In the Jamaican foreign exchange market, dealers bought the equivalent of only US$21,534,854 and sold a relatively small amount of US$25,878,122, compared with US$34,094,250 purchased and US$35,478,418 sold on Thursday.
In US dollars trading, dealers bought US$18,827,307 compared to US$31,441,995 on Thursday with the buying rate for the US dollar falling 28 cents to $119.66. A total of US$24,377,840 was sold versus US$33,323,464 on Thursday as the selling rate climbed 12 cents to $120.63. The Canadian dollar buying rate dropped 8 cents to end at $82.39 with dealers buying C$1,332,949 and selling C$692,965, at an average rate that rose 68 cents to $84.71. The rate for buying the British Pound rose 13 cents to $171.72 for the purchase of £1,019,002, while £436,967 was sold, with the rate gaining $1.70 to $174.81. At the end of trading, it took J$130.55 to purchase the Euro, for an increase of $1.09 on Thursday’s rate, according to data from 
strong>Bank of Jamaica, while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$127.98 for a rise of $1.16 on Thursday’s rate. The US dollar equivalent of other currencies traded, amounts to US$327,438 being bought, while US$380,382 was sold.
Highs & Lows| Notable changes to the highest and lowest buying and selling rates were a rise in the highest selling rate for Canadian dollar by $1.19 to $90 and a fall of $3.81 in the highest selling rate for the British Pound, that closed at $180.19.
Jamaican$ drops on Friday
Junior market soars in morning session
The junior market jumped sharply by more than 151 points in the first 75 minutes of trading on Friday but the main market slipped as Scotia Group traded at $22.51 and Caribbean cement fell back to $22 from a closing price of $26.50 on Thursday.
Trading as been quite hectic with 34 securities trading amounting to 5,923,247 shares well over the 1,003,134 units changing hands on Thursday and with 15 rising, while 13 declined.
Investors continue to push junior market stocks with Lasco Distributors jumping to a new high of $7.25 with 214,820 shares as the price jumped 74 cents to a new high, Lasco Finance following its big brother traded at a new high of $5, Paramount Trading also traded at a new high of $10 and tTech opened trading at $3.60 with 50,000 shares to gain 56 cents. Caribbean Cream traded 1,240,402 shares with a gain of 32 cents to $4.50 as the company released results of 33 cents per share for the nine months to November.
The all Jamaica Composite Index declined 832.08 points to 173,674.87 the JSE Market Index fell 744.55 points to 156,339.83 the JSE combined index 664.99 points to 166,166.41 and the junior market index jumped 151.35 points to 2,075.94.
5 stocks rose on TTSE – Thursday
In trading activity on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange 14 securities changed hands on Thursday but two of the three market indices declined marginally. A total of 5 stocks advanced and 3 declined, with the prices of 6 remaining unchanged. A total of 326,731 shares changed hands valued at $4,547,430.
The Composite Index ended with a decline of 0.07 points to 1,160.03, the All T&T Index rose 0.06 points to 1,942.91 and the Cross Listed Index loss 0.03 to end at 49.66.
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| Agostini’s traded 2,000 shares and gained 1 cent to close at $17.01, Clico Investment Fund traded 40,900 shares and rose 4 cent to end at $22.76, Guardian Holdings ended with 8,320 shares trading at $13.33 for a gain of 2 cents. Republic Financial Holdings gained 2 cents to close at $111.99 with 172 shares changing hands and Sagicor Financial Corporation closed with 2,819 shares changing hands, to end at $6.28 for a 2 cents rise.
Declines| Angostura Holdings closed with a loss of 1 cent at a 52 weeks’ low of $13.74 with 3,435 shares changing hands, 
JMMB Group traded 122,877 shares but lost 1 cent in closing at 53 cents and Massy Holdings ended with 55 shares changing hands as the price dropped 1 cent to end at a 52 weeks’ low of $61.39.
