Trading ended on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Wednesday with 19 securities changing hands, resulting in an exchange of 852,002 units valued at $3,622,384 compared to 2,266,563 units valued at $14,319,936 on Tuesday.
The Junior Market Index declined by whopping 61.17 points to close at 3,000.77. At the close of market activities, the prices of 2 advanced, 11 declined and 6 remained with the prices unchanged, all being based on the last prices at which securities were traded.
Trading ended with an average of 44,842 units for an average of $190,652 in contrast to 98,546 units for an average of $622,606 on Tuesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 144,864 units valued at $646,228 and 152,558 units at an average value of $681,272, previously. In contrast, August closed with average of 234,437 units valued at $1,295,260 for each security traded.
Trading ended with the market sentiments looking negative and having implications for the upcoming trading day’s activity as 2 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 with lower offers.
At the close of the market the volume of stocks changing hands and their last traded price are: Access Financial concluding dropping $6.50 to $40, with 500 shares, AMG Packaging finishing 15 cents higher at $3.15, with 10,500 units. Cargo Handlers finished with a loss of 10 cents at $11.10, with 8,973 stock units, Caribbean Cream concluded trading with a loss of 40 cents at $5.90, with 3,993 shares changing hands, Caribbean Producers settled with a loss of 10 cents at $3.80, with 91,286 units, Consolidated Bakeries settled at $2.40, with 3,451 shares, Express Catering finished with a loss of 30 cents at $4.20, with 35,132 units, 
Eppley ended at $12, with 1,000 shares, General Accident closed with a loss of 30 cents at $2.70, with 14,000 units, Honey Bun settled at $4.05, with 2,700 units, Jamaican Teas fell 40 cents to $3.80, with 98,851 stocks trading, Jetcon Corporation concluded trading at $4.50, with 53,199 shares, Lasco Distributors lost 1 cent to close at $6.79, with 22,960 units, Lasco Financial settled with a loss of 4 cents at $3.95, with 302,760 stocks trading, Lasco Manufacturing concluded market activity 5 cents higher at $4.05, with 106,700 shares, Medical Disposables settled with a loss of 20 cents at $4.80, with 33,000 shares, Main Event ended with a loss of 34 cents at $5.28, with 2,348 stock units, Stationery and Office concluded trading at $4.75, with 60,391 shares and tTech settled at $7.55, with just 258 shares.
Berger investors rebuffing Ansa offer
Berger Paints traded at a high as $11.55 on Tuesday.
The main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed trading with 25 securities changed hands, with declining stocks just edging out advancing ones, while 3 stocks traded in the US dollar market.
The market closed with 9 stocks advancing and 11 declining based on the price the trade took place.
Some noted trades include Berger Paints that continues to trade above the price on $10.88 offered by Ansa Coatings to acquire the minority holdings. Investors continue to rebuff the offer by buying the stock at the close at $11 with 153,142 shares changing hands, up to $11.55 and a low of $10.85. The stock closed with a bid to buy 103,462 units at $11 and just 2,935 units offered at $11.70 and few shares offered close to this range.
Some other trades of note are Jamaica Producers 4 million unit trade with the price dropping nearly $1 and a $3.75 jump in the price of Seprod.
At the close of market activity, Barita Investments traded at $8.15, having lost 85 cents with 4,900 units, Cable and Wireless lost 3 cents to close at $1.05 with 18,708 shares, Caribbean Cement traded $2 lower to $28 with only 240 units, Carreras closed at record high of $11.50, gaining 25 cents with 223,703 shares trading, Grace Kennedy fell 99 cents and settled at $42.01 with 11,117 shares. Jamaica Broilers closed at $16.04, losing 86 cents with just 200 units, Jamaica Producers dropped 99 cents to $15.01 exchanging 4,075,641 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange ended with a loss of 65 cents at $6.35 with 5,000 units, JMMB Group closed at $21 trading 14,000 shares. Kingston Properties closed at $7 with 598,296 shares changing hands, 
Kingston Wharves exchanged 1,500 units at $32, Mayberry Investments gained 20 cents, closing at $4.70 with 11,020 shares, NCB Financial Group traded 98 cents higher to $89.98 with 42,825 shares, 1834 Investments rose 10 cents and closed at $1.40 with 3,480 units. PanJam Investment gained $1.43, closing at $35.50 with 103,000 shares, Pulse Investments closed at $1.40, losing 30 cents with 58,680 shares trading, after the company released audited accounts showing lower profit in 2017 than in 2016, due mainly to the treatment of taxation. Sagicor Group closed with gains of 50 cents at $34.50 trading 8,700 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund closed at $11, after gaining 38 cents with 2,747 units, Salada Foods fell 50 cents, trading at $8 with 9,000 shares, Scotia Group closed $1 higher to $51 exchanging 147,026 shares, Seprod advanced $3.75 to $33 with 16,309 shares, Supreme Ventures closed 10 cents lower to $11 exchanging 145,884 shares. Productive Business Solution US ordinary share closed at 65 US cents trading 48,360 units, Proven Investments US ordinary share traded 27,635 units at 24 US cents, JMMB Group US 6% preference share exchanged 8,617 units at US$1.12, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.25% preference share closed at $2.50 with 650 units and JMMB Group 7.5% preference share lost 4 cents, closing at $1.15 with 100,000 units.
