The Junior Market fell back moderately on Wednesday with the market index losing 10.12 points to end at 3,196.83. Volume ended 32 percent higher from Tuesday’s level, with 964,141 units valued at $9,136,161 traded, compared to 727,972 units valued at $5,314,008 on Tuesday.
Trading ended with 20 securities versus 19 on Tuesday leading to just 4 stocks rising and 8 declining and with 2 stocks having higher bids than their last traded prices and 3 closing with lower offers.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average of 48,207 units for an average value of $456,808 compared to 38,314 units for an average value of $279,685 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 426,743 units valued at $1,915,706 compared with 446,666 units valued at $1,992,490, 
previously. In contrast, May closed with averages of just 89,339 units at $596,722.
At the close of the market, stocks trading and their last traded price are: Access Financial Services closed at $46.50 in trading 100,000 units, AMG Packaging rose 5 cents to close at $4.05 with 240,000 units changing hands, CAC 2000 closed at $8 with a mere 100 shares trading, Cargo Handlers traded 2,993 shares to end at $15.99, Caribbean Cream added 25 cents in trading 6,370 units to end at $7.50, Caribbean Producers lost 9 cents in trading 269,398 shares to close at $3.21, Consolidated Bakeries lost 8 cents in trading 1,100 shares to close at $2.62, Derrimon Trading ended at $8.50 with 2,847 shares changing hands, Eppley closed with 68,212 units changing hands at $12. General Accident closed trading with 9,745 shares at $2.70, 
Honey Bun dropped 6 cents with 1,103 shares changing hands and closed at $6.04, Jamaican Teas traded 12,999 shares and rose 15 cents to end at $4.45, Jetcon Corporation dropped 50 cents and ended at $5.50 with 25,259 shares trading, Knutsford Express traded 14,936 shares and rose 15 cents to end at $15.95, Lasco Distributors ended with a fall of 10 cents to $6.90, trading 22,307 units, Lasco Financial lost 5 cents with 11,568 shares changing hands to end at $3.80, Lasco Manufacturing shed 45 cents and ended with 89,741 shares trading and closed at $4.60. Main Event fell 35 cents and ended trading 68,872 shares at $6.15, Paramount Trading lost 4 cents and ended with 8,290 shares changing hands at $2.95 and tTech ended with 8,300 units changing hands at $8.
US$10M sold by BOJ at J$128.76
The average exchange rate for the US dollar offered by Bank of Jamaica in the B‐FXITT PILOT sale of foreign exchange ended at $128.76 with 41 bids received from eligible Authorised Dealers and Cambios by Jamaica’s central bank, covering US$16.82 million chasing US$10 million offered by the Central Bank on Wednesday, 28 June.
The highest bid received was $129.60 to buy US$100,000 which was successful in getting the full amount applied for, with the lowest being J$127.50 to purchase US$100,000. The lowest bids that were fully allocated amounted to US$1.82 million at J$128.60, while the bid that was partially allocated was at $128.55.
The trade today follows Bank of Jamaica announced yesterday, “that Effective 26 July 2017, Bank of Jamaica will commence selling foreign exchange (FX) to Authorized Dealers (ADs) and eligible cambios via a competitive bidding process”.
“The introduction of this new framework will follow a pilot exercise on 28 June 2017. Under this process, the BOJ Foreign Exchange Intervention & Trading Tool (B-FXITT), BOJ will pre-announce, up to four weeks ahead, the quantity of FX that it intends to sell to the market on Wednesday of each week. 
All ADs and eligible cambios will be invited to submit bids to purchase FX from Bank of Jamaica at exchange rates that they specify. The Bank will publish a report from each operation on the same day, including the weighted average exchange rate arising from the operation, and will also introduce the publication of midday weighted average exchange rates. The Bank may also sell foreign exchange to ADs and eligible cambios outside of this weekly schedule if circumstances merit.
At yesterday’s foreign exchange trading, dealers and cambios bought the US dollar from the market at an average of J$128.25 with highest rate being J$129.
