With polls suggesting a tight race in the general election on Thursday, the Jamaica Stock Exchange main market continued to reflect uncertainty on Thursday as 15 securities declined, 13 gained as 33 changed hands in all market segments in a shortened session. Trading resulted in 1 stock closing at 52 weeks’ highs.
A total of 6,057,172 units valued at $98,493,384 changed hands in all markets. The junior market accounted for 2,076,968 units changing hands, valued at $12,398,257.
The JSE Market Index added 31.86 points to end at 157,673.33 the all Jamaica Composite Index squeezed out 35.60 points to end at 175,165.13 and the JSE combined index dropped 841.58 points to close at 166,544.40.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading was 14 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 with lower offers.
At the end of the market activities, Cable and Wireless closed with a loss of 6 cents as 145,106 units changed hands at $1.50. Caribbean Cement continues with wild price swings, rising $3 to close at $33 with 36,000 shares changing hands, Carreras closed at $66 after gaining $1, while trading 31,891 units, Gleaner ended with a gain of 1 cent to close at $2.43 with 69,622 shares trading, Grace Kennedy ended with 25,660 shares trading to close at $82.50 after losing 50 cents. Jamaica Broilers fell 26 cents with 583,521 units to close at $14.50, JMMB Group had 280,100 units changing hands to close at $10.41. Kingston Wharves had 68,371 shares trading with a loss of 1 cent at $11.44, National Commercial Bank had 1,182,454 shares changing hands with a fall of 60 cent to close at $40.40. Palace Amusement dropped by $13 to close at $74 with 100 shares trading, 
Pan Jamaican traded 4,231 shares but fell $1 to $94.50, Pulse Investments traded 206,000 shares with a fall of 48 cents to end at $3.22. Sagicor Group gained 45 cents with 4,270 shares changing hands at $23.50, Sagicor Real Estate Fund rose 25 cents with 1,000 shares changing hands at $11.95, Scotia Group had 136,020 shares changing hands, to close with a gain of 50 cents to end at $32. Scotia Investments had 7,550 units changing hands at $30, Supreme Ventures rose 49 cents to close at $6 with 114,353 units changing hands. JMMB Group 5.75% preference share traded 380,000 units at $1.06, JMMB Group 7.5% preference share traded 200,000 units and rose 5 cents to end at $2.15 and Proven Investments ordinary share traded 500,000 units at 21 US cents after rising by 1 US cent.
Moderate gains for JSE majors – Thursday
JSE nervous in early trading – Thursday
The Jamaica Stock Exchange is off to an interesting start on general election day 2016, with losses far exceeding advances on Thursday, in the early morning session. 
After 75 minutes of the market opening, 28 securities have been active, accounting for 3,867,042 shares. A total of 14 stocks fell and only 6 rose.
The all Jamaica Composite Index lost -266.70 points to 174,862.83, the JSE Market Index fell 238.64 points to 157,402.83, the JSE combined index declined by 465.66 points to 166,920.32 and the junior market index dropped 26.64 points to 2,048.48.
Caribbean Cement gained $3 with 36,000 shares to be at $33, Jamaica Broilers Group traded 575,591 at $14.50, National Commercial Bank traded 1,181,244 shares at $40.70, Palace dropped $13 while 100 shares traded at $74, Honey Bun had 5,000 shares changing hands at a new high of $13.90 and Lasco Manufacturing down 21 cents to $3.61 with 779,866 units.
JSE main market sharp turn – Wednesday
Carib Cement dropped $4 to $30 on Wednesday.
A total of 9,862,201 units valued at $166,875,309 changed hands in all markets. The junior market accounted for 2,918,009 units changing hands, valued at $20,407,860.
The JSE Market Index suffered a big fall of 1,632.23 points to 157,641.47 the all Jamaica Composite Index dropped 1,824.11 points to end at 175,129.53 and the JSE combined index dumped by 1,936.89 points to close at 167,385.98.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading was 16 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 9 with lower offers.At the end of the market activities, Cable and Wireless closed with a gain of 10 cents as 103,800 units changed hands at $1.56. Caribbean Cement fell $4 to close at $30 with 1,133,522 shares changing hands, Carreras closed at $65, while trading 205,078 units, Ciboney ended at 14 cents with 210,000 shares trading, Grace Kennedy ended with 7,150 shares trading to close at $83. Jamaica Broilers climbed 45 cents with 426,559 units to close at $14.76, JMMB Group had 637,636 units changing hands with a loss of 59 cents to close at $10.41. Kingston Wharves had 14,225 shares trading with a gain of 5 cents at $11.45, Margaritaville Turks traded 506,000 shares at 15 US cents,
Mayberry Investments traded 76,234 units to close at $4.80 for a rise of 10 cents, National Commercial Bank had 514,148 shares changing hands with a gain of 1 cent to close at $41. Pulse Investments traded 5,900 shares with a fall of 70 cents to end at $3.70, Sagicor Group fell 1 cent with 784,897 shares changing hands at $22.10, Sagicor Real Estate Fund fell 30 cents with 8,888 shares changing hands at $11.70, Salada Foods traded 19,327 units at $9.25. Scotia Group had 328,060 shares changing hands, to close with a loss of $1.50 to end at $31.50, Scotia Investments had 297,000 units changing hands at $30, after rising 75 cents, Supreme Ventures fell 1 cent to close at $5.51 with 1,230,000 units changing hands. JMMB Group 7.5% preference share traded 167,678 units at $2.10 and Proven Investments ordinary share traded 262,083 units at 20 US cents.
