At the close, the junior market index dropped another 3.04 percent on top of the 4.9 percent it fell by on Tuesday, to close at 1,756.02, after shedding 55.06 points, on top of the 93.63 it fell by on Tuesday. The market ended with 17 active securities, 4 of which advanced and 12 declined as 2,838,527 units changed hands, valued at $11,128,849.
There were 2 stocks closing with bids that were higher than their last selling prices and 1 ended with a lower offer.
At the end of trading, AMG Packaging rose $1.40 with 2,000 shares traded to close at $12.50, Blue Power traded 385 units but lost $2.10 to close at $11.95, Caribbean Cream fell 20 cents to end at $4.50 with 15,229 units changing hands. Caribbean Flavours traded 5,335 shares and lost 11 cents to end at $7.45, Caribbean Producers traded 200,000 shares to end with a loss of 20 cents at $3.80, Consolidated Bakeries lost 3 cents in trading 51,344 units, to end at $1.21, General Accident fell by 20 cents in trading 56,296 units and closed at $2.70. Honey Bun had 8,880 units trading but dropped $1 to end at $10.50, ISP Finance lost 15 cents with 20,719 shares trading to end at $2.35, Jamaican Teas closed at $3.80 
after trading 41,880 units to record a loss of 20 cents. Jetcon Corporation closed at $2.90 after 398,120 shares changed hands as high as $2.95, Key Insurance gained 15 cents to close at $2.90 with 176,233 units changing hands. The stock had traded in the morning session at an intraday high of $3. KLE Group closed at $1.66 after falling 4 cents with 9,000 shares changing hands, Lasco Distributors lost 39 cents and ended with 1,548,585 units trading to close at $4.51. Lasco Financial rose by 24 cents to end at $2.99 with 37,883 shares changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing ended with 185,662 shares changing hands having risen by 44 cents to close at $3.50 and Medical Disposables traded 26,450 shares to end at $3.20 after losing 22 cents.
More losses for JSE on Tuesday
The Jamaica Stock Exchange suffered more losses on Tuesday with declining stocks having the upper hand on advancing stocks as 42 securities changed hands, in all market segments. The market ended with 8 stocks rising and 20 declining. One of the stock rising closed at 52 week’s high.
The market closed with 4,118,840 units valued at $45,574,795 changing hands in all markets. The junior market accounted for 1,469,331 units, valued at $8,265,286 units changing hands.
The JSE Market Index fell 385.51 points to end at 152,203.76, the all Jamaica Composite Index dropped 431.14 points to end at 169,051.16 and the JSE combined index lost 1,317.86 points, to close at 159,763.33.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading was 7 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 9 with lower offers.
At the end of the market activities, Cable & Wireless traded 426,546 units, to close with a 13 cents loss at $1.07, Caribbean Cement dropped $2 with 11,217 shares changing hands to end at $25, Carreras lost $1.08 in trading 10,055 shares to end at $65.02. Ciboney traded 312,673 shares but lost 2 cents to end at 16 cents, 1834 Investments, formerly Gleaner Company, traded 6,188 units to close with a loss of 23 cents at $1.77. Grace Kennedy closed with 18,330 shares changing hands at $81.90 after losing 10 cents, Jamaica Broilers traded 405,577 units to close at $14.60, after rising 10 cents, JMMB Group dropped $1.20 as 11,401 shares changed hands at $9.70, Kingston Wharves traded 50,500 shares to close at $11.30. Mayberry Investments ended trading 46,068 shares to end at $4. 
National Commercial Bank lost 74 cents with 21,967 shares changing hands to close at $40.50, Pan Jamaican Investments traded 34,232 shares to close at $93, Radio Jamaica traded 87,952 shares but lost 3 cents to close at $1.43. Sagicor Group gained 50 cents and ended with 668,797 shares changing hands at $24, Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 6,093 shares to close at $10. Scotia Group traded 15,505 shares to close at $30, Scotia Investments fell $2.85 with only 916 shares changing hands to end at $25.10. Supreme Ventures closed at $4.95 with just 4,867 units changing hands, Proven Investments ordinary shares traded 295,325 units to end at 17.5 US cents up from 17 cents previously and JMMB Group 5.75% preference share traded 180,000 units but gained 14 cents to close at $1.20.
Junior market drops sharply – Tuesday
Eppley added $59 to reach a new high on Tuesday
There were 2 stocks closing with bids that were higher than their last selling prices and 4 ended with lower offers.
