The Jamaican foreign exchange market returned to normal on Thursday with dealers buying the equivalent US$33,372,380 and selling US$30,923,069, compared with US$36,348,672 purchased and US$33,993,285 sold on Wednesday. Changes in the rates of the various currencies saw the Jamaican dollar losing value against the majors.
In US dollars trading, dealers bought US$28,892,317 compared to US$32,927,644 on Wednesday with the buying rate for the US dollar rising 3 cents to $120.13. 
A total of US$29,140,678 was sold versus US$31,914,028 on Wednesday as the selling rate climbed 4 cents to $120.77. The Canadian dollar buying rate fell 48 cents to end at $81.28 with dealers buying C$1,221,260 and selling C$1,111,039, at an average rate that rose 52 cents to $84.30. The rate for buying the British Pound jumped $2.30 to $173.50 for the purchase of £2,418,796, while £545,310 was sold, with the rate rising 9 cents to $172.78. At the end of trading, it took J$130.99 to purchase the Euro, for a rise of 30 cents on Wednesday’s rate, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$128.35 for a fall of 15 cents from Wednesday’s rate. The US dollar equivalent of other currencies traded, amounts to US$160,372 being bought, while US$226,645 was sold.
strong>Highs & Lows| Notable changes to the highest and lowest rates the currencies traded at are, a rise of $16.88 in the lowest selling rate for the US dollar to $117.45, the Canadian dollar highest selling rate fell $1.50 to $88.50, the lowest selling rate fell $1 to $80. The highest buying rate of British Pound, rose by $1.48 to $176.68 and the lowest selling rate declined by $1.90 to close at $166.10.
Jamaican $ slips on Thursday
Juniors fell sharply on Thursday
Lasco companies gave back ground in Thursday’s trading
At the close, 1 security ended with no bid to buy and 7 securities had no stocks being offered for sale. A total of 7 stocks closed with bids higher than their last traded prices while 2 closed with lower offers.
In trading, Access Financial traded 711 units to end at $16.50 while C2W Music ended at 49 cents while 4,200 units changed hands. Cargo Handlers traded at a new 52 weeks’ high of $38.50 by gaining 90 cents with 541 shares trading, Caribbean Cream ended with a gain of 10 cents as 90,259 shares changed hands to end at $5.10. Caribbean Producers had 23,964 units changing hands, but slipped 3 cents to close at $5.47, Consolidated Bakeries had trading in 331,039 shares at $1.40, Derrimon Trading ended at $4.05 with a loss of 2 cents while 23,975 units traded. Dolphin Cove traded 20,092 shares after losing 5 cents to end at $15.55,
General Accident rose by 6 cents as it traded 135,534 shares to close at $2.06, Jamaican Teas had 26,320 shares trading to close with a loss of 60 cents at $5. KLE ended at $2 with 146,721 shares changing hands after rising by 10 cents to a new 52 weeks’ high, Lasco Distributors closed with 953,127 units trading and ended with a loss of 50 cents at $8, Lasco Financial lost 25 cents to close at $4.75 with 136,826 shares changing hands. Lasco Manufacturing traded 609,897 shares but fell 26 cents to close at $4.74, Medical Disposables gained 19 cents and ended with 6,322 shares changing hands at $3.30, tTech closed with a loss of 48 cents at $5.01 with 280,595 units changing hands and Eppley cumulative preference share 2019, ended with 25,000 units changing hands at $6.10.
JSE pulls back sharply in early trading
The stock market pulled back with the indices falling in junior and the main markets. Scotia Group traded at $31 compared to nearly $35 on which the main market indices 
were based on Wednesday but the stock is up from the last traded price of $30.10 and Caribbean Cement closed down at $22 from $25.10 at yesterday’s close and Carreras fell $1 to trade at $59.
Sagicor Group traded a large amount of 5,000,160 units up to $24 but last traded at $23.01, Lasco Distributors traded 306,099 units at $8.50, Lasco Manufacturing had 218,219 trading at $5.15 and recently listed tTech has so far traded 226,147 shares at $5.49.
In trading 35 securities were active and accounted for 6,574,092 units changed hands after 90 minutes of the market’s opening with 13 stocks rising and 11 falling.
