Business and investors’ confidence is climbing with the Bank of Jamaica perceptions of present and future business conditions survey showing strong improvements in the latest reading, done in August this year.
The All-Jamaican stock market composite index also confirms the gains in confidence as can be seen from the chart. The stock market index dipped ahead of the survey numbers and started the rebound earlier than the survey figures.
The future conditions index rose to its highest level on record to 175.7 from 153.0 in the previous survey while the index of present business conditions rose to 211.7 from the 186.8 attained in the previous survey. According to the country’s central bank “Both indices reflected increases in the proportion of respondents of the view that conditions are or will be “better.” In addition, there were decreases in the proportion of respondents indicating that conditions are or will be “worse.”
The construction sector is one area reflecting improved confidence in the economy.
With the stock market moving from 178,203.70 points at the end of August to 185,329 points at the end of October, it is expected that perception of business conditions would have improved over the August levels as the stock market seems to mirror very well the sentiments of the business sector.
The market closed with 35 securities trading as the prices of 17 gained while 9 declined in the overall market, including 6 stocks rising and 1 falling, in the junior market.
Jamaica Stock Exchange rose 50 cents and ended at $27.50 while trading 22,004 shares. JMMB Group traded 6,359 shares and rose 5 cents to end at $13.30, Kingston Wharves traded 81,500 shares to close at $17.50 after gaining 50 cents, Mayberry Investments fell 37 cents and ended with 11,938 shares trading at $4, National Commercial Bank traded 13,471 shares to close with a fall of $1.29 at $43.70. Pan Jamaican Investments gained 79 cents and closed at $23.29 after trading 5,887 shares, Sagicor Group had 9,320 shares changing hands and lost 30 cents to close at $22.90, Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 158,087 shares to close at $10.20 after losing 3 cents. Scotia Group gained 98 cents in trading 2,985 shares to close at $31.50, Seprod traded 13,414 shares to end at $25, Proven Investments traded 5,820 units at 19.90 US cents down from 19.50 US cents and JMMB Group 7.50% preference shares traded 290,100 units at $1.08.
Trading closed on the junior market with the number of advancing stocks out pacing decliners by a wide margin while the market index advanced by just 6.20 points to 2,436.40, up 36 percent year to date. 
At the close of the market on 12 securities traded, versus 15 on Friday resulting in 6 stocks advancing and 1 declining.
Jamaican Teas traded 52,781 shares to close at $4, Jetcon Corporation lost 1 cent and ended with 5,000 shares trading at $4.01, Knutsford Express traded 1,100 shares in closing at $22.50, Lasco Distributors traded 33,953 units and gained 15 cents to close at $7. Lasco Financial rose 14 cents and ended with 2,250 shares changing hands at $3.24, Lasco Manufacturing closed at $5 with 87,876 shares but traded as high as $5.20 during the day, Paramount Trading closed at $24 with 25,856 shares changing hands and tTech rose 5 cents and closed with 4,300 units trading at $5. 
The market closed with 41 securities trading as the prices of 14 gained while 12 declined in the overall market, including 5 stocks rising and 5 falling, in the junior market.
National Commercial Bank traded 25,250 shares to close with a rise of 99 cents at $44.99, Pan Jamaican Investments lost 50 cents and closed at $22.50 after trading 2,876 shares. Radio Jamaica had 3,993,107 units changing hands to end at $1.50. Sagicor Group had 109,976 shares changing hands and gained 45 cents to close at $23.20, Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 75,341 shares to close at $10.23 after rising 23 cents, Scotia Investments traded 30,000 shares to close at $30, Seprod traded 8,250 shares with the price rising 90 cents to end at $25. Sterling Investments lost 74 cents in trading 7,500 units to close at $14.25, Supreme Ventures traded 15,200 units at $5 after falling 15 cents and Proven Investments traded 46,050 units at 19.50 US cents down from 19.80 Units.
At the close of the market on 15 securities traded, versus 19 on Thursday resulting in 5 stocks advancing and 5 declining stocks.
KLE Group lost 49 cents in trading 103,277 units to close at $1.30. Knutsford Express traded 2,163 shares in closing at $22.50, Lasco Distributors traded 10,180 units and declined by 14 cents to close at $6.85, Lasco Financial ended with 113,375 shares changing hands at $3.10, Lasco Manufacturing closed at $5 with 182,522 shares but traded as high as $5.39 during the day. Medical Disposables fell 13 cents to close at $5.49 with 49,550 shares changing hands, Paramount Trading rose $2 to close at $24 with 20,030 shares changing hands and Sweet River Abattoir with 10,000 units trading to end $3.50. 
