Trading on the Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange ended with the ninth straight record close on Wednesday as 23 securities traded. At the close the All Jamaican Composite Index advanced by 759.39 points to 317,455.71 and the JSE Index advanced by 691.89 points to 289,238.05.
The main market closed with 8 securities rising, 8 falling and 7 traded firm with 3,975,709 units valued at $69,965,883 compared to 10,920,273 units valued at $178,163,037 on Tuesday.
In the US dollar market trading accounted for The JSE US dollar Equities Index declined by 2.29 points to close at 183.46 as 10,330 shares traded with a value of US$2,419.
Trading ended with an average of 172,857 units for an average of $3,041,995 in contrast to 455,011 units for an average 
of $7,423,460 on Tuesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 1,420,512 units valued at $19,679,752 and 1,498,491 units with an average value of $20,719,611 previously. In contrast, September closed with average of 536,395 units at $1,905,441 for each security traded.
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 9 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 with lower offers.
13 stock prices rose on Tuesday
The main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange continues its bullish mood as trading closed with the 8 consecutive record on Tuesday, with the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index climbing 1,582.36 points to a record 316,696.32 and the JSE Index advancing 1,441.71 points to a record 288,546.16.
In the main activity, NCB Financial climbed back by $4 to close at $107 with 72,595 trading and Productivity Business traded 400 preference shares for a gain of $5 to close at a record high $105.
Berger Paints jumped 97 cents to close at $16, with 263,833 shares, this compares with the price of $10.88 that company’s majority shareholder offered, to buy out the minority shares and the company’s directors recommended as a fair value. Cable & Wireless traded 2 cents higher at $1.09, with 124,962 units, Caribbean Cement ended 50 cents higher at $28.60, with 82,419 shares, Carreras concluded trading 1 cent higher at $11.50, with 505,010 shares, 
Grace Kennedy settled 20 cents higher at $43, with 3,036 stock units, Jamaica Broilers ended with a loss of 49 cents at $18, after trading 13,309 units, Jamaica Producers finished at $16, with 5,905 stock units. Jamaica Stock Exchange traded 30 cents higher at $7, with 12,934 shares, JMMB Group closed with a loss of 50 cents at $27, trading 264,989 units, Kingston Wharves ended at $31.50, with 8,255 shares, Mayberry Investments closed with a loss of 40 cents at $4.20, with 73,720 stock units trading, 
138 Student Living ended trading 9,581 shares at $5.40. PanJam Investment settled with a loss of $1.99 at $40, exchanging 925 units, Portland JSX gained 15 cents to end at $9.15, with 1,800 stock units, Pulse Investments concluded trading with a loss of 40 cents at $1.60, with 2,750 shares changing hands, Radio Jamaica settled at $1.15, with 50,837 stock units, Sagicor Group jumped 99 cents higher to $39.99, with 18,676 shares. Sagicor Real Estate Fund settled 15 cents higher at $14.15, with 580,923 stock units, Scotia Group closed 50 cents higher at $51, with 2,453,400 units trading, Seprod closed at $30, with 38,390 shares and Supreme Ventures finished 9 cents higher at $11.99, with 763,256 stock units. In the main market preference segment, JMMB Group finished trading with a loss of 1 cent at $1.10, with 5,568,368 units.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
8 consecutive record close for JSE – Tuesday
The Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed at the 8th consecutive record high on Tuesday with the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index climbing 1,582.36 points to close at 316,696.32 and the JSE Index advanced by 1,441.71 points to 288,546.16.
Trading finished with 24 securities changing hands in the main market and 3 in the JSE US dollar market and resulted in 13 rising, 6 declining and 8 trading firm. The main market closed with 10,920,273 units valued at $178,163,037 compared to 2,056,868 units valued at $33,022,811 on Monday and the JSE US dollar market closed with 16,032 units traded, valued at US$4,842and leading to the JSE US dollar Equities Index advancing 2.74 points to 185.75.
Trading ended with an average of 455,011 units for an average of $7,423,460 in contrast to 97,946 units for an average of $1,572,515 on Monday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 1,498,491 units valued at $20,719,611 and previously, an average of 1,571,292 units valued at $21,647,250. In contrast, September closed with average of 283,480 units at $3,630,990 for each security traded.
NCB Financial climbed back to $107 from Monday’s to close at $103, while Berger paints traded 263,833 shares to close at $16, up 47 percent above the price the directors said was a fair price for the minority shares. IC Insider.com estimate for earnings for the year to March 2018 places the PE at a low 7 times currently versus the average market of 13.6. Productivity Business traded 400 shares for a gain of $5to close at a record high $105.