Junior Market trading rise index down
Trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange ended on Tuesday with 23 securities changing hands, resulting in an exchange of 2,266,563 units valued at $14,319,936 compared to only 807,449 units valued at $4,046,825 on Monday.
At the close, the Junior Market Index declined by 7.96 points to close at 3,061.94 even as the prices of 9 advanced, 7 declined and 6 remained unchanged at the last prices all stocks were traded.
Trading ended with an average of 98,546 units for an average of $622,606 in contrast to 50,466 units for an average of $252,927 on Monday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 152,558 units, valued at $681,272 and 157,059 units valued at an average of $686,161, previously. In contrast, August closed with average of 234,437 units valued at $1,295,260 for each security traded.
Trading ended with the market sentiments looking mixed for tomorrow’s trading activity as 4 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 with lower offers.
At the close of the market the volume of stocks changing hands and their last traded price are: Blue Power traded at $45, with 3,000 stocks changing hands, CAC 2000 ended with a loss of 5 cents at $7.35, with 100 units, Caribbean Cream finished with a loss of 20 cents at $6.30, with 1,400 shares, Cargo Handlers closed 20 cents higher at $11.20, with 3,042 units, Caribbean Producers rose 10 cents to $3.90, with 2,000 stock units. Consolidated Bakeries concluded trading 10 cents higher to $2.40, with 12,549 units, Derrimon Trading closed at $8.90, with 5,000 stocks trading, Express Catering concluded trading 40 cents higher at $4.50, with 48,077 units, General Accident settled at $3, with 13,955 units, 
Honey Bun closed 15 cents higher at $4.05, with 3,005 stocks, Iron Rock traded at $2.80, with 5,019 units. Jamaican Teas finished at $4.20, with 13,087 units, Jetcon Corporation traded 22 cents higher at $4.50, with 110,977 shares, Knutsford Express ended with a loss of 40 cents at $14.50, with 19,271 stocks, Key Insurance finished 25 cents higher at $4, with 10,000 shares. KLE Group rose 2 cents to $2.96, with 70,600 units, Lasco Distributors concluded trading with a rise of 20 cents to $6.80, with 1,700,000 shares, Lasco Financial settled at $3.99, with 7,803 units, Lasco Manufacturing traded with a loss of 20 cents at $4, while trading 59,908 shares. Main Event closed with a loss of 13 cents at $5.62, with 9,404 units, Paramount Trading fell 20 cents to $2.70, with 10,850 stock units, Stationery and Office settled with a loss of 10 cents at $4.75, with 156,871 units and Eppley 9.5 percent preference share settled at $7.25, with 645 stock units.
More recovery for JSE – Tuesday
Seprod shares jumped $3.75 on Tuesday.
Trading picked up on the main market stocks of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Tuesday over Monday’s low level and the market indices made strong gains, continuing the recovery from last week’s steep fall and adding to Monday’s gains.
At the close the All Jamaica Composite Index advanced 4,308.59 points to close at 288,621.38, the JSE Market Index gained 3,925.61 points to 262,966.73 while the JSE US dollar market index inched higher by just 0.47 points to 191.75.
At the close of trading, 25 securities changed hands in the main market with 3 trading in the US dollar market, leading to 9 stocks advancing and 11 declining. The main market ended with 5,755,768 units valued at $88,334,159 changing hands compared to 4,567,079 units valued at $32,966,262 at the close on Monday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 84,612 units valued at US$47,715 bringing the total of all trades to J$94,584,782.
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 a fairly strong at 8 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with a lower offer.
The main market ended trading with an average of 230,231 units for an average of $3,533,366 for each security traded compared to an average of 182,683 units valued at $1,318,651. The average volume and value for the month to date ended at $340,965 units with an average value of $3,892,714 compared with an average of 352,182 units with an average value of $3,275,641 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for August ended at 184,094 units with an average value of $4,336,090.