Firm Trades| First Citizens ended with 87,905 units with a value of $3,076,675 changing hands at $35, Grace Kennedy closed at $4.04 with 55,000 shares changing hands, National Commercial Bank closed at $2.12 while trading 624 shares. National Flour traded 2,027 shares to close at $2.60, Trinidad and Tobago NGL ended at $21.50 with 575 shares changing hands and Unilever Caribbean closed with 22 shares trading at $68.30.
Big jump in junior stocks as tTech & CAC trade
tTech gained 22% on the first day of trading to close at $3.04.
The market closed with 19 securities trading 10 of which advanced, 4 declined with 7 closing at a new 52 weeks’ high. A volume of 3,272,184 units changed hands, valued at $17,503,527.
At the close, 2 securities ended with no bids to buy and 7 securities had no stocks being offered for sale. A total of 5 stocks closed with bids higher than their last traded prices while 3 closed with lower offers.
In trading, Access Financial Services closed at $16 after losing 6 cents with 22,300 units changing hands, AMG Packing gained 16 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $7.36 with 1,000 shares trading and closed with the bid at $8.10 to buy 1,140 units. CAC rose 58 cents to close at $5.43 with 6,000 units changing hands, but the stock was offered at $5.43 at the close to sell 5,000 units. C2W Music ended with a rise of 2 cents to close at 45 cents while 114,000 units changed hands, Cargo Handlers lost 15 cents to end at $37.50 with 589 shares changing hands, Caribbean Cream ended with 379,183 shares changing hands as the price rose 29 cents to end at $4.18. Caribbean Flavours traded 75,871 units to close with a gain of 38 cents at $8.88, Caribbean Producers traded 9,500 units but gain 80 cents to close at $5.48, Consolidated Bakeries ended at $1.50, with 3,050 units changing hands, Derrimon Trading Company had 27,000 units trading, to close at $4.05. General Accident traded 23,600 shares to close with a loss of 10 cent, to end at $2.10, Honey Bun gained 22 cents with 114,652 shares changing hands and closed at a 52 weeks’ high of $6.50, KLE Group ended with a fall of 2 cents at $1.85 with 15,000 shares changing hands.
Lasco Distributors closed with 1,354,455 shares changing hands for a gain of 50 cents, to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $6.51, Lasco Financial rose 16 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $4.11 with 55,598 shares changing hands. Lasco Manufacturing rose 20 cents to $3.80 with 349,634 shares trading, Medical Disposables ended with 5,000 shares changing hands at the close at $3.55, tTech had 257,952 units changing hands to gain 54 cents to close at $3.04, at the close there were no stocks on offer, while bids ranged from a low of $2.33 to a high of $3.05, Eppley 2019 preference shares traded 42,000 shares at $6.10 and Eppley 9.5% preference shares had 416,800 changing hands at $6.
Jam$ gains against all on Thursday
In the Jamaican foreign exchange market, dealers bought the equivalent of US$34,094,250 and sold US$35,478,418, compared with US$41,941,236 purchased and US$39,746,285 sold on Wednesday.
In US dollars trading, dealers bought US$31,441,995 compared to US$36,834,944 on Wednesday with the buying rate for the US dollar rising 17 cents to $119.94. A total of US$33,323,464 was sold versus US$37,031,528 on Wednesday as the selling rate climbed 8 cents to $120.51. The Canadian dollar buying rate dropped 88 cents to end at $82.47 with dealers buying C$1,416,413 and selling C$1,254,073, at an average rate that declined 90 cents to $84.03. The rate for buying the British Pound lost $1.91 to $171.59 for the purchase of £1,008,931, while £654,763 was sold, with the rate gaining 28 cents to $173.12. At the end of trading, it took J$129.46 to purchase the Euro, for an increase of 32 cents on Wednesday’s rate, 
according to data from Bank of Jamaica, while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$126.82 for a rise of 27 cents from Wednesday’s rate. The US dollar equivalent of other currencies traded, amounts to US$234,961 being bought, while US$339,986 was sold.
