The volumes and value of stocks trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange fell even lower on Thursday, than on Wednesday, with only 1,511,668 units valued at $15,554,439, down from $23,078,589 changing hands on Wednesday. Of the stocks trading in all market segments, the junior market accounted for 318,651 units, valued at $1,661,887.
At the close of trading, the JSE Market Index suffered a sizable fall of 1,122.82 points to end at 157,304.81. The all Jamaica Composite Index dropped 1,255.70 points to close at 174,756.12 and the JSE combined index had a fall of 502.71 points, to end at 169,025.53 as the junior market gained strongly, thus negating some of the main market fall.
At the close of the market prices of 12 securities gained out of a total of 26 that traded, with 10 declining in the overall market, including 7 stocks rising and 1 falling, in the junior market. Kingston Wharves traded at a 52 weeks’ intraday high of $17.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading showed 13 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 with lower offers.
In market activity, Barita Investments closed with a gain of 20 cents to trade at $3 with 7,060 units changing hands, Cable & Wireless traded 757,633 shares and closed at $1.01 after falling by 6 cents, Carreras lost 45 cents, while trading just 2,000 shares to end at $66. Grace Kennedy added 90 cents to end at $43.40 with 146,082 shares changing hands, Jamaica Broilers had 3.404 shares changing hands, to end with a gain of 5 cents at $14.65. Jamaica Stock Exchange had 1,300 units changing hands to close at $21.50, National Commercial Bank had 35,206 units changing hands but lost 79 cents to close at $40. Pan Jamaican Investments lost 40 cents to close at $24.60, after trading only 125 shares, Radio Jamaica rose 15 cents in trading 15,601 shares, to end at $1.70, Sagicor Group lost 8 cents while 18,118 shares changed hands, at $21, Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 12,672 shares and gained 30 cents, to close at $9.80. Scotia Group dropped 98 cents to close at $29.08 with 139,902 shares changing hands, Scotia Investments had 20,000 units changing hands at $25 for a fall of $1, Supreme Ventures lost 5 cents while 5,000 shares changed hands at $4.75 and JMMB Group 7.50% preference share traded 21,514 units and rose 7 cents to close at $1.07.
More inflows in Ja. FX market
As authorized dealers bought another $7.3 million more than they sold on Thursday bringing the net inflows since the end of June, to US$228 million. In Thursday’s trading, dealers bought US$42,116,500 and sold US$34,757,990 compared to US$48,991,761 purchased and US$30,732,595 sold on Wednesday, of all currencies.
In US dollar trading, dealers bought US$38,450,163 compared to US$46,332,966 on Wednesday. The buying rate for the US dollar was unchanged at $126.82. A total of US$32,644,249 was sold versus US$28,655,368 on Wednesday, with the selling rate rising 6 cents to end at $127.31. The Canadian dollar buying rate rose 12 cents to at $95.61, with dealers buying C$976,528 and selling C$516,412 at an average rate that fell 86 cents to $97.96. The average rate for buying the British Pound dropped 74 cents to $164.34 for the purchase of £2,007,388, while £1,030,002 was sold with the rate climbing $1.19 to end at $168.27.
At the end of trading, the selling rate for the Euro, fell 83 cents to close at J$143.57 from Wednesday’s rate, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, dealers purchased the European common currency at J$139.72 for a rise of $1.49 from the rate on Wednesday. The US dollar equivalent of other currencies traded amounts to US$328,758 being bought, while US$354,975, was sold.
Highs & Lows| Notable changes to the highest and lowest traded rates, for the Jamaican dollar in the foreign exchange market on Thursday, include a jump of $3.24 in the highest selling rate for the US dollar to $137.54, a decline of $1.15 in the highest buying rate of Canadian Dollar to close at $99.50. Trading in the British Pound resulted in a rise of $1.96 in the highest selling rate to $176.58 and a fall of $1.50 in the lowest selling rate to close of $161.
Juniors recover lost ground – Thursday
The junior market closed on Thursday with just 7 securities trading, leading the junior market index, to close with a gain of 52.50 points at 2,252.77, thus reversing almost all of the fall of the previous two days. At the end, 318,651 units, valued at $1,661,887 traded.