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 a reading of 8 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 with lower offers.
NCB hits record high at $110
NCB Financial surged to record high of $110 on Monday but failed to hold at this level, and closed with a fall of $4 from Friday’s close, while trading 66,239 units.
Gains in 7 securities in addition to an increase in the average price of NCB pushed the market to another record close with an increase of 1,123.42 points for the All Jamaican Composite Index, to a new record close of 315,113.96 and the JSE Index ending at a new closing high with a rise of 1,023.56 points to 287,104.45.
Trading in the main and US dollar markets ended with 22 securities changing hands, of which 7 advanced, 8 declined and 7 traded firm.
In market activity, Berger Paints rose $1.03 to $15.03, trading 88,561 shares, Cable & Wireless ended trading with a loss of 3 cents at $1.07, with 149,565 stock units, Caribbean Cement traded $1 higher at $28.10, with 354,168 stock units, Carreras finished with a loss of 1 cent at $11.49, with 173,526 stock units, Grace Kennedy closed at $42.80, with 16,111 shares. Jamaica Broilers lost 46 cents to end trading at $18.49, with 77,769 stock units, Jamaica Producers settled at $16, trading 10,675 units, Jamaica Stock Exchange ended with a loss of 30 cents at $6.70, with 75,914 stock units, JMMB Group settled at $27.50, with 75,887 shares, 
Kingston Wharves concluded trading at $31.50, with a mere 295 shares. Mayberry Investments ended 50 cents higher at $4.60, with just 300 units, 1834 Investments closed 5 cents higher at $1.40, with 84,295 shares, PanJam Investment climbed $2.49 higher to $41.99, with 28,445 stock units, Pulse Investments added 20 cents to close at $2, with 316,977 shares, Radio Jamaica traded 333,324 units at $1.15. Sagicor Group ended with a loss of 50 cents at $39, after 26,730 units changed hands, Sagicor Real Estate Fund concluded trading with a loss of $1 at $14, with 1,695 units being exchanged, Scotia Group jumped $1.42 to $50.50, with 56,422 shares, Seprod traded at $30, with 4,420 stock units and Supreme Ventures concluded trading at $11.90, with 115,550 shares. In the main market bond market NCB US 6% bond traded 19,000 units at J$131.02 after falling by 20 cents and In the US dollar market segment Proven Investments closed with 2,300 units trading at 23.5 US cents.
7 straight record close for JSE
The JSE All Jamaican Composite Index moved higher at the close of trading on Monday by 1,123.42 points to a new record close of 315,113.96, for 50 percent gain in 2017 and the 7th consecutive record close.
The JSE Index made new closing high with a rise of 1,023.56 points to close at 287,104.4 and in the US dollar market, trading ended with just 2,300 units, valued at US$541 as the JSE US dollar Equities Index closed unchanged at 183.01 after one security traded, with no price change.
Trading on the Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange ended trading on Monday with 21 securities changing hands, 7 advanced, 8 declined and 6 traded firm with 2,056,868 units valued at $33,022,811 compared to 5,159,785 units valued at $78,990,902 on Friday.
Trading ended with an average of 97,946 units for an average of $1,572,515 in contrast to 245,704 units for an average of $3,761,472 on Friday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 1,571,292 units valued at $21,647,250 and 1,667,082 units valued at $22,952,418, previously. In contrast, September closed with average of 536,395 units at $1,905,441 for each security traded
NCB Financial surged to a new record intraday high of $110 but fell back, to close at $103, losing $3 from the last trade on Friday. Berger paints traded 88,561 shares to close at $15.03, up 38 percent above the price Ansa Coatings offered to buy the minority shares.
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 a reading of 7 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 with lower offers.
NCB trades at record $107
NCB Financial Group trades at $107
NCB Financial (NCB) surged $13 to record high of $107 while trading 26,721 units, as 10 securities gained and pushed the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index by 8,028.94 points to a record close of 313,990.54.
NCB closed with just two offers for stocks placed on the market for sale at the close on Friday for a total of 5,320 shares, an indication that supply is drying up faster that demand for the stock.
Trading in the main and US dollar markets ended with 24 securities changing hands, of which 10 advanced, 7 declined and 7 traded firm.
