It has been boom times at the Jamaica Stock Exchange these days with rising prices and increasing listings. That is in stark contrast only a few years ago when the Jamaica Stock Exchange suffered a contraction in listings when some companies that were acquired or merged.
The market lost companies such as Cable and Wireless, Lascelles de Mercado, Courts, Capital and Credit Merchant Bank, Scotia Investments, Desnoes and Geddes, First Life and Pan Caribbean Bank. In addition to these local companies, a few Trinidad and Barbados companies delisted. The advent of the Junior Market saved the day for the exchange in bringing new listings but, more importantly, telegraphed that listing on the market could raise good money for the companies and was not harmful to management as many thought to be the case in the past. In short, there has been a considerable revolution in the concept of going to market, especially with the younger cadre’ of management now running businesses.
The change in the thinking of the business sector is leading to two significant years for listings with the JSE expecting 18 new listings of ordinary shares in 2020. Managing Director of the JSE, Marlene Street-Forrest confirmed the projections with the IC Insider.com. “The 2020 listings are compiled from feedback the exchange obtained from brokers. The list is split equally between Main Market and Junior Market stocks,” Street Forrest confirmed to this publication.
At the start of this year, the JSE projected to have 20 new listings, so far they have listed 12, but Street-Forrest expects new listings to hit 19 or 20 by the end of the year including a listing of a Canadian company that will come to the market by way of an introduction. By contrast, the exchange is said to have had just eight (8) new listings in 2018. The new listings for 2019 include MailPac Group that the exchange said is set to list on Wednesday. Lumber Depot could start trading before the end of the week word reaching IC Insider.com suggests. In addition to the above two, Sagicor Select Fund is expected to list before the end of the year. For 2019 to date, there are eight (8) new Main Market and four (4) new Junior Market listings, including one preference share and Margaritaville share that was listed in the regular market, in addition to being previously quoted in the US dollar market. The recent IPOS will lift the total to 15 for the year. Some of the 2020 listings should include First Rock Capital Holdings with its prospectus said to be at the Financial Services Commission, TransJamaica Highway, Jamaica Mortgage Bank and Jamaica Public Service Company.
While the new listings will provide more choices for investors, it is also expected to add to the Stock Exchange revenues and profit in 2020 and beyond.
2020 another big year for JSE
Main market in sharp fall – Monday
Prices mostly tumbled on the Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Monday leading to the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index dived 3,788.87 points to 307,935.64 and the JSE Index dropped 3,452.09 points to 280,564.20.
Main and US market activities ended with 8 stocks rising, 12 declining and 11 trading firm as 27 securities traded versus 22 on Friday in the main market and 4 in the US market.
Market activity ended with 8,068,298 shares valued at $158,749,884, in contrast to 5,850,045 shares valued at $76,630,033 on Friday.
Trading in the US dollar market ended with 6,120 units changing hands with a value of US$11,012. The JSE US Equities Index closed with a gain of 2.51 points to end at 171.26 with 1 ordinary stock rising and 1 in the preference market declining.
Market activity resulted from JMMB 6% preference shares falling 2 cents in ending at US$1.08 with 2,000 stock units, Margaritaville rose 5 cents, concluding trading of 1,750 units at 25 US cents, Productivity Business finished trading at 55 US cents with 870 shares and Proven Investments trading 1,500 ordinary shares at 22 US cents.
Trading ended with an average of 298,826 units for an average of $5,879,625 in contrast to 265,911 units for an average of $3,483,183 on Friday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 256,686 units valued at $6,288,571 and previously 256,118 units valued at $6,475,597. December closed with average of 686,156 units valued at an average of $8,654,832 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and the US dollar markets,
Caribbean Cement dropped $4.50 to $30.50 on Monday.
the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 6 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 1 with a lower offer.
The major movers at the close of the market are, Cable & Wireless with 1.2 million units, Jamaica Producers with 2 million shares and Wisynco Group exchanged 1.1 million units.
Price changes saw, Caribbean Cement dropped $4.50 to $30.50, JMMB Group falling $1.50 to close at $24.50, Kingston Wharves dropped $3 to $30.50, Sagicor Group gained $1 to end at $36 and Seprod fell $1.19 to close at $28.81.
