Scotia Investments suffered big drop on Friday.
The All Jamaica Composite Index plummeted 6,139.33 points to close at 248,635.35, the JSE Market Index dropped 5,489.64 points to finish at 226,698.73 while the JSE US dollar market index gained 3.00 points to close at 231.17.
At the close 18 securities changed hands with 1 trading in the US dollar. In the main market, 7 stocks advanced and 5 declined. The US dollar market recorded no price change.
Trading levels in main market ended at 3,117,227 units valued at $95,348,879 compared to 90,132,738 units valued at $1,840,545,568 at the close on Thursday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 85,600 units valued at US$26,904, bringing the total traded in both markets to $98,798,014.
The main market ended trading with an average of 173,179 units for an average value of $5,297,160 traded, compared to an average of 3,605,310 units for an average value of $73,621,823 on the previous trading day.
The average volume for the month to date ended at 1,103,492 units versus 2,033,805 units on the prior trading dayThe average volume and value for February, ended at 223,938 units and $1,379,459.
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 7 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 with lower offers.
In market activity, Barita Investments closed at $7 trading 587 shares, Cable and Wireless lost 10 cents, closing at $1.40 with 204,500 shares traded, Caribbean Cement closed at $36, gaining 50 cents with an exchange of 6,335 shares. Carreras traded at $72, with 37,074 units changing hands, Grace Kennedy closed at $41.67 with trades of 326,371 units, Jamaica Broilers closed at $14.18, losing 82 cents with 10,000 units changing hands, before the company released third quarter results with strong gains in the latest quarter.
Jamaica Producers lost 10 cents to close at $17 trading 309,509 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange traded 278,128 shares at $7.80, JMMB Group closed at $19.95, gaining 95 cents with 49,414 units exchanged after trading as low as $16.29 during the day, National Commercial Bank declined 70 cents to close at $62.30, after swapping 229,081 units, Pulse Investments gained $1.55 to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $8.55 with 5,000 units changing hands, Radio Jamaica closed at $1.80, with a 1 cent gain and 109,729 units traded. Sagicor Group closed at $35, with an exchange of 107,230 shares, Scotia Group gained $1, closing at $40 trading 1,323,228 shares, Scotia Investments closed at $34, losing $5 with trades of 23,555 shares, Seprod closed at $40, with an exchange of 580 shares, Sterling Investments gained 70 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $18.20 with 1,000 units changing hands, Supreme Ventures closed at $6.08, gaining 8 cents trading 95,906 shares and Proven Investments added 2 US cents to close at 32 US cents with trades of 85,600 ordinary shares.
In market activity, Barita Investments closed at $7 trading 1,500 shares, Berger Paints gained $1.40 to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $14 trading 25,712 units, Cable and Wireless closed at $1.50 with gains of 15 cents and 321,552 shares traded, Caribbean Cement closed $2.50 lower at $35.50 with an exchange of 5,300 shares. Carreras lost $2 trading at $72, with 6,682 units changing hands, Grace Kennedy closed at $41.67 with trades of 17,013 units, Jamaica Broilers gained 50 cents to close at $15 with 19,700 units changing hands, Jamaica Producers closed at $17.10 with gains of 10 cents trading 130,718 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange lost 10 cents to close at $7.80 with an exchange of 277,240 shares. JMMB Group closed at $19 while losing 59 cents with 388,575 units being exchanged, Kingston Properties advanced $1.55 to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $15.55 trading just 2,000 units, Kingston Wharves dropped $3.50 to $30, in an exchange of 34,503 shares, Mayberry Investments closed at $5.30, losing 52 cents with only 3,200 units traded. National Commercial Bank declined $1.50 to $63, after swapping a big block of 16,216,132 units, 138 Student Living closed at $4.50 trading 2,008 units, Pan Jamaican closed at $37 with 173,447 shares changing hands, Radio Jamaica closed at $1.79 with trades of 234,048 units.
Sagicor Group closed at $35, with a loss of 60 cents and an exchange of 1,367,358 shares, while Sagicor Real Estate Fund closed at $10.50, with gains of 3 cents and a large volume of 70,119,164 shares changing hands, Scotia Group closed at $39 trading 71,318 shares, Scotia Investments closed at $39 with trades of 10,000 shares, Seprod closed at $40, with an exchange of 202 shares, Supreme Ventures closed at $6, gaining 30 cents with 535,366 shares changing hands. Margaritaville Turks closed at 30 US cents trading 1,666 shares, Proven Investments lost 2 US cents to close at 30 US cents with trades of 70,366 ordinary shares. JMMB 7.5% preference share lost 1 cent to close at $2.15 with 100,000 units changing hands and JMMB Group US 6% preference traded at $1.11 with an exchange of 30,000 units.
On the immediate preceding trading day, the average volume and value for the month to date, were 116,596 units with an average value of $773,309. The average volume and value for February, ended at 223,938 units and $1,379,459.
KLE Group added 44 cents and ended trading 886 units, to close at $2.90, Lasco Distributors ended with 6,085 units trading at $6.70, Lasco Financial fell 16 cents with 148,000 shares changing hands, to end at $4.50. Lasco Manufacturing closed with loss of 20 cents as 182,496 units changed hands at $4.70, Main Event had 67,852 shares changing hands, to close with a gain of 10 cents at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $5.10, Medical Disposables rose 14 cents to close at $6.50 with 3,719 shares changing hands. Paramount Trading ended with 14,300 shares changing hands and lost 5 cents to $3.75 and tTech ended with 610 units changing hands as the price rose 40 cents to end at $6.50.
