The Jamaica Stock Exchange lost ground in early Wednesday morning trading as stocks traded mostly 
in low volumes, but Barita Investments traded 260,923 units but fell 75 cents to trade at $2.55.
Scotia Group had 143,139 shares changing hands but the price fell back to $30.10 from yesterday’s close of $30.90, Grace Kennedy with its 3 for 1 stock split has traded 52,754 units at yesterday’s close of $41.67, but has more than 250,000 units on offer at the current traded price bids are at $41.50.
The market indices all fell in the main and junior markets, with 6 stocks gaining versus 9 that fell.
The all Jamaica Composite Index fell 236.95 points to 178,347.33 the Jamaica Stock Exchange Market Index declined by 211.88 points to 160,515.99 the Jamaica Stock Exchange combined index lost 397.21 points to close at 171,222.45 points and the junior market index dropped 19.56 points to 2,176.59.
At 10:45 am 23 securities traded, resulting in a volume of 675,902 shares changing hands. The average number of shares traded amounts to 29,387 units compared to 25,083 units on Tuesday.
US$ build drops to US$121m on Tuesday
Jamaica’s foreign exchange dealers bought US$3 million less than the amount sold on Tuesday, putting the surplus bought since the end of June to US$121 million, with the rate of the Jamaican dollar slipping marginally against the United States currency.
In Tuesday’s trading, dealers bought US$32,763,938 while they sold US$35,875,715 compared to US$37,926,234 purchased and US$29,940,137 sold on Monday, of all currencies.
In US dollar trading, dealers bought US$29,193,791 compared to US$34,783,369 on Monday. The buying rate for the US dollar rose 1 cent to $125.82.
A total of US$34,459,336 was sold versus US$28,229,128 on Monday, with the selling rate rising 3 cents to end at $126.71. The Canadian dollar buying rate climbed $1.25 to end at $93.47, with dealers buying C$1,128,502 and selling C$540,659 at an average rate that dropped 79 cents to $95.25. The average rate for buying the British Pound rose 65 cents to $161.61 for the purchase of £1,915,825, while £538,882 was sold to end at $164.78, for a gain of 41 cents.
At the end of trading, the selling rate for the Euro, rose by 74 cents to close at J$141.44 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 $2.31. The US dollar equivalent of other currencies traded amounts to US$255,751 being bought, while US$309,138 was sold.
Highs & Lows| Notable changes to the highest and lowest traded rates, for the Jamaican dollar in the foreign exchange market on Tuesday, include, a rise of $1.05 in the highest buying rate of the US dollar to $128, a decline of 76 cents in the highest selling rate of the Canadian Dollar to close at $100.12, a fall of $2 in the lowest selling rate to $89, while trading in the British Pound resulted in a dip of $1.61 in the highest selling rate to $171.95 and a rise of $2.75 in the lowest selling rate to end at $159.75.
Strong close for JSE stocks on Tuesday
Grace Kennedy hits 52 weeks’ intraday high on Tuesday.
Kingston Wharves moved up by 45 cents to $16 with just 6,514 shares trading. Sagicor Group traded 14,346 units but fell 85 cents to $20.60, Scotia Group jumped 73 cents to $30.90 while 71,417 shares changed hands, Scotia Investments rose by 50 cents to $26.50 but just 4,395 units traded, Sterling fell 49 cents to $12.51 and Supreme Ventures climbed 58 cents to $5.10.In the overall market the prices of 18 securities gained out of a total of 40 securities that traded, with 11 declining, including 5 stocks, rising and 1 falling from the junior market.
The market closed with an overall volume of 4,024,061 units valued at $45,104,460 changing hands, in all market segments. The junior market accounted for 956,421 units traded, valued at $4,918,989 of all trades.
The JSE Market Index rose 744.87 points to end at 160,727.87, the all Jamaica Composite Index inched up 833.02 points to close at 178,584.28 and the JSE combined index gained 714.49 points, to end at 171,619.66.IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading showed 9 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 1 with a lower offer.
At the end of market activities, Barita Investments gained 25 cents and ended with 9,991 units traded, to close at $3.30, Cable & Wireless traded just 7,500 shares to close at $1.26, Proven Investments ended trading 420,975 units to close at 19.96 US cents and JMMB Group 7.50% preference share traded 1,921,100 units at $1.10.
5 junior stocks fell – Tuesday
Consolidated Bakeries (Purity) closed at a new high on Tuesday
At the end of trading 4 stocks closed with bids higher than their last selling prices and none ended with a lower offer. The junior market is showing that the lowest prices for stocks being offered are moving far away from the last traded prices for a number of the companies, with a few having no stocks being offered currently.At the close, Caribbean Cream gained 22 cents with 197,697 shares changing hands at $7.25, leaving 19,533 units on offer. Caribbean Flavours traded just 2,000 units to close with a loss of 40 cents at $6.10, the bid closed at $6.50, to buy 1,804 shares. Caribbean Producers lost 2 cents in trading 700 units at $3.48, Consolidated Bakeries traded 300 units with the price jumping 42 cents to a new all-time high of $2.55,
there were just two offers posted at the close, to sell 14,700 units. General Accident traded 7,722 shares and lost 6 cents to end at $2.10, Honey Bun had 4,810 shares changing hands at 10 cents lower to close at $5.50, Iron Rock Insurance traded 358,746 units to close at $3.28, Jamaican Teas traded 7,902 units at $3.15, Jetcon Corporation fell 5 cents lower to end with 9,055 shares changing hands at $2.65. Lasco Distributors ended with 243,560 shares changing hands at $6.80, Lasco Manufacturing closed at $5 with 61,690 shares trading and Medical Disposables ended with 62,239 units changing hands at $3.55 after rising 40 cents.
