The Jamaican foreign exchange market remained buoyant on Tuesday, with more $43 million entering the market, but the rate of the Jamaican dollar slipped moderately against the US dollar and the British pound, with the latest selling rate for the US rising to $120.10. The local currency made gains on the Canadian dollar.
Funds purchased by dealers were below the amounts sold by $3.6 million. The equivalent of US$43,508,060 was purchased and the equivalent of US$47,115,930 sold, compared with US$54,650,382 they purchased and US$55,741,013 sold on Monday.
Demand for the US dollar , exceeded the amounts purchased by dealers by US$4.8 million with dealers buying US$39,170,370 compared to US$51,011,470 on Monday. The buying rate for the US dollar fell 11 cents to $119.48. A total of US$44,984,754 was sold versus US$53,616,142 on Monday, the selling rate moved up by 7 cents to $120.10. 
The Canadian dollar buying rate rose 2 cents to end at $85.89 with dealers buying C$1,425,785 and selling C$747,774, at an average rate that declined by 73 cents to $87.45. The rate for buying the British Pound climbed by 83 cents to $177.66 for the purchase of £2,007,951, while £671,544 was sold, with the rate gaining 53 cents to $179.01. At the end of trading, it took J$130.27 to purchase the Euro, a fall of 43 cents from Monday’s rate, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$127.84 for a decline of 32 cents from Monday’s rate. The US dollar equivalent of other currencies traded, amounts to US$327,015 being bought, while US$585,694 was sold.
Highs & Lows| The highest buying rate for the US dollar, 
rose by 10 cents to $120.40, the lowest buying rate put on 4 cents to $98.70, the highest selling rate gained 5 cents to $126.47 and lowest selling rate jumped $1.94 to $100.60. The highest buying rate for the Canadian dollar dropped $1.15 to end at $88.35, the lowest buying rate ended 41 cents lower at $70.97, the highest selling rate fell 64 cents to $91.38 and the lowest selling rate jumped $10.66 to $83.50. The highest buying rate for the British Pound, fell $1.20 to end at $180.30. The lowest buying rate fell 25 cents to $145, while the highest selling rate lost 32 cents to end at $186.93 and the lowest selling rate declined by $2.15 to $171.85.
Jamaican$ lost ground to US – Tuesday
6 stocks rose on TTSE – Tuesday
NCB closed at a new high of TT$2.11 on Tuesday on the TTSE
At the close, the Composite Index ended with a rise 1.74 points to 1,164.11 the All T&T Index fell 1.44 points to 1,956.55 and the Cross Listed Index gained 0.68 points to 48.90.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 2 stocks with the bids higher than the last selling price and 5 stocks with offers that were lower.
Gains| Guardian Holdings gained 3 cents to end at $13.03 with 500 units changing hands, JMMB Group closed with 280,876 shares changing hands at 50 cents, after rising 3 cents, National Commercial Bank rose by 11 cents while trading 200,000 shares carrying a value of $422,000 at $2.11, for a 52 weeks’ high. Scotiabank ended with 18,025 shares with a value of $1,125,890 changing hands at $62.50 after climbing 50 cents, Sagicor Financial ended with 39,287 units changing hands, 1 cent up at $6.15 and Unilever closed with a rise of 2 cents with 300 shares changing hands at $68.20 for a 52 weeks’ high.
Declines| Agostini’s traded 1,000 shares at $17.25 with a fall of 74 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ low. Grace Kennedy dropped 14 cents while trading 14,201 units with a value of $512,143 at $3.61,
Massy Holdings traded 555 shares and lost 27 cents in closing at $61.65 to a new 52 weeks’ low and Trinidad Cement traded 11,540 units and closed at $4.55 after losing 13 cents.Firm Trades| Clico Investment Fund posted 537 shares and closed at $22.75, First Citizens Bank traded 516 shares to close at $35, National Enterprises closed with 1,830 shares changing hands at $16.39. National Flour closed with 2,800 shares changing hands at $2.75 and Trinidad and Tobago NGL traded 179,025 shares valued at $3,849,037, to close at $21.50.
Jamaican $120.03 to US holds – Monday
More funds flowed into the Jamaican foreign exchange market on Monday than on Friday, with the rate of the Jamaican dollar holding against the US dollar, with the latest selling rate for the US remaining at $120.03. The local currency made gains on the British pound and the Canadian dollar.
Funds purchased by dealers were below the amounts sold by $1 million with the equivalent of US$54,650,382 being purchased and the equivalent of US$55,741,013 sold, compared with US$38,210,272 they purchased and US$32,468,928 sold on Friday. One week ago on Monday November 30, dealers bought $44.6 million and sold US41.4 million equivalent.
