Trading was light on the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Friday with stocks worth less than $12 million trading. The main and US dollar markets closed with just 20 securities changing hands down from 29 on Thursday with one trading in the US dollar market. At the close, 9 stocks advanced and 5 declined.
Trading levels in the main market ended at 827,534 units valued at $10,595,699 compared to 14,040,895 units valued at $147,385,397 at the close on Thursday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 32,400 units valued at US$9,396.
The All Jamaica Composite Index fell 248.73 points to close at 259,687.12 and the JSE Market Index lost 226.62 points to finish at 236,604.37. The JSE US dollar market index closed unchanged at 221.11.
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 7 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 with lower offers.
The main market ended trading with an average of 43,554 units valued at $557,668 per security traded, compared to an average of 540,034 units valued at $5,668,669 on Thursday. The average volume and value for the month to date ended at 518,349 units with an average value of $6,907,416 compared with an average of 557,915 units with an average value of $7,436,562 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for April ended at 382,748 units with an average value of $5,254,387.
In market activity, Berger Paints fell 33 cents to close at $19.01 in exchanging 4,019 shares, Cable and Wireless lost 2 cents and closed at $1.38, with 85,946 shares changing hands, Caribbean Cement traded 35 cents higher to close at $30 with 4,269 units traded, Carreras rose 20 cents, closing at $83 with an exchange of 6,712 shares, Ciboney gained 4 cents to close at 22 cents, with 136,293 units trading, Grace Kennedy closed at $43, trading 10,384 units. Jamaica Broilers climbed 98 cents and closed at $19.98, with 22,237 shares changing ownership, Jamaica Producers fell 49 cents and closed at $15.50, with an exchange of 1,258 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange fell 30 cents to close at $7.50 in trading 2,037 shares. JMMB Group closed at $20.50, with 52,945 units being exchanged, NCB Financial Group closed at $71.99 with a loss of 1 cent, after trading 9,368 shares, 138 Student Living traded 21,500 shares at $4.49, Portland JSX Fund closed at $10.10 with 31,275 shares changing hands, Radio Jamaica closed at $1.70 after gaining 1 cent, trading 68,244 shares, Sagicor Group closed at $33.50 with trades of 97,466 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund gained 1 cents and closed at $11, while exchanging 75,128 units, Sterling Investments gained 15 cents in closing at $16.90 with 1,000 shares being swapped, Scotia Group closed at $42 after rising 49 cents with 30,044 units changing hands, Supreme Ventures rose 10 cents to close at $7.50 trading of 167,409 shares and Proven Investments closed at 29 US cents trading 32,400 ordinary shares.
Trading drops for JSE stocks – Friday
Progress for 138 Student Living
Student living housing provider, 138 Student Living reported progress in their half year results to March, with net profits of $27M, which represented an over 200 percent improvement compared to the previous year.
For the quarter to March, 138 reports profit of $15.8 million compared to a loss of $9.6 million for the same period in 2016.
Revenues rose to $147 million for the quarter up from $77 million in 2016 and $262 million for the six months versus $124 in 2016.
“Although our net results showed a significant improvement over the corresponding period last year, we have to take note of the fact that an additional 576 rooms (864 beds) were brought into operations on a phased basis during the year which accounted for the increased Revenue. However, as a result of being less than 100% occupied in the additional four blocks, our net profit was less than optimum,” John Lee Chairman of the company reported.
Lee went on to state,“ with the introduction of the four additional blocks, we, as expected, experienced an increase in operational expenses such as staffing and utilities in addition to financing costs.’
Earnings per share came out at 4 cents for the quarter and 6 cents for the half year.
JSE majors slipped slightly on Monday
Trading in the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Monday with 26 securities changing hands with 1 trading in the US dollar market. At the close, 10 stocks advanced and 8 declined with the main market ending in 2,884,030 units valued at $64,356,186 trading compared to 4,838,789 units valued at $105,278,278 at the close on Wednesday.
Trading in the US dollar market accounted for only 1,502 units valued at US$450. The All Jamaica Composite Index declined 144.74 points to close at 257,591.70, the JSE Market Index fell 131.87 points to finish at 234,695.22 and the JSE US dollar market index closed unchanged at 218.99 points.
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 1 with a lower offer.
The main market ended trading with an average of 110,924 units valued at $2,475,238 per security traded, compared to an average of 256,060 units valued at $2,718,995 on Friday. The average volume for the month to date ended at 188,647 units with an average value of $3,859,708 versus 204,192 units with an average value of $4,136,602 on the prior trading day. The average volume and value for April ended at 382,748 units with an average value of $5,254,387.