TTSE slipped on Wednesday
Trading on the Trinidad and Tobago stock market closed on Wednesday with more stocks declining than rising. The market closed with just 9 securities changing hands resulting in 219,949 shares valued at $946,629 being traded. At the close, 2 stocks rose, 4 declined and 3 remained unchanged.
The Composite Index lost 1.94 points to close at 1,151.93, the All T&T Index slipped 0.02 points to close at 1,811.60 and the Cross Listed Index eased 0.52 at 65.54.
IC bid-offer Indicator| The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator ended with 9 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 7 with offers that were lower.
Gains| Clico Investments rose 10 cents to end at $22.65 with 2,175 units changing hands and Guardian Holdings gained just 1 cent to close at $13.51 with 1,487 shares traded.
Losses| JMMB Group traded 158,520 units to end at 60 cents, after losing 3 cents, National Commercial Bank contributed 11,130 shares and fell 3 cents to close at $2.80, Sagicor Financial Corporation closed with 21,250 shares changing hands and gained 16 cents to $6.99 and Trinidad Cement traded 200 units but fell 1 cent to $3.
Firm Trades| Massy Holdings ended with 125 units changing hands at $55, National Enterprises with just 62 shares changing hands, closed at $10.50 and Trinidad and Tobago NGL closed with 25,000 shares with a value of $593,750 changing hands at $23.75.
Purity at new high on JSE – Tuesday
Consolidated Bakeries with its Purity brand trade a small volume at a new all-time high of $2.55, while Barita Investments fresh from releasing nine months results, showing good gains over 2015 rose 25 cents to trade at $3.30. 
Trading, however, on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Tuesday morning, remains light with no stock trading over 100,000 shares but all major indices rose.
Grace Kennedy traded after 10:30 AM with 5,100 units at $47.71 with a gain of $7.71, after trading ex stock split for the first time. The stock split into 3 shares for each one that previously existed. The market indices all rose moderately in the main and junior markets, with 9 stocks gaining versus 4 that fell. The price gain for Grace help push teh main Market Indices up over 1,000 points.
The all Jamaica Composite Index rose 242.94 points to 177,994.20 the Jamaica Stock Exchange Market Index climbed 217.24 points to 160,200.24 the Jamaica Stock Exchange combined index gained 266.13 points to close at 171,171.30 points and the junior market index gained 6.29 points to 2,200.15.
At 10:30 am 23 securities traded, resulting in a volume of 576,918 shares changing hands. The average number of shares traded amounts to 25,083 units compared to 364,405 units on Monday.
US$ build grows to US$124m on Monday
Jamaica’s foreign exchange dealers bought US$8 million more than the amount sold on Monday driving the surplus bought since the end of June to US$124 million. On Monday dealers bought $6.55 million more than they sold adding to the near US$11 million excess purchase on Friday but that did not prevent the average rate for buying the United States dollar from rising. The local currency gained versus the pound, while the selling rate of the Canadian dollar rose against the Jamaica dollar.
In Monday’s trading, dealers bought US$37,926,234 while they sold US$29,940,137 compared to US$37,754,708 purchased and US$25,565,625 sold on Friday, of all currencies.
In US dollar trading, dealers bought US$34,783,369 compared to US$33,387,006 on Friday. The buying rate for the US dollar declined 12 cents to $125.81. 
A total of US$28,229,128 was sold versus US$22,715,862 on Friday, with the selling rate rising 4 cents to end at $126.68. The Canadian dollar buying rate dropped $1.09 cents to end at $92.22, with dealers buying C$1,210,434 and selling C$724,632 at an average rate that rose by 30 cents to $96.04. The average rate for buying the British Pound dropped $2.01 to $161.96 for the purchase of £1,575,303, while £623,808 was sold to end at $164.36, for a gain of $1.22.
At the end of trading, the selling rate for the Euro, rose by 46 cents to close at J$140.71 from Friday’s rate, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$135.19 for a gain of 82 cents. The US dollar equivalent of other currencies traded amounts to US$227,656 being bought, while US$352,200 was sold.
Highs & Lows| Notable changes to the highest and lowest traded rates, for the Jamaican dollar in the foreign exchange market on Monday, include, a rise of 90 cents in the highest buying rate of the Canadian Dollar to close at $97.50, a fall of $1.50 in the lowest selling rate to $91, while trading in the British Pound resulted in a dip of $1.80 in the highest buying rate to $165.50, a fall of 67 cents in the lowest buying rate to $133.38, a fall of 86 cents in the highest selling rate to end at $173.56 and the lowest selling rate dropped $3.30 to end at $157.