Demand for the US dollar , exceeded the amounts purchased by dealers by US$2.6 million with dealers buying US$51,011,470 compared to US$34,482,286 on Friday. The buying rate for the US dollar gained 9 cents to $119.59 and US$53,616,142 was sold versus US$30,528,147 on Friday, the selling rate remained at $120.03, 
The Canadian dollar buying rate fell $1.09 to end at $85.87 with dealers buying C$1,869,227 and selling C$1,085,803, at an average rate that declined by $1.06 to $88.18. The rate for buying the British Pound declined by 94 cents to $176.83 for the purchase of £1,264,655, while £483,586 was sold, with the rate falling 84 cents to $178.48. At the end of trading, it took J$130.70 to purchase the Euro, a climb of 49 cents from Friday’s rate, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$128.16 for a rise of 62 cents from Friday’s rate. The US dollar equivalent of other currencies traded, amounts to US$426,901 being bought, while US$608,134 was sold.
Highs & Lows| The highest buying rate for the US dollar, 
the lowest buying and the highest selling rates were unchanged at $120.30, $98.66 and $126.42 respectively but the lowest selling rate dropped sharply by $18.34 to $98.66. The highest buying rate for the Canadian dollar dropped 30 cents to end at $89.50, the lowest buying rate ended unchanged at $71.38, the highest selling rate fell 98 cents to $92.02 and the lowest selling rate dived $12.16 to $72.84. The highest buying rate for the British Pound, rose 50 cents to end at $181.50. The lowest buying rate gained 41 cents to $145.25, while the highest selling rate climbed by $2.26 to $187.25 and the lowest selling rate rose by 50 cents to $174.
Juniors eke out moderate gain – Monday
Derrimon traded over 5.88m units on Monday.
At the close there was 1 security ending with no bid to buy and 7 securities had no stocks being offered for sale. A total of 2 stocks closed with bids higher than the last traded prices and 1 closed with lower offer. Two stocks closed at 52 weeks’ high.
In trading, AMG Packaging ended with 5,000 shares trading at $6.05, Caribbean Cream lost 4 cents while trading 60,000 units to end at $4.01, Caribbean Flavours traded 154,800 units at a new 52 weeks’ high of $7.10 by adding 25 cents,
Caribbean Producers traded 16,954 units to end at $5.60. Consolidated Bakeries ended with 142,771 shares changing hands to settle at $1.30 for a 7 cents rise, Dolphin Cove had 7,500 units trading and closed at $16, after shedding 3 cents, Honey Bun traded at a 52 weeks’ high of $5.81 with 5,000 shares to close with a gain of 6 cents. Lasco Distributors gained 2 cents and closed with 170,466 shares changing hands at $4.12, Lasco Financial ended at $3 with 77,400 shares changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing added 18 cents and closed at $3.40 with 174,648 shares trading and Eppley preference share ended with 16,600 units changing hands $6.02.
2 up 3 down again on TTSE – Monday
Scotiabank drops 48 cents on TTSE on Monday
At the close, the Composite Index ended with a rise 0.05 points to 1,162.37 the All T&T Index inched up by 0.01 points to 1,957.99 and the Cross Listed Index gained 0.01 points to 48.22.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 3 stocks with the bids higher than the last selling price and 7 stocks with offers that were lower.
Gains| Clico Investment Fund posted 13,420 shares, gained 3 cents and closed at $22.75 and Guardian Holdings gained 8 cents to end at $13 as 1,817 units changed hands.
Declines| Massy Holdings traded 100 shares and lost 1 cent in closing at $61.92 to a new 52 weeks’ low, Scotiabank ended with 2,825 shares changing hands at $62 after dropping 48 cents and Scotia Investments closed with a loss of 9 cents with 11,700 shares changing hands at $1.50.
Firm Trades| Firstcaribbean International Bank led with 74,837 shares changing hands for a value of $376,392 to close at $5. First Citizens Bank traded 1,388 shares to close at $35, Grace Kennedy traded 50 units at $3.75, Prestige Holdings ended with 150 shares at $10.10, Sagicor Financial ended with 2,526 units changing hands at $6.15, Trinidad and Tobago NGL traded 36,777 shares valued at $790,892, to close at $21.50 and West Indian tobacco traded 805 units and closed at $126.25.
It’s now $120.03 Jamaican to US$1
More funds flowed into the foreign exchange market on Friday but that did prevent the Jamaican dollar from losing value against the US, with the latest selling rate for the US dollar officially crossing the new landmark of $120, for the first time. The local currency made modest gains on the pound but slipped against the Canadian dollar.