Highs & Lows| Notable changes to the highest and lowest buying and selling rates were a fall in the highest selling rate for Canadian dollar by $1.19 to $88.81 and a fall of $1.24 in the highest buying rate for the British Pound, that closed at $176, a rise of $1.84 in the highest selling rate that ended at $184 and a fall in the lowest selling rate of $1.70 to close $16.30.
Jam$ gains against all on Wednesday
In the Jamaican foreign exchange market, dealers bought the equivalent of US$41,941,236 and sold US$39,746,285, compared with US$35,703,146 purchased and US$43,237,725sold on Tuesday.
In US dollars trading, dealers bought US$36,834,944 compared to US$32,330,168 on Tuesday with the buying rate for the US dollar falling 7 cents to $119.77. A total of US$37,031,528 was sold versus US$41,672,381 on Tuesday as the selling rate slipped 3 cents to $120.43. The Canadian dollar buying rate dropped 42 cents to end at $83.35 with dealers buying C$2,592,782 and selling C$1,914,548, at an average rate that declined 17 cents to $84.93. The rate for buying the British Pound lost 31 cents to $173.50 for the purchase of £1,961,635, while £522,647 was sold, with the rate declining $3.38 to $172.84. At the end of trading, it took J$129.15 to purchase the Euro, 
for a decline of 91 cents from Tuesday’s rate, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$126.55 for a fall of 67 cents from Tuesday’s rate. The US dollar equivalent of other currencies traded, amounts to US$460,202 being bought, while US$614,449 was sold.
Highs & Lows| Notable changes to the highest and lowest buying and selling rates were a rise in the lowest selling rate for Canadian dollar by $1.46 to $81.46 and the highest selling rate for the British Pound, that fell $1.24 to close $182.16.
tTech & CAC 2000 trades on Thursday
tTech’s executives
At the close, 1 security ended with no bid to buy and 6 securities had no stocks being offered for sale. A total of 5 stocks closed with bids higher than their last traded prices while 1 closed with a lower offer.
In trading, AMG Packaging gained 16 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $7.36 with 1,000 shares trading and closed with the bid at $8.10 to buy 1,140 units. C2W Music closed with 64,290 units changing hands at 43 cents for a 52 weeks’ high, having risen 3 cents, Cargo Handlers traded at a new high of $37.65 with 126 shares changing hands, Caribbean Cream ended with 54,293 shares changing hands as the price slipped by 11 cents to end at $3.89. Caribbean Producers traded 1,500 units but lost 82 cents to close at $4.68, Consolidated Bakeries rose 8 cents to end at $1.50, with 355,700 units changing hands,
Derrimon Trading Company had 4,930 units trading, to close up 25 cents to a 52 weeks’ high of $4.05. General Accident traded 1,318,600 shares to close with a loss of 1 cent, to end at $2.18, Honey Bun gained 10 cents with 1,150 shares changing hands and closed at a 52 weeks’ high of $6.28, Jamaican Teas rose 45 cents and ended at a 52 weeks’ high of $5.50 while 1,689 units were traded, KLE Group ended at $1.87 with 49,632 shares changing hands. Lasco Distributors closed with only 4,538 shares changing hands for a gain of 31 cents, to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $6.01, Lasco Financial lost 5 cents to close at a $3.95 with 4,200 shares changing hands. Lasco Manufacturing rose 5 cents to $3.60 with 1,483,881 shares trading and Medical Disposables ended with 2,000 shares changing hands at the close at $3.55.
JSE continues in positive mode
The Jamaican stock market is off to more measured trading, early Wednesday with all major indices recording gains in mid-morning trading but leading to a number of stocks recording new 52 weeks’ highs up to 10.45 am. A total of 33 securities traded amounting to 1,556,075 units changing hands with 14 rising, while 9 declined.
The all Jamaica Composite Index rose 661.58 points to 169,133.35 the 
JSE Market Index gained 591.99 points to 152,276.03 the JSE combined index added 8601.65 points to 160,235.23 and the junior market index is up 4.76 points to 1,843.75.