Proven shareholders sending message
Investors in Proven Investments US ordinary shares a strong message to the management of the group by talking with their money. Last week, the company’s shares were sold at $20 and less in the Jamaican dollars on the main market of the stock exchange when the price in the US dollar market was near J$31.
On Tuesday 550,000 shares were sold at J$24 in the JSE main market while 1.83 million units traded, with the stock closing at 23 US cents, 1 US cent less than the price of the right issue. The price has suffered a steep fall since the company released the full year results to March and got worse since the announcement of the rights.
Trading in the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Tuesday with the market indices rising, even as advancing stocks were fewer than declining stocks. At the close, the All Jamaica Composite Index advanced 898.62 points to close at 259,352.76, the JSE Market Index gained 818.75 points to 236,299.73 but the JSE US dollar market index lost 5.93 points to close at 181.40.
At the close of trading, 24 securities changed hands in the main market of the exchange with 1 trading in the US dollar market, leading to 9 stocks advancing and 12 declining. Trading in the main market ended with 2,115,285 units valued at $50,230,238 changing hands compared to 1,709,564 units valued at $44,534,888 at the close on Monday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 1,828,601 units valued at US$421,790.
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 4 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 1 with a lower offer.
The main market ended trading with an average of 88,137 units valued at $2,092,927 for every security traded compared to an average of 74,329 units valued at $1,781,396 on Monday. The average volume and value for the month to date ended at 243,952 units with an average value of $4,245,530 compared with an average of 252,609 units with an average value of $4,365,119 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for May ended at 358,008 units and $9,037,303.
In market activity, Berger Paints closed at $13, losing $1.30 trading 7,842 shares, Cable and Wireless closed at $1.13, with 23,303 stock units changing owners, Caribbean Cement traded $3 higher to close at $28 exchanging 26,007 shares, Carreras lost 30 cents to close at $86.50, with trades of 916 units, Grace Kennedy closed at $42, gaining $1 with an exchange of 11,922 units, Jamaica Broilers closed at $18, with gains of 9 cents trading 120,579 shares, Jamaica Producers exchanged 17,174 units to close at $16. Jamaica Stock Exchange lost 1 cent, closing at $6.99 trading 115,220 shares, JMMB Group gained $1.47 to close at $18.50, with 301,494 units changing owners and Kingston Wharves lost $1.10 to close at $28.90 trading 8,540 shares. Mayberry Investments closed at $4.55, losing 45 cents with trades of 5,600 shares, NCB Financial Group closed at $70, with gains of $1.40 after exchanging 93,364 shares and PanJam Investment gained 79 cents to close at $34.89, with trades of 26,073 shares. Proven Investments traded $3 higher to close at $24 exchanging 550,000 shares, 
Pulse Investments closed at $17.99, losing 1 cent with an exchange of 500 shares, Sagicor Group closed at $34.53, gaining 43 cents trading 48,115 shares and Sagicor Real Estate fund lost 60 cents to close at $11, with 146,392 shares changing hands. Scotia Group closed at $45.50, with gains of $2.99 exchanging 324,221 shares, Scotia Investments closed at $36.58, with a loss of 42 cents trading 194 units, Seprod traded $2 lower to close at $28, with an exchange of 6,700 shares while Supreme Ventures closed at $7.65, gaining 24 cents with 86,000 shares changing owners. Proven Investments US ordinary shares closed at 23 US cents, losing 0.01 US cent with trades of 1,828,601 units, JMMB 7.5% preference share lost 5 cents to close at $1.85 exchanging 75,500 shares, JMMB Group 7.5% preference share closed at $1.13 trading 329 units and Proven Investments 8.25% preference share traded 119,300 units at $5.17.
Junior Market volume drops on Tuesday
Volume traded on the Junior Market fell back sharply on Tuesday from Monday’s level with 727,972 units valued at $5,314,008 traded, compared with the 6,755,849 units valued at $46,027,135 passing through the market on Monday.
Trading ended with 19 securities versus 25 on Monday leading to just 8 stocks rising and 7 declining.
The market index rose 23.73 points to end at 3,206.95.