The decline in the local currency which started in earnest in the mid to late 1970s and worsened in the 1990s, is coming from 77 US cents for j$1, back in late 1960s and has lost value as governments pursued ruinous economic and social policies, that led to high inflation, high interest rates, a mostly overvalued currency, flight of capital and closure of once viable enterprises. The poor policy decisions also led to a major collapse of the financial sector in the mid to late 1990s that ultimately heaped hundred of billions of dollars of debt on the country.
Funds purchased by dealers exceeded the amounts sold by $6 million. The equivalent of US$38,210,272 was purchased and the equivalent of US$32,468,928 was sold, compared with US$29,610,178 they purchased and US$30,889,097 sold on Thursday.
In US dollar trading , dealers bought US$34,482,286 compared to US$26,774,865 on Thursday.
The buying rate for the US dollar gained 18 cents to $119.50 and US$30,528,147 was sold versus US$29,627,807 on Thursday, the selling rate rose 4 cents to $120.03, The Canadian dollar buying rate fell 4 cents to end at $86.96 with dealers buying C$1,284,103 and selling C$857,019, at an average rate that rose 35 cents to $89.24. The rate for buying the British Pound climbed 98 cents to $177.77 for the purchase of £1,076,624, while £679,010 was sold, with the rate falling 2 cents to $179.32. At the end of trading, it took J$130.21 to purchase the Euro, a big jump of $3.37 from Thursday’s rate, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$127.54 for a rise of $3.33 from Thursday’s rate. The US dollar equivalent of other currencies traded, amounts to US$439,193 being bought, while US$289,232 was sold.
Highs & Lows| The highest buying rate for the US dollar on Friday, gained 10 cents to $120.30 while the lowest buying, the highest and the lowest selling rates were unchanged at $98.66, $126.42 and $117 respectively. The highest buying rate for the Canadian dollar dropped $3.20 to end at $89.80, the lowest buying rate climbed 41 cents to $71.38, the highest selling rate fell $1 to $93 and the lowest selling rate remained at $85. The highest buying rate for the British Pound, fell 50 cents to end at $181. The lowest buying rate gained 42 cents to $144.84, while the highest selling rate fell $1.19 to $184.99 and the lowest selling rate rose by 50 cents to $173.50.
Junior market gains on Friday
Lasco Manufacturing traded the most on the junior market
At the close there was 1 security ending with no bid to buy and 9 securities had no stocks being offered for sale. A total of 3 stocks closed with bids higher than the last traded prices and 2 closed with lower offers. Two stocks closed at 52 weeks’ high.
In trading, Blue Power ended with 10,000 shares trading at $13.10 while it fell 41 cents to end at $13.10 as the company reported another disappointing quarterly result showing profits before tax for the latest quarter at $17 million compared to $23 million in the same period last year, a decline of 27 percent. C2W Music ended with 47,817 units changing hands at 39 cents after rising by 2 cents, Caribbean Cream lost 5 cents while trading 5,000 units to end at $4.05, Caribbean Flavours traded 676,403 units at a new 52 weeks’ high of $6.85 by adding 5 cents, Caribbean Producers traded 138,000 units to end at $5.60. Consolidated Bakeries ended with 96,845 shares changing hands to settle at $1.30 for a 7 cents rise, Derrimon Trading ended with 276,930 shares changing hands and closed with a gain of 5 cents at $3.50, Dolphin Cove had 11,038 units trading to settle at $16.03,
General Accident ended with 329,777 shares changing hands 1 cent higher at $1.96. Honey Bun trade at a 52 weeks’ high of $5.75 with 10,000 shares trading to close with a gain of 10 cents, Lasco Distributors closed with 648,685 shares changing hands at $4.10. Lasco Financial ended with a fall of 1 cent to close at $3 with 381,823 shares changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing lost 28 cents and closed at $3.22 with 1,825,227 shares trading, Medical Disposables lost 3 cents and closed at $3.52 with only 2,408 shares trading and Paramount Trading ended with 10,000 units changing hands with a rise of 36 cents to $8.96.
2 up 3 fall on TTSE – Friday
Sagicor Financial rose on TTSE
At the close, the Composite Index ended with a rise 0.01 points to 1,162.32 the All T&T Index inched up by 0.38 points to 1,957.98 and the Cross Listed Index fell 0.05 points to 48.21.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 5 stocks with the bids higher than the last selling price and 6 stocks with offers that were lower.
