The Jamaican dollar gained against the United States dollar and the euro on Tuesday but closed down against the Canadian dollar and the Pound. Dealers bought the equivalent of US$37,551,931 of all currencies, and sold US$29,217,148, compared to US$46,553,035 purchased and US$39,251,159 sold on Monday.
In US dollar trading, dealers bought US$32,852,735 compared to US$41,925,032 on Monday. The buying rate for the US dollar rose 12 cents to close at $128.42. A total of US$25,045,457 was sold versus US$36,223,594 on Monday, with the selling rate falling 6 cents to $129.05. The Canadian dollar buying rate jumped $1.05 to $95.12, with dealers buying C$3,436,587 and selling C$3,339,290 at an average rate that rose 14 cents to $96.39. 
The average rate for buying the British Pound rose 32 cents to $154.52 for the purchase of £1,560,575 while £972,185 was sold with a rise of 14 cents to end at $157.37.
At the end of trading on Tuesday, dealers sold €380,838 with the selling rate for the Euro, closing with a drop of $3.74 to $139.90, according to data from Bank of Jamaica. Dealers purchased €184,471 of the European common currency at $138.41 after falling 9 cents. The US dollar equivalent of other currencies traded, amounts to US$77,333 being bought and selling of US$79,219.
Highs & Lows| Notable changes to the highest and lowest rates for the regularly traded currencies, in the foreign exchange market on Tuesday, include a rise of $1.08 in the lowest selling rate of the US dollar to $105.12. The highest selling rate for the Canadian dollar declined $1.53 to $99.83. The highest buying rate for the British Pound dropped $11.18 to $157 and the lowest buying rate dropped $6.81 to $126.41, the highest selling rate rose $6.66 to $180 and the lowest selling rate dropped $6 to $152. The highest buying rate for the Euro dipped $5 to $140, the lowest buying rate fell $1.95 to $113.21, the highest selling rate fell $2.97 to $146.88 and the lowest selling rate surged $21.87 to $136.40.
Jamaican$ gains vs US dollar – Tuesday
Junior stocks inch forward – Tuesday
The junior market within touch of record territory
Trading volume rose 12 percent from Monday’s levels, ending with 981,688 units changing hands, while value traded, climbed 27 percent to $4,566,702 from $3,582,950 on Monday.
An average of 65,446 units with an average value of $304,447 traded, compared to 72,993 units with an average value of $298,579 on the preceding trading day. The average for last month was 129,138 units at $709,705.
At the close of the market on 15 securities traded, versus 12 on Monday resulting in 4 stocks advancing and 5 declining.
Market activities ended with 8 securities closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 ending with lower offers.In trading activity, AMG Packaging declined by $1.08 and ended with 13,500 shares changing hands at $18.50, CAC 2000 closed trading with 8,875 units changing hands with the price falling $1.20 to $5.10 as demand melted away for the stocks in light of a large legal bill the company faces. At the close there was no buying interest in the stock. Caribbean Cream close with 5,000 shares changing hands at with a gain of 27 cents to $7.52, Caribbean Producers closed trading with 8,007 units at $3.65, Consolidated Bakeries traded 4,000 units but lost 10 cents in closing at $2.50, General Accident Insurance rose 2 cents in trading 10,500 shares at $3.02.
Honey Bun with 4,927 shares changing hands closed at $6.10, Iron Rock Insurance with 94,434 units trading, ended at $3.30. Jamaican Teas traded 100 shares to close at $4, Jetcon Corporation jumped 58 cents and ended with 19,769 shares trading at $4.59, Knutsford Express traded 7,000 shares in closing at $22.50, Lasco Distributors ended with 205,955 shares trading to close at $7. Lasco Financial ended with 501,737 shares changing hands but lost 9 cents to close at $3.15, Lasco Manufacturing closed at $5.10 with 90,873 shares after rising 10 cents and Medical Disposables closed at $5 with 7,011 shares changing hands.
Majors climb in early trading – Tuesday
Trading is off to a moderate start in early trading on Tuesday with Scotia Group trading more than 1 million shares and CAC 2000 finally trading after news of its multi million law suit loss to end at $5.10, down from the last traded price of $6.30.
Reasonable volumes came from, Iron Rock Insurance with 94,434 units trading at $3.30, Lasco Distributors with 125,000 shares at $7, Lasco Financial with 494,451 shares changing hands at $3.25, Jamaica Broilers with 500,134 units at $14.50, JMMB Group 7.50% preference shares traded 506,000 units at $1.08 and Scotia Group accounting for 1,024,549 units at $31.50.
The all Jamaica Composite Index climbs 998.42 points to 186,327.87, the Jamaica Stock Exchange Market Index gained 892.76 points to 167,652.03, the Jamaica Stock Exchange combined index rose 816.00 points to close at 180,495.75 and the junior market index eased 1.17 points to 2,435.23.
At 10:30 am, a total of 24 securities traded, resulting in a volume of 2,927,694 shares changing hands carrying a value of $45,399,096, compared to 4,494,219 shares changing hands carrying a value of $8,329,082, on Monday.