At the end of trading, Access Financial Services lost 40 cents with 1,500 shares traded to close at $16.60, Caribbean Producers traded 500 shares to end with a loss of 10 cents at $4, Consolidated Bakeries had 7,085 units trading, to end at $1.24, C2W Music 5,000 units changing hands to close at of 33 cents. Eppley gained 14.75 percent in ending at a 52 weeks’ high of $459 with 5,300 shares trading with an increase of $58.99, on the same day the company had an extraordinary meeting to vote on an increase in the share capital by 500,000 ordinary shares. General Accident fell by 8 cents in trading just 100 units at $2.90. Honey Bun had 1,889 units trading to end at $11.50, Iron Rock had 125,840 shares trading but eased 15 cents to end at $3.85, Jamaican Teas closed at $4 after trading 9,242 units.
Jetcon Corporation closed at $2.90 after 395,110 shares changed hands, Key Insurance lost 10 cents to close at $2.75 with 79,823 units changing hands. KLE Group closed at $1.70 after rising by 5 cents with 6,795 shares changing hands, Knutsford Express closed with 57,252 units changing hands at $17.50 with a loss of $4.50, Lasco Distributors lost 70 cents and ended with 362,475 units trading to close at $4.90. Lasco Financial ended at $2.75 with 16,900 shares changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing ended with 125,020 shares changing hands and loss of 59 cents to close at $3.06, tTech traded 2,500 shares to end at $4.30 and Derrimon Trading preference share ended with a gain of 1 cent as 267,000 un inits traded to close at $2.17.
GOJ in black with $6b collection
Jamaica’s Ministry of Finance newest office building
The Primary surplus ended at $3.5 billion below budget at $80 billion down from $83.5 originally planned, but the difference may be accounted for by the reduction in the target agreed by the IMF.
Elsewhere a $3 billion increase on income and profit tax above budget to February this year, helped the government to meet the deficit target set for the elven months of the fiscal year that ends in March. While the income and profits tax were ahead of target, taxes on production and consumption and on imports delivered $1.5 billion less than targeted and bauxite levy was down by $2.4 billion, no doubt caught up in the dispute and bankruptcy proceedings with Miranda Bauxite Company. Grants were also off by $3 billion from the amount budgeted.
The capital budgeted expenditure that is usually underspent in past years has been fully used up to the end of February but the government incurred less on debt servicing with lower interest cost of $3 billion for the elven months period.The month with the largest inflows of funds, March is yet to be fully compiled and not yet released. Those numbers will be important for the government going into the new fiscal year, as it would indicate what is the likely capacity for increased spending, for the year ahead. What is known is that interest cost should fall in the year as Treasury bill rates to which a large portion of the national debt is tied have been declining and this should lead to lower cost in this area.
Junior market slipped slightly – Monday
At the close, the junior market index fell 14.22 points to close at 1,904.71. The market ended with 18 active securities, 8 of which advanced and 5 declined as a mere 693,955 units changed hands, valued at $,269,270. There were 3 stocks closing with bids that were higher than their last selling prices and 2 ended with lower offers.
In trading the market closed with one new high and one new low. At the end, Blue Power closed with a gain of $1.05 at $14.05 with only 190 units changing hands, Caribbean Cream traded a mere 100 shares as the price lost 5 cents to end at $4.70, Caribbean Flavours had 1,000 shares changing hands to end at $7.56 for a 1 cent gain. Caribbean Producers traded 23,418 shares to end with a loss of 60 cents at $4.10, Consolidated Bakeries had 40,482 units trading, with a loss of 1 cent to end at $1.24, C2W Music fell 4 cents with 6,600 units changing hands to close at a 52 weeks’ low of 33 cents. Honey Bun had 3,160 units trading but rose by 49 cents to end at $11.50, Iron Rock had 245 shares trading at $4, Jamaican Teas closed at $4 after trading 650 units to gain 20 cents. Jetcon Corporation closed at $2.90 after 129,320 shares changed hands, 
Key Insurance traded at a new high of $2.85 after rising 25 cents with 23,159 units changing hands. KLE Group closed at $1.65 with 100,000 shares changing hands, Knutsford Express closed with 350 units changing hands at $22, Lasco Distributors lost 5 cents and ended with 61,955 units trading at $5.60. Lasco Financial ended at $2.75 with 9,121 shares changing hands, for a loss of 25 cents, Lasco Manufacturing ended with 287,905 shares changing hands and gained 10 cents to close at $3.65, Medical Disposables closed with a gain of 12 cents with 1,000 shares trading at $3.42 and tTech gained 30 cents with 5,300 shares trading to end at $4.30. tTech plans releasing audited accounts for 2015 around the middle of April a source from the company advised IC Insider. the source indicates that the JSE advised that since they listed in January, after the year end the accounts to the end of December last year was not a requirement, the company decided to release the report when completed nevertheless.
