All Jamaica 940 points shy of 200,000 milestone

Caribbean Cement jumped $4 on news of a bid to acquire majority shares in TCL by Cemex.

Caribbean Cement jumped $4 on news of a bid to acquire majority shares in TCL by Cemex.

The all Jamaica Composite index of the Jamaica Stock Exchange jumped sharply to record another closing high as the index surged nearly 2,500 points in Monday’s market activity leaving it 940 points shy of the significant 200,000 milestone as the index recorded gains of 18.9 percent for the year to date.
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.ICI JSE sum 5-12-16
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,ICI JSE fnqts 5-12-16 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.

Record high of 198,821 for JSE

Stocks on the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange hit new all-time high in early morning trading with the All Jamaica Composite Index sitting 1,180 points away from the 200,000 points while the JSE market index sits at 181,843.
The junior market lags well below the performance of the main market with a moderate increase. Contributing to the ICI trd sht int -5-12-16steep 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.
Trading in the rest of the market was moderate with a total of 25 securities traded. 10 stocks advanced and 3 fell, resulting in a volume of only 387,831 shares changing hands carrying a value of just $5,004,074, compared with 1,279,786 shares changing hands carrying a value of a $31,954,967 on Friday. The average number of shares traded, amount to a mere 18,468 units versus 51,191 units on Friday.
At 11 am the all Jamaica Composite Index jumped 2,250.08 points to 198,821.16 the Jamaica Stock Exchange Market Index climbed 2,011.97 points to 181,843.58, the Jamaica Stock Exchange combined index surged 2,063.87 points to close at 193,737.78 and the junior market index dipped 19.28 points to end at 2,443.15.

Doubts cast on employment rate

The Unemployment Rate for June 2016 fell to 12.9 percent, the lowest level since it hit a post 2007 high of 15.4 percent, in June 2013. It is the first time it is breaking below the 13 per cent level that it was stuck at for years. One aspect of the data raises questions about the findings.
Ja Unemply -2011-6-16.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 big question is how is it possible for agriculture to have grown by a massive 38 percent, according to data from the Planning Institute of Jamaica and for there to be a major fall in employment in that category? The more likely situation is that employment grew sharply in the agricultural sector, resulting in a much greater fall in unemployment, assuming the estimate for growth in agriculture is correct.

280,000 points for All Jamaica

JSCD SM buildThe 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.
For many years, December has been a period when the main market delivers major gains. This seems to be happening since the start of November and is supported by technical indicators that point to an initial run to 210,000 points on the all Jamaica Composite index and then to 240,000 points, with minimum resistance before facing a big resistance around the 260,000 points mark. (see Chart).
The main market broke through resistance at just under 190,000 points, where it was wedged in by a resistance line going back to the 2005 high, and the high in the early months, this year, preventing it from moving higher before. JSE inx tech 12-16The market is again in another wedge but that should be easily broken, with breakout not far off.
The junior market on the other hand is trading in a channel between 2,480 on the low and 2,600 points on the high and may take some time to break out, as it seems to be more inclined to trade closer to the lower end, with several of the stocks selling above 10 times current year earnings.
PE ratio on average is around 10 for the main market and 12 for the juniors, but a number are selling well over this level with some as high as 20 times 2016 earnings. Supply has been declining for the vast majority of stocks and many investors don’t seem to be aware of this.
10 stocks in the junior market are selling in excess of the average and 13 in the main market.

18 new IPOs for 2017

JM SignThe 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.”
Two bond issues are also expected to be listed as well. There is the possibility of another listing which could be a relisting of a company that was previously listed years ago.
Ten new listings are slated for the junior market with 4 coming for the main market. Listings could start from as early as January or February.
The industries the potential junior market listed companies are involved in include one from information technology, two from the financial sector including a micro finance entity, a restaurant operation,

Minister of Finance Audley Shaw has restored junior market tax break.

Minister of Finance Audley Shaw has restored junior market tax break.

one in entertainment, a university and possibly one form the agricultural sector. Those slated for the main market include a financial sector and information technology and includes one from a group that have has two other entities from the group that are already listed.
The junior market listing activity was stalled while the business sector awaited the restoration of the tax incentive for the junior market. That legislation was passed by the senate on Friday Mrs Street-Forrest confirmed to IC Insider. The last listing of ordinary shares on the junior market was in March just ahead of the planned phasing out of tax free status for new listings on the exchange.
If the listings materialise, they would swell the junior market by a third and take the total listings on the exchange to more than 100, with the number of ordinary share listings to 80.

