The official data from the Statistical Institute of Jamaica show that activity in the construction sector grew 0.4 percent in the December 2016 quarter and 0.2 percent in the March 2017 quarter.
New NCB Financial centre being built in Fair View Montego Bay
IC Insider.com took a tour of Jamaica’s two cities to get a glimpse of what was taking place in the sector and we have the pictures to show.
Within the Montego Bay area, the region of Jamaica that is said to be the fastest growing in the country, most buildings are taking place around the 
Fairview area that is next door to Bogue. Commercial activity continues to attract more entities to the western region and they seem to be heading to this location. Building of NCB Financial Centre for the region is in full flight and could be finished very soon, based on where the construction of building reached. Sited two blocks just south west of the Scotiabank centre the building occupies two stories.
Two new buildings going up at Farview, the one to the right is said to be a shopping cenre and a warehiouse to the left
Also going up close by was what is said to be a shopping centre, but that seems to be more like offices that should be ready for occupancy shortly, based on the painting of the exterior. And next to that building is another, that IC Insider.com was advised is a warehouse.Lands have been cleared and marled for what looks like another building or two one of which is a site for Victoria Building Society.
Other the other side of town on the way to adjoin the Pye River cemetery are two new commercial buildings,
New bidong going up at Bogue in Montgo Bay
one fairy advanced and another just going up, and across from what seems a BPO operations.
On the return leg to Kingston, IC Insider.com spotted advanced construction at what is commonly known as Puerto Seco Beach. This is said to be a Guardsman development and seems to be a resort type facility, with restaurants and cabanas in addition to the beach and represents a major upgrading of the popular
Pueto Seco Beach main building
Puerto Seco Beach facilities. This development is set to generate increased business for the Discovery Bay, a town that has been undergoing increased business activities in recent years with more commercial activities and business.
Increased activity within the sector has a number of positives, including increased employment during the construction phase for both skilled and unskilled workers and for workers who are going to be employed in the commercial entities after the constructions are completed. The wider Montego Bay economy will benefit from the business that will be conducted by the increased number of persons who will be employed. Entities such as taxis, buses, shops, restaurants and of course the government who will be collecting more taxes will all benefit for the increase economic activities to be generated.
Wider afield cement producer Caribbean Cement and paint manufactures as well as suppliers of other construction goods, will benefit from the continuing growth in the construction sectors in the region
Trading closed on main market stocks of the Jamaica Stock Exchange with gains in the indices up to 1,000 points but with the stocks rising equalling those declining at on Tuesday. 
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 5 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 with lower offers.
JMMB Group closing with a loss of 30 cents to $21.30 with 109,395 shares. Kingston Wharves ended at $29.50 with 340 shares, Mayberry Investments gained 3 cents to $4.09 with 192,037 shares, NCB Financial Group declined 10 cents to $89 with 58,746 shares, PanJam Investment advanced $1.40 to $33 with 9,000 shares and Portland JSX closed at $9.30 with 10,600 shares. Radio Jamaica gained 5 cents to close at $1.35 with 2,240 shares, Sagicor Group traded 50 cents higher to $31.50 with 33,696 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund with a 1 cent gain to $12.06 exchanging 41,250 shares, Scotia Group climbed 97 cents to $46 with 33,173 shares, Seprod gained 16 cents to close at $30 with 165 shares, Sterling Investments traded 70 cents higher to $14 with 22,100 shares, Supreme Ventures ended with a loss of 20 cents to $8.80 with 624,922 shares. Proven Investments US ordinary shares lost US 1 cent and closed at 23 US cents with 104,517 units.
Unlike last week when there were several changes to the TOP 10 lists, this past week had just two changes, with Lasco Financial returning to the junior market and Sagicor Group to the Main market lists.
Barita Investments moved up from $9.40 during the previous week to close at $11.60 for a gain of more than 273 percent since September last year. The most recent Initial Public Offering, Stationery and Office Supplies that exited the TOP 10 after listing in the prior week, is fluctuating between $4 and just over $5, and should undergo some amount of wide price movements until demand and supply find some balance. JMMB Group climbed to $23 on Friday before closing back at $21.45, supply has dried up for this stock and it seems to be readying to make an early exit in the next few weeks.
The average PE ratio for the Junior Market Top stocks is at 7.5 and the PE for the main market TOP 10, ends the week at 7.2. The average PE for the overall main market trades at 13.3 and 13.2 for Junior Market, based on 2017 estimated earnings.