For more details of market activities see – Trading picks up on JSE but prices dip.
Higher & Higher the market grows
Scotia ended at $50.96 on Friday.
Main Market activity of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Friday saw the market indices climbing 2,955.43 points in the first 2 minutes of trading as JMMB Group climbed to a new high of $27.99 but fell back later to close just above Thursday last trade and Scotia Group landed at $50.96.
The market was ending for the 5 consecutive day at a new record close with the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index jumping 2,145.18 points to end at a record close at 297,756.90 and the JSE Index climbing 1,954.50 points to a record close of 271,290.21.
Twenty one (21) securities changed hands, 8 advanced, 5 declined and 5 traded firm as 5,262,809 units valued at $149,711,405 traded,
The volume and prices quoted for securities are amounts traded for the day at the last trading price. In the main activity Cable & Wireless finished at $1, with 119,166 stock units, Caribbean Cement traded $1.99 higher at $28, with 7,936 shares changing hands, Carreras finished $1.50 higher at $13.50, with 409,425 units 
trading, Grace Kennedy ended trading 40 cents higher at $43.40, with 61,347 stock units, Jamaica Broilers ended with a loss of 49 cents at $18.50, with 17,587 units, Jamaica Producers finished $1 higher at $16, with 3,874 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange ended at $7.60, trading 6,885 stock units, JMMB Group traded 11 cents higher at record close of $25.11, with 21,622 stock units, but the stock traded earlier in the day as high as $27.99. Kingston Wharves dived $1.50 to $30, with 19,925 units, Mayberry Investments finished with a loss of 49 cents at $4.50, with 6,000 shares trading, 1834 Investments ended 2 cents higher at $1.40, trading 79,098 stock units, 
PanJam Investment traded at $44, with 7,913 shares, Radio Jamaica finished 5 cents higher at $1.20, with 31,981 units, Sagicor Group traded 47 cents higher at $35, with 2,916,828 stock units traded. Sagicor Real Estate Fund ended at $13.08, with 37,602 stock units, Scotia Group finished with a loss of 2 cents at $50.96, with 449,341 units changing hands, Seprod finished at $30, with 11,924 stock units, Supreme Ventures finished with a loss of 90 cents at $10.10, with 723,521 shares traded and in the main market preference segment, JMMB Group settled at $1.15, with 46,130 stock units and Sagicor Bank A share traded 207,000 units at $1.05.
In the US dollar market, Productive Business traded 75,347 units at 57.5 US cents after shedding 0.50 US cent and Proven Investments traded 254,650 shares 1.99 cents higher to 23.99 cents.
Main market climbs higher on Thursday
The Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed at a new record high on Thursday, as the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index rose 516.81 points to record close of 295,611.68 and the JSE Index advancing 470.87 points to a record close at 269,335.73.
A total of 21 securities changed hands in the main market, with, 8 advancing, 5 declining with 3,821,978 units valued at $54,648,279. The JSE US Dollar Equities Index advanced 1.65 points to close at 186.63 with 1,000 units trading, valued at US$598.
In the market activity, volume and prices quoted are amounts traded for the day at the last trading price. In the main activity, Cable & Wireless ended trading 1 cent higher at $1, with 640,469 stock units, Caribbean Cement dropped $2.59 to $26.01, with just 400 units, Carreras traded 542,284 shares, to close at $12. Grace Kennedy fell 45 cents to end at $43, with 49,438 shares, Jamaica Broilers traded 49 cents higher at $18.99, with 6,020 stock units. Jamaica Producers settled with a loss of $1 at $15, with 93,586 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange traded with a loss of 20 cents at $7.60, with 1,739 stock units, JMMB Group closed $2.50 higher at a record close of $25, with 371,074 shares. Kingston Properties traded with a loss of 20 cents at $7.20, with 1,400 stock units, 
Kingston Wharves concluded trading at $31.50, with 4,080 units. 1834 Investments concluded trading at $1.38, with 1,843 shares, PanJam Investment settled $2.15 higher at $44, with 5,905 stock units, Radio Jamaica settled at $1.15, with 2,500 shares, Sagicor Group settled 3 cents higher at $34.53, with 23,475 stock units, Sagicor Real Estate Fund ended at $13.08, with 300 units changing hands. Salada Foods finished at $8.50, with 10,000 stock units, Scotia Group ended trading $1.98 higher at $50.98, with 185,115 stock units, Seprod traded $1.95 higher at $30, with 13,026 shares and Supreme Ventures ended with a loss of $1 at $11, with 1,783,545 shares.