Jamaican$ trades below 129 vs US – Thursday

1000front 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 local currency also gained, in trading with the Canadian dollar and the euro. On Thursday dealers bought the equivalent of US$31,582,543 of all currencies and sold US$30,667,869, compared to US$39,189,951 purchased and US$34,123,507 sold on Wednesday.
In US dollar trading, dealers bought US$28,148,803 compared to US$34,730,432 on Wednesday. The buying rate for the US dollar fell 7 cents to close at $128.23. A total of US$29,170,051 was sold versus US$32,306,693 on Wednesday, with the selling rate falling 9 cents, to $128.95.FX sum 1-12-16 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.
At the end of trading on Thursday, dealers sold €55,600 with the selling rate for the Euro, closing with a drop of $4.55 to $135.44, according to data from Bank of Jamaica. Dealers purchased €99,383 of the European common currency at $131.68 after falling 79 cents. The US dollar equivalent of other currencies traded, FX h&l 1 -12-16amounts to US$5,915 being bought and selling of US$4,781.
Highs & Lows| Notable changes to the highest and lowest rates for the regularly traded foreign currencies on Thursday, include a decline of $15.75 in the lowest selling rate for the US dollar to end at $104.25. The highest selling rate for the Canadian dollar rose $1.06 to $100.66 while there was a rise of $1 in the lowest selling rate to $92. The highest buying rate for the British Pound rose $2.24 to end at $165.74 and the highest buying rate for the Euro declined by $4.20 to $134.50.

Record close greets December – JSE

Scotia climbs $1.27 to $33 on Thursday

Scotia climbs $1.27 to $33 on Thursday

The Jamaica Stock exchange main market, ended at a new closing high, starting the final month of the year positively. At the close, the All Jamaica Composite Index climbed 634.38 points to end at 195,897.14, a rise of 17 percent for the year to date. The gains obscure the nearly even advance decline ratio of stocks traded.
The JSE Market Index grew by 567.25 points to finish at a record closing high of 179,228.98. The JSE combined index rose 237.54 points to end at 190,880.57 with a gain for the year to date of 20.5 percent.
Trading ended with 33 securities changing hands, the prices of 11 stocks gained while 10 declined in the overall market, including 3 stocks rising and 4 falling, in the junior market.
At the close with 4,089,242 units valued at $37,502,327 changed hands, compared to 5,145,475 units valued at $84,668,693 changing hands on Wednesday. The junior market accounted for 2,955,623 units changing hands, valued at $13,246,216 of the stocks traded.
ICI JSE sum 1-12-16 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.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 9 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 with lower offers.
In market activity, Cable & Wireless gained 5 cents in trading 64,494 units to close at 80 cents, Caribbean Cement with 4,300 shares trading closed at $28. Carreras lost 40 cents in exchanging 3,220 shares at $65.60, Grace Kennedy fell 40 cents and ended trading only 692 units at $41.60. Jamaica Broilers closed at $14.72 with 12,300 shares changing hands, Jamaica Producers traded 85,955 shares to end with a loss of 5 cents, at $8.25, Jamaica Stock Exchange traded 16,509 shares and fell 35 cents, to end at $5.20, JMMB Group traded 100,472 units at $13.63. Kingston Wharves ended trading 28,984 shares to close at $19, National Commercial Bank added 9 cents and ended at $50.10 with 112,759 shares trading,ICI JSE trds 1-12-16 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.

Huge price gap in T&T cross listings

 JMMB Group price on the TTSE is over 26% more than in Jamaica.

JMMB Group price on the TTSE is over 26% more than in Jamaica.

Market activity on the Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange on Wednesday closed with huge arbitrage opportunities for investors in some cross listed stocks. Elsewhere, trading resulted in double digit gains in Composite and All T&T Indices helped by a 7.3 percent jump in the price of Ansa McAL.
Grace Kennedy is trading at a 24 percent premium compared to the price in Jamaica, the premium for JMMB Group is over 26 percent, National Commercial Bank trades above the Jamaica listed price, by 14 percent and Scotia Investments by 22 percent. Tightness in the foreign exchange market may be causing the huge gap in prices.
Grace Kennedy trades at a 24% premium on the TTSE to the price on the JSE.

Grace Kennedy trades at a 24% premium on the TTSE to the price on the JSE.

The Composite Index advanced 11.42 points to 1,205.8 points, the All T & T Index jumped 16.14 points to 1,828.27 points, down 6.17 percent year to date. The Cross Listed Index gained 0.90 points to 77.97 points with year to date gains of 57.48 percent.
Trading ended with 12 securities changing hands compared to 9 on Tuesday with 3 advancing, 3 declining and 6 remaining unchanged, with 184,035 shares changing hands with a value of $4,500,237. Trading on Tuesday resulted in 345,479 changing hands with a value of $16,556,172.
IC bid-offer Indicator |The Investor’s Choice bid-offer ended with 5 stocks with bids higher than last selling prices and 8 with lower offers.
Gains| Ansa McAL closed at $66.50 with the highest gains on the market of $4.56 and with 4,183 shares changing hands, Massy Holdings gained 1 cent to close at $51 with 3,998 shares changing hands. National Commercial Bank closed at 52 weeks’ high of $3, up 13 cents with 44,900 shares changing hands and Scotiabank closed 20 cents higher at $58.70 with 38,415 shares changing hands valued at $2,253,392.
Losses| Angostura Holdings lost 50 cents to close at $15.50 with 2,000 shares changing hands, Guardian Holdings dropped 2 cents TTSE sum 30-11-16to 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.
Firm Trades | Clico Investment remained unchanged at $22.60 with 17,294 shares changing hands, valued at $390,844, First Citizens closed at $35 with 23,133 shares changing hands with a value of $808,078, Grace Kennedy, with 800 shares changing hands, closed at $2.73. JMMB Group closed at 90 cents with 11,111 shares changing hands and Trinidad Cement closed at $3.25 with 17,678 shares changing hands.

