There was more selling of foreign currencies than buying by dealers on Tuesday, reversing the trend of more buying than selling on Friday last and on Monday. Purchases of all currencies by dealers, translated to US$32,436,213 compared with the US$44,621,999, on Monday and selling amounted the equivalent of US$44,560,563 versus US$39,191,588 sold on Monday.
In US dollar trading, dealers bought US$28,223,145 compared to US$41,625,677 on Monday. The buying rate for the US dollar fell 11 cents to $115.25 and US$42,457,660 was sold versus US$37,401,869 on Monday, the selling rate fell 1 cent to $115.77. The Canadian dollar buying rate rose 67 cents to $89.68 with dealers buying C$1,244,395, and selling C$732,799, at an average rate that climbed 56 cents, to $91.62. The rate for buying the British Pound gained $1.47 to $172.70 for the purchase of £2,063,515, while £874,757 was sold, at an average rate of $173.97, after rising 20 cents. At the end of trading it took J$131.33 to purchase the Euro, 64 cents higher than on Monday, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$128.89 for an increase of 48 cents over Monday. Other currencies bought, amounted to the equivalent of US$152,537 while the equivalent of US$208,402, was sold.
Highs & Lows| The highest buying rate for the US dollar, fell 10 cents to $115.90. The lowest buying and the highest selling rates were unchanged at $94.36 and $120.91 respectively. The lowest selling rate dropped $1.86 to $94.36. The highest buying rate for the Canadian dollar fell 30 cents to $92.70, the lowest buying rate rose 50 cents to $72.38. The highest selling rate put on 43 cents to $94.48 and the lowest selling rate is up 90 cents to $87.50. The highest buying rate for the British Pound, gained 68 cents to $174.68. The lowest buying rate eased 58 cents to $138.86, the highest selling rate lost 75 cents to $179.01 and the lowest selling rate dropped 40 cents to $167.30.
J$ falls against Pound & Canadian
Junior market falters, 3 stocks rise 3 fall
Activity on the Junior Market closed with 7 securities trading and ending with 790,671 units valued at $998,335 changing hands. The JSE Junior Market Index declined 5.48 points to close at 698.61, with the price of 3 stocks advancing and 3 declining.
At the close of the market, there were 4 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and none had offers that were lower. The junior market ended with 4 securities closing with no bids to buy and 8 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
Stocks trading in the junior market are, Jamaican Teas traded 117,665 units, gained of 4 cents to close at $2.55, Lasco Distributors traded 46,000 shares and closed with 1 cent gain at $1.41, Lasco Financial stock gained a cent with 55,000 shares, to end at $1.06, Lasco Manufacturing with 465,462 shares changing hands closed at $1.20.
Blue Power closed with 2,544 units trading, the price slipped 11 cents $6.40, Caribbean Producers in closing with 94,000 shares trading lost 10 cents at $2.20 and General Accident ended with 10,000 shares changing hands 15 cents lower at $1.65.
TTSE up but negative bias remains
NCB is in demand in Trinidad as stock sets to rise further
At the close of the market, the Composite Index rose 0.25 points to close at 1,151.01, the All T&T Index rose by 0.91 points to close at 1,984.60 and the Cross Listed Index increased by 0.19 points to close at 41.56.
Gains| Stocks increasing in price at the close are, Clico Investment Fund traded 168,480 shares valued at $3,832,536 and gained 9 cents to end at $22.74, National Commercial Bank with 100,000 shares changing hands for a value of $119,000, closed 3 cents higher, at $1.19, a new 52 weeks’ high. NCB closed with the bid at $1.22 (J$22) to buy 100,000 units but there were no stocks on offer at the close. Trinidad Cement contributed 39,350 shares to gain 4 cents to $2.30 and Unilever Caribbean stock price increased by 15 cents to end at $65.16, for a new 52 weeks’ high, while trading 250 units.
