traded, Portland JSX gained 50 cents to close at $9.50 while trading 10,923 units. Pulse Investments traded 12,000 units, gaining 60 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $4.95, Sagicor Group closed with 2,276,639 shares changing hands with a gain of 1 cent at $29.04, Scotia Group, with 3,010,131 shares changing hands, gained $1 to close at $37. Scotia Investments traded 2,091 units losing 50 cents to close at $32.50, Seprod traded 466,763 units and rose 30 cents to $29.80 and Supreme Ventures gained 11 cents in trading 10,371 shares to close at $5.21.