Gains| Clico Investment Fund posted just 5,790 shares and closed at $22.72 after rising by 3 cents and Sagicor Financial ended 5 cents higher with 26,613 units changing hands at $6.15.
Declines| JMMB Group traded 5,514 shares and lost 2 cents in closing at 47 cents,
Trinidad Cement ended at $4.68 after declining by 2 cents, with 13,637 units changing hands and Trinidad and Tobago NGL lost 1 cent, in trading 24,847 shares valued at $534,278, to close at $21.50.Firm Trades| Berger Paints traded 60 units at $3.67, First Citizens Bank traded 1,086 shares to close at $35, National Flour with 40,139 shares closed at $2.75, One Caribbean Media traded 1,353 shares at $22, and Republic Bank ended with 466 shares changing hands at $112.99 and Scotia Investments closed with 679 shares changing hands unchanged at $1.59.
Almost $120 Jamaican vs US – Thursday
The Jamaican dollar lost value against the US and the Pound on Thursday, with only 1 cents separating the latest selling rate for the US dollar from what would be new landmark of $120. The local currency made modest gains on Canadian dollar. Funds purchased by dealers were closely matched with the amounts sold.
The equivalent of US$29,610,178 was purchased and the equivalent of US$30,889,097 was sold, compared with US$29,557,919 they purchased and US$37,613,356 sold on Wednesday. In US dollar trading , dealers bought US$26,774,865 compared to US$25,882,409 on Wednesday.
The buying rate for the US dollar gained 5 cents to $119.32 and US$29,627,807 was sold versus US$35,819,736 on Wednesday, the selling rate rose 3 cents to $119.99. The Canadian dollar buying rate rose 10 cents to end at $87 with dealers buying C$1,227,415 and selling C$630,679, at an average rate that fell 70 cents to $88.89. The rate for buying the British Pound dropped $1.39 to $176.79 for the purchase of £1,076,624, while £508,977 was sold, with the rate rising 62 cents to $179.34. At the end of trading, it took J$126.84 to purchase the Euro, a fall of 36 cents from Wednesday’s rate, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$124.22 for a decline of 39 cents from Wednesday’s rate. The US dollar equivalent of other currencies traded, amounts to US$345,225 being bought, while US$33,379 was sold.
Highs & Lows| On Thursday, the highest buying rate for the US dollar fell 10 cents to $120.20 while the lowest buying,
the highest and the lowest selling rates were unchanged at $98.66, $126.42 and $117 respectively. The highest buying rate for the Canadian dollar jumped $2.53 to end at $93, the lowest buying rate fell 41 cents to $70.97, the highest selling rate jumped $1.98 to $94 and the lowest selling rate remained at $85. The highest buying rate for the British Pound, climbed $1.38 to end at $181.50. The lowest buying rate fell 58 cents to $144.42, the highest selling rate jumped $1.87 to $186.18 and the lowest selling rate declined by 80 cents to $173.
2 new highs on TTSE – Thursday
Witco closed at a 52 weeks’high on Thursday
At the close, the Composite Index ended with a fall of 29 points to 1,162.31 the All T&T Index fell by 0.24 points to 1,957.60 and the Cross Listed Index gained 0.05 points to 48.26.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 2 stocks with the bids higher than the last selling price and 5 stocks with offers that were lower.
Gains| Unilever Caribbean ended with 3,000 shares trading with a gain of 1 cent, for a new 52 weeks’ high of $68.18 and West Indian Tobacco ended with a gain of 8 cents to a 52 weeks’ high of $126.25 having traded just 45 units.
Declines| Agostini’s closed with 5,035 shares changing hands with a loss of 1 cent at $13.99, JMMB Group traded 400 shares and lost 1 cent in closing at 49 cents, Scotiabank closed with 713 shares changing hands, but fell 2 cents to $62.48. Trinidad Cement ended at $4.70 after declining by 4 cents, with 3,000 units changing hands and Trinidad and Tobago NGL lost 4 cents, in trading 24,407 shares valued at $546,270, to close at $21.51.
Firm Trades| Clico Investment Fund posted just 347 shares and closed at $22.69, First Citizens Bank traded 1,962 shares to close at $35, Grace Kennedy had 99,400 units changing hands valued at $372,750 at $3.75. National Enterprises with 20 shares changing hands at $16.39, One Caribbean Media traded 5,100 shares at $22, Prestige Holdings with 685 units changing hands ended at $10.10, and Republic Bank ended with 466 shares changing hands at $112.99 and Scotia Investments closed with 679 shares changing hands unchanged at $1.59.