The market closed with 1 stock having a higher bid than the last sale price and 4 closing with lower offers.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average of 38,314 units for an average value of $279,685 compared to of 270,234 units for an average value of $1,841,085 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for the month to date is 446,666 units valued at $1,992,490 compared with 469,353 units valued at $2,087,646, previously, in contrast, May closed with averages of just 89,339 units at $596,722.
At the close of the market, stocks trading and their last traded price are: Access Financial Services rose 30 cents and closed at $46.50 in trading 5,500 units, AMG Packaging fell 10 cents to close at $4 with 53,706 units changing hands, Cargo Handlers traded 6,693 shares to end at $15.99, Caribbean Cream shed 25 cents in trading 1,400 units to end at $7.25, Derrimon Trading ended at $8.50 with 27,504 shares changing hands, Dolphin Cove ended at $20 with 55,000 shares trading, Eppley dropped 95 cents with 20,199 units changing hands to close at $12. Honey Bun dropped 1 cent with 30,726 shares changing hands and closed at $6.04, Jamaican Teas traded 53,671 shares but rose 15 cents to end at $4.30, 
Jetcon Corporation rose 2 cents and ended at $6 with 113,149 shares trading, KLE Group ended at $2.15 with 3,000 shares changing hands, Knutsford Express traded 29,497 shares and lost 20 cents to end at $15.80, Lasco Distributors ended with a rise of 20 cents to $7, trading 54,671 units, Lasco Financial lost 5 cents with 106,286 shares changing hands to end at $3.85, Lasco Manufacturing gained 15 cents and ended with 123,940 shares trading and closed at $5.05. Main Event fell 26 cents and ended trading 3,236 shares at $6.50, Medical Disposablesadded 49 cents and ended at $5.50 with 2,000 units trading, Paramount Trading gained 29 cents and ended with 32,463 shares changing hands at $2.99 and tTech recovered 10 cents lost on Monday and ended with 5,331 units changing hands at $8.
JSE main market ends down on Monday
Trading in the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Monday with a number of stocks declining out pacing those rising. The volume and value of stocks trading declined compared to that on Friday and the market indices trended lower.
The All Jamaica Composite Index declined 165.52 points to close at 258,454.14, the JSE Market Index fell 150.81 points to 235,480.98 and the JSE US dollar market index gained 3.32 points to close at 187.33.
At the close of trading, 23 securities changed hands in the main market, plus one bond and 1 stock in the US dollar market traded leading to 7 stocks advancing and 12 declining. Trading in the main market ended with 1,709,564 units valued at $44,534,888 changing hands compared to 2,161,083 units valued at $46,263,769 at the close on Friday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 203,960 units valued at US$48,949 and the bond market had 425,000 units trading at $42,500,000.
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 with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 with lower offers.
The main market ended trading with an average of 74,329 units valued at a mere $1,781,396 for every security traded compared to an average of 77,182 units valued at a mere $5,040,005 on Monday. The average volume and value for the month to date ended at 252,609 units with an average value of $4,365,119 compared with an average of 263,096 units with an average value of $4,517,103 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for May ended at 358,008 units and $9,037,303.