Declines| The stocks declining at the end of trading are, Angostura Holdings with 1,972 shares trading and closed 4 cents lower at $15.90, Grace Kennedy traded just 509 units at $3.65 while losing 2 cents and Massy Holdings traded 175 shares to close with a loss of 50 cents down to $67.
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading are, First Citizens Bank with a volume of 87,000 shares trading for $3,132,000 at $36, Guardian Holdings added 2,000 shares at $13.20. Jamaica Money Market Brokers had 299 shares changing hands at 40 cents, One Caribbean Media traded 1,000 units to close at $23.95, Point Lisas Industrial Port Development ended with 385 shares trading at $3.75 and Scotiabank traded 1,013 shares to close at $62.IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 4 stocks with the bid higher than their last selling prices and 7 stocks with offers that were lower.
JSE up more gains ahead
Prices were mostly up in trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on the first trading day of February, in continuation of a pattern of rising prices being dominant from early October, last year. A number of market indicators continue to point to a strong rally ahead for local stocks. National Commercial Bank dominated trading with more than 27 million units trading as Mayberry Investments sold most of them and Scotia Investments bought most. Both brokers were acting on behalf of clients.
More stocks gained on Monday than declined, resulting from the prices of 9 stocks rising, 3 declining as 22 securities changed hands, ending in 27,680,503 units trading, valued at $563,375,725, in all market segments. Two stocks closed at new 52 weeks’ high.
strong> Main Market Indices| The JSE Market Index gained 662.29 points to 77,201.46, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index rose 740.46 points to close at 85,033.12 and the JSE combined index gained 758 points to close at 79,171.24.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 7 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and only 2 with lower offers, including Montego Bay Ice Company that seldom trades.
Carreras closed at a new 52 weeks’ high of $41 on Monday. Poised to go higher.
Firm| The stocks in the main market to close without a change in the last traded prices are, Cable & Wireless closed with 10,000 units trading at 50 cents, Gleaner concluding trading with 416 shares changing hands at 81 cents, Grace Kennedy finished with 3,533 shares trading at $62, Proven Investments in trading 2,420 shares closed at 21 US cents, Sagicor Group closed with 62,506 shares trading at $10, Sagicor Real Estate Fund had 66,350 units trading at $6.70 and Scotia Group closed with 131,483 shares changing hands at $20.05.
Declines| Scotia Investments was the sole stock in the main market to end with a loss while 5,000 shares changed hands to close lower by 45 cents to $22.55 units.Preference| Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference share traded 300 units to close at $2 and Jamaica Money Market Brokers 8.75% preference share traded 5,000 units to end with an increase of 2 cents to $3.02.
J$ gains against all – Monday
There was more buying of foreign currencies than selling for the second day running leading to the Jamaican dollar gaining ground on Monday against all main currencies. Purchases of all currencies by dealers, translated to US$44,621,999 compared with the US$51,909,364, on Friday and selling amounted the equivalent of US$39,191,588 versus US$44,032,835 sold on Friday.
In US dollar trading, dealers bought US$41,625,677 compared to US$46,629,667 on Friday. The buying rate for the US dollar fell 17 cents to $115.36 and US$37,401,869 was sold versus US$41,752,070 on Friday, the selling rate fell 3 cents to $115.78. The Canadian dollar buying rate declined $2.11 to $89.01 with dealers buying C$1,518,060, and selling C$713,161, at an average rate that dropped 82 cents, to $91.06. The rate for buying the British Pound dropped $1.42 to $171.23 for the purchase of £1,067,484, while £699,167 was sold, at an average rate of $173.77, after falling $1.07. At the end of trading it took J$130.69 to purchase the Euro, 62 cents lower than on Friday, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$128.41 for a fall of 64 cents from Friday. Other currencies bought, amounted to the equivalent of US$240,496 while the equivalent of US$179,478, was sold.