In the main market preference segment, Sagicor Bank A shares closed at $1.05, with 23,000 units changing hands and in the US dollar segment Productive Business ordinary share traded 1,000 units at 58 US cents.
Majors jump to record close
Trading ended on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday with just 23 securities trading leading to the prices of 9 advancing and 11 declining as the market finished at a record closing high.
The JSE All Jamaican Composite Index climbed to a record close of 295,094.91 with gains of 929.05 points and the JSE Index rose 846.47 points to a new closing high of 268,864.84 as 4,324,540 units valued at $37,838,559 changed hands.
In the market activity, volume and prices quoted are amounts traded for the day at the last trading price. At the close of the market, 
Barita Investments ended trading with a loss of 24 cents at $7.76, with 2,150 units changing hands, Berger Paints lost 45 cents at $11.25, with 77,437 shares, Cable & Wireless ended with a loss of 6 cents at $0.99, with 2,312,610 stocks units trading, Caribbean Cement finished 60 cents higher at $28.60, with 3,500 units, Carreras finished with a loss of 60 cents at $12, with 787,049 shares trading. Grace Kennedy closed at $43.45, with 6,516 shares, Jamaica Broilers ended with a loss of 30 cents at $18.50, with 35,182 units, Jamaica Producers gained 95 cents to end at $16, with 14,581 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange finished with a loss of 19 cents at $7.80, with 5,832 stock units, JMMB Group ended trading with a loss of 20 cents at $22.50, with 264,042 stock units changing hands, Kingston Wharves ended trading at $31.50, with just 100 stock units, 
Mayberry Investments finished 89 cents higher at $4.99, with 209,716 shares, 138 Student Living ended 60 cents higher at $5.40, with 10,000 stock units, PanJam Investment traded with a loss of $1.20 at $41.85, with 7,370 units, Pulse Investments closed 17 cents higher at $1.82, with 26,600 shares trading. Radio Jamaica closed 4 cents higher at $1.15, with 77,200 stock units, Sagicor Group ended with a loss of 3 cents at $34.50, trading 24,279 stock units, Scotia Group closed at $49, trading 4,559 units, Seprod ended with a loss of $1.95 at $28.05, with 1,594 shares. Sterling Investments finished 20 cents higher at $12.25, with 2,486 stock units, Supreme Ventures ended trading $1 higher at $12, with 319,536 shares and in the main market preference segment, JMMB Group settled with a loss of 4 cents at $1.15, with 9,853 units changing hands.
Scotia pushes JSE to new record close
Scotia helped push the JSE to new record close on Tuesday.
Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Tuesday with 22 securities changing hands main market and one in the US d0llar market, leading 8 advancing and 11 declining as trading volume jumped sharply to 78,668,713 units.
At the close, the main market ended at a new closing high as Scotia Group jumped sharply to $49 at the close.
In the main activity, Berger Paints settled with a loss of 30 cents at $11.70, with 174,040 units, Cable & Wireless ended trading fell 6 cents to end at $1.05, with 83,989 units, Caribbean Cement closed with a loss of 50 cents at $28, with 3,800 shares, Carreras concluded trading with a loss of 90 cents at $12.60, with 958,423 units as high as $14 before falling back later in the trading session. 