In market activity, Berger Paints lost 5 cents to close at $16.85, in trading of 17,380 shares, Cable and Wireless closed at $1.34, with 353,181 shares changing hands, Caribbean Cement traded $1 higher to close at $29 with an exchange of 13,220 units, Carreras closed at $77 exchanging 57,323 shares, Grace Kennedy closed at $42.50, after gaining 25 cents and trading 800,378 units. Jamaica Broilers closed at $17.50, with gains of 50 cents trading 64,249 shares, Jamaica Producers closed $1 lower to $17.60 exchanging 223,675 shares and Jamaica Stock Exchange closed at $7.75, with a loss of 25 cents, trading 12,138 shares, JMMB Group closed at $21.25, losing 25 cents with trades of 11,790 units, Kingston Wharves traded 90 cents lower to close at $30, with 11,511 shares changing hands. Mayberry Investments gained 5 cents to close at $4.55 with an exchange of 78,234 shares, NCB Financial Group closed at $71, after exchanging 143,410 shares, 1834 Investments gained 6 cents to close at $1.50, trading 4,300 shares, 138 Student Living traded 100 units at $4.50, PanJam Investment closed 19 cents higher to $35.20, in exchanging 7,317 shares, Portland JSX Fund closed at $10.60 trading 800 units. Pulse Investments closed trading at $9.10 in gaining $1.05 with 113,536 shares swapping owners, Radio Jamaica gained 2 cents and closed at $1.67, with 43,300 shares, Sagicor Group closed at $33.50, to record a gain of 45 cents in trading 29,153 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund gained 5 cents to close at $10.35 while exchanging 8,200 units, coffee processors, Salada Foods traded 2,700 units at $8, Scotia Group closed 50 cents lower at $43, with 29,579 units changing hands, Seprod shed $3.50 to close at $36, trading 15,860 shares Sterling Investments lost 1 cent to close at $17 with an exchange of 500 units, Supreme Ventures closed at $6.38, with trades of 678,489 shares and Proven Investments exchanged 1,502 ordinary shares at 30 US cents.
Upper hand for falling stocks on Tuesday
Declining stocks had the upper hand in trading in the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange at the close on Tuesday with 27 securities changing hands with 1 trading in the US dollar market. The markets closed with 7 stocks advancing and 12 declining.
Trading levels in main market ended at 4,459,136 units valued at $97,369,402 compared to 1,824,130 units valued at $21,197,848 at the close on Thursday, ahead of the Easter holiday break. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 56,525 units valued at US$16,658.
The All Jamaica Composite Index advanced 378.10 points to close at 248,706.47 the JSE Market Index gained 344.49 points to finish at 226,599.78 and the JSE US dollar market index lost 8.42 points to close at 215.62.
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 11 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and none closed with a lower offer.
The main market ended trading with an average of 340,219 units valued at $3,606,274 per security traded compared to an average of 82,915 units at an average value of $963,539 on Thursday. The average volume for the month to date ended at 534,102 units with an average value of $5,367,204 versus 555,645 units valued at $5,562,862 per security traded on the prior trading day. The average volume and value for March ended at 549,909 units and $1,379,459.
In market activity, Barita Investments gained 10 cents to close at $7, with 59,000 shares changing hands, Berger Paints closed at $14 with trades of 5,100 shares, Cable and Wireless closed at $1.30 with an exchange of 434,033 shares, Caribbean Cement closed $2 lower at $30 with 86,694 units changing hands. Carreras closed at $74, gaining $1 exchanging 4,308 shares, Grace Kennedy closed at $42.80, with a loss of $1.20 trading 23,192 units, Jamaica Broilers gained 10 cents to close at $17 with 31,773 shares changing hands, Jamaica Producers closed at $15, with a loss of 50 cents exchanging 100,177 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange closed 95 cents lower at $7, with a sale of 939,133 shares. JMMB Group closed 25 cents higher at $18.65, trading of 39,681 units, Kingston Properties traded at $15.95 with 200 shares changing hands, Kingston Wharves closed $1 lower to $30 trading 38,797 units, NCB Financial Group traded at a new intraday high of $75 but failed to hold on to the gain at the end of trading to end with 38,440 shares trading at $65, 1834 Investments gained 2 cents to close at $1.50, trading 10,000 shares, 138 Student Living closed at $4.49 with 63,500 units traded, PanJam Investment closed at $34.66, after losing 34 cents with 39,662 shares changing hands. Pulse Investments traded 4,900 units at $8,Radio Jamaica lost 15 cents to close at $1.60, with an exchange of 52,330 shares, Sagicor Group closed at $33.05, gaining 3 cents with an exchange of 2,253,648 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund closed at $10.05, with a loss of 5 cents and 7,200 shares traded, Scotia Group jumped $2.75 to $41.50, with an exchange of 43,366 units, Seprod lost $4 to close at $35, trading 4,532 shares, Supreme Ventures closed at $6.38, with 78,390 shares changing hands. Proven Investments closed at 30 US cents, losing 1 US cent exchanging 56,625 ordinary shares, Jamaica Money Market 7.25% preference share lost 9 cents, closing at $2.41 with 500 units changing owners, Jamaica Money Market 7.5% preference share traded 100,000 units at $1.81, having lost 19 cents, JMMB Group 7.25% preference share closed at $1.50 with 430 units traded and JMMB Group 7.5% preference share traded 150 units at $1.10.