The average number of shares traded amounts to 121,987 units compared to 224,711 on Monday. Market activity resulted in 5 stocks falling while the prices of 5 securities rose.
Business conditions surged
Business and investors’ confidence is climbing with the Bank of Jamaica perceptions of present and future business conditions survey showing strong improvements in the latest reading, done in August this year.
The All-Jamaican stock market composite index also confirms the gains in confidence as can be seen from the chart. The stock market index dipped ahead of the survey numbers and started the rebound earlier than the survey figures.
The future conditions index rose to its highest level on record to 175.7 from 153.0 in the previous survey while the index of present business conditions rose to 211.7 from the 186.8 attained in the previous survey. According to the country’s central bank “Both indices reflected increases in the proportion of respondents of the view that conditions are or will be “better.” In addition, there were decreases in the proportion of respondents indicating that conditions are or will be “worse.”
The construction sector is one area reflecting improved confidence in the economy.
With the stock market moving from 178,203.70 points at the end of August to 185,329 points at the end of October, it is expected that perception of business conditions would have improved over the August levels as the stock market seems to mirror very well the sentiments of the business sector.
3 stocks rose 2 fell on TTSE – Monday
Trading on the Trinidad and Tobago Exchange ended on Monday with 9 securities changing hands, the same as on Friday. At the close 3 stocks gained while 2 declined and 4 remained unchanged.
Trading activity closed with 49,828 shares valued at $214,031 changing hands, compared to 98,234 shares valued at $2,410,845 on Friday.
The market closed with the the Composite Index fell 0.50 points to close at 1,172.75. The All T&T Index dropped 3.15 points to 1,801.44, down 7.55 percent for 2016 and the Cross Listed Index gained 0.30 points to 72.63 points and is up 46.70 percent, year to date.
IC bid-offer Indicator| The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator ended with 9 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 8 with lower offers.
Gains| National Commercial Bank gained of 5 cents to close with 10,000 shares changing hands at $2.65, National Enterprises gained 1 cent, in closing at $10.41 with 2,550 shares changing hands and Sagicor Financial ended trading with 875 shares with a rise of 1 cent to close at $7.01.
Losses| Grace Kennedy lost 2 cents in contributing 6,918 shares in trading, to close at $2.55 and Trinidad Cement dropped 50 cents to $3.45 while trading 28,909 shares as investors reacted negatively to a fall in profit for the September quarter.
Firm Trades| Clico Investment Fund closed with just 5 shares changing hands to end at $22.60, Scotiabank closed with 273 shares changing hands at $58.75, Trinidad and Tobago NGL closed at $23 with 178 units changing hands and West Indian Tobacco traded 120 shares changing hands to close at $127.
Jamaican$ gains vs US dollar – Monday
The Jamaican dollar gained against the United States and the Canadian dollars on Monday but closed down against the euro and the Pound. Dealers bought the equivalent of US$46,553,035 of all currencies, and sold US$39,251,159, compared to US$44,695,119 purchased and US$37,546,801 sold on Friday.
In US dollar trading, dealers bought US$41,925,032 compared to US$41,312,590 on Friday. The buying rate for the US dollar fell 33 cents to close at $128.30. A total of US$36,223,594 was sold versus US$35,641,076 on Friday, with the selling rate falling 3 cents to $129.11. 
The Canadian dollar buying rate dropped 65 cents to $94.07, with dealers buying C$2,576,342 and selling C$1,524,464 at an average rate that slipped 8 cents to $97.25. The average rate for buying the British Pound rose 14 cents to $154.20 for the purchase of £1,844,373 while £637,336 was sold with a rise of $1.22 to end at $157.23.
At the end of trading on Monday, dealers sold €993,558 with the selling rate for the Euro, closing at $143.64 for rise of 69 cents, according to data from Bank of Jamaica. Dealers purchased €467,873 of the European common currency at $138.50 after rising $2.44. The US dollar equivalent of other currencies traded, amounts to US$17,354 being bought and selling of US$9,546.
Highs & Lows| Notable changes to the highest and lowest rates for the regularly traded currencies, in the foreign exchange market on Monday, include a fall of $1.60 in the highest buying rate for the Canadian dollar to $77.19, the lowest selling rate jumped $9.72 to $92. The highest buying rate for the British Pound rose $1.10 to $167.60 and the lowest selling rate fell $2 to $150. There were not much changes to highest or lowest rates for the Euro .
Stock split consideration for Eppley
The directors of Eppley Limited will meet on Thursday, November 10, 2016 to consider the payment of an interim dividend to stockholders and a stock split.
Eppley last traded at $735 on the junior market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange. Since listing in July 2013, the stock has traded infrequently, even after the number of issued ordinary shares, were increased this year, with the issue of additional shares by way of a rights issue. In May the company issued 487,703 new ordinary shares priced at $650 each, bringing the total ordinary shares outstanding to only 1,283,122 units.