At the close Carreras rose to a new 52 weeks’ high of $11.50 after the 10 to 1 stock took effect on the market on Monday and Seprod jumped $3.75 to $33 while Scotia Group closed at $51.
Juniors up in moderate trading – Monday
In Junior Market trading on Monday activity fell sharply, compared to the levels on Friday. At the close of the market, just 16 securities changed hands, resulting in an exchange of only 807,449 units valued at $4,046,825.
On Friday trading resulted in 5,878,774 units valued at $26,350,771 on Friday. At the close of market on Monday, the Junior Market Index advanced by 34.84 points to close at 3,069.90 and the prices of 8 advanced, 4 declined and 4 remained with the prices unchanged.
Trading ended with an average of 50,466 units for an average of $252,927 in contrast to 326,599 units for an average of $1,463,932 on Friday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 157,059 units valued at $686,161 compared to 166,749 units valued at $725,546 previously.
In contrast, August closed with average of 234,437 units valued at $1,295,260 for each security traded.
Trading ended with the market sentiments looking mixed with implications for the upcoming market activity on Tuesday as 4 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 with lower offers.
At the close of the market the volume of stocks changing hands and their last traded price are: Blue Power that closed 10 cents higher at $45, with 100 units and no stock on offer at the close, Consolidated Bakeries trading 30 cents higher at $2.30, with 72,800 shares. Derrimon Trading settled $1.90 higher at $8.90, with 5,449 units, Dolphin Cove climbed $2.80 to $16, with just 200 stocks trading, 
Eppley settled at $12, with 10,589 units, Express Catering traded with a loss of 40 cents at $4.10, with 80,070 stocks changing hands, General Accident concluded trading at $3, with 7,627 units. Jamaican Teas settled 40 cents higher at $4.20, with 5,000 stocks changing hands, Jetcon Corporation ended trading with a loss of 22 cents at $4.28, with 219,015 units, Knutsford Express closed at $14.90, with 1,729 stocks trading, Lasco Distributors closed with a loss of 1 cent at $6.60, with 212,100 shares. Lasco Financial settled at $3.99, with 53,901 units, Lasco Manufacturing finished with a loss of 1 cent at $4.20, with 23,413 stock units, Main Event traded 5 cents higher at $5.75, with 16,556 shares, Stationery and Office closed 10 cents higher at $4.85, with 98,500 stocks traded and tTech climbed $1.05 higher to $7.55, with 400 shares.
High price movements on Monday
NCBFG jumped $8.94 to $89 on Monday.
On a day of low trading activity 4 securities were dominant by movement in their prices on the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange as the market posted sizable gains in the indices.
Carreras rose 45 cents in closing at $11.25 with 205,850 shares after the 10 for 1 stock split, recently approved by shareholders. NCB Financial Group jumped $8.94 to $89 and Scotia Group recovered $4.95 of the loss on Friday to end at $50 and Caribbean Cement climbed $2.50 to $30.
At the close of market activity, Berger Paints slipped 50 cents to close at $11 with 60,411 shares, Cable and Wireless closed at $1.08, losing 2 cents with 146,795 stock units, Caribbean Cement advanced $2.50 to $30 with 2,000 units, Carreras rose 45 cents and closed at record high of $11.25 with 205,850 shares after the stock split, Ciboney Group lost 1 cent, trading 93,564 shares, closing at 16 cents, Grace Kennedy lost 50 cents and ended at $43 with 1,479 units. Jamaica Broilers gained 90 cents, closing at $16.90 with 42,927 shares, Jamaica Producers traded 205 units at $16, Jamaica Stock Exchange with gains of 65 cents, in closing at $7 with 1,370 units, JMMB Group closed at $21 exchanging 154,472 shares after trading as high as $23 in the morning session. Kingston Wharves ended with a loss of 40 cents at $32 with 3,142 units, Mayberry Investments gained 28 cents, in closing at $4.50 with 10,000 shares, NCB Financial Group traded $8.94 higher to $89 while exchanging 163,270 shares, 1834 Investments closed at $1.30 with 2,614,586 shares. 
PanJam Investment fell 43 cents, to close at $34.07 with 6,675 units, Pulse Investments closed at $1.70, losing 10 cents with 129,552 shares, Sagicor Group traded 29,148 stock units at $34, Sagicor Real Estate X Fund rose 2 cents, and closed at $10.62 with 3,000 units, Scotia Group closed $4.95 higher to $50 while exchanging 49,759 shares, Scotia Investments slipped 30 cents to $37 with 24,700 shares, Seprod exchanged 12,869 shares at $29.25 and Supreme Ventures closed 39 cents lower at $11.10 with 150,730 units. Productive Business Solution US ordinary shares closed at 65 US cents after gaining 5 cents trading 2,000 units, JMMB Group US 6% preference share traded 4,380 units at US$1.12, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.25% preference share closed at $2.50 with 13,600 units, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.5% preference share exchanged 645,775 units at $2 and Proven 8.25% cumulative redeemable preference share closed at $5.50 with 1,200 units.