In market activity, Berger Paints recovered $2.25 of last weeks’ losses to close at $14.30, while trading 27,337 shares, Cable and Wireless added 1 cent to close at $1.13, with 42,747 stock units changing owners, Caribbean Cement closed at $25, with a loss of $1 exchanging 144,428 shares, Carreras traded $1.80 higher to close at $86.80, with an exchange of 5,259 units, Grace Kennedy closed at $41, losing 50 cents with trades of 243,861 units, Jamaica Broilers closed at $17.51, with a loss of 49 cents trading 375,624 shares, Jamaica Producers exchanged 50,500 units to close at $16. Jamaica Stock Exchange closed at $7 trading 31,599 shares, JMMB Group lost 3 cents to close at $19.97, with 19,674 units trading, 
Kingston Properties closed at $9.95 losing 5 cents exchanging 2,000 shares, Kingston Wharves jumped $4 higher to close at $30 trading 3,402 shares. Mayberry Investments closed at $5, losing 19 cents with 2,000 shares traded, NCB Financial Group closed at $70, with a loss of $1.50 after exchanging 34,098 shares and falling to $68 in early morning trading. 1834 Investments closed at $1.45, losing 5 cents with 33,000 units changing hands, 138 Student Living exchanged 10,600 units at $4.50, PanJam Investment gained 10 cents to close at $34.10, with trades of 6,287 shares. Proven Investments traded $2 higher to close at record high of J$21, in exchanging 48,000 shares in the main market, Pulse Investments closed at $18, with an exchange of 4,048 shares, Radio Jamaica traded 185,000 shares at $1.50, Sagicor Group closed at $34.10, losing 9 cents trading 93,100 shares. Scotia Group dropped $2.19 to close at $42.51, exchanging 336,471 shares while Supreme Ventures closed at $7.41, losing 9 cents with 6,058 shares changing owners. Proven Investments US ordinary shares closed at 24 US cents, with trades of 203,960 units, JMMB Group 7.5% preference share closed at $1.13, gaining 1 cent with an exchange of 4,471 units and Jamaica Producers traded 425,000 units of corporate bond at $100 each.
Jamaican dollar records more gains
The Jamaican dollar gained more ground versus the United States dollar on Monday with the selling rate dipped to J$128.89 to US$1 as US dollar inflows reached US$45.15 million and selling accounted for $39.14.
Inflows were just US$1 less than entered the market on Monday June 19. Overall, total foreign exchange of all currencies entering the market totaled US$50.79 million with US$42.2 million sold.
The buying rate for the US dollar fell to JS$128 from $128.15 at the end of trading on Friday.
The selling rate for the Canadian dollar declined to J$97.32 compared to J$97.83 at the close on Friday while the British Pound cost more at the close on Monday with J$163.71 buying the British currency versus J$162.63 on Friday and the Jamaican dollar gained value against the euro it taking J$144.89 to buy the European common currency on Monday versus Friday’s J$145.84.
2 Lasco stocks & Derrimon 90% of market
Lasco Manufacturing & Lasco Distributors, combined, traded most shares on Monday.
Volume traded on the Junior Market rose on Monday with 3 securities accounting for 90 percent of volume traded. At the close 6,755,849 units valued at $46,027,135 traded, compared with the 8,427,903 units valued at $36,346,358 passing through the market on Friday.
Trading ended with 25 securities versus 21 on Friday leading to just 6 stocks rising and 12 declining and one closed at a new high. The market index dropped 27.02 points to end at 3,183.22.
The market closed with 4 stocks having bids higher than their last sale prices and 2 closed with lower offers.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average of 270,234 units for an average value of $1,841,085 compared to of 401,329 units for an average value of $1,730,779 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for the month to date is 469,353 units valued at $2,087,646 compared with 481,066 units valued at $2,102,149, previously, in contrast, May closed with averages of just 89,339 units at $596,722.
At the close of the market, stocks trading and their last traded price are: Access Financial Services closed at $46.20 in trading traded 1,500 units AMG Packaging fell 5 cents to close at $4.10 with 35,157 units changing hands, Cargo Handlers traded 332,360 shares and fell 1 cents to end at $15.99, Caribbean Cream added 25 cents in trading 16,629 units to end at $7.50, Consolidated Bakeries lost 30 cents in trading 2,000 units to end at $2.70. C2W Music lost 2 cents and closed at 43 cents with 2,000 shares trading, Derrimon Trading dropped 10 cents and ended at $8.50 with 2,031,926 shares changing hands, Dolphin Cove ended at $20 with 3,060 shares trading, Eppley jumped 95 cents with 200 units changing hands to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $12.95. General Accident had 3,780 units changing hands to close at $2.70 after falling 30 cents, Honey Bun dropped 6 cents with just 2,034 shares changing hands and closed at $6.05, Jamaican Teas traded 70,000 shares but lost 15 cents to end at $4.15, 
Jetcon Corporation rose 8 cents and ended at $5.98 with 64,262 shares trading, Key Insurance traded 1,000 units to close at $3.05, KLE Group lost 35 cents and ended at $2.15 with 2,000 shares changing hands, Knutsford Express traded 20,188 shares and rose 10 cents to end at $16, Lasco Distributors ended with a loss of 20 cents at $6.80, trading 829,150 units, Lasco Financial rose 10 cents with 94,495 shares changing hands to end at $3.90, Lasco Manufacturing ended with 3,189,335 shares trading and closed at $4.90. Main Event rose 76 cents and ended trading 4,789 shares at $6.76, Medical Disposables lost 49 cents and ended at $5.01 with 625 units trading, Paramount Trading ended with 28,300 shares changing hands at $2.70, tTech lost 10 cents and ended with 8,000 units changing hands to end at $7.90, Derrimon Trading preference share ended at $2.50 with 12,029 shares changing hands and Eppley 9.5% preference share, ended with 1,000 units changing hands at $6.10.