Trading volumes were generally low, but there have been some interest in a number of stocks including Cable & Wireless with 186,335 shares trading at $1.35, Gleaner trading 262,000 units at $2.50, Jamaica Stock Exchange with 37,839 units at $18.60, JMMB Group with 72,026 units trading at $10.45, National Commercial Bank with 5,168 units at a new high of $41, Radio Jamaica at $4.50 with 24,280, Cargo Handlers trading at a new high of $37.65 with 126 shares, C2W Music at 43 cents for a new 52 weeks’ high with 47,290 shares changing hands, Caribbean Cream with 54,293 units at $3.89, General Accident with 79,400 units at $2, Lasco Distributors with 3,538 shares trades at a new high of $5.72 and Lasco Manufacturing with 641,051 units at $3.50 after trading earlier at $3.60.
Jam$ slips against most on Tuesday
In the Jamaican foreign exchange market, dealers bought the equivalent of US$35,703,146 and sold US$43,237,725, compared with US$44,360,218 purchased and US$40,052,989 sold on Monday.
In US dollars trading, dealers bought US$32,330,168 compared to US$39,298,993 on Monday with the buying rate for the US dollar rising 30 cents to $119.84. A total of US$41,672,381 was sold versus US$38,905,100 on Monday as the selling rate gained 9 cents to $120.46. The Canadian dollar buying rate climbed $1.06 to end at $83.77 with dealers buying C$1,870,425 and selling C$950,031, at an average rate that declined 17 cents to $85.10. The rate for buying the British Pound gained 69 cents to $173.81 for the purchase of £1,273,982, while £452,287 was sold, with the rate rising by 59 cents to $176.22. At the end of trading, it took J$130.05 to purchase the Euro, for a decline of 75 cents from Monday’s rate, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, 
while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$127.22 for a fall of 80 cents from Monday’s rate. The US dollar equivalent of other currencies traded, amounts to US$217,825 being bought, while US$232,513 was sold.
Highs & Lows| The only major change to the highest and lowest buying and selling rates were recoveries in the lowest selling rate for US dollar by $79 to $117 and the lowest selling rate for the British Pound, that regained $94 to close $170.
Juniors move to higher heights
AMG Packaging closed at a new high of $7.20 on Tuesday.
At the close, 2 securities ended with no bids to buy and 8 securities had no stocks being offered for sale. A total of 5 stocks closed with bids higher than their last traded prices while 4 closed with lower offers.
The junior market will have two new listing when trading commences on Thursday with tTech and CAC 2000 being added following successful IPO offerings. The listings were approved today by the Jamaica Stock Exchange.
In trading, Access Financial Services closed with a gain of 6 cents at $16.06 with 5,900 units changing hands, AMG Packaging gained 20 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $7.20 with 9,954 shares trading, C2W Music closed with 174,441 units changing hands at 40 cents. Caribbean Cream ended with 153,300 shares changing hands as the price slipped by 8 cents to end at $4, Caribbean Flavours traded 11,474 units to close with a loss of 50 cents at $8.50, Caribbean Producers traded 3,636 units to close at $5.50, Consolidated Bakeries fell 7 cents to end at $1.42 with 8,000 units changing hands. Derrimon Trading Company had 16,550 units trading at $3.80 but ended the day with a bid at $4. Dolphin Cove ended at $15.60 with only 4,000 shares trading to gain 10 cents, General Accident traded 63,115 shares to close with a gain of 14 cents, to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $2.19.
Jamaica Teas ended at $5.05 with a while 39,500 units traded, but rose earlier to a 52 weeks’ intraday high of $5.25, KLE Group ended at $1.87 with 123,397 shares changing hands, Knutsford Express rose $1.05 with 7,678 shares trading to end at $10.65. Lasco Distributors closed with 750,787 shares changing hands for a gain of 20 cents, to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $5.70, Lasco Financial gained 10 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $4 with 64,737 shares changing hands. Lasco Manufacturing dipped 5 cents to $3.55 with 388,215 shares trading and Paramount Trading ended with 2,916 shares changing hands at the close at $9 after it traded at an intraday high of $9.10.
