The junior market index dropped 10.82 points to end at 2,398.97 on Thursday as the prices of 2 stocks rose and 8 declined with 4 securities trading, compared with 14 on Wednesday. The decline left the gain for the junior market index for the year to date to 34 percent.
The volume of stocks traded declining on Thursday by 15 percent from Wednesday’s level and ending with 1,016,439 units changing hands, valued at $5,281,239, up 26 percent from $7,108,043 on Wednesday.
Market activities ended with 6 securities closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 ending with lower offers.
An average of 72,603 units with an average value of $377,231 traded, compared to 133,184 units with an average value of $507,717 on the preceding trading day. The average for the month to date is 114,221 units for an average of $648,781 compared to 116,669 units valued at $664,754 on Wednesday and 129,138 units with an average value of $709,705 for October.
In trading activity, Access Financial Services traded 2,510 units to close at $20.50, Cargo Handlers rose 50 cents and closed with 3,000 units changing hands to close at $12.50, Caribbean Producers lost 5 cents in trading 11,500 units at $3.45, Derrimon Trading lost 12 cents in trading 42,482 shares to close at $4.88, General Accident fell by 30 cents and closed trading with 125,025 units at $2.85, Honey Bun with 222,321 shares changing hands lost 3 cents and closed at $5.60. Iron Rock Insurance traded 11,556 shares to end at $3, Jamaican Teas traded 6,384 shares to close at $3.99, with a decline of 1 cent. Jetcon Corporation gave up 5 cents and closed with 17,188 units changing hands at $5, Knutsford Express traded 1,000 units at $20, Lasco Distributors fell by 1 cent with 271,146 shares changing hands, to close at $6.60, Lasco Financial ended with 14,900 shares changing hands at $3.15. Lasco Manufacturing lost 10 cents and closed at $4.70 with 272,227 shares changing hands, Paramount Trading gain 10 cents with 14,600 units changing hands to close at $3.10.
16 stocks fall 7 rise in early JSE trading
Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange resulted in the main market and junior market falling as declining stocks beat out advancing on a 2 to 1 ratio in early Thursday morning activity.
A total of 33 securities traded of which 7 advanced and 16 fell, resulting in a volume of 3,513,020 shares changing hands carrying a value of a $22,530,339 compared with 627,417 shares changing hands with a value of $2,528,726 on Wednesday at 10.45 AM. The average number of shares traded, amount to 106,455 units versus 26,142 units on Wednesday.
At 11:30 am the all Jamaica Composite Index fell 362.17 points to 193,127.24, the Jamaica Stock Exchange Market Index lost 323.84 points to 173,731.89, the Jamaica Stock Exchange combined index declined by 418.09 points to close at 185,754.80 and the junior market index fell 11.46 points to end at 2,398.33.
Jamaican$ gains vs. US$ – Wednesday
The Jamaican dollar gained moderately in foreign exchange trading on Wednesday against the United States but fell against the other three major currencies. Dealers bought the equivalent of US$42,647,035 of all currencies and sold US$37,480,324, compared to US$38,545,626 purchased and US$30,346,908 sold on Tuesday.
In US dollar trading, dealers bought US$37,980,242 compared to US$33,256,940 on Tuesday. The buying rate for the US dollar climbed 13 cents to close at $128.49. A total of US$32,510,365 was sold versus US$26,749,165 on Tuesday, with the selling rate falling 4 cents to end at $129.05. The Canadian dollar buying rate rose 14 cents to $95.38, with dealers buying C$4,351,922 and selling C$4,660,973 at an average rate that climbed 61 cents to $96.95. The average rate for buying the British Pound fell $1.21 to $156.74 for the purchase of £756,557 while £280,437 was sold with a gain of 80 cents to end at $160.67.
At the end of trading on Wednesday, dealers sold €941,766 with the selling rate for the Euro, closing with a rise of 39 cents to $137.91, according to data from Bank of Jamaica. Dealers purchased €472,871 of the European common currency at $135.65 after rising $2.24. The US dollar equivalent of other currencies traded, amounts to US$14,312 being bought and selling of US$112,861.
Highs & Lows| Notable changes to the highest and lowest rates for the regularly traded currencies in the foreign exchange market on Wednesday, include a rise in the highest buying rate for the Canadian dollar of $2.20 to $99. The highest buying rate for the British Pound climbed $1 to $162, the highest selling rate lost $1.02 to $167.46, while the lowest selling rate climbed $3.50 to $156. The highest buying rate for the Euro fell $1.10 to $137, the highest selling rate dropped $2.31 to $140 and the lowest selling rate rose by 80 cents to $132.80.
Trading activity drops on TTSE – Wednesday
Trading levels declined sharply on the Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange on Wednesday in contrast to much more robust activity on Tuesday when 13 securities traded. At the close, 8 securities changed hands, 2 advanced, 1 declined and 5 traded unchanged.