Junior market slipped slightly – Friday
Key Insurance Company that listed on Thursday traded at $2.60 on Friday today above the Initial Public offering price (IPO) of $2.27. ISP Finance that was listed earlier in the week did not traded on Friday with a wide gap between the bid at $2.15 the offer price of $3, the stock traded at $2.50 on the opening day. Jetcon Coporation that was listed on the day before Easter, traded to close at $2.90, but went as high as $2.99 compared to the IPO price of $2.25.
At the close, the junior market index fell 6.29 points being added to close at 1,918.93. The market ended with 21 active securities, 4 of which advanced and 10 declined as a mere 988,659 units changed hands, valued at $3,655,969. There were 4 stocks closing with bids that were higher than their last selling prices and 3 ended with lower offers.
In trading, AMG Packaging closed with a gain of 10 cents at $11.10 with 27,099 units changing hands, CAC 2000 traded 1,000 shares and lost 47 cents to end at $6.53, Caribbean Cream traded 22,085 shares as the price rose 35 cents to end at $4.75, Caribbean Flavours had 5,300 shares changing hands to end at $7.55. Caribbean Producers traded 3,000 shares to end with a loss of 10 cents at $4.70, Consolidated Bakeries had 29,073 units trading, with a rise of 10 cents to end at $1.25, C2W Music fell 3 cents with 4,000 units changing hands to close at 37 cents. Derrimon Trading closed with 950 shares changing hands as the price slipped 21 cents to end at $4, Honey Bun had 26,150 units trading but lost 2 cents to end at $11.01, Iron Rock had 5,000 shares trading at $4, Jamaican Teas closed at $3.80 after trading 28,510 units.
Jetcon Corporation closed at $2.90 after trading 306,956 shares, Key Insurance traded at a new high of $2.60 as 40,000 units changed hands with the price gaining 33 cents on the IPO price. KLE Group dropped 45 cents to close at $1.65 with 201,343 shares changing hands, Knutsford Express closed with 119 units changing hands to end at $22, Lasco Distributors lost 15 cents and ended with 177,390 units trading at $5.65. Lasco Financial ended at $3 with 7,077 shares changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing ended with 60,107 shares changing hands to close at $3.55, with a loss of 15 cents, Medical Disposables closed with a loss of 12 cents with 18,000 shares trading at $3.30 and tTech fell 48 cents with 17,500 shares trading to end at $4.
Gains for JSE on Monday
Sagicor Group closed at a 52 weeks’ high on Monday
For the overall market, 32 securities changed hands, in all market segments with 11 rising and 10 declining while 1 closed at a 52 weeks’ closing high and one at an intraday record high. The market closed with 4,459,879 units valued at $105,773,180 changing hands in all markets. The junior market accounted for 935,672 units changing hands, valued at $3,901,047.
The JSE Market Index garnered 498.31 points to end at 153,581.38, the all Jamaica Composite Index added 556.89 points to end at 170,592.15 and the JSE combined index gained 199.09 points to close at 162,360.97.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading was 8 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 9 with lower offers. At the end of the market activities, Cable & Wireless traded 239,100 units to close with a gain of 2 cents at $1.39, Caribbean Cement ended at $22.65 with just 2,246 shares trading, after declining by 65 cents, Carreras traded 4,806 shares to end at $65, Gleaner closed at $2.09 with 105,736 shares changing hands. Grace Kennedy closed with 176,230 shares trading with a loss of 99 cents at $82, still well below the $97 equivalent, it last traded at in Trinidad. Jamaica Broilers declined by 9 cents in trading 5,375 units to close at $14, Jamaica Producers closed with a gain of $2 at $33 while trading 1,264,675 shares, down from 2,261,978 units traded on Friday. Jamaica Stock Exchange rose by 90 cents in trading 25,254 units to close at $22.90, JMMB Group had 7,596 units changing hands but rose 30 cents in closing at $10.30, Kingston Wharves traded 1,000 shares to close at $11.45, Mayberry Investments traded 20,680 shares to end at $4.45.
