
Caribbean Cement jumped $4 on news of a bid to acquire majority shares in TCL by Cemex.
At the close the All Jamaica Composite Index ballooned 2,488.84 points to end at 199,059.92, the JSE Market Index climbed 2,225.47 points to finish at a record closing high of 182,057.08. The JSE combined index surged 2,164.39 points to end at another record high of 193,838.30, with a gain for the year to date of 22.5 percent.
Trading ended with 36 securities changing hands, the prices of 14 stocks gained while 9 declined in the overall market, including 7 stocks rising and 2 falling, in the junior market.
At the close with 11,768,589 units valued at $284,841,323 changed hands, compared to 7,589,638 units valued at $60,202,318 changing hands on Friday. The junior market accounted for 965,067 units changing hands, valued at $4,640,109 of the stocks traded.

The average trade for the day in the main market ended at 469,718 shares compared to an average of 352,582 units traded on Friday with the average for the month to date being 369,165 units and 268,613 for December to Friday, with November ending with an average of 208,466 units. IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 12 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 with lower offers.
In market activity, Berger Paints lost 24 cents to close at $5.10 with 4,460 shares trading, Cable & Wireless rose 4 cents in trading 28,700 units to close at 80 cents, Caribbean Cement jumped $4 in trading 97,724 shares to close at $32, Grace Kennedy dropped $1.49, ended trading with 151,174 units to close at $40. Jamaica Producers closed at $8.30 with 31,128 shares changing hands, Jamaica Stock Exchange traded 143,182 shares, to end at $5.40, JMMB Group traded 230,720 units and rose 5 cents to end at $13.65,
Kingston Wharves ended trading 46,195 shares to close at $19. Margaritaville Turks rose 2 cents and ended with 8,640,000 shares trading, to close at 24.9 US cents. National Commercial Bank gained 15 cents and ended at $49.65 with 35,484 shares trading, PANJAM Investment traded 99,553 units at $23.25, after falling $1.25, Radio Jamaica lost 10 cents in trading 22,753 units to close at $1.30, Sagicor Group gained 25 cents with 51,353 shares changing hands at $26. Scotia Group jumped $1.90 with 344,599 shares changing hands to close at $35, Scotia Investments climbed 50 cents with 2,000 units changing hands to close at $33, Supreme Ventures fell 10 cents and ended at $4.80 with 10,400 units changing hands, Proven Investments traded 60,000 shares at 18.55 US cents and JMMB Group 7.50% preference share closed with 796,887 units changing hands at $1.06.
steep rise in the index are strong gains in Caribbean Cement that is up $1.50 to $29.50, JMMB Group up to $14, National Commercial bank to $29.99 and Scotia Group with an average of $34.66.
According to the Statistical Institute of Jamaica the government body charged with collecting and collating economic data on the country. ”There were 1,186,900 employed persons in July 2016 which was 39,400 more than the 1,147,500, recorded in July 2015. The industry group Wholesale & Retail, Repair of Motor Vehicle & Equipment had the largest gain (13,300) in employment moving from 220,200 in July 2015 to 233,500 in July 2016. For the same period the industry group Agriculture, Hunting, Forestry & Fishing had the largest decline (14,000), moving from 205,200 to 191,200. The industry group Construction had the largest increase in the number of males (10,200) and the groups Manufacturing (7,100) and Other Community, Social and Personal Service Activities (7,100) accounted for the largest increase in the number of females in the period.”
The main market of the stock exchange has been closing at new highs on several occasions since November, with the latest being Friday December 2. At the same time, the junior which closed at a new high of 2,482.44 on November 7, is struggling since but with gains of 35 percent year to date.
The market is again in another wedge but that should be easily broken, with breakout not far off.
The Jamaica Stock Exchange is expecting at least 14 new listings of ordinary share in 2017, Marlene Street-Forrest, General Manager of the Stock Exchange told IC Insider.com. Street-Forrest says “this is information provided by brokers as well as enquiries made to the exchange, by interested companies.” 
The Jamaican dollar made gains against US dollar falling below 129 to the Green back for the second time, in less than a month. The country is entering into a period of high inflows and relatively lower outflows that could well result in some revaluation of the currency for awhile.
The Canadian dollar buying rate rose by 28 cents to $93.21, with dealers buying C$1,849,736 and selling C$884,304 at an average rate that fell 63 cents to $94.67. The average rate for buying the British Pound rose 95 cents to $159.21 for the purchase of £1,595,600 while £627,875 was sold with a rise of 65 cents to end at $161.30.
amounts to US$5,915 being bought and selling of US$4,781.
The average trade for the day in the main market ended at just 56,681 shares compared to an average of 163,633 units traded on Wednesday with the average for the November ending at 208,466 units.
PANJAM Investment traded 12,100 units at $24.32 after rising 2 cents, Portland JSX traded 13,500 units with the price losing 5 cents to $11. Radio Jamaica gained 5 cents in trading 3,930 units to close at $1.35, Sagicor Group dipped 40 cents with 330,766 shares changing hands at $25.60, Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 7,026 units with the price ending at $10.25, while Scotia Group jumped $1.27 with 181,762 shares changing hands to close at $33. Supreme Ventures lost 15 cents and ended at $4.80 with 6,000 units changing hands and JMMB Group 7.50% preference share traded rose 5 cents to close with 133,100 units at $1.05.


to close at $12.88 with 13,523 shares changing hands and Trinidad & Tobago NGL closed at $22.40 and lost 6 cents with 7,000 shares changing hands.
The average trade for the day in the main market ended at 163,633 shares and 208,466 units month to date. On Tuesday, an average of 16,629 units traded and for the month to date, 253,298 units, in comparison the average for the October was 220,811 units.
The Jamaica Stock exchange main market indices along with the combined index recorded another record close with the All Jamaica Composite Index rising 530.57 points to end at a new closing high of 194,922.67. The JSE Market Index gained 474.43 points to finish at a record closing high of 178,357.64.
The average trade for the day in the main market ended at 31,898 shares and 489,966 units month to date. On Friday, an average of 1,672,696 units traded and for the month to date, 948,034 units, in comparison the average for the October was 220,811 units.
JMMB Group closed trading with a loss of 9 cents with 50,699 shares to end at $13.60, Kingston Wharves traded 6,800 shares to close at $19, Mayberry Investments traded 10,000 shares to close at $3.66. National Commercial Bank dropped $1 and ended at $50 with 7,331 shares trading. Portland JSX traded 3,984 shares after losing 5 cents to end at $11, Radio Jamaica traded 57,500 units to close at $1.35, Sagicor Group lost 48 cents with 75,180 shares changing hands to close at $25.02. Scotia Investments lost $1.50 traded 1,600 shares to close at $28.50, Seprod traded 36,172 units to close with a rise of 41 cents at $27.40 and Proven Investments made a modest gain and closed at 19.50 US cents with 51,162 shares changing hands.