Purchases by dealers of foreign currencies on Tuesday, resulted in the Jamaican currency selling rate making gains over the US dollar and the pound sterling but falling against the Canadian. The market closed with dealers buying the equivalent of US$32,658,423 in contrast to US$43,832,057 on Monday, while they sold the equivalent of US$28,334,621, previously US$40,717,404.
In US dollar trading , dealers bought US$29,530,916 compared to US$39,120,041 on Monday. The buying rate for the US dollar rose 6 cents to $117.01 and US$25,844,376 was sold versus US$38,623,639 on Monday, the selling rate fell 18 cents to $117.42. 
The Canadian dollar buying rate dropped 80 cents to $86.79 with dealers buying C$1,135,297 and selling C$1,400,844, at an average rate that rose $1.72 cents to $90.87. The rate for buying the British Pound rose 74 cents to $182.15 for the purchase of £1,387,419, while £671,699 was sold, at an average rate that fell $2.18 to $181.48. At the end of trading, it took J$136.13 to purchase the Euro, with a rise of $3.06 from Monday’s rate, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$133.34 for a gain of $3.05 on Monday’s rate. Other currencies bought, amounted to the equivalent of US$125,525, while the equivalent of US$381,403 was sold.
Highs & Lows| The highest buying rate for the US dollar, rose 3 cents to $117.88, the lowest buying rate jumped $4.88 to $98.18, the highest selling 
rate remained at $123.58 and the lowest selling rate dropped $6.97 to $89.22. The highest buying rate for the Canadian dollar fell $1.23 to $88.70, the lowest buying rate declined 37 cents to $70.80 and highest selling rate fell $1.07 to $91.27. The lowest selling rate dropped 45 cents to end at $85.30. The highest buying rate for the British Pound, eased 45 cents to $184.90, the lowest buying rate rose 58 cents to $148.57, the highest selling rate gained 75 cents to $191.53 and the lowest selling rate put on 70 cents to $179.
J$ mostly gains on Tuesday
Junior market drops 12% from peak
Trading finished with 4 stocks declining and 1 gaining out of 12 securities that traded, resulting in 3,952,442 units, valued at $11,099,945 changing hands. The market lost 30.25 points to close at 918.48, having shed 122 points or 12 percent since it peaked at 1,040.59 on August 11.
The August decline is a bit worse than the 10 percent pull back, after it recorded a peak of 934.69 on June 10, to bottom out on July 27. The sharp movement by junior market stocks is characteristic of the market around the release of results going back from the early days of the junior market index. At the close, 4 securities ended with no bids to buy, while 4 had no stocks being offered for sale and 2 stocks closed with bids higher than the last traded prices and 4 with the offers being lower.
Stocks trading are, Access Financial Services traded 1,500 shares to close at $10.50, with a gain of 50 cents at the close the bid was at $11 to buy 1,000 units. The stock has been trading on thin volumes, with support mostly around the $10 region. AMG Packaging closed at $3.95 with 4,000 units changing hands, Caribbean Cream traded 67,000 units to close 20 cents lower at $1.60. 
Caribbean Flavours traded 10,000 units unchanged at $2.75, Caribbean Producers traded just 3,077 units at $2.72, General Accident Insurance traded 274,062 units with the price closing unchanged at $1.50, Jamaican Teas had 2,000,000 shares trading to close at $3.12, Lasco Distributors closed with 476,042 units trading, ended down 20 cents at $1.60. Lasco Financial ended with 500,000 shares changing hands at $1.63 for a fall of 2 cents, Lasco Manufacturing with 240,261 units changing hands, closed at $1.70, with a fall of 15 cents, Paramount Trading ended with 2,500 units trading unchanged at $6 and Eppley 9.5% preference share ended with 374,000 units changing hands at $6.05.
JSE adds back 1,000 points on Monday
Scotia Group jumped back to $26 to help push the JSE up by more than 1,000 points.