The all Jamaica Composite Index plunged 2,760.15 points to 175,952.24 the JSE Market Index tumbled 2,469.81 points to 158,377.63 the JSE combined index dropped 2,647.40 points to 169,292.43 and the junior market index fell 35.27 points to 2,320.00.
7 juniors closed at 52 weeks’ high
CAC 2000 traded at new high of $6.50 to gain 234% since listing last week.
At the close, 1 security ended with no bids to buy and 9 securities had no stocks being offered for sale. A total of 6 stocks closed with bids higher than their last traded prices while 1 closed with a lower offer.
In trading, Access Financial traded 9,000 units with a gain of 50 cents to end at $16.50 while newly listed CAC 2000 traded 5,000 shares at a new 52 weeks’ high of $6.50 to gain 8 cents, C2W Music ended 2 cents higher to close at 49 cents while 336,500 units changed hands. Caribbean Cream ended with 122,000 shares changing hands to end at $5. Caribbean Flavours traded 58,200 units to close at $9, Caribbean Producers had 73,400 units changing hands, but slipped 5 cents to close at $5.50, Consolidated Bakeries rose 20 cents while trading 393,375 shares at $1.40, Derrimon Trading ended at $4.07 with a gain of 2 cents while 25,000 units traded at a 52 weeks’ high. General Accident traded 78,900 shares to close at $2, Honey Bun with 13,652 shares changing hands, closed with a gain of 20 cents at a 52 weeks’ high of $7, Jamaican Teas had 5,820 shares trading to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $5.60 to record an increase of 10 cents.
KLE ended at $1.90 with 71,470 shares changing hands after rising by 7 cents to a new 52 weeks’ high, Lasco Distributors closed with 398,319 units trading and ended with a loss of 50 cents at $8.50, Lasco Financial gained 1 cent to close at $5 with 378,257 shares changing hands. Lasco Manufacturing traded 1,932,125 shares but fell 48 cents to close at $5, Medical Disposables gained 19 cents and ended with 54,500 shares changing hands at $3.30, Paramount Trading closed with 1,000 units changing hands at 52 weeks’ high of $10.10 and tTech closed at a new 52 weeks’ high of $5.49 with 385,034 units changing hands to gain 19 cents. The stock traded as high as $6 during the trading day.
Huge US$114m trading Tuesday
Tuesday was a big day for trading in the Jamaican foreign exchange market, as dealers bought the equivalent US$113,650,452 and sold US$115,800,882, compared with US$45,414,864 purchased and US$40,270,681 sold on Monday. Changes in the rates of the various currencies were mixed with the US dollar continuing to gain.
In US dollars trading, dealers bought US$110,719,783 compared to US$41,206,124 on Monday with the buying rate for the US dollar rising 57 cents to $120.50 A total of US$114,279,943 was sold versus US$38,724,325 on Monday as the selling rate climbed 3 cents to $120.71. The Canadian dollar buying rate fell 62 cents to end at $82.05 with dealers buying C$1,475,053 and selling C$923,548, at an average rate that fell 62 cents to $83.67. 
The rate for buying the British Pound declined by $2.70 to $170.39 for the purchase of £1,158,431, while £465,990 was sold, with the rate rising 96 cents to $173.43. At the end of trading, it took J$130.98 to purchase the Euro, for fall of 57 on Monday’s rate, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$128.21 for a decline of 32 cents on Monday’s rate. The US dollar equivalent of other currencies traded, amounts to US$288,183 being bought, while US$211,300 was sold.
Highs & Lows| Notable changes to the highest and lowest rates the currencies traded at were, a rise in the lowest selling rate of the US dollar of $1.96 to $100.57, a rise of $1.25 in the highest buying rate for the Canadian dollar to $86.40, a fall in the highest selling rate of $1.55 to $87.95, a rise in the highest buying rate of British Pound, by $1.10 to $177.50 and a $1.80 decline in the lowest selling rate that closed at $167.20.
Citizens trades big on TTSE – Tuesday
Activity on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange continued low keyed activity prices with trading in 14 securities on Tuesday but with First Citizens dominating with a trade of $5.5 million. All three market indices rose marginally as 4 stocks advanced, 3 declined, with the prices of 7 remaining unchanged. A total of 902,619 shares changed hands valued at $7,566,997.