97% of The Hampshire units sold
The Hampshire in Kingston, Jamaica.
‘The Hampshire’, in less than a week of its official ground-breaking, saw approximately 97% of the units sold.
According to veteran RE/MAX Elite Realtor, Anya Levy, this is not only an indication of the thriving Jamaican real estate market but the quality of the product and the strength of the location, developers, builders and pricing point which she described as the “sweet spot”. Buyers of ‘The Hampshire’ comprised mostly first time home owners and investors. ‘The Hampshire’ located at 9 Musgrave Avenue, in the Golden Triangle, one of Kingston’s prime residential areas. ‘The complex is strategically set in the heart of Kingston, Jamaica’s thriving commercial hub. Such a location promises superb dining, comfortable shopping, easy, hassle-free commuting and world-class entertainment.
Anya Levy of RE/Max elite
“Now is the time to plan out not just traffic flow, not just water and sewage infrastructure but let us have a plan for the security of the New Kingston area because with the regeneration of the area we can now build with security in mind,” Prime Minister of Jamaica, Andrew Holness stressed, at the groundbreaking ceremony of the developemnt. Holness further urged private investors to tap into the development of underutilized assets across Jamaica in a bid to foster economic growth by increasing the productivity of unused lands and infrastructures. He commended Guardian Life Limited on their bold move to develop the idle land. President of Guardian Life, Eric Hosin, who was present at the ground-breaking ceremony said the decision to venture into real estate development has been “well considered and well timed”. The eco- friendly apartment complex will sit on 1.23 acres of land.
“You can’t beat real estate, you can’t go wrong with this product,” Anya Levy said in an interview with ICInsider.com, as she explained that investors bought into ‘The Hampshire’ because the risk is nominal and that she has a lot of confidence in the development.
Completion of the development is scheduled for November 2018, comprises 66 units ranging from ‘super studios’ to single bedroom units with double bathrooms with sizes ranging from 706 to 1,020 square feet spanning across 6 floors. Some amenities the apartment complex will house include a rooftop recreational area with a pool and gym, 24- hour security, a coded main entrance, elevators, a standby generator, generous parking, a back-up water supply system and provision for air conditioner installations. The average property price in the area ‘The Hampshire’ is being developed, ranges between US$122,149 and US$220,000. The selling price for units start at US$144,950 (J$18.8 million) just under J$26,500 per square foot.
Developers of the complex are Guardian Life with architectural works by Michael Lake & Associates, contractors Matalon Homes.
Palace leaps $108 on Friday
Palace Amusement hit a record of $498 on Friday.
Cinema owners and movie promoters, Palace Amusement Company’s share price jumped $108 or just under 27 percent to close at an all-time high of $498 with just 888 shares trading on Friday. The movement in the price of the stock contributed in the market indices rising close to 1,000 points.
The stock traded with a gain of $50 to close at $390 on Tuesday in trading 200 shares. Trading in the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Friday with a number of stocks rising being outnumbered by those declining. The volume and value of stocks traded declined compared to the prior day. At the close of the market, the All Jamaica Composite Index gained 982.15 points to close at 258,619.66, the JSE Market Index rose 894.85 points to 235,631.79 and the JSE US dollar market index fell 3.32 points to close at 184.01.