Highs & Lows| The highest buying rate for the US dollar, rose 10 cents to $116. The lowest buying and the highest selling rates were unchanged at $94.36 and $120.91 respectively. The lowest selling rate dropped $16.88 to $96.22. The highest buying rate for the Canadian dollar fell $1 to $93, the lowest buying rate eased $1.08 to $71.88. The highest selling rate fell $1.85 to $94.05 and the lowest selling rate dropped $1.80 to $86.60. The highest buying rate for the British Pound, dipped $1 to $174. The lowest buying rate eased 62 cents to $139.44, the highest selling rate lost 80 cents to $179.76 and the lowest selling rate dropped $2.30 to $167.70.
Junior market up strongly again
Activity on the Junior Market closed with 7 securities trading and ending with 163,012 units changing hands valued at $287,277. The JSE Junior Market Index climbed 14.51 points on top of the 13.55 points gained on Friday, to close at 704.09, with the price of 3 advancing and 2 declining.
At the close of the market, there were 3 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with a lower offer. The junior market ended with 4 securities closing with no bids to buy and there were 6 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
Stocks trading are, Caribbean Producers finishing with 41,000 units to close with a gain of 20 cents at $2.30. Consolidated Bakeries closed with 5,500 units and put on 8 cents at 90 cents, Lasco Distributors finished trading with 810 shares while gaining 10 cents to $1.40, Lasco Financial ended with 65,774 units trading, to end at $1.05. Lasco Manufacturing concluded transactions in 1,300 units at $1.20, Honey Bun closed with 9,486 units trading as the price slipped 10 cents to $1.90 and Jamaican Teas closed with 39,142 shares, trading lower by 9 cents, to $2.51.
Prices remain soft on TTSE
Trading on the Trinidad Stock Exchange ended with more stocks closing with offers higher than their last selling prices, than those with bids above, continuing to flash negative indicators for the market. At the close, 10 securities changed hands of which 3 advanced, 3 declined and 4 traded firm with a total of 190,903 units, valued at $3,425,312.
At the close of the market, the Composite Index lost 0.07 points to close at 1,150.76, the All T&T Index rose fell by just 0.15 points to close at 1,985.51 and the Cross Listed Index remained at 41.37.
Gains| Stocks increasing in price at the close are, ANSA McAL gaining 1 cent to end at $66.77, while trading 20 shares. National Flour Mills gained 7 cents to end at a new 52 weeks’ high of $1.46, with 8,090 shares changing hands and Trinidad Cement with 35,358 shares changing hands ended at $2.26 with a 1 cent gain.
Declines| The stocks declining at the end of trading are, Angostura Holdings traded 1,772 shares but lost 4 cents to end at $15.94, Clico Investment Fund traded 110,000 shares valued at $2,505,979 declined by 15 cents to end at $22.65 and Guardian Holdings lost 5 cents to close at $13.20 with 221 units trading.
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading are, Grace Kennedy, One Caribbean Media with 28,000 shares being traded for $670,600 and ended at $23.95, Scotiabank traded 1,662 shares at $62 each and Scotia Investments traded 5,000 shares at $1.45.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 2 stocks with the bid higher than their last selling prices and 7 stocks with offers that were lower.
2 new highs, 7 stocks rise 2 declined
138 Student Living, the stock closed at a new high on Friday
Main Market| The JSE Market Index lost 176.81 points to 76,539.17, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index fell/ decline 197.68 points to close at 84,292.66 and the JSE combined index gained declined 40.34 points to close at 78,413.24.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator maintains a bullish stance with 10 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 stocks with offers that were lower.
Gains| Stocks gaining with last traded prices, at the end of trading in the main market are, Carreras finishing with 129,395 shares while gaining 80 cents to close at $39.50. Recently listed, 138 Student Living ending with 2,775,000 units 30 cents higher, at a new all-time high of $4.40 and Proven Investments closed with 100,000 shares while gaining 0.04 cents 21 US cents.