In the market activity, Berger Paints closed $1.50 higher at $14, with 20,799 stock units changing hands, Cable & Wireless traded with a loss of 10 cents at $1.10, with 171,802 units, Caribbean Cement ended with a loss of 90 cents to end at $27.10, with 3,910 shares, 
Carreras finished trading 30 cents higher at $11.50, with 191,102 stock units, Grace Kennedy traded 11,334 shares and gained 30 cents to end at $42.80. Jamaica Broilers ended trading 94 cents higher at $18.95, with 562 stock units, Jamaica Producers ended trading at $16, with 2,066 shares changing hands, Jamaica Stock Exchange traded at $7, with 19,850 units, JMMB Group ended trading with a loss of 10 cents at $27.50, with 159,999 stock units, Kingston Wharves rose $1.50 to $31.50, with 5,248 units, Mayberry Investments settled with a loss of 11 cents at $4.10, with 73,995 shares, 1834 Investments ended at $1.35, with 4,390 units trading, PanJam Investment ended with a loss of $1.50 at $39.50, with 12,000 stock units. 
Radio Jamaica closed 5 cents higher at $1.15, with 73,031 units, Sagicor Group ended trading at $39.50 after rising $1.50, with 71,333 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund jumped 99 cents to a new high at $15, with 3,630,842 units, Salada Foods Jamaica finished with a loss of 20 cents at $9.80, with 2,000 stock units, Scotia Group finished trading with a loss of 92 cents at $49.08, with 247,759 shares. Supreme Ventures ended trading 40 cents higher at $11.90, with 13,160 stock units changing hands. In the main market preference segment, JMMB Group finished trading at $1.11, with 417,882 stock units, In the US dollar market segment, Productivity Business traded 135,846 shares at 57.5 US cents after losing 2.5 cents and Proven Investments closed with 4,015 units trading at 23.5 US cents and JMMB Group 6% US dollar preference share traded 1,500 units at $1.10.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
NCB leads JSE to 8,028.94 points rise
NCB Financial closed at a record $107 on Friday, pushing a stock split one step closer.
NCB Financial surged to a new record of high of $107 and along with 9 other stocks and pushed the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index by 8,028.94 points to a record close of 313,990.54 for a 49 percent gain in 2017.
The JSE Index to jumped 7,315.27 points to a record close of 286,080.89 on a day when two new record close was achieved by two securities. Trading picked up from Thursday’s low levels with 5,159,785 units valued at $78,990,902 trading compared to 3,438,708 units valued at $30,094,508 on Thursday.
Trading on the Main Market settled with 21 securities changing hands, of which 10 advanced, 6 declined and 5 traded firm. The US dollar market had 3 securities trading with one suffering a decline. Volume traded in this market was 141,361 units valued at US$80,724 and the US dollar Index fell 2.29 points to 183.01.
Sagicor Real Estate Fund closed at a new high of $15 after rising 99 cents, trading 3,630,842 units while Berger Paints closed at $14, but attempts were made to trade it as high as $17.50 but the price exceeded the 30 percent limit it could trade at for the day. 
Trading closed with bids to buy Berger ranging from a low of $11.02 to a high of $14 to purchase 259,773 shares, 204,458 units are on sale from a low of $16.75 for 41,583 units to most at $22 for 89,388 shares.
Trading ended with an average of 245,704 units for an average of $3,761,472 in contrast to 132,258 units for an average of $1,157,481 on Thursday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 1,667,082 units valued at $22,952,418 and 1,765,920 units valued at $24,286,888, previously. In contrast, September closed with average of 536,395 units at $1,905,441 for each security traded.
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 a strong reading of 11 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and only 1 with a lower offer.
All Jamaican Index jumps 1,630.32 points
The Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed at another record on Thursday with 26 securities changing hands, 9 advanced, 8 declined and 9 traded firm, leading the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index to jump 1,630.32 points to 305,961.60 and the JSE Index to gain 1,485.40 points to 278,765.62.
For the year to date, the All Jamaican Composite Index is up 45.6 percent and the JSE Index 45 percent.
In both the main and US dollar markets 30 securities traded. With the main market ending with 3,438,708 units valued at $30,094,508 changing hands compared to 2,338,963 units valued at $40,714,751 on Wednesday in the main market while trading In the US dollar market saw 4 securities changing hands, resulting in 21,938 units valued at 
US$8,171 changing hands. At the close the JSE US dollar Equities Index advanced by 0.49 points to close at 185.30.
Trading ended with an average of 132,258 units for an average of $1,157,481 in contrast to 101,694 units for an average of $1,770,207 on Wednesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 1,765,920 units valued at $24,286,888 and previously, 1,919,815 units valued at an average of $26,465,745. In contrast, September closed with average of 283,480 units at $3,630,990 for each security traded.