The Composite Index ended with a gain of 1.26 points to 1,163.17 the All T&T Index fell 0.26 points to 1,942.04 and the Cross Listed Index gained 0.31 to end at 50.64.
IC bid-offer Indicator| The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 4 stocks with bids higher than the last selling price and 10 stocks with offers that were lower.
Gains| Grace Kennedy gained 2 cents and closed at $4.06 with 1,586 shares changing hands, Guardian Holdings gained 6 cents to end at $13.42 with 359 shares traded. JMMB Group closed with 679,212 shares valued at $370,877 changing hands to gain 2 cents at $22.75 and National Commercial Bank closed with a gain of 5 cents at $2.25 while trading 43,208 shares.
Declines| Praetorian Property Mutual Fund contributed 4,000 shares and fell 9 cents to end at $3,for a 52 weeks’ low,
Sagicor Financial Corporation closed with 100 shares changing hands and ended with a fall of 1 cent to $6.49 and Trinidad and Tobago NGL slipped 2 cents in trading to close at $21.47 with 90 units.
Firm Trades| Ansa Merchant Bank traded 1,000 units at $38.96, Clico Investment Fund traded 21,560 shares valued at $490,490 to close at $22.75, First Citizens had 156,227 units valued at $5,467,945 changing hands at $35, One Caribbean Media traded 2,185 shares at $22, Prestige Holdings contributed 1,803 shares to end at $10.17. Republic Financial Holdings closed at $112 with 8,616 shares valued at $964,992 changing hands and Unilever Caribbean ended with 673 shares trading to close at $67.75.
Jamaican$ had mixed Monday
In the Jamaican foreign exchange market, dealers bought the equivalent of US$45,414,864 and sold US$40,270,681, compared with US$21,534,854 purchased and US$25,878,122 sold on Friday. Changes in the rates of the various currencies were mixed with the US dollar gaining.
In US dollars trading, dealers bought US$41,206,124 compared to US$18,827,307 on Friday with the buying rate for the US dollar rising 27 cents to $119.93. A total of US$38,724,325 was sold versus US$24,377,840 on Friday as the selling rate climbed 5 cents to $120.68. The Canadian dollar buying rate gained 28 cents to end at $82.67 with dealers buying C$2,311,311 and selling C$1,118,593, at an average rate that fell 42 cents to $84.29. The rate for buying the British Pound rose $1.37 to $173.09 for the purchase of £1,681,260, while £421,527 was sold, with the rate dropping $2.34 to $172.47. At the end of trading, it took J$131.55 to purchase the Euro, 
for an increase of $1 on Friday’s rate, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$128.68 for a rise of 55 cents on Friday’s rate. The US dollar equivalent of other currencies traded, amounts to US$188,807 being bought, while US$162,575 was sold.
Highs & Lows| Notable changes to the highest and lowest rates the currencies traded at were, a fall in the lowest selling rate of the US dollar of $18.39 to $98.61, a rise in the highest buying rate for the British Pound, of $1 to $176.40 and a $1.50 increase in the highest selling rate that closed at $180.69.
TTSE continues to consolidate
Activity on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange continued with sideways movement of prices with trading in 11 securities on Monday. Two of the three market indices rose marginally as 2 stocks advanced, 4 declined, with the prices of 5 remaining unchanged. A total of 182,264 shares changed hands valued at $1,407,917.
The Composite Index ended with a gain of 0.56 points to 1,161.91 the All T&T Index fell 0.55 points to 1,941.78 and the Cross Listed Index gained 0.23 to end at 50.33.
IC bid-offer Indicator| The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 5 stocks with bids higher than the last selling price and 6 stocks with offers that were lower.
Gains| National Commercial Bank closed with a gain of 1 cent at $2.20 while trading 62,936 shares and Sagicor Financial Corporation closed with 100,450 shares carrying a value of $652,835 changing hands and ended with a rise of 20 cents to $6.50 for a 52 weeks’ high.
Declines| Massy Holdings ended with 73 shares changing hands as the price dropped 10 cents for a 52 weeks’ low of $61.30, Republic Financial Holdings closed at $112 with 1,226 shares changing hands
West Indian Tobacco ended with a loss of 2 cents to close at $126.27 as 1,177 shares changed hands and Unilever Caribbean ended with 135 shares trading, the price fell 55 cents to close at $67.75.