Trading ended with 28 securities changing hands in the main market with 1 trading in the US dollar market, leading to 9 stocks advancing and 12 declining. Trading ended with 2,161,083 units valued at $46,263,769 changing hands in the main market, compared to 39,788,577 units valued at $130,153,064 at the close on Thursday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 489,884 units valued at US$115,026.
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 4 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 with lower offers.The main market ended trading with an average of 77,182 units valued at a mere $5,040,005 for every security traded compared to an average of 1,473,651 units valued at a mere $4,820,484 on Thursday. The average volume and value for the month to date ended at 263,096 units with an average value of $4,517,103 compared with an average of 274,715 units with an average value of $4,484,422 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for May ended at 358,008 units and $9,037,303.
In market activity, Barita Investments traded 1,372 shares at $7, Berger Paints lost $2.95 to end at $12.05, with an exchange of 5,077 shares, Cable and Wireless gained 2 cents to close at $1.12, with 241,397 stock units changing owners, Caribbean Cement closed at $26 trading 227,723 shares, Carreras traded $3 higher to close at $85 in exchanging 48,412 units, Grace Kennedy closed at $41.50, losing 50 cents with 2,487 units changing hands, Jamaica Broilers closed at $18, with gains of 50 cents in trading 14,948 shares, J
amaica Producers traded $1 higher to $16, with 18,695 units being exchanged. Jamaica Stock Exchange closed at $7 trading 20,747 shares, JMMB Group closed at $20, with 1,803 units changing hands, Kingston Wharves traded 98 cents higher to $26, with an exchange of 29,851 shares. NCB Financial Group closed at $71.50, gaining 50 cents after exchanging 21,399 shares, 1834 Investments closed at $1.50, losing 2 cents with 68,095 units changing hands, PanJam Investment lost 50 cents to close at $34, as 21,843 shares were traded. Portland JSX lost 95 cents to close at $9, with just 500 units changing hands, Proven Investments traded 51 cents lower to close at 52 weeks’ low of $19 exchanging 800,415 shares, more than $11 less than the stock traded at in the US dollar market, Pulse Investments closed at $18, with an exchange of 7,389 shares, Radio Jamaica lost 15 cents, closing at $1.50 with 44,371 shares switching owners, Sagicor Group closed at $34.19, losing 32 cents trading 6,890 shares, Sagicor Real Estate fund added 10 cents to close at $11.60, with 1,663 units trading, Scotia Group closed at $44.70, with gains of 70 cents exchanging 315,901 shares while Supreme Ventures closed at $7.50, losing 29 cents with 170,957 shares changing hands. Proven Investments US dollar listed ordinary share, exchanged 489,884 ordinary shares at 24 US cents, Proven Investments 8.25% preference share lost 3 cents, closing at $5.17, with 29,600 units traded, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.5% preference share closed at $1.90, with 44,650 units changing hands, JMMB Group 7.5% preference share closed at $1.12, with an exchange of 10,000 units and JMMB Group 7.25% preference share lost 1 cent to close at $1.49 with trades of 1,010 units.
Jamaican$ gains strenght
The Jamaican dollar regain more lost grounds against the United States dollar on Friday, with the selling rate ending at $129.01, down from $129.15 on Thursday as authorized dealers sold US$26.36 million against purchase of US$38.4 million at an average rate of $128.15.
Dealers bought a total of US$44.89 million in all currencies and sold the equivalent of US$30.6 million. For the week $216.84 was purchased by dealers, up from $209 million, the week before and they sold $182 million, down from $200 million sold in the prior week, resulting in a surplus of $35 million for the week and US$64 million for the month since June 5. In United States dollars trading, dealers purchased US$200 million and sold $164 million during the week, for a net surplus of $36 million, compared to US$180 million bought and US$174 million sold the previous week, a net of just $5 million. For the month since June 5, net inflows of US$55 million came into the system.