JSE rebounds on limited trading – Monday
NCB Financial stock stock price recovered from the fall to $80.1 on Friday, to close at $89.
Major reversals in the closing prices Scotia Group, NCB Financial Group along with a rise in the price of Carreras after the 10 for 1 stock split, drove the Jamaica Stock Exchange indices sharply higher at the close on Monday.
At the end of trading, the All Jamaica Composite Index jump of 7,363.43 points after rising over 9,000 points in the first hour of trading and settled at 284,312.79. The JSE Market Index held on to a big rise of 6,708.92 points by the close to 259,041.12 after the index surged close to 9,000 points in early morning trading. The JSE US dollar market index rose 4.60 points to 191.28.
Trading was light resulting from 25 securities changing hands in the main market with 2 trading in the US dollar market, leading to 9 stocks advancing and 9 declining. The main market ended with 4,567,079 units valued at $32,966,262 changing hands compared to 58,667,241 units valued at $128,145,103 at the close on Friday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 6,380 units valued at US$6,206 bringing the total of all trades to J$33,779,196.
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 6 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 with lower offers.
The main market ended trading with an average of 182,683 units, for an average of $1,318,651 for each security traded, compared to an average of 2,256,432 units valued at $4,928,658 on Friday. The average volume and value for the month to date ended at 352,182 units with an average value of $$3,275,641 compared with an average of 367,951 units with an average value of $3,438,723 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for August ended at 184,094 units with an average value of $4,336,090.
Huge surge in NIR mostly temporary
Jamaica’s international reserves surged to $4.25 billion at the end of August, with net reserves climbing to $3.67 billion, up from a net of US$2.74 billion at the end of July.
The increase came from a number of sources with the inflows from the issue of bonds by the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) as well as inflows from the foreign exchange market.
“The increase in the NIR of US$933 million in August 2017 was attributed mainly to receipts from Eurobond of US$834.4 million by GOJ, net purchases of foreign exchange by BOJ from authorised foreign exchange traders and issuance of BOJ USD CDs,” Bank of Jamaica confirmed in response to an IC Insider.com’s query.
“Notably, the impact of the large inflow from the GOJ Eurobond is transitory. During September, GOJ will pay approximately US$530 million (principal and interest) to investors on prepayment of two USD Bonds,” the BOJ’s response concluded.
Data for the first two weeks in September suggest that there is likely to be no new net inflows for the month from the regular foreign exchange market and the NIR could end at just about US$3.1 billion after the payout of the GOJ bonds, if BOJ does not issue new CDs to mop up the liquidity that would flow from the payout.
Critical trend investors must watch
Interest movements have a telling effect on the movement of stock prices and every investor should keep a keen eye on the direction of interest rates for clues to the direction of the market.
Interest rate movement is only one factor, the other critical one is profit. The attached chart shows clearly the relationship between the two and highlights the sharp rise in the JSE against the steep fall in interest rates from 9.1 percent to 5.45 percent now for the 182 days instrument.
Why investors need to keep an eye on interest rates? Apart from the relationship with stocks, the chart of the trend of Treasury bill rates, shows resistance just below 6 percent to rates falling, now solidly broken, with the likelihood of rates on Treasury bills, heading to the 4 percent range before too long. Such a fall would translate to about a Twenty five percent fall in rates and by extension, a rise to around the same level in the value of stocks, assuming no change in profit expectation and would push the All Jamaica Composite index to 360,000 points.
Tbill rates in sharp drop
Interest rates are falling with the Treasury rates falling sharply in the latest auction last week.
Rates fell by 53 basis points for the 182 days Treasury bills, the most since June 2014 when it fell by 57 basis points.
The average rate fell to 5.45 percent, the lowest level since 2012 and broke decisively, the resistance level at just under 6 percent and seems set to reach just around 4 percent before too long. Investors pumped $2.63 billion into the auction for the $600 million on offer. At the same time $3 billion chased $600 million offered for 91 days, with the average rate falling to 4.985 percent from 5.49 percent in August. The decline for the 91 days instrument, is the third fall since the rate rose modestly in June, to 5.77 percent and the sixth monthly decline for 2017. The fall in the rates better aligns them with the central bank’s new overnight reference rate.