Grace Kennedy closed 45 cents higher at $43.45, with 170,391 stock units, Jamaica Broilers concluded trading 30 cents higher at $18.80, with 19,831 shares, Jamaica Producers ended trading with a loss of 45 cents at $15.05, with 25,823 units, Jamaica Stock Exchange ended with a loss of 1 cent at $7.99, with 17,681 shares. JMMB Group closed with a loss of 30 cents at $22.70, with 46,302 stock units trading, Kingston Wharves closed 50 cents higher at $31.50, with 1,177 units, Mayberry Investments ended trading with a loss of 70 cents at $4.10, with 35,723 shares changing hands, 1834 Investments ended at $1.38, with 5,000 stock units trading, 
PanJam Investment traded 55 cents higher at $43.05, with 36,636 shares, Portland JSX concluded trading with a loss of 28 cents at $9, with 10,000 units, Pulse Investments traded 25 cents higher at $1.65, with 25,236 units, Radio Jamaica ended trading with a loss of 4 cents at $1.11, with 17,206 stock units, Sagicor Group finished at $34.53, with 222,778 shares trading. Sagicor Real Estate Fund finished with a loss of 72 cents at $13.08, with 76,479,720 units, Scotia Group settled $2.90 higher at $49, with 57,385 units, Seprod closed at $30, with 31,820 shares, Supreme Ventures settled 19 cents higher at $11, with 17,901 shares ahead of news breaking that one shareholder in the company, holding 49.9 percent of the share, is raising funds to acquire the shares not already owned by them in the major shareholding company that would bring their holdings to just under 50 percent of SVL and in the US dollar market Proven Investment traded 48,005 units at 22 US cents.
13 stocks rose on Monday
Sagicor Group traded 7 million shares on Monday.
At the close of trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, on 13 rising, 11 declining based on the last price trades were executed at. The JSE All Jamaican Composite Index surged forward by 3,300.40 points to 291,661.03.
The JSE Index climbed 3,007.04 points to 265,736.18 as trading volume nearly tripled to 13 million shares over Friday’s level. Sagicor Group was the dominant trade with over 7 million units followed by Grace Kennedy with 1.3 million shares.
In the main activity, Barita Investments rose by 25 cents to $8, with 4,800 units, Berger Paints ended with a loss of $3 at $12, with 12,500 shares, Cable & Wireless ended trading 1 cent higher at $1.11, with 479,762 stock units, 
Caribbean Cement rose $1.2 to $28.50, with 17,475 shares, Carreras surged $1.35 to a new 52 weeks high of $13.50, with 544,289 stocks units, Grace Kennedy ended at $43, trading 1,307,292 shares, Jamaica Broilers closed with a loss of 10 cents at $18.50, with 961,908 stocks units traded. Jamaica Producers concluded trading at $15.50, with 313,406 units, Jamaica Stock Exchange settled 50 cents higher at $8, with 104,300 shares, JMMB Group traded with a gain of 75 cents at $23, with 55,994 units, Kingston Wharves ended with a loss of $1 at $31, with 177,500 stocks units, NCB Financial had 166,223 shares changing hands after falling $1.40 to end at $86.60. The remanent of former Gleaner Company, 1834 Investments ended with a loss of 2 cents at $1.38, with 1,000 units changing hands, PanJam ended $1.50 higher at $42.50, with 350,918 units, Portland JSX concluded trading with a loss of 2 cents at $9.28, with 16,570 units. 
Proven Investments traded 541,000 units and rose 4 cents at $25.05, Pulse Investments concluded trading with a loss of 30 cents at $1.40, with 52,264 units, Radio Jamaica finished 4 cents higher at $1.15, with 294,243 stocks units, Sagicor Group ended trading at $34.53, with 7,095,313 units, Sagicor Real Estate X Fund rose 30 cents to $13.80, with 1,200 units, Scotia Group finished with a loss of $1.90 at $46.10, with 772,000 units, Seprod settled at $30, with 2,785 shares, Sterling Investments concluded trading 5 cents higher at $12.05, with 201,700 stocks units and Supreme Ventures concluded trading 30 cents higher at $10.81, with 123,652 stocks units.
In the main market preference segment, Cable Bahamas traded 10 shares at 1 million each, Jamaica Money Market Brokers ended with a loss of 8 cents at $2, trading 20,325 shares, JMMB Group ended at $1.19, with 200 shares.