JSE dips in early trading
The Jamaica Stock Exchange recorded losses on Wednesday, in the early morning session. 
After 30 minutes of trading the junior market index is down 2.5 percent, well off from Tuesday’s gain of 1 percent, in early trading.
A total of 5 stocks fell and 6 rose as 18 securities have been active with just 500,267 units changing hands. The all Jamaica Composite Index lost 665.05 points to 176,288.59, the JSE Market Index fell 595.09 points to 158,678.61, the JSE combined index fell 1,043.12 points to 168,279.75 and the junior market index dropped 53.35 points to 2,065.80.
The greatest movers so far are Cable & Wireless with a 10 cents gain, Caribbean Cement down $2.98, Sagicor Real Estate Fund down 30 cents and Lasco Manufacturing down 30 cents to $3.70.
JSE’s modest recovery in early trading
The Jamaica Stock Exchange is making modest recovery on Tuesday morning. 
After 75 minutes of trading the junior market index is up 1 percent, well up from the 3 percent decline on Monday, in early trading.
A total of 10 stocks fell and 5 rose as 24 securities have been active with just 909,211 units changing hands. The all Jamaica Composite Index gained 224.52 points to 175,694.53, the JSE Market Index rose 200.90 points to 158,147.03, the JSE combined index fell 412.29 points to 168,364.80 and the junior market index dropped 62.47 points to 2,120.16. On Tuesday the junior index is up by 24.66 points to 2,130.69 points, in contrast to a fall of 64.27 in early trading on Monday.
JSE Main market up on Monday
Pressure on the Jamaica main market stocks eased on Monday with the indices gaining moderately but declining stocks just beating advancing ones by a margin of 16 securities declining 15 securities gaining as 40 changed hands in all market segments. 
Trading resulted in 2 stocks closing at 52 weeks’ highs.
A total of 7,670,934 units valued at $79,145,756 changed hands in all markets. The junior market accounted for 1,035,881 units changing hands, valued at $5,711,682.98.
The JSE Market Index rose 559.11 points to 157,946.13 the all Jamaica Composite Index gained 624.85 points to end at 175,470.01 and the JSE combined index dumped by 164.96 points to close at 167,952.51.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading was 14 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 with lower offers.
Juniors suffer big early drop
for the second consecutive trading day the juniors stocks got hit hard in early trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange with the index falling 3 percent, almost the same as on Friday. Trading was moderate after 75 minutes of trading with less than 50 percent of the listed securities being active.
A total of 11 stocks fell and 7 rose as 25 securities have been active with just 3,115,541 units changing hands.
Jamaican Teas fell 38 cents to $6.75 with 2,030,000 as a director sold 2 million units, for cash flow purposes. Lasco Manufacturing traded 87,494 units but fell 20 cents to $4 and helped in a major way to sink the market index but that would have been partially offset by Lasco Distributors with a gain of 13 cents to $7.43 and Caribbean Producers drop of 49 cents to $5 would have also been a big contributor to the fall of the index as well.
The all Jamaica Composite Index gained 83.07 points to 174,928.23, the JSE Market Index rose 74.32 points to 157,461.34, the JSE combined index fell 494.37 points to 167,623.10 and the junior market index dropped 62.47 points to 2,120.16. On Friday the junior index was down 64.27 in early trading to 2,176.36 points.
More retreating for JSE on Friday
Seprod traded at 52 weeks’ intraday high on Friday at $22.10.
A total of 7,670,934 units valued at $79,145,756 changed hands in all markets. The junior market accounted for 1,035,881 units changing hands, valued at $5,711,682.98.
The JSE Market Index rose 64.41 points to 157,387.02 the all Jamaica Composite Index gained 71.98 points to end at 174,845.16 and the JSE combined index dumped by 463.27 points to close at 168,117.47.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading was 9 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 with lower offers.