JSE stocks close slightly up – Monday
Carreras lost 48 cents to close at $65.52 but reported a 38% profit increase to June.
Supreme Ventures was the dominant trade by far on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Monday with 39,898,309 trading between $4.71 and the closing price of $4.52 after falling 18 cents. Mayberry Investments sold 11,990,487 units from their inventory at $4.71 to Scotia Investments for a mix of buying for in-house inventory and for clients. In the afternoon session Mayberry crossed 27,884,209 units and bought them for in-house inventory with 27,821,082 units, trading at $4.52 each.
In the overall market the prices of 10 securities gained out of a total of 37 securities that traded, with 13 declining, including 5 stocks, rising and 1 falling from the junior market.
The market closed with an overall volume of 42,773,267 units valued at $ 226,239,889 changing hands, in all market segments. The junior market accounted for 257,522 units traded, valued at $1,655,683 of all trades.
The JSE Market Index rose 14.60 points to end at 159,983.00, the all Jamaica Composite Index inched up 16.33 points to close at 177,751.26 and the JSE combined index gained 40.82 points, to end at 170,905.17.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading showed 10 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 1 with a lower offer.
At the end of market activities, Berger Paints traded 6,608 shares to end at $4.60 after falling 4 cents, Cable & Wireless traded 134,255 shares to close at $1.26, Caribbean Cement gained 5 cents in trading 37,805 shares to close at $25.55. Carreras lost 48 cents, in exchanging 4,095 shares to end at $65.52 ahead of the release of its June quarter profit results, showing profit of $861 million or earnings of $1.77 per share, versus $623 million or $1.28 per share, in 2015. Grace Kennedy gained $2.30 to close at $125 with 12,959 shares changing hands, Jamaica Broilers traded 26,599 shares to end at $15. Jamaica Stock Exchange had 9,100 shares trading but slipped 89 cents to close at $21.10, JMMB Group traded 2,105 units to end at $9.80, after falling 10 cents. Kingston Wharves rose by 15 cents with 10,090 units changing hands and closed at $15.55, National Commercial Bank had 55,253 units changing hands, to close with a loss of 1 cent at $42. Trading in 138 Student Living resulted in a loss of 1 cent to close at $4.59 while trading 710,208 shares,
Pan Jamaican traded 15,750 shares to end at $25.50. Portland JSX traded 33,900 shares and lost 50 cents to end at $12, Radio Jamaica gained 8 cents to close at $1.68 after 170,000 shares changed hands, Sagicor Group lost 5 cents with 14,950 shares changing hands at $21.45, Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 16,000 shares to close at $10.22. Scotia Group traded 13,354 shares to end at $30.17 after falling by 43 cents, Scotia Investments declined by 10 cents with 2,000 units changing hands at $26 and Proven Investments ended trading 1,328,125 units to close at 19.99 US cents.
5 rising stocks steady juniors – Monday
The junior market rose moderately on Monday with 12 active securities. 5 stocks rose and 1 declined including a jump of $2.30 in the price of Knutsford Express. The market index rose 2.66 points to close at 2,193.86, with only 257,522 units trading, valued at $1,655,683.
At the end of trading 4 stocks closed with bids higher than their last selling prices and none ended with a lower offer.
At the close, Caribbean Cream gained 3 cents with 1,000 shares changing hands at $7.03, Consolidated Bakeries did not trade, but the bid for the stock climbed to $2.44, there were just two offers posted at the close, to sell 15,000 units. The stock last traded to close at $2.13, Dolphin Cove traded 300 shares to close at $14. General Accident traded 42,019 shares and gained 1 cent to end at $2.16, Honey Bun had 26,357 shares changing hands, to close at $5.60, ISP Finance traded 4,000 shares at $5.15,
Jetcon Corporation ended with 3,700 shares changing hands at $2.70, KLE Group ended at $1.30 with 918 shares changing hands. Knutsford Express closed with 23,977 units changing hands at $19, after climbing $2.30, Lasco Distributors lost 20 cents and ended with 77,580 shares changing hands at $6.80, Lasco Financial ended with 2,860 shares changing hands at $3.49, for a gain of 24 cents. Lasco Manufacturing closed at $5 with 74,311 shares trading and Derrimon Trading preference share ended with 500 units changing hands at $2.10.
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NIR shoots up in July
Net International Reserves of Jamaica shot up by US$124 million in July, to end at US$2.39 billion. The build-up has taken place over the period when bankers purchased US$100 million more than they sold, with the amount climbing to US$116 million up to the first week in August and US$124 million including Monday’s intake.
The reserves are just slightly below the amount of US$2.42 billion it was at the end of March at the 2016 peak, just before the central bank had to intervene by selling to the market with the reserves declining to a low of US$2.265 billion in June, just above the US$2.2 billion at the end of January.
With August being another month when inflows of foreign currency is high, the prospects are good for further build-up of funds in the system, before the end of the month and could place the country’s central bank in full control of the foreign exchange market in the months ahead before the next period of higher inflows starts in mid-December.