JSE ends November at record close

Grace climbed $2 to end at $42 on the JSE.

Grace climbed $2 to end at $42 on the JSE.

The Jamaica Stock exchange main market ended at a new closing high to close out November with a monthly gain of 5.4 percent and 17 percent for the year to date. At the close, the All Jamaica Composite Index climbed 377.32 points to end at 195,262.76, as rising stocks equaled declining ones.
The JSE Market Index grew by 337.39 points to finish at a record closing high of 178,661.73. The JSE combined index rose 473.41 points to end at 190,643.03 with a gain for the year to date of 20 percent.
Trading ended with only 40 securities trading. The prices of 17 stocks gained while 17 declined in the overall market, including 7 stocks rising and 7 falling, in the junior market.
At the close with 5,145,475 units valued at $84,668,693 changed hands, compared to 1,218,248 units valued at a paltry $9,074,534 changing hands on Tuesday. The junior market accounted for 1,381,906 units changing hands, valued at $5,853,384 of the stocks traded.
ICI JSE sum 30-11-16 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.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 17 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 with lower offers.
In market activity, Barita Investments jumped 50 cents in trading in 113,332 shares, to end at $5.50, Berger Paints traded 205,236 shares and gained 4 cents to end at $5.34, Cable & Wireless gained 1 cent in trading 67,470 units to close at 75 cents, Caribbean Cement gained $1 with 5,600 shares trading to end at $28. Carreras rose 10 cents in exchanging 214,320 shares at $66, Ciboney had 140,000 units changing hands with a rise of 1 cent to end at 17 cents, Grace Kennedy jumped $2, and ended trading 30,048 units at $42. Jamaica Producers traded 218,801 shares to end with a loss of 5 cents at $8.25, Jamaica Stock Exchange traded 257,238 shares and rose 3 cents to end at $5.55, JMMB Group traded 5,708 units at $13.63, ICI -JSE fn Qts -30-11-16 National Commercial Bank shed 4 cents and ended at $50.01 with 5,998 shares trading. PANJAM Investment traded 44,345 units at $24.30 after losing 20 cents, Radio Jamaica held firm in trading 47,958 units to close at $1.30. Sagicor Group climbed 98 cents with 114,093 shares changing hands at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $26, Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 4,500 units with the price slipping 1 cent to $10.25, while Scotia Group fell 27 cents with 1,388,129 shares changing hands to close at $31.73. Supreme Ventures lost 5 cents and ended at $4.95 with 19,824 units changing hands, Proven Investments closed at 18.55 US cents down from 19.5 US cents, with 373,700 shares trading and JMMB Group 7.50% preference share traded lost 7 cents to close with 485,932 units at $1.

Another record close for JSE – Monday

bull 2 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 JSE combined index climbed 332.72 points to end at a record closing high of 190,229.21 with a gain for the year to date of 20 percent.
The Jamaica Stock Exchange closed trading with 42 securities trading as the prices of 9 gained while 16 declined in the overall market, including 5 stocks rising and 5 falling, in the junior market.
At the close with 4,243,795 units valued at $24,651,644 changed hands, compared to 43,666,008 units valued at $1,467,261,444 changing hands on Friday. The junior market accounted for 3,446,347 units changing hands, valued at $15,863,525 of the stocks traded.
ICI JSE sum 28-11-16 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.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 8 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 with lower offers.
In market activity, Barita Investments lost 10 cents in trading 3,800 shares, to end at $5, Berger Paints lost 30 cents in trading 6,250 units at $5.30, Cable & Wireless loss 9 cent to close at 71 cents, with 369,032 units trading, Caribbean Cement exchanged 14,937 shares at $27. Carreras traded 30,000 shares at $65.90, Grace Kennedy rose 3 cents and ended trading 2,115 units at $42. Jamaica Broilers closed at $14.90 with 5,300 shares changing hands, Jamaica Stock Exchange traded 49,658 shares and lost 1 cent to end at $5.51, ICI -JSE fn Qts -28-11-16JMMB 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.