Government of Jamaica Treasury bill rates seems headed to 4 percent by early 2018 if current trends on inflation, exchange rate stability and world oil prices hold.
During 2016 inflation was negatively affected b a 7 percent decline in the value of the Jamaican dollar against the United States currency, that would have contributed to most of the inflation except the portion relating to increased taxes, imposed last year. Devaluation if any, should be more moderate in 2017, as foreign exchange flows continue to be strong, therefore inflation should moderate with the absence of devaluation of the local dollar.
Investors also pushed 
In the main market of teh Jamaica Stock Exchange, Cable & Wireless reported larger losses than expected in the nine months to December, as a result IC Insider.com revised the forecast for 2017 down to just 10 cents on the assumption of continued strong growth in revenues. The stock fell out of the top list as a result of the earnings down grade. The move by 
The average volume and value for February, ended at 223,938 units and $1,379,459.
Lasco Distributors ended with 32,000 units trading with a fall of 30 cents at $6.50, Lasco Financial fell 10 cents with 62,563 shares changing hands, to end at $4.50. Lasco Manufacturing closed with gain of 9 cents as 32,106 units changed hands at $4.59, Main Event had 17,862 shares changing hands, to close with a gain of 15 cents at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $5, Medical Disposables lost 15 cents to close at $6.70 with 1,000 shares changing hands. Paramount Trading ended with 216,357 shares changing hands and rose 34 cents to $3.79, tTech ended with 95,774 units changing hands at $6.50, Eppley 9.5% preference share closed trading with 333,200 units changing hands at $6 and Eppley 8.25% preference share closed trading with 6,813,396 units at $6.
Trading ended on Thursday for the junior market, with the market index climbing 10.01 points to close at 3,099.03, with 3 stocks closing at new highs and one trading at an intraday high. 
Blue Power jumped sharply by $4.75 and closed with 1,200 units changing hands at $55, after trading at $57.60, CAC 2000 traded 16,800 shares at $7, Cargo Handlers added $2 in trading 3,810 shares to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $27 and closed after hitting $30 during the day. Caribbean Cream closed trading with 13,527 units to close at $8, after rising 73 cents. Caribbean Producers fell 30 cents in trading 21,533 units $3.75, Consolidated Bakeries ended trading 60,000 shares to close at $4, the stock could suffer a steep fall with the company reporting on Thursday, earnings of just 5 cents for the 2016 fiscal year, down from 13.5 cents at September last year. C2W Music lost 4 cents with 3,086 units changing hands to close at 35 cents, Dolphin Cove closed trading with 783 shares, to end at $18. General Accident closed with 30,747 shares to end at $3.50, Honey Bun had 11,800 shares changing hands and fell 35 cents, to end at $7.60, Iron Rock Insurance traded 10,000 shares to end at $3.30, Jamaican Teas ended trading 33,286 shares to close at $8.30. 
Jetcon Corporation closed trading with 21,065 shares being exchanged for gain of $2 to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $15, KLE gained 20 cents and ended trading 200 units, to close at $2.90, Lasco Distributors ended with 72,448 units trading with a fall of 19 cents at $6.80. Lasco Financial rose 20 cents with 944,331 shares changing hands, to end at $4.60, Lasco Manufacturing closed with 1,448 units changing hands at $4.50, Main Event had 25,964 shares changing hands, to close at $4.85 after rising by 5 cents. Medical Disposables gained 35 cents to close at $6.85 with 3,024 shares changing hands, Paramount Trading ended with 71,815 shares changing hands and fell 34 cents to $3.79, Eppley 9.5% preference share closed trading with 7,700 units changing hands at $6 and Eppley 10% preference share closed trading with 550 units at $6.85.
The average volume and value for January, ended at 165,547 units and $884,749.
Jetcon Corporation closed trading with 60,885 shares being exchanged for gain of $1 to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $13, Key Insurance traded 2,415 units to close at $3.50, KLE shed 30 cents and ended trading 18,000 units, to close at $2.70, Lasco Distributors ended with 282,814 units trading with a rise of 48 cents at $6.99. Lasco Financial traded 26,850 shares changing hands, to end at $4.40, Lasco Manufacturing closed with 129,515 units changing hands at $4.50, Main Event had 48,813 shares changing hands, to close at $4.80. Medical Disposables gained 50 cents to close at $6.50 with 8,651 shares changing hands, Paramount Trading ended with 15,960 shares changing hands at $3.79 and tTech lost 31 cents and closed trading with 1,109 units changing hands at $6.50.
with the bid at $38 compared to $35 last week. Earnings for 
while 
The main market of the Jamaican Stock Exchange, recovered some lost grounds on Friday, while the juniors and the US dollar market lost some ground as advancing prices were ahead of falling ones, on a day of moderate trading. 
The average trade for the day in the main market ended at 140,693 shares compared to an average of 154,908 units on Thursday. For the month to date, an average of 138,259 shares traded, compared to an average of 135,825 units up to the prior trading day. January ended with an average of 592,602 units.