Trading activity closed with 31,204 shares changing hands with a value of $2,125,247, in contrast to Monday’s volume of 1,012,187 with a value of $20,846,037.
The Composite Index gained 0.16 points to 1,190.98 points, the All T & T Index closed 0.32 points higher to 1,804.84 points, but down 7.37 percent year to date. The Cross Listed Index remained unchanged at 77.15 points with year to date gains of 55.83 percent.
IC bid-offer Indicator |The Investor’s Choice bid-offer ended with 5 stocks with bids higher than last selling prices and 9 with lower offers.
Gains| First Citizens gained 1 cent to close at $33.02 with 1,077 shares changing hands and National Enterprises advanced 5 cents to close at $10.60 and Losses|Guardian Holdings lost 5 cents with 1,125 shares changing hands to close at $12.95.
Firm Trades| First Caribbean International Bank closed at $8.50 with 500 shares changing hands, Guardian Media closed at $19 with 7,310 shares changing hands, Scotiabank closed at $58.72, with 5,221 shares changing hands with a value of $306,609. Trinidad & Tobago NGL closed at $22.54, with 376 shares changing hands and West Indian Tobacco closed at $126.80 with 12,492 shares changing hands valued at $1,584,017.
Junior market drops sharply – Tuesday
The volume of stocks traded dropped sharply on Tuesday with the volume rose moderately by 16 percent from Monday’s level and ending with just 215,605 units changing hands, valued at $946,789, down 25 percent from $1,256,517 on Monday.
Market activities ended with 8 securities closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 ending with lower offers.
An average of 16,500 units with an average value of $67,628 traded, compared to 20,615 units with an average value of $139,613 on the preceding trading day. The average for the month to date is 115,706 units for an average of $674,569 compared to 122,319 units valued at $715,032 on Monday and 129,138 units with an average value of $709,705 for October.
In trading activity, Honey Bun with 14,554 shares changing hands, but rose 3 cents to end at $5.63, Iron Rock Insurance dropped $1.10 cents in trading 5,00 units to close at $3, ISP Finance rose 22 cents to end at an all-time high of $7.25 with just 2,000 shares changing hands, Jamaican Teas traded 2,900 shares to close at $3.99. Jetcon Corporation fell 30 cents and closed with 10,400 units changing hands at $4.90, KLE Group declined 5 cents and ended with 4,000 shares trading at $1.50, Knutsford Express lost $2 in trading 485 shares to close at $20, Lasco Distributors rose 40 cents with 26,785 shares changing hands, to close at $6.90. Lasco Financial gained 8 cents and ended with 18,751 shares changing hands at $3.08, Lasco Manufacturing lost 9 cents and closed at $4.71 with 44,400 shares changing hands, Paramount Trading dropped 45 cents with 53,334 units changing hands to close at $3.50. tTech rose 55 cents and ended with 11,996 shares changing hands at $5.75, Derrimon Trading preference share rose 15 cents ending with 20,500 units changing hands to close at $2.25 and Eppley 9.5% preference share, traded 500 units at $6.18.
Witco pulls in $7.5m on TTSE
Trading activity closed with 1,012,187 shares changing hands with a value of $20,846,037, in contrast to Monday’s volume of 453,888 with a value of $6,111,495.
The Composite Index gained 0.44 points to 1,190.82 points, the All T & T Index closed 0.87 points higher to 1,804.52 points, but down 7.39 percent year to date and the Cross Listed Index closed unchanged at 77.15 points and remained with the year to date gains of 55.83 percent.
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| Guardian Holdings gained 44 cents to close at $13 with 742,704 shares changing hands valued at $9,655,042.
< Strong> Losses| strong>Massy Holdings lost 1 cent with 5,843 shares changing hands to close at $58.43, Trinidad & Tobago NGL closed at $22.54, a loss of 7 cents with 13,202 shares changing hands and Trinidad Cement lost 15 cents to close at $3.25, with 4,500 shares changing hands.
Firm Trades | Angostura Holdings with 150,473 shares changing hands, closed at $15.50 with a value of $2,332,332, Clico Investment Fund closed at $22.60 with 20,800 shares changing hands, First Citizens closed at $33.01 with 605 shares changing hands, First Caribbean International Bank closed at $8.50 with 1,155 shares changing hands. Guardian Media closed at $19 with 6,443 shares changing hands, National Enterprises closed at $10.55 with 6,000 shares changing hands, Prestige Holdings, with 602 shares changing hands, closed at $11. Scotiabank closed at $58.72 with 500 shares changing hands and Witco closed at $126.80 with 59,360 shares changing hands valued at $7,526,848, Witco will make a dividend payout of $1.44 per share on November 24.