While the number of units trading were low, there appears a stand off between buyers and sellers as the market continues to consolidate with volumes being offered slowly falling, leaving a number of stocks short on supply to meet any meaningful demand. Trading ended with 5 stocks that rose while only 1 declined as 7 closed with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 ended with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial gained $1.45 in trading 500 shares, to end at $17.50, Honey Bun rose 2 cents with 44,900 shares changing hands, to close at $5.10, Jetcon Corporation rose by 30 cents with 35,000 units changing hands to end at $3.15. Lasco Distributors ended with 81,400 shares changing hands at $7, Lasco Financial gained 25 cents in trading 13,351 units to close at $3.50, Lasco Manufacturing closed at $4.90 with 139,500 shares trading, after rising 40 cents and Medical Disposables ended with a loss of 9 cents as 4,000 shares changed hands at $3.06.
TTSE trades mostly steady – Thursday
Trading activity on the Trinidad and Tobago stock market continued with relatively low volumes at the close on Thursday. A total of 11 securities changed hands, resulting in 126,060 shares valued at just $1,731,714 traded, 1 stocks rose, 2 declined and 8 remained unchanged, leading to declines in two of the market’s indices.
The Composite Index declined by 0.04 points to close at 1,158.49, the All T&T Index fell 0.07 points to close at 1,820.31 and the Cross Listed Index remained at 66.33.
IC bid-offer Indicator| The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator ended with 9 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 with offers that were lower.
Gains| Prestige Holdings gained 10 cents with 26,200 shares changing hands at $10.90.
Losses| Massy Holdings ended with a I cent loss as 200 shares changed hands at $54.94 and Point Lisas traded just 60 units but fell 9 cents to $3.51.
Firm Trades| Clico Investment Fund ended at $22.66 with 16,983 shares valued at $384,667 trading, First Citizens traded 790 units at $35, Guardian Holdings with 50,000 shares valued of $678,500 changing hands and ended at $13.57, National Enterprises closed with 27,666 shares changing hands at $10.50. National Flour ended with 2,011 shares changing hands at $2.32, One Caribbean Media ended with 50 shares changing hands to close at $20.80, Sagicor Financial Corporation closed with 100 shares changing hands at $6.90 and Tobago Trinidad and NGL with 2,000 shares changing hands to close at $23.76.
Falling JSE stocks beat advancers – Wednesday
At the close of the market prices of 8 securities gained out of a total of 38 that traded, with 18 declining in the overall market, including 4 stocks rising and 7 falling, in the junior market. Kingston Wharves traded at a 52 weeks’ intraday high of $17.
Trading closed with 7,500,411 units valued at $23,078,589 changing hands, in all market segments. The junior market accounted for 1,886,162 units, valued at $8,593,938 of all trades.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading showed 13 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 with lower offers.
In market activity, Cable & Wireless traded 72,300 shares and closed at $1.07 after rising by 3 cents, Caribbean Cement traded just 3,000 shares and fell 48 cents to close at $26.20, Carreras lost 5 cents, while trading just 19,533 shares to end at $66.45. The price of 1834 Investments fell 5 cents to close at $1.26, in trading 534,918 shares, Grace Kennedy lost $1 to end at $42.50 with 29,745 shares changing hands, Jamaica Broilers had 44,821 shares changing hands, to end at $14.60. Jamaica Stock Exchange had 16,950 units changing hands to close at $21.50, JMMB Group traded only 2,426 units to end with a loss of 29 cents at $9.51, National Commercial Bank had 20,749 units changing hands and climbed 29 cents to close at $40.79. Pan Jamaican Investments lost 15 cents to close at $25, after trading 30,249 shares, Radio Jamaica traded 254,020 shares, to end at $1.55, Sagicor Group lost 72 cents while only 2,900 shares changed hands, at $21.08, Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 7,328 shares and fell 50 cents, to close at $9.50. Scotia Group traded unchanged at $30.06 with 41,854 shares changing hands, Supreme Ventures lost 10 cents while 527,552 shares changed hands at $4.80 and JMMB Group 7.50% preference share traded 4 million units but fell 1 cent to a 52 weeks’ low of $1.01.
Juniors down again on Wednesday
Trading ended with 4 stocks that rose while 7 declined as 7 closed with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 ended with lower offers.