Firm| The stocks in the main market to close without a change in the last traded prices are, Cable & Wireless having 557,504 units trading at 50 cents. Caribbean Cement closed with 18,006 shares changing hands at $2.36, Desnoes & Geddes finished with 284,000 units trading to end at $4.90, Grace Kennedy finished with 4,665 units traded at $62, Jamaica Producers had 287 shares changing hands at $17. Pan Jamaican Investment ending with 1,100 units trading, to end at $52.01, Sagicor Group ending with 224,299 shares trading at $10 and Scotia Investments closed with 287 shares trading at $23.Declines| The last traded prices of stocks with losses at the end of trading in the main market are, Supreme Ventures in trading 104,000 units and lost 15 cents in closing at $2 and National Commercial Bank closing with 27,860 shares trading lower by 10 cents to $19.90.
Preference| Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference share traded 5,700 shares trading at $2 and Proven Investments 8% preference share traded 391,000 units traded at $5
Junior market up 2% on Friday
Junior market stocks gained on Friday spurred by strong profit performance by a number of companies. Activity on the Junior Market closed with 6 securities traded ending with 596,102 units valued at $1,102,644. The JSE Junior Market Index gained 13.55 points or 2 percent to close at 689.58, with the price of 4 advancing and none declining.
At the close of the market, there were 4 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices, there were no stocks with offers that were lower. 
The junior market ended with 6 securities closing with no bids to buy and there were 7 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
Stocks trading in the junior market are, Access Financial closed with 6,920 shares trading with an increase of 24 cents to $9.20. Cargo Handlers exchanged 21,915 units, as it gained 20 cents to close at an all-time high of $16.20, Lasco Distributors finished with 5,431 shares trading, while rising 12 cents to $1.30. Lasco Financial ending with 23,226 units to close with a gain of 5 cents at $1.05, General Accident exchanged 10,696 units trading at $1.80 and Lasco Manufacturing closed with 527,914 units trading at $1.20.
J$ stable V US up on Can$ – Friday
The selling rate for the three main currencies against the Jamaican dollar was mixed on Friday, remaining unchanged against the US dollar, increasing for the Pound but falling for the Canadian dollar. Purchases of all currencies by dealers, translated to US$51,909,364 compared with the US$52,659,123, on Thursday and selling amounted the equivalent of US$44,032,835 versus US$48,382,955 sold on Thursday.
In US dollar trading, dealers bought US$46,629,667 compared to US$49,365,865 on Thursday. The buying rate for the US dollar fell 3 cents to $115.53 and US$41,752,070 was sold versus US$44,040,735 on Thursday, with the selling rate remaining at $115.81. The Canadian dollar buying rate climbed 62 cents to $91.12 with dealers buying C$1,769,973, and selling C$839,442, at an average rate that dropped $1.67, to $91.88. The rate for buying the British Pound rose 55 cents to $172.65 for the purchase of £2,509,615, while £767,609 was sold, at an average rate of $174.84, after rising by 23 cents. At the end of trading it took J$131.31 to purchase the Euro, 1 cent lower than on Thursday, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$129.06 for an increase of 39 cents from Thursday. Other currencies bought, amounted to the equivalent of US$133,367 while the equivalent of US$455,994, was sold.
Highs & Lows| The highest buying rate for the US dollar, shed 5 cents to $115.90 and lowest buying rate gained $5.21 to $94.36 while the highest selling rate was unchanged at $120.91. The lowest selling rate was up 10 cents to $113.10. The highest buying rate for the Canadian dollar fell $2.95 to $94, the lowest buying rate inched down 54 cents to $72.96. The highest selling rate fell $3.02 to $95.90 and the lowest selling rate dropped 60 cents to $88.40. The highest buying rate for the British Pound, dipped 40 cents to $175. The lowest buying rate eased 54 cent to $140.06, the highest selling rate gained $1.23 to $180.56 and the lowest selling rate rose $1.30 to $170.