In the US dollar market, Margaritaville Turks lost 2 US cents to end at 30 US cents with 1,000 shares, Productive Business Solution US ordinary share closed with a rise of 0.50 cent at 58 US cents while trading 2,541 units, Proven Investments US ordinary share lost 1.99 US cents to close at 22 US cents, while, exchanging 1,579 units.
Living,
JSE stocks up 37% for 2017
The main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange made strong gains in the indices at the close of the week and for September, leading to gains of 37 percent for the year to date.
Trading on Friday was dominated by Berger Paints, jumping $3.57 to $15 at the close and Scotia Group rising $2.89 to end at $48, while Jamaica Producers traded 1.57 million units to be the leading trade.
Market activity ended with 21 securities changing hands, 13 advanced, 8 declined and 2 traded firm at the last prices of the day, while 1 traded in the US dollar market.
In the main activity, Berger Paints closed $3.57 higher at $15, with 27,167 units, Cable & Wireless ended 9 cents higher at $1.10, with 558,054 stock units, 
Caribbean Cement ended trading with a loss of $1.20 at $27.30, with 126,250 stock units, Carreras closed with a loss of 35 cents at $12.15, with 376,643 shares, Grace Kennedy ended 40 cents higher at $43, with 88,357 units, Jamaica Broilers concluded trading 60 cents higher at $18.60, with 64,504 units, Jamaica Producers ended 40 cents higher at $15.50, with 1,574,959 stock units changing hands. Jamaica Stock Exchange finished with a rise of 50 cents at $7.50, with 115,657 shares, JMMB Group traded with a loss of 11 cents at $22.25, with 495,589 stock units trading, Kingston Properties gained 40 cents to $7.40, with 5,000 units, Kingston Wharves concluded trading with a loss of 1 cent at $32, with 19,250 stock units, Mayberry Investments settled 70 cents higher at $4.80, with 204,020 shares, 
NCB Financial Group had 542,955 shares changing hands after rising $1.20 to end at $88. 138 Student Living settled 5 cents higher at $4.80, with 200 stock units, PanJam Investment finished at $41, with 34,989 shares, Portland JSX traded 5 cents higher at $9.30, with 6,385 shares, Radio Jamaica ended with a loss of 1 cent at $1.11, with 421,563 stock units. Sagicor Group ended 48 cents higher at $34.53, with 233,535 units. Sagicor Real Estate Fund closed with a loss of 30 cents at $13.50, with 43,815 units, Salada Foods concluded trading at $8.50, with 7,400 shares, Scotia Group jumped $2.89 to $48, with 46,200 stock units, Seprod settled with a loss of $1 at $30, with 3,000 stock units and Supreme Ventures closed with a loss of 30 cents at $10.51, with 9,900 shares trading.
There was no trading in the main market preference segment, on Friday.
In the US dollar market, Proven Investments US ordinary share closed at 23.99 US cents, while exchanging 30,490 units.
Big jump for JSE on Thursday
C&W traded over 2 million shares on Thursday.
The main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange was dominated by Grace and Cable & Wireless with largest volumes traded on Thursday and by big gains in the indices.
Market activity ended with 21 securities changing hands, 13 advanced, 4 declined and 2 traded firm at the last prices of the day, while 3 traded in the US dollar market and 1 traded in the bond market.