At the close, CAC 2000 traded 10,614 shares, to end at $6, Caribbean Cream closed with 126,756 units changing hands and fell 5 cents, to $7, Cargo Handlers traded 7,518 shares but lost just 1 cent in closing at $75.03, after trading earlier at an intraday high of $76.10. Caribbean Flavours traded 2,791 units to end at $7. Caribbean Producers rose 9 cents in trading 4,885 units at $3.40, Consolidated Bakeries rose 5 cents with 1,353 units changing hands, to end at $2.40, Derrimon Trading traded 7,050 units to close at $3.05. Honey Bun had 44,404 shares changing hands, to close at $5.08, Iron Rock Insurance traded 24,393 units to close at $3.30, Jamaican Teas traded 13,508 units to close at $3.40, Jetcon Corporation fell by 15 cents with 15,098 units to end at $2.85. KLE Group gained 3 cents and ended at $1.43 with 284 shares changing hands, Lasco Distributors fell 5 cents and ended with 18,002 shares changing hands at $7, Lasco Financial lost 10 cents in trading 758,513 units to close at $3.25. Lasco Manufacturing closed at $4.50 with 550,005 shares trading, after falling 35 cents, Medical Disposables ended with a loss of 10 cents as 65,000 shares changed hands at $3.15 and tTech climbed 59 cents and ended at $5 with 235,988 units changing hands.
Big losses for JSE indices on Tuesday
At the close of the market prices of 16 securities gained out of a total of 40 securities that traded, with 15 declining in the overall market, including 9 stocks, rising and 6 falling in the junior market.
Trading closed with 6,761,304 units valued at $43,160,974 changing hands, in all market segments. The junior market accounted for 2,549,505 units, valued at $12,665,912 of all trades.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading showed 9 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 with lower offers.
In market activity, Cable & Wireless traded 777,339 shares and closed at $1.04 after falling by 6 cents, Caribbean Cement traded 157,722 shares and fell 22 cents to close at $26.68, Carreras rose 5 cents, while trading just 8,190 shares to end at $66.50. The price of 1834 Investments rose 1 cent to close at $1.31, in trading 109,046 shares, Grace Kennedy lost 90 cents in ending at $43.50 with 89,591 shares changing hands, Jamaica Broilers had 170,189 shares changing hands, to end at $14.60, Jamaica Producers gained 9 cents to close at $8.41 with 29,234 units trading. Jamaica Stock Exchange had 9,600 units changing hands to close at $21.50, JMMB Group traded 33,575 units to end with a gain of 30 cents at $9.80, Kingston Wharves traded 11,680 shares to close at $16.20, National Commercial Bank had 53,745 units changing hands and fell 50 cents to close at $40.50. Pan Jamaican Investments gained 15 cents to close at $25.15, after trading 19,524 shares, Portland JSX traded 303,134 shares and rose 9 cents, to end at $11.49, Radio Jamaica traded 24,344 shares, to end at $1.55, Sagicor Group closed with a gain of 30 cents while 71,066 shares changed hands, at $21.80. Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 1,470 shares and fell 20 cents, to close at $10, Scotia Group lost $1.44 while trading 87,422 shares, to end at $30.06, Scotia Investments closed trading with 37,500 shares at $26. Supreme Ventures lost 9 cents while 191,370 shares changing hands at $4.90, Proven Investments ordinary share, traded 48,300 units at 19.94 US cents compared to 19 US cents on Monday, JMMB Group 7.50%% preference share traded 94,115 units but fell 6 cents to $1.02 and Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference share traded 1,874,000 units and ended at $2.10.
Juniors drop with 1 new high – Tuesday
Trading ended with 7 stocks that rose while 6 declined, including Knutsford Express that closed at a new 52 weeks’ high of $23.25 with 2,882 shares trading, to record a gain of 5 cents. At the end of trading 6 stocks closed with bids higher than their last selling prices and 1 ended with a lower offer.
At the close, Access Financial Services gained 5 cents in trading 40,000 shares, to end at $16.05, AMG Packaging added 51 cents and closed at $13.51, with 10,299 units changing hands, Caribbean Cream closed with 419,825 units changing hands and fell 30 cents, to $7.05. Cargo Handlers last traded at $75.04, but now has a bid at $76.10, to buy 5,000 shares, with no stock on offer at the close. Caribbean Flavours traded 8,910 units to end at $7 with a gain of 15 cents, Consolidated Bakeries had 35,242 units changing hands to end at $2.35, General Accident gained 1 cent, in trading 950 units to close at $2.30. Honey Bun dropped 45 cents with 10,516 shares changing hands, to close at $5.08, Jamaican Teas traded 5,235 units with a fall of 45 cents to close at $3.40, Lasco Distributors ended with 11,700 shares changing hands to end at $7.05, Lasco Financial lost 5 cents in trading 750,200 units to close at $3.35. Lasco Manufacturing closed at $4.85 with 644,900 shares trading, after falling 4 cents, Paramount Trading ended with a loss of $2.50 as 1,249 shares changed hands at $12, tTech climbed 41 cents and ended at $4.41 with 507,226 units changing hands and Eppley 10% preference share gained 1 cent to close at $6.11 with 100,371 units changing hands.