At the close, the JSE Market Index gained 1,009.99 points to 98,771.46. The JSE All Jamaican Composite index added 1,128.88 points to close at 109,338.94 and the JSE combined index moved up 643.21 points to end at 101,721.81.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had a reading that reflects continuation of declining stocks having the upper hand over advancing ones with 4
stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 13 with offers that were lower.In trading, Cable and Wireless with 279,208 units closed at 40 cents, Caribbean Cement had 27,500 units changing hands at $8, Gleaner closed with 116,172 shares and lost 2 cents to $1.90. Jamaica Broilers traded 2 cents lower at $5.60 with 308,788 shares changing hands, JMMB Group traded 162,644 shares at $7.50, Kingston Wharves hit a new 52 weeks’ high of $7.25 by gaining 5 cents with just 1,859 shares changing hands, Mayberry Investments ended with 14,080 shares changing hands to close at $2.88 for a fall of 52 cents. National Commercial Bank traded 108,565
shares to end with a gain of $1.98 at $30, Proven Investments ordinary share traded 7,228 units to close at 21 US cents, up 0.45 cents. Radio Jamaica traded 31,470 shares with the price unchanged at $3.01, Sagicor Group with 283,978 shares changing hands, closed 4 cents lower at $12.96, Scotia Group traded 145,930 units to close at $26, by gaining $2, Scotia hand 3,900 of the shares traded at $26, 1,000 at $15.99 and 61,441 traded at $25 all the rest traded at $24.01 to a low of $23.73. Supreme Ventures ended at $3.34 with 58,896 units to be up by 4 cents and Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference share traded 35,150 units at $2.
Access drops 46% on junior market
Access Financial Services has lost 46 percent in three trading days on the JSE junior market, ending at $10 on Monday. Trading finished with 4 stocks declining and 6 gaining out of 13 securities that traded, resulting in 920,177 units, valued at $2,765,138 changing hands. The market lost 34.14 points to close at 948.73, having shed nearly 100 points since it peaked earlier in the month.
At the close 4 securities ended with no bids to buy, while 5 had no stocks being offered for sale and 2 stocks closed with bids higher than the last traded prices and 5 with the offers being lower.
Stocks trading are, Access Financial Services traded 21,500 shares to close at $10, with a fall of $3. The stock has been trading on thin volumes, with support mostly around the $10 region, leaving a big gap that the bulk of buying is at and $19, the price it ran up to earlier the month. AMG Packaging closed at $3.95 with 6,200 units changing hands, Blue Power closed with 7,777 units changing hands with a gain of 5 cents at $12.35, Caribbean Cream traded 96,271 units to close 19 cents lower at $1.80. Caribbean Producers traded just 2,305 units at $2.72. Dolphin Cove finished with 2,120 shares while shedding 85 cents to end at $12.15, 
General Accident Insurance traded 205,537 units with the price closing 20 cents higher at $1.50, Honey Bun with 78,140 shares changing hands and closed with a gain of 5 cents at $3.70, Jamaican Teas had 2,070 shares trading to close with a gain of 2 cents at $3.12. Lasco Distributors closed with 4,877 units trading, 1 cent up at $1.80, Lasco Financial ended with 447,738 shares changing hands at $1.65 for a fall of 1 cent, Lasco Manufacturing with 37,642 units changing hands, closed at $1.85, up 1 cent and Jamaican Teas variable rate bond traded 8,000 units to close at $100.
Interest rate hike hurting TTSE
The sharp rise in the central bank of Trinidad & Tobago since last year is taking a toll on prices of stocks listed on the Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange.
In Monday’s trading 13 securities changed hands. One stock gained while the prices of 4 declined and 8 traded with prices unchanged as a total of 200,811 shares traded, valued at $3,000,646.
At the close, the Composite Index declined by 2.26 points to 1,143.52, the All T&T Index fell 4.49 points to 1,950.05 and the Cross Listed Index remained at 44.19.
Gains| Sagicor Financial Corporation closed 50 cents higher with 31,842 shares changing hands at $6, for a value of $191,052.
Losses| Clico Investment Fund traded 500 shares and closed with a fall of a cent at $22.50, Massy Holdings had 3,621 shares trading to end at $63.01, after shedding just 1 cent. Republic Bank suffered a loss of 99 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ low of $113 with just 100 shares changing hands and West Indian Tobacco traded just 540 shares to closed with a loss of 64 cents to end at $123.36
Firm Trades|, Angostura Holdings with 500 shares changing hands, to close at $14, ANSA McAL contributed 31,525 shares with a value of $2,120,056 and closed at $67.25.