The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to units valued at 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 8 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 1 with a lower offer.
Moderate trading hits JSE majors
Trading on the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange was moderate on Thursday with 3,438,708 units, valued at just $30,094,508 changing hands but with the market closing at new record high.
Trading in the US dollar market saw 4 securities changing hands, resulting in 21,938 units valued at US$8,171 trading. A total of 26 securities changing hands in the main market with 9 advancing, 8 declining and 9 traded firm, leading the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index to jump 1,630.32 points to a record close of 305,961.60 and the JSE Index to gain 1,485.40 points to end at a record 278,765.62.
In the main activity, Barita Investments closed $1 higher at $9, with 29,895 shares trading, Berger Paints settled 90 cents higher at $12.50, with 3,308 shares, Cable & Wireless ended trading with a rise of 2 cents to $1.20, with 2,136,104 shares changing hands, Caribbean Cement ended 50 cents higher at $28, with 20,303 units, Carreras finished with a loss of 30 cents at $11.20, with 244,222 stock units trading, Grace Kennedy closed at $42.50, with 119,832 shares. Jamaica Broilers traded with a loss of 49 cents at $18.01, with 11,966 shares, Jamaica Producers closed at $16, with 10,229 units, Jamaica Stock Exchange finished trading with a loss of 20 cents at $7, after trading 1,000 shares, JMMB Group concluded trading 60 cents higher at $27.60, with 29,975 units, Kingston Wharves ended at $30, with 31,537 shares changing hands. Mayberry Investments finished at $4.21, trading 168,816 units, NCB Financial climbed by $1.50 to $94.50 while trading 13,287 units, 1834 Investments ended at $1.35, trading 2,500 units, PanJam Investment ended trading $2.40 higher at $41, with a mere 355 stock units, Portland JSX concluded trading at $9, with 4,500 shares. Radio Jamaica finished trading with a loss of 5 cents at $1.10, with 37,922 shares, 
Sagicor Group concluded trading with a loss of 50 cents at $38, with 18,876 stock units, Sagicor Real Estate Fund concluded trading 1 cent higher at $14.01, with 210,174 units, Salada Foods gained $1.50 t0 $10, with 1,000 stock units, Scotia Group finished trading with a loss of $3 to end at $50, with 203,381 shares. Seprod finished trading at $30, with 1,674 units and Supreme Ventures concluded trading with a loss of 50 cents at $11.50, with 14,502 units. In the main market preference segment, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.5% finished trading with a loss of 10 cents at $1.90, with 60,150 stock units, JMMB Group 6% preference share lost 4 cents to close at $1.10, with 63,000 shares. In the US dollar market segment, JMMB Group 6% preference share closed at US$1.11, with 2,230 shares Productivity Business traded 2,910 shares at 60 US cents and Proven Investments closed with 16,424 units trading at 23.5 US cents.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
All Berger directors must go
Considering the very strong recommendations made by directors for shareholders to take up the offer, it would be logical if the investing public was informed about the results. Trading is taking place with investors being in the dark.
This is no way to run a capital market. The Stock Exchange has information but has so far done nothing to get investors promptly informed as to the status of the company remaining listed. The Financial Securities Commission that is there to protect investors seems completely dead. With directors putting out highly questionable information in support of their ill-advised recommendation to sell, these regulators left investors completely exposed to improper information.
IC Insider.com gathers that around 6 million units were surrendered by investors. What is known by this publication, is that the larger minority shareholders with more than 31 percent of the shares, were never influenced by the recommendation to accept the offer and did not sell. That left smaller investors who unfortunately have given up their chance to reap a huge pay day in 2018 when the price is likely to be in the $40-50 range. Very sad indeed.
The stock exchange needs to get information out to the public and fast. And while the Jamaica Stock Exchange should do so, the Trinidad and Tobago Exchange needs to do the same as the Ansa Coatings parent, is listed on that exchange and should be informing their shareholders of the outcome of the offer as well.
Apart from what would be expected of Ansa to advice of the added acquisition. Under the Jamaica Stock Exchange rules, each listed company is required to report connected party transactions. The directors’ recommendation stated that all directors who owned shares directly and their connected parties, as well as two senior managers intended to accept the offer, accounting for over 500,000 units. These are connected parties and Berger is required to inform the Stock Exchange of these transactions along with the major shareholder buying, as a part of insider trading information.
With such poor judgement, minority shareholders need to demand that all directors resign from the board with immediate effect as no confidence can be placed in them to protect the interest of minority. One hopes it does not get down to that and that all will resign forthwith without having to be pushed.