National Commercial Bank gained $1.03 with 330,105 shares changing hands to close at $41.03, Pan Jamaican investment fell 2 cents to close at $93 with 48,996 shares, Proven Investments ordinary share traded 138,420 units at 21 US cents. Sagicor Group gained 74 cents with 935,313 shares changing hands to close at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $23.74, Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 2,000 shares to close at $10.90, Scotia Group gained 39 cents with 69,377 shares changing hands to close at $30.90. Seprod traded 30,000 shares to close at $18.51, Supreme Ventures closed with a loss of 50 cents at $4.50 with 81,308 units changing hands and JMMB Group 7.5% preference share traded 35,990 units but recovered 5 cents to end at $2.15.
NCB sold off big block of £ – Tuesday
NCB sold off £14m on Tuesday.
Trading resulted in the Jamaican dollar gaining value against the US dollar on Tuesday but falling against the Pound and the Canadian. The market ended with dealers buying the equivalent of US$38,374,952 and selling US$59,515,111, in contrast to US$55,938,398 purchased and US$42,243,409 sold on Monday.
In US dollars trading, dealers bought US$35,361,406 compared to US$52,402,992 on Monday, with the buying rate for the US dollar falling 15 cents to $121.31. A total of US$38,036,432 was sold versus US$40,586,538 on Monday as the selling rate fell 1 cent to end at $122.02. The Canadian dollar buying rate lost 22 cents to end at $88.16 with dealers buying C$1,087,597 and selling C$817,857, at an average rate that rose 47 cents to $91.29. The rate for buying the British Pound dropped $1.46 to $169.43 for the purchase of £1,474,724, while £14,483,014 was sold, the rate rose 49 cents to $173.53. At the end of trading, the selling rate for Euro, fell by 63 cents to close at J$135.54, from Monday’s rate, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$132.88 for a fall of 65 cents on Monday’s rate. 
The US dollar equivalent of other currencies traded, amounts to US$163,481 being bought, while US$269,070 was sold.Highs & Lows| Notable changes to the highest and lowest rates the currencies traded at on Tuesday are, a fall of $1.20 in the lowest selling rate of the Canadian dollar to close at $85 and a fall of $2 in the lowest selling rate of the British Pound that landed at $165.
Juniors inch higher – Monday
The junior market rose Monday but with declining stocks being just ahead of advancing ones. The market ended with a gain of 27.76 points to close at 1,914.73 on Monday.
The market ended with 11 securities trading, 5 of which declined and 4 advancing and 811,127 units changing hands, valued at $3,604,853.
The decline in the market seems over with IC bid offer indicator pointing to rising prices ahead on Monday. At the close, 1 security ended with no bid and only 6 securities had no stocks being offered for sale. There were 4 stocks closing with bids that were higher than their last selling prices and 1 ended with lower offer.
In trading, AMG Packaging lost 35 cents with 14,101 units changing hands, to close at $11.15, Caribbean Cream traded 117,959 shares, the price slipped by 4 cents and ended at $4.06, Caribbean Producers lost 35 cents to end with 102,139 shares trading at $4.15. General Accident 
closed with only 9,000 shares being active but gained 1 cent to end at $2.70, Honey Bun traded 13,054 units at $14 after shedding 61 cents. Jamaican Teas gained 20 cents in closing at $7.70 with 2,801 shares changing hands. Lasco Distributors closed with 121,420 units trading to end at $6, Lasco Financial fell by 9 cents to end at $3.01 with 90,849 shares changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing ended with 223,804 shares changing hands to close at $3.50. Sweet River ended with 11,000 units changing hands at $4.02 after rising 2 cents for a 52 weeks’ high and tTech closed with a gain of 25 cents at $4.50 with 105,000 units changing hands.
Executive chairmen are dangerous
Mr. Golding has some major assets and may well be able to make his wealth of knowledge in government and in is personal business contribute in a significant way to the fortunes of the Housing Trust.
If news item is correct, the decision would not a good one and it is not based on competence. Good corporate practise suggests that executive responsibilities should never be merged with that of head of the board. There are a number of good reasons for this separation. There must always be someone to appeal to when things may not be going well in aspects of the business. When someone has a problem with the top executive, to whom does he or she appeal?
Separation is even more critical when it comes to governmental appointments, where many of the board members are political appointments with party interest being placed ahead of the national interest, as such boards are often just another arm of the party. The developments re Outameni operation that was acquired by the NHT is one such case in point that when executives or chairmen have too much power how that it can be inimical to the interest of an organisation..
One hopes that the new report is not true as it would be a really terrible move by the new Prime Minister.