Guardian Holdings added 21,596 shares valued at $278,588 to close at $12.90, JMMB Group traded 91,690 shares to close at 42 cents. National Commercial Bank traded 9,531 shares at $1.52, National Flour with 8,000 shares changing hands, closed at $2.20, One Caribbean Media traded 116 shares with the price closing at $22.31 and Prestige Holdings with 1,250 units changing hands ended at $9.89.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 5 stocks with the bid higher than their last selling prices and 5 stocks with offers that were lower.
7 stocks fell on junior market
The JSE junior market fell on Friday while 7 stocks declined and only 1 advanced out of 12 securities that traded, resulting in 1,272,996 units, valued at $2,909,186 changing hands. The market lost 24.71 points to close at 982.87.
At the close 4 securities ended with no bids to buy, while 4 had no stocks being offered for sale and 3 stocks closed with bids higher than the last traded prices and 2 with the offers being lower.
Stocks trading are, Access Financial Services traded 367 shares to close at $13, with a fall of $2.51, AMG Packaging closed at $3.65 with only 733 units changing hands, Blue Power closed with 3,568 units changing hands at $12.28, Caribbean Cream traded 215,075 units to close 30 cents lower at $1.99. Caribbean Flavours traded 459,138 units with the price dropping 5 cents to $2.75. Caribbean Producers traded just 2,000 units for an 8 cents fall to $2.72, General Accident Insurance traded 46,569 units with the price closing 5 
cents lower, to a 52 weeks’ low of $1.25, the bid was at $1.45 to buy 220,000 shares and offered at $1.50 for sale of 273,438 units. Honey Bun with 11,526 shares changing hands and closed with a loss of 5 cents at $3.65, Lasco Distributors closed with 14,650 units trading, 16 cents lower at $1.79, Lasco Financial ended with 290,485 shares changing hands at $1.66 for a fall of 14 cents, at the close the bid was at $1.70 to buy 30,000 shares. Lasco Manufacturing with 175,657 units changing hands, closed at $1.84 and Medical Disposables traded 45,653 shares to close at $2.50.
Only 2 price changes on TTSE
In overall trading Friday on the Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange, 6 securities changed hands, the price of 1 rose, 1 declined and 4 traded with prices unchanged as a total of 106,169 shares traded, valued at $949,980.
At the close, the Composite Index rose 0.17 points to 1,145.78, the All T&T Index was unchanged at 1,954.54 and the Cross Listed Index gained 0.04 points to close at 44.19.
Gains| JMMB Group traded 12,000 shares to close 1 cent higher at 42 cents.
Losses| Sagicor Financial Corporation closed with a fall of 50 cents with 42,135 shares changing hands at $5.50, for a value of $252,743.
Firm Trades|, Clico Investment Fund traded 18,370 shares valued at $413,509 and closed at $22.51.
Guardian Holdings added 20,000 shares to close at $12.90, National Commercial Bank traded 5,664 shares at $1.52 and Scotia Investments had 8,000 shares changing hands at $1.51 at the close.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 4 stocks with the bid higher than their last selling prices and 3 stocks with offers that were lower.
Increased activity on junior market
Access fell $2.99 to $15.51on Thursday
At the close 4 securities ended with no bids to buy, while 3 had no stocks being offered for sale and 3 stocks closed with bids higher than the last traded prices and 3 with the offers being lower.
Stocks trading are, Access Financial Services traded 200 shares to close at $15.51 with a fall of $2.99, AMG Packaging closed at a 52 weeks’ high of $3.95 with 31,398 units changing hands 30 cents higher, Cargo Handlers ended with 950 shares changing hands and closed at $31, Caribbean Cream traded 10,100 units at $1.99, after gaining 19 cents. Dolphin Cove traded 150 shares and closed at $13, General Accident Insurance traded 2,150 units with the price closing 15 cents lower to a 52 weeks’ low of $1.30, Honey Bun with 46,734 shares
changing hands, closed with a loss of 30 cents at $3.70, Knutsford Express had 518 shares trading to close at $6. Lasco Distributors closed with 283,526 units trading, 15 cents higher at $1.95, Lasco Financial ended with 85,300 shares changing hands to end at $1.80. Lasco Manufacturing with 291,740 units changing hands, closed at $1.84 after dropping a cent, Medical Disposables traded 102,000 shares to close with a gain of 25 cents at a 52 weeks’ high of $2.50 but closed with the offer at $2.30 to sell 13,085 units and Derrimon Trading preference share ended with 88,300 units changing hands at $6.05.