At the end of the market activities, Barita Investments retreated after the company posted lower earnings in the December quarter of $27.7 million versus $45.6 million as 10,000 units traded to close with a loss of 40 cents at $4.20. Berger Paints lost 49 cents to end at $4.21, with 5,070 units traded, Cable and Wireless closed with a loss of 1 cent as 619,883 units changed hands at $1.58. Caribbean Cement fell 50 cents to close at $30 with 31,123 shares changing hands, Carreras dropped $1 to close at $66, while trading 6,072 units, Ciboney declined by 6 cents to 15 cents with 2,955,517 shares trading, Gleaner traded 113,790 shares but fell 4 cents to $2.46. Grace Kennedy ended with 8,369 shares trading to close at $82.25 after gaining 70 cents. Jamaica Broilers jumped $1.15 with 647,438 units to close at $14.90, Jamaica Stock Exchange ended with 46,000 shares trading but rose 40 cents to close at $22.35, JMMB Group had 22,851 units changing hands at $11. 
Kingston Wharves had 7,260 shares trading with a gain of 5 cents at $11.40, Mayberry Investments traded 35,970 units to close at $4.5 for a decline of 5 cents, National Commercial Bank traded 109,827 shares to close at $41 after gaining 70 cents, while Pan Jamaican traded 14,727 shares with a fall of $1.30 to end at $94.70. Radio Jamaica traded 1,414 units but fell 30 cents to $4.30, Sagicor Group fell 1 cent with 469,568 shares changing hands at $22.10, Scotia Group had 1,242,641 shares changing hands to close with a gain of 50 cents to end at $33.50. Scotia Investments had 5,174 units changing hands at $28 after rising $1. Seprod closed at $22, with 26,364 shares trading, Supreme Ventures fell 5 cents to close at $5.85 with 170,772 units changing hands, JMMB Group 5.75% preference share traded 35,000 at $1.06 and Proven Investments preference share traded 40,000 units at $5.
JSE majors up juniors drop sharply
Juniors stocks got hit hard in early trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange with the index falling 3 percent as 6 stocks in fell including all two of the Lasco companies as one stock gained after 90 minutes of trading.
A total of 16 stocks fell and only 9 rose as 36 securities have been active with 5,052,661 units changing hands of which Ciboney makes up more than half.
Attempts were made to trade Barita Investments at $3 with 35,250 units changing hands but the trade was cancelled as it exceeded 30 percent for the day, this is following the company’s release of first quarter results which showed a fall in profit as a result of increased cost, the stock traded at $4.20, Ciboney traded 2,953,517 units at 13 cents Scotia Group had 1,053,652 shares changing hands at $32.80, AMG Packaging fell to $14 after the stock traded as high as $21.50 last week on low volume and tTech traded at $5.
The all Jamaica Composite Index gained 285.01 points to 175,058.19, the JSE Market Index rose 255.02 points to 157,577.63, the JSE combined index fell 340.25 points to 168,240.49 and the junior market index dropped 64.27 points to 2,176.36.
More retreat for JSE on Thursday
Carib Cement closed at a new 52 weeks’ high on Thursday of $30.50.
A total of 2,801,152 units valued at $40,035,868 changed hands in all markets. The junior market accounted for 876,572 units changing hands, valued at $3,718,863.
The JSE Market Index dived 913.83 points to 157,322.61 the all Jamaica Composite Index dropped 1,021.27 points to end at 174,773.18 and the JSE combined index dumped by 972.44 points to close at 168,580.74.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading was 15 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 with lower offers.
At the end of the market activities, Barita Investments ended with 119,000 units traded to close at $4.60, Berger Paints rose 20 cents to end at $4.70, with 13,950 units traded, Cable and Wireless closed with 58,929 units changing hands, with a loss of 1 cent at $1.59. Caribbean Cement jumped 50 cents to close at $30.50 with 11,868 shares changing hands, Carreras jumped $1.30 to close at $67, to end at a 52 weeks’ high while trading 150,641 units, Gleaner traded 57,510 shares but rose 5 cents to $2.50, Grace Kennedy ended with 2,449 shares trading to close at $82.25 after dropping 75 cents. Jamaica Broilers fell 75 cents with 244,239 units to close at $13.75, Jamaica Stock Exchange ended with 210,710 shares trading but lost 5 cents to close at $21.95, JMMB Group dropped 25 cents in trading 38,315 units at $11. Kingston Wharves had 5,900 shares trading at $11.40, Mayberry Investments traded 16,800 units to close at $4.80 for a rise of 30 cents, 
National Commercial Bank traded 45,262 shares to close at $40.30 after declining by $1.20, while 138 Students Living traded 146,285 shares with a fall of 10 cents to end at $5.60. Proven Investments traded 32,164 shares at 20 US cents, Radio Jamaica traded 17,651 units but fell 5 cents to $4.60, Sagicor Group fell 82 cents with 15,459 shares changing hands at $22.11, Scotia Group had 177,068 shares changing hands to close with a gain of 99 cents to end at $33. Scotia Investments had 1,200 units changing hands at $27 after dropping $3. Seprod closed at $22, with 104,200 shares trading, Supreme Ventures fell 10 cents to close at $5.90 with 48,200 units changing hands, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference share traded 66,900 at $2.15 and Proven Investments preference share traded 502,476 units at $5.