In the main activity, Berger Paints concluded trading, 3 cents higher at $11.43, with 218,203 shares changing hands, Cable & Wireless finished with a loss of 4 cents at $1.01, with 2,029,588 stock units trading, Caribbean Cement ended $1 higher at $28.50, with 120,165 shares, Carreras finished 50 cents higher at $12.50, with 663,846 stock units, Grace Kennedy added 10 cents at $42.60, with 5,877,213 units valued $249 million. Jamaica Broilers gained 70 cents to end at $18, with 120,816 stock units, Jamaica Producers rose 10 cents higher to $15.10, with 189,307 units, Jamaica Stock Exchange traded 55 cents higher at $7, with 40,135 shares, JMMB Group ended with a loss of 53 cents at $22.36, with 8,567 stock units, Kingston Wharves jumped $2.01 trading at $33, with 2,600 units, 1834 Investments ended trading at $1.40, with 9,167 stock units, 
PanJam Investment traded $5.09 higher at $41, with 38,430 shares, Radio Jamaica ended at $1.12, with 319,721 stock units, Sagicor Group ended with a loss of 20 cents at $34.05, trading 35,641 units, Sagicor Real Estate Fund concluded trading $1.75 higher at $13.80, with 57,493 shares, Salada Foods traded 50 cents higher at $8.50, with 10,250 units. Scotia Group rose 10 cents to $45.11, with 1,117,306 shares, Seprod closed $1 higher at $31, with 23,889 shares and Supreme Ventures ended trading with a loss of 29 cents at $10.81, with 7,384 units.
In the main market preference segment, Proven preference share finished at $.2, with 111,300 units trading.
In the US dollar market, Productive Business Solution US ordinary share lost 7.5 US cents and closed at 57.5 US cents while trading 325,433 units, Proven Investments US ordinary share closed at 23.99 US cents, exchanging 228,420 units while Money Market Brokers US dollar 6% preference share lost 2 US cents to end at US$1.10 trading 41,300 units.
50% of trade goes to JMMB
JMMB Group accounted for half of the shares that traded on Wednesday.
The narrow difference between winners and losers continued on Wednesday with 11 securities rising an 8 declining out of 27 that traded, leading the market indices to record small gains around 100 points. JMMB Group traded 2.4 million units out of a total of 4.8 million units traded on Wednesday.
In the market activity, securities trading and volume exchanged at the last price trades took place at are, Berger Paints that closed with a loss of 10 cents at $11.40, trading 67,562 units, elsewhere, Cable & Wireless closed 5 cents higher at $1.05, with 149,655 units, Caribbean Cement settled $2 higher at $27.50, with just 100 stocks, Carreras closed with a loss of 50 cents at $12, with 347,667 stocks changing hands, Ciboney traded with a loss of 1 cents at a 52 weeks’ low of 15 cents, with 4,400 shares changing hands, Grace Kennedy finished with a loss of 20 cents at $42.50, with 18,567 units, 
Jamaica Broilers ended with a loss of 20 cents at $17.30, with 4,738 stock units, Jamaica Producers settled 50 cents higher at $15, with 810,000 shares trading. Jamaica Stock Exchange traded with a loss of 1 cent at $6.45, with 50,000 units, JMMB Group concluded trading with a gain of 39 cents to $22.89, with 2,406,969 stocks trading, Kingston Properties traded 20 cents higher at $7, with 4,758 stocks changing hands, Kingston Wharves finished 25 cents higher at $30.99, with 220,309 units. Mayberry Investments ended at $4.10, with 63,200 units, NCB Financial had a 145,037 shares trading with a rise of 50 cents to close at $88, 1834 Investments finished at $1.40, with 240 units, PanJam Investment ended 91 cents higher at $35.91, with 10,620 shares changing hands, Pulse Investments traded with a loss of 10 cents at $1.70, trading 55,000 units, 
Radio Jamaica finished at $1.12, with 23,555 shares, Sagicor Group traded at $34.25, with 106,100 units changing hands, Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded at $12.05, with 8,938 shares, Scotia Group settled 91 cents higher at $45.01 trading 44,431 units and closed with the bid at $48 to buy500 units. Scotia Investments concluded trading at $35.50, with 6,160 stock units, Seprod lost $3 to close at $30, with 32,196 shares and Supreme Ventures settled 10 cents higher at $11.10, with 55,577 units changing hands.
In the main market preference segment, Jamaica Money Market Brokers finished at $2.08, with 83,093 units trading.
In the US dollar market, Productive Business Solution US ordinary share closed at 65 US cents while trading 1,595 units, Proven Investments US ordinary share closed at 23.99 US cents, after rising 0.99 US cent, exchanging 83,638 units, while NCB Financial had a new listing of a US dollar bond, carrying a coupon rate of 6 percent, but no trades were executed.