Firm Trades| Clico Investment Fund traded 2,007 shares to close at $22.75, First Citizens had 3,109 units changing hands at $35, Grace Kennedy closed at $4.04 with 2,481 shares changing hands, One Caribbean Media traded 5,500 shares at $22 and Prestige Holdings contributed 3,170 shares to end at $10.17.
JSE main market rebounds on Monday
Scotia Group traded at a new 52 weeks’ high of $32.75 on Monday.
The Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Monday with wild swings in the indices with the main markets rising quite strongly in the early morning session only to see it fall by 11 am but regained lost ground to be up strongly at the close. The junior market surged out of the block from the start with that index rising over 8 percent at the peak.
The JSE Market Index jumped 1,053.22 points to 157,776.59, the all Jamaica Composite Index 1,177.02 points to end at 175,280.53 and the JSE combined index rose 2,503.44 points to close at 169,179.92.
At the close, 6,236,086 units valued at only $35,592,624 changed hands in all markets with the junior market accounting for of 2,024,430 units changed hands, valued at $9,319,672. Trading was broad based with a total of 43 active securities in all market segments as 25 in the combined markets gained and 12 declined. Eight stocks closed at 52 weeks’ highs and two traded at intraday highs.
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 of 13 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 6 with lower offers.
In trading, Barita Investments traded 31,500 shares and added 15 cents to close at $3.95, Berger Paints ended with 25,670 shares trading at $3.69, for a rise of 49 cents. Cable and Wireless ended with 649,150 units changing hands to close at $1.40, Caribbean Cement jumped $3.95 to end at $25, with 11,122 shares trading, Carreras climbed $1 and closed at $61 with 69,500 units changing hands. Ciboney traded only 1,318,523 shares with price rising 1 cent to 26 cents, Gleaner Company traded 142,515 shares to close at $2.70, Grace Kennedy closed with a gain of 33 cents as 18,969 units changed hands at $84.33. Jamaica Broilers gained 20 cents and closed at $10.95 with 86,400 shares changing hands, for a new 52 weeks’ high, Jamaica Stock Exchange traded 27,135 shares and gained 22 cents to close at $18.82, JMMB Group traded 34,090 units and rose 59 cents to end at a 52 weeks high of $12.95, Kingston Wharves traded 34,334 units at $11.25. 
Mayberry Investments traded 20,000 shares and gained 25 cents to end at $4.65, National Commercial Bank fell $1.54 to end at $41.51, with 37,983 units changing hands. Radio Jamaica had 115,654 shares trading at $5.50. Sagicor Group fell 3 cents to close at $23 with 338,597 units changing hands, Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 34,900 shares at $11.60, Scotia Group closed with 16,708 shares changing hands at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $32.75 for a gain of 75 cents. Scotia Investments fell 3 cents to close at $29.02 after 3,830 units traded, Seprod traded 20,541 units but gained 60 cents to end at $20.60, Supreme Ventures rose 6 cents to end at $4.66 with 981,818 units changing hands and Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference share traded 176,760 units to end at $2.
JSE to host investment conference
The Jamaica Stock Exchange INVESTMENTS & CAPITAL MARKETS CONFERENCE 2016, will be held at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel on Monday, January 18, to Wednesday, January 20 and comes against the background of the exchange being rated as the best performing global exchange in 2015, with gains over 100 percent for the year.
The conference with its theme “Positioning the Caribbean in the International Arena” will cover the following topics:the UK an Invaluable Trading Partner: Going Beyond Traditional Exports and Identifying Higher Value Products and Services. Building and Deepening the Caribbean, Cuban Relationship in the Areas of Education, Health and Tourism. Investing in and Training the Labour Force is the Conduit for Growth in the Caribbean. Start, Run and Grow Your Business. Confronting the Challenges of Climate Change: Protecting the Caribbean Water Resources as an Economic Strategic Advantage. The Caribbean as an Ideal Sports Destination. New Approaches to Funding Ideas Regionally – Crowd Funding the Newest Rage. Venture Capital Pitch Room for Entrepreneurs and Innovators.