Profit for the June 2016 quarter amounted to $29 million $40.5 million for the half year, up from $22.5 million for the six months to June 2015.
The company is primarily in the business of insurance premium and lease financing.
10 for 1 stock split for Paramount
Paramount Trading – 10 for 1 stock split.
The stock split will take effect from the opening of trading on Monday, 14 November 2016. The stock closed trading on the junior market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Monday at $24, if the price remains at the current level, the price after the split would end at $2.40.
Paramount reported lower profit of $15 million, down from $43 million in 2015 in its latest quarterly report, ending August, from increased sales revenues of $253 million versus $238 million in 2015. The company indicates that cost increased in the quarter in connection with rebranding and celebration for the company’s 25th anniversary celebration.
Paramount is expanding into the processing of lubricants in a joint venture with Allegheny Petroleum with the plant expected to be operational early in 2017.
Jamaican stocks drop on Monday
Caribbean Cement lost $2 after positing a loss in Q3.
At the close 5,240,652 units valued at just $17,874,079 changed hands, compared to 9,303,791 units valued at $32,857,021 changing hands on Friday. The junior market accounted for 865,115 units trading valued at 3,986,807 of the stocks traded.
The average trade for the day in the main market ended at 189,771 units, compared to an average for the month to date of 220,811 units. On Friday, an average of 337,427 units, compared to an average for the month to date of 251,850.
The market closed with 35 securities trading as the prices of 17 gained while 9 declined in the overall market, including 6 stocks rising and 1 falling, in the junior market.IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 20 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 with lower offers.
In market activity, Barita Investments traded 25,000 units and gained 5 cents to close at $4.45, Cable & Wireless rose 5 cents to close at 85 cents with 100,000 units trading. Caribbean Cement traded 92,177 shares but dropped $2 to close at $31, after the company reported a loss of $81 million in the third quarter partially as a result of closure of its plant for upgrading. Trading in 1834 Investments resulted in 3,344,179 shares changing hands at $1.25, Jamaica Broilers gained 31 cents and closed at $14.51 with 22,132 shares switching owners. Jamaica Producers lost 1 cent to end at $8.19 with 154,746 units trading,
Jamaica Stock Exchange rose 50 cents and ended at $27.50 while trading 22,004 shares. JMMB Group traded 6,359 shares and rose 5 cents to end at $13.30, Kingston Wharves traded 81,500 shares to close at $17.50 after gaining 50 cents, Mayberry Investments fell 37 cents and ended with 11,938 shares trading at $4, National Commercial Bank traded 13,471 shares to close with a fall of $1.29 at $43.70. Pan Jamaican Investments gained 79 cents and closed at $23.29 after trading 5,887 shares, Sagicor Group had 9,320 shares changing hands and lost 30 cents to close at $22.90, Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 158,087 shares to close at $10.20 after losing 3 cents. Scotia Group gained 98 cents in trading 2,985 shares to close at $31.50, Seprod traded 13,414 shares to end at $25, Proven Investments traded 5,820 units at 19.90 US cents down from 19.50 US cents and JMMB Group 7.50% preference shares traded 290,100 units at $1.08.
6 junior stocks rise 1 falls – Monday
Trading closed on the junior market with the number of advancing stocks out pacing decliners by a wide margin while the market index advanced by just 6.20 points to 2,436.40, up 36 percent year to date.
Trading volume inched up by just 1 percent from Friday’s levels, ending with 875,913 units changing hands, while value traded, fell 10 percent to $3,582,950 from $3,986,807 on Friday.
An average of 72,993 units with an average value of $298,579 traded, compared to 57,674 units with an average value of $265,787 on the preceding trading day. An average for the month to date of 129,138 units at $709,705 traded.
At the close of the market on 12 securities traded, versus 15 on Friday resulting in 6 stocks advancing and 1 declining.
Market activities ended with 12 securities closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and 1 ending with a lower offer.
CAC 2000 that faces a big legal they lost their appeal against a claim for damages closed without trading with an offer of $5.50 and the highest bid at $5.45 versus the last traded price of $6.30.
In trading activity, Access Financial Services gained 50 cents while trading 100 shares to close at $21, Caribbean Producers closed trading with 304 units at $3.65, General Accident Insurance rose 5 cents in trading 661,993 shares at $3. Honey Bun with 400 shares changing hands, gained 10 cents and closed at $6.10, 
Jamaican Teas traded 52,781 shares to close at $4, Jetcon Corporation lost 1 cent and ended with 5,000 shares trading at $4.01, Knutsford Express traded 1,100 shares in closing at $22.50, Lasco Distributors traded 33,953 units and gained 15 cents to close at $7. Lasco Financial rose 14 cents and ended with 2,250 shares changing hands at $3.24, Lasco Manufacturing closed at $5 with 87,876 shares but traded as high as $5.20 during the day, Paramount Trading closed at $24 with 25,856 shares changing hands and tTech rose 5 cents and closed with 4,300 units trading at $5.