The main market indices of the Jamaica Stock Exchange made good gains on Thursday with the all Jamaica Composite Index jumping 1,628.18 points to 185,297.83. The JSE Market Index climbed 1,455.89 points to finish at 166,730.99 and the JSE combined index surged 1,567.18 points to end at 179,309.80 and gained at 12 percent for the year to date. 
On Wednesday, an average of 77,761 units, compared to an average for the month to date of 178,931.
JMMB Group gained 3 cents in trading 69,546 units to close at $13.25. Kingston Wharves traded 1,300 shares to close at $17, Mayberry Investments rose 10 cents and ended with 61,100 shares trading at $4.10, National Commercial Bank traded 1,592,552 shares to close with a rise of $1 at $44, Pan Jamaican Investments closed at $23 after trading 4,250 shares. Portland JSX traded 2,650 units with the price gaining 7 cents to $11.10, Radio Jamaica rose 10 cents in trading 15,000 units and to end at $1.50. Sagicor Group had 28,463 shares changing hands and gained 35 cents to close at $22.75, Scotia Group closed at $30.51 with 224,410 shares changing hands, Scotia Investments traded 27,450 shares to close at $30 after falling $1.04 cents and Supreme Ventures traded 268,500 units at $5.15 after rising 15 cents.
The market index climbed 21.12 points to 2,402.94 to be up 34 percent for the year to date.
Jetcon Corporation lost 12 cents and ended with 1,616 shares trading at $4.03, Key Insurance lost 23 cents in trading 5,924 units to close at a new low of $2. Knutsford Express traded 10,500 shares but lost 45 cents in closing at $22.50, Lasco Distributors traded 39,885 units and rose 24 cents to close at $6.99, Lasco Financial ended with 28,956 shares changing hands at $3.10, Lasco Manufacturing closed at $5 with 970,918 shares trading as investors responded strongly to improved second quarter results. Medical Disposables fell 13 cents to close at $5.49 with 810 shares changing hands, Paramount Trading dropped $2 to close at $22 with 4,114 shares changing hands, tTech lost 5 cents and ended with 1,000 shares changing hands at $4.95.
The main market indices of the Jamaica Stock Exchange made modest gains on Wednesday with the all Jamaica Composite Index rising 216.41 points to 183,669.65. The JSE Market Index climbed 193.50 points to finish at 165,275.10 and the JSE combined index rose 551.77 points to end at 177,742.62 and gained at 12 percent for the year to date. 
The market closed with 40 securities trading as the prices of 11 gained while 14 declined in the overall market, including 5 stocks rising and 4 falling, in the junior market.
Jamaica Producers closed with a loss of 4 cents at $8.25 with 890 units trading, Jamaica Stock Exchange rose 44 cents and ended at $27.39 while trading 2,323 shares, JMMB Group lost 43 cents in trading 7,580 units to close at $13.22. Kingston Wharves traded 5,328 shares to close at $17, Mayberry Investments ended with 265,471 shares trading at $4, National Commercial Bank traded 14,975 shares to close with a decline of 49 cents at $43, Pan Jamaican Investments rose 45 cents to close at $23 after trading 15,199 shares. Portland JSX traded 1,500 units with the price falling 7 cents to $11.03, Radio Jamaica traded 111,388 units and fell 15 cents to end at $1.40. Sagicor Group had 12,768 shares changing hands and lost 15 cents to close at $22.40, Scotia Group rose 36 cents and closed at $30.51 with 388,287 shares changing hands and Proven Investments traded 245,840 units at 19.75 US cents after rising 0.25 cents.
The market closed with 41 securities trading as the prices of 16 gained while 14 declined in the overall market, including 7 stocks rising and 6 falling, in the junior market.
Kingston Wharves traded 3,565 shares to close at $17, Mayberry Investments rose 15 cents and ended with 745,266 shares trading at $4, National Commercial Bank traded 60,773 shares to close with a rise of 16 cents at $43.49, Pan Jamaican Investments declined 1 cent to close at $22.56 after trading 61,235 shares. Portland JSX traded 8,780 units with the price rising 6 cents to $11.10, Radio Jamaica traded 14,435 units and gained 15 cents to end at $1.55. Sagicor Group had 31,499 shares changing hands and closed at $22.55, Scotia Group rose 11 cents and closed at $30.15 with 306,000 shares changing hands. Seprod had 5,000 units changing hands to close with a loss of 48 cents at $24.02, Supreme Ventures traded 168,442 shares and gained 50 cents to close at $5, Proven Investments traded 149,847 units at 19.5 US cents after rising 1.5 cents and JMMB Group 7.5% preference share traded 1,000,151 units at $1.08 for a loss of 1 cent.
CAC reported a loss of $9 million after tax for the July 2016 quarter and profit of $31 million after tax for the nine months period, compared to $39 million for the July 2015 quarter and a profit of $71.6 million for the nine months to July 2015.