JSE drops sharply on Wednesday
The Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday closed with main market indices recording big losses, cancelling out the gains made in yesterday’s trading. The market closed with a fairly high participation rate of 33 securities changing hands accounting for 3,862,624 units trading, valued at $45,895,747 with 9 stocks rising, 16 declining with 1 stock closing at 52 weeks high, in all market segments.
At the close, the JSE Market Index fell 2,316.03 points to 99,099.31, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index dived 2,588.67 points to close at 109,705.40 and the JSE combined index dropped 2,164.74 points to end at 102,674.88.
The eve of and the actual Treasury bill auction days, historically have not been good for the local stock market. Stockbrokers main focus is on the outcome of the auction and interest rates out turn as well as how successful their bidding was. Wednesday’s sluggishness and pull back in prices could be related to this development with today being the day when Treasury bill bids are opened. At the close of trading on Tuesday the signals were for a weaker market on Wednesday as such today’s declines should come as no great surprise.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had a reading that is better than Tuesday’s reading, with only of 3 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 9 with offers that were lower. Today’s reading is 4 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 6 with offers that were lower, a reading that still carries some negative undertone.
In trading, Cable and Wireless had 306,499 shares changing hands with a loss of 3 cents, to end at 40 cents, Caribbean Cement had 19,000 units changing hands at $8, Gleaner closed with 23,326 shares and fell 17 cents to $2. Grace Kennedy traded firm at $64 with 54,439 shares, Jamaica Broilers traded at $6.05 with 42,876 shares changing hands, Jamaica Producers traded at $18.25 with 4,000 shares changing ownership with a loss of 25 cents. JMMB Group traded 5,909 shares at $7.95 to add 22 cents, with the company reporting strong increase in profit for the first quarter. Jamaica Stock Exchange lost altitude and traded with a decline of $1.50 to $7.50 with only 7,100 shares changing hands.
Mayberry Investments had 242,254 shares trading down 26 cents to $3.14, National Commercial Bank traded 421,180 shares to end at $30, Palace Amusement gained $10 in trading 2,500 shares to end at $75, Pan Jamaican Investment closed at $60.70 after trading 1,539 shares with a loss of $1.30. Sagicor Group with 1,077,602 shares changing hands, closed 50 cents up, at $13.50, Sagicor Real Estate Fund gained 95 cents to close at $8.75 while trading 10,095 units, Scotia Group traded 471,710 units to close at $23.70, down 80 cents, Supreme Ventures ended at $3.50 with 56,004 units to be down by $1 and Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference share traded 150,200 units at $2.
Moderate trading on junior market
The JSE junior market fell on Wednesday with 2 stocks declining and 1 advancing, only 7 securities traded, resulting in 931,475 units, valued at $2,060,574 changing hands. The market regained 2.10 points to close at 1,019.85.
The market ended with 4 securities closing with no bids to buy, while 4 had no stocks being offered for sale and 3 stocks closed with bids higher than the last traded prices and only 2 with the offers being lower.
Stocks trading are, Caribbean Flavours traded 28,657 units at $2.82, after falling 18 cents, Derrimon Trading ended 
with 11,054 shares changing hands to end 10 cents higher at $2.60, for a new 52 weeks’ high, the stock traded earlier at $2.70. Dolphin Cove traded 1,000 shares and closed at $13, General Accident Insurance traded 15,000 units with the price closing at $1.45, Jamaican Teas had 244,745 shares trading to close at $3.10, Lasco Distributors closed with 316,929 units trading, 1 cent lower at $1.80 and Lasco Manufacturing with 314,090 units changing hands, closed at $1.85.