Main market stocks surge higher at the close of trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Tuesday even as declining stocks beat out advancing almost 3 to 1. Market activity took place from increased volumes as 30 securities changed hands up from 26 on Monday. 
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 4 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 with lower offers.
Carreras climbed $1 to $109, with 761,392 shares Grace Kennedy dipped 15 cents to $41 trading 7,606 shares. Jamaica Broilers exchanged 28,206 shares at $17.50, Jamaica Producers closed at $15, with gains of 34 cents, trading 2,000 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange lost 3 cents to $6.45, with 8,586 shares changing hands, JMMB Group gained 78 cents to close at $21, with 68,950 shares. Kingston Properties exchanged 43,400 shares at $7.20, having lost 80 cents, Kingston Wharves slid 50 cents to $29.50, with an exchange of 37,483 shares, Mayberry Investments lost 30 cents to close at $4.40, with 80,978 shares changing hands, NCB Financial Group fell 50 cents to $90, after exchanging 73,999 units, 1834 Investments lost 5 cents to close at $1.30 while trading 137,746 shares, 138 Student Living closed at $5.15, after losing 35 cents with 4,100 shares, PanJam Investment closed 5 cents lower at $30.95 trading 33,152 shares, Portland JSX exchanged 41,892 shares at $9.30. Pulse Investments gained 9 cents to close at $1.95 trading 33,986 shares, Radio Jamaica exchanged 1,000 shares at $1.40, Sagicor Group closed 47 cents lower to $31.52, with 35,648 shares, Sagicor Real Estate fund traded 24,422 shares at $12.05, Salada Foods closed at $9.50 with 442 shares changing hands, Scotia Group closed at $45.90 with trades of 27,550 shares, Scotia Investments gained 10 cents with 500 shares traded and closed at $35.10, Seprod dropped $2.55 to $30 with an exchange of 35,937 shares, Sterling Investments closed 5 cents lower to $14 trading 15,000 shares, Supreme Ventures traded 56,148 shares at $8. Proven Investments US ordinary share, closed at 24 US cents with 534 units changing hands, JMMB Group US 6% preference shares was down 2 US cents to US$1.10, trading 450 units, , Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.5% preference share traded 4,852 units at $1.99, JMMB Group 7.5% preference closed at $1.15, with 1,000,000 units changing owners and Proven 8.25% preference share closed at $4.98, losing 1 cent exchanging 220 units.
he main market stocks of the Jamaica Stock Exchange declined for the second consecutive day with moderate fall in the indices at the close on Monday. 
The main market ended with 6,318,090 units valued at $56,287,458 changing hands compared to 7,902,262 units valued at $237,278,617 at the close on Friday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 243,556 units valued at US$58,933, bringing the total of all trades to J$63,830,938.
JMMB Group lost 28 cents to close at $20.22, with 341,624 shares. Kingston Properties exchanged 1,000 shares at $8, Kingston Wharves traded $1 higher to $30, with an exchange of 7,000 shares, Mayberry Investments gained 21 cents to close at $4.70, with 465,061 shares changing hands, NCB Financial Group dipped 50 cents to $90.50, after exchanging 111,568 shares, 1834 Investments lost 5 cents to close at $1.35 while trading 1,834 shares, 138 Student Living traded 26,498 shares at $5.50, PanJam Investment closed $1 higher to $31 trading 127,297 shares,Proven Investments exchanged 26,560 shares at $25.02, Pulse Investments closed at $1.86 trading 39,165 shares, Radio Jamaica lost 20 cents exchanging 52,658 shares to close at $1.40, Sagicor Group closed $2.36 lower to $31.99, with 142,899 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund exchanged 18,151 shares at $12.05, Scotia Group closed at $45.90 with trades of 28,304 shares, Supreme Ventures traded 468,136 shares at $8. Margaritaville Turks US ordinary share was down 3 US cents to 33 US cents trading 5,000 units, Proven Investments US ordinary share closed at 24 US cents with 238,566 units changing hands, JMMB Group 7.5% preference share gained 4 cents, closing at $1.15, with 399,500 units changing owners and Proven 8.25% preference share closed at $4.99 exchanging 2,780 units.
Sagicor Group moving from $31.50 to $34.35 and Salada Foods that closed at $9.50, up from $9.
Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 659,944 units valued at US$158,387 bringing the total of all trades to J$257,552,096.
Jamaica Broilers lost 10 cents exchanging 1,057,803 shares at $18, Jamaica Producers closed at $15.10 trading 7,050 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange closed at $6.48 with 29,355 shares changing hands, JMMB Group gained 51 cents to close at $20.50, with 13,100 shares. Mayberry Investments lost 14 cents to close at $4.49, with 9,996 shares changing hands, NCB Financial Group traded $1 higher to $91, after exchanging 156,542 shares, PanJam Investment shed $1 to $30 trading 29,077 shares, Proven Investments exchanged 600,000 shares at $25.02, Pulse Investments lost 13 cents to close at $1.86 trading 6,000 shares, Radio Jamaica gained 10 cents in exchanging 28,000 shares to close at $1.60. Sagicor Group traded 5,012,508 shares at $34.35, Scotia Group closed $1.90 higher to $45.90 with 75,721 shares, Supreme Ventures exchanged 3,500 shares at $8. Proven Investments US ordinary shares, traded 659,944 units at 24 US cents and JMMB Group 7.5% preference share gained 1 cent, closing at $1.11, with 482,581 units.
Main market stocks of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed at record levels at the close on Thursday with the market indices climbing over 2,300 points but with advancing stocks being edged out by declining ones. 
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 4 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 with lower offers.
NCB Financial Group held firm at $90, after exchanging 27,309 shares, 1834 Investments traded 50,000 shares at $1.40, PanJam Investment closed $2 lower to $31 trading 614,451 shares, Portland JSX gained 30 cents to $9.30, with an exchange of 3,350 shares, Proven Investments added 1 cent, closing at $25.02, with trades of 80,000 shares, Pulse Investments gained 1 cent to close at $1.99 trading 20,000 shares and Radio Jamaica closed at $1.50 exchanging 2,438 shares. Sagicor Group closed at $34.35, with gains of 35 cents trading 28,700 shares, Salada Foods gained 39 cents, closing at $9.50 with 128 units, Scotia Group ended at $44 with 23,318 shares, Seprod closed at $32.55, losing 85 cents with 7,443 shares changing hands. Proven Investments US ordinary share traded 631,286 units at 24 US cents, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.5% preference share closed at $1.99 with 2,934 units traded and Proven 8.25% preference share exchanged 6,920 units at $4.99.
Main market stocks suffered a reversal of fortunes on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday with the main indices slipping over 2,000 points in spite of a $5 jump for Carreras and $2 for Sagicor Group. Trading closed moderately with 1,809,394 units valued at $47,308,355 changing hands.
The average volume and value for the month to date ended at $119,995 units with an average value of $1,860,774 compared with an average of 132,596 units with an average value of $1,871,080 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for July ended at 160,668 units with an average value of $2,691,438.
Investors pushed the Jamaica Stock Exchange indices up sharply to hit new record highs at the close on Tuessday. During the morning session, the All Jamaica Composite Index hit a new all-time high of 279,335.69, after surging a huge 6,471.87 points at 11:50 AM. 
At the close of trading, 23 securities changed hands in the main market with 1 trading in the US dollar market, leading to 11 stocks advancing and 6 declining. The main market ended with 37,879 units valued at $30,837,797 changing hands compared to 2,489,517 units valued at $21,640,002 at the close on Friday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 404,258 units valued at US$99,647 bringing the total of all trades to J$83,856,037.
NCB Financial Group traded $4.99 lower to $90, after exchanging 36,483 shares, PanJam Investment closed at $33 trading 47,000 shares, Proven Investments exchanged 139,570 shares at $25.01, Pulse Investments gained 45 cents to close at $1.95, with 76,936 shares, Radio Jamaica closed at $1.50, with gains of 9 cents exchanging 11,097 shares. Sagicor Group closed at $32 trading 31,475 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund gained 13 cents to close at $12.05, with 13,605 shares, Scotia Group closed at $44 with trades of 160,588 shares, Scotia Investments lost 12 cents , closing at $35 in exchanging 3,742 shares, Seprod closed at $32.55, with gains of $1.55 and 928 units changing hands, Supreme Ventures gained 15 cents, closing at $8 with 41,913 shares exchanged. Proven Investments US ordinary shares closed at 24 US cents, with trades of 404,258 units and JMMB 7.5% preference share rose 9 cents and closed at $1.99 with 410 units traded.
