Grace climbs following Q1 profit – Friday

Grace Kennedy climbed to a 52 weeks’ closing high of $87 but closed with a gain of $1.51 at $85.51 with 18,308 shares changing hands after it traded at $87 earlier in the day. The company reported a big jump in earnings for the March 2016 quarter of 153 percent after strong growth in most divisional profit and investors are quietly buying into the fortunes with selling down to just two offers amounting to 4,700 shares.
Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange in the main market on Friday was saw low volumes changing hands, but the market closed with less active selling than before the reading of the budget, on Thursday by the Minister of Finance.
The market closed with 35 securities changed hands, accounting for 7,118,990 units valued at $65,679,792, in all market segments. The junior market had only 193,019 shares traded, valued at $1,341,812. Investors pushed the price of 12 stocks in the overall market up, 8 were pushed down, including 3 stocks rising and 6 declining, from the junior market.
The JSE Market Index declined 19.98 points to end at 151,766.65. The all Jamaica Composite Index fell 22.35 points to close at 168,562.31 and the JSE combined index rose 64.63 points, to close at 163,186.81.
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 2 with lower offers.
At the end of market activities, Berger Paints traded 13,000 shares to close at $4.25, Cable & Wireless closed at $1.49 after trading 483,787 units, Caribbean Cement traded 28,865 shares to close at $25. Carreras traded 96,066 shares and rose by $1 to $64, this after the Finance Minister announced increased taxes on, in his budget presentation. Jamaica Broilers ended at $14.50 while trading 7,734 shares with a loss of 5 cents. Kingston Wharves climbed 15 cents in trading 252,745 shares to close at $11.80. Mayberry Investments fell 21 cents with 50,000 shares trading to close at $3.99, National Commercial Bank traded 17,700 shares, to close at $39.75. Pan Jamaican Investment closed trading at $120 with 311,591 shares changing hands, in response to the company’s announced a 5 for 1 stock split. There are only two offers on the board at the end of trading to sell between $130 and $150. Radio Jamaica traded 330,850 shares at $1.10, Sagicor Group ended with 236,769 shares changing hands and rose 50 cents to end at $23, Scotia Group closed at $30.01 while 155,668 units changed hands after falling 99 cents, Supreme Ventures closed at $5.47 with 6,641 shares changing hands after rising 21 cents. Proven Investments traded 9,200 shares at 17.50 US cents, JMMB 6% US dollar preference share gained 4 cents to end at US$1.09 while 21,200 units changed hands and JMMB 7.5% preference share ended with 4,878,670 units trading at $1.05.