Jamaica’s forex market returned to normal on Tuesday, with volumes being low at this time of the year. Trading ended in the foreign exchange market with the equivalent of US$23,638,977 bought by dealers, compared with US$87,964,632 on Monday, while they sold the equivalent of US$26,888,583 versus US$82,948,742 previously.
In US dollar trading , dealers bought US$21,150,981 compared to US$84,551,283 on Monday. The buying rate for the US dollar declined 51 cents to $118.42 and US$25,239,896 was sold versus US$81,821,341 on Monday, the selling rate was unchanged at $119.23. 
The Canadian dollar buying rate rose 10 cents to end at $87.91, with dealers buying C$1,071,330 and selling C$926,454, at an average rate that rose 57 cents to $90.75. The rate for buying the British Pound climbed 93 cents to $178.05 for the purchase of £1,023,198, while £506,853 was sold, at an average rate that climbed $1.15 to $180.60. At the end of trading, it took J$133.68 to purchase the Euro, with a decline of 77 cents from Monday’s rate, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$131.34, for a fall of 23 cents from Monday’s rate. The US dollar equivalent of other currencies traded, amounts to US$154,247 being bought, while US$175,823 was sold.
Highs & Lows| The highest buying rate for the US dollar rose 35 cents on Tuesday to $119.80, the lowest buying rate put on 21 cents to end at $97.82, the highest selling rate gained 16 cents to end at $125.35 and lowest selling rate jumped $18.41 to $116.10. 
The highest buying rate for the Canadian dollar dropped 90 cents to $91.10, the lowest buying rate gained 58 cents to $72, the highest selling rate fell $1.04 to end at $93.16 and the lowest selling rate jumped $2.75 to $86.75. The highest buying rate for the British Pound, rose 65 cents to end at $181.20. The lowest buying rate leapt $4.42 to $145.62, the highest selling rate dived $2.20 to $185.10 and the lowest selling rate climbed $11.70 to close at $174.
Jamaica’s forex returns to normal on Tuesday
Record close for juniors on Tuesday
Lasco Manufacturing New factory. The company’s stock closed at a new all-time high of $2.50 on Tuesday
At the close 4 securities ended with no bids to buy, while 8 had no stocks being offered for sale. A total of 4 stocks closed with bids higher than the last traded prices and none closed with a lower offer.
In trading, Access Financial lost 50 cents and closed at $12.50, with 1,000 units changing hands, Caribbean Cream traded to close at a new all-time high of $2.55 with 50,329 shares changing hands, after gaining 50 cents. Consolidated Bakeries rose 2 cents in trading >962,162 shares at $1.10, after adding 8 cents,
General Accident Insurance ended with 1,000 units changing hands at $1.55, in the process the stock gained 5 cents. Honey Bun closed at a new high of $5 for a gain of 72 cents with 7,600 shares trading, Jamaican Teas traded 46,043 shares to end with a loss of 2 cents at $3.20, Lasco Distributors with 80,390 units trading, ended 1 cent down to $1.96. Lasco Financial had only 500 shares changing hands to end at $1.80 and added 5 cents and Lasco Manufacturing traded 91,609 shares to end at a new high of $2.50 after gaining 29 cents.
Moderate fall for TTSE
Trading on the Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange on Tuesday ended with 15 securities trading, none closed trading higher, 2 declined and 13 remained unchanged as a total of 110,711 units traded, valued at $1,069,356.
At the close the Composite Index ending with a modest loss of 0.6 at 1,146.26, the All T&T Index lost 0.12 to 1,948.30 and the Cross Listed Index was unchanged at 45.16.
Losses| ANSA McAL contributed 7,002 shares in trading, to close at $67.03 after losing 2 cents and Guardian Holdings with 500 shares changing hands closed 1 cents lower at $13.11.
Firm Trades|, Angostura Holdings with 9,925 shares changing hands, closed at $14, Clico Investment Fund with 4,000 shares changing hands to closed at $22.50, First Citizens Bank traded 2,500 shares to close at $35, FirstCaribbean International Bank traded 20 shares and closed at $5. Grace Kennedy had 26,983 units changing hands at $3.60, Guardian Media traded 375 shares with the price ending at $19.77, 
National Flour ended trading with 8,000 shares changing hands and closed at $1.90, Praetorian Property Mutual Fund contributed 4,000 shares at $3.06. Sagicor Financial contributed 1,500 shares to end at $5.99, Republic Bank with 400 shares changing hands, closed at $112, Scotia Investments traded 35,100 shares and ended at $1.60, Trinidad Cement closed with 10,366 shares changing hands at $3.15 and Unilever Caribbean ended with 30 shares trading at $67.26.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 6 stocks with the bid higher than their last selling prices and 5 stocks with offers that were lower.
Juniors gained modestly on Monday
Lasco products – demand for the company’s stock is rising & supply falling.
At the close 4 securities ended with no bids to buy, while 7 had no stocks being offered for sale. A total of 6 stocks closed with bids higher than the last traded prices and none closed with a lower offer.
In trading, Access Financial closed at $13, with 3,533 units changing hands, Caribbean Cream did not trade, but had a bid above the last traded price of $2.05 on Friday, to buy 20,000 units at $2.35. Caribbean Flavours gained 15 cents in trading 1,666 units at $2.85, Caribbean Producers traded 11,184 units at $2.35, for a 5 cents gain, Consolidated Bakeries rose 2 cents in trading 3,333 shares at $1.02, General Accident Insurance ended with 2,011 units changing hands at $1.50, in the process the stock price lost 1 cent. Jamaican Teas traded 1,000 shares to end with a gain of 22 cents at $3.22,
KLE Group had 228,390 units trading, at a new low of 43 cents, after losing 7 cents. The stock remains weak at the close, with 287,274 units on offer at 43 cents and no buyers posting bids, Lasco Distributors with 187,793 units trading, ended with a gain of 2 cents to $1.97. Lasco Financial had 140,901 shares changing hands to end at $1.75 for a fall of 15 cents. Lasco Manufacturing did not trade and ended with an offer to sell 500,000 units at $3 and a bid to buy just 2,204 units at $2.30 which is above the last traded price on Friday of $2.21.
3 TTSE stocks down none up
Trading on the Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange on Monday ended with 10 securities trading, none closed trading higher, 3 declined and 7 remained unchanged as a total of 726,330 units traded, valued at $8,967,357.
At the close the Composite Index ending with a modest loss of 0.81 at 1,146.32, the All T&T Index lost 1.61 to 1,948.42 and the Cross Listed Index was unchanged at 45.16.
Losses| ANSA McAL contributed 760 shares in trading, to close at $67.05 after losing 21 cents, National Enterprises contributed 27,273 shares with a value of $460,803 while losing 6 cents to end at $16.89 for a 52 weeks’ low and National Flour ended trading with 13,770 shares changing hands and closed at $1.90, after shedding 8 cents.
Firm Trades| Ansa Merchant Bank traded 707 units at $38.94, Clico Investment Fund with 150 shares changing hands to closed at $22.50, 
First Citizens Bank traded 3,120 shares to close at $35, Flavorite Foods traded 700 shares at $4.80. JMMB Group closed with 324,827 shares changing hands at 43 cents, One Caribbean Media traded 351,292 shares with a value of $7,728,424 with the price ending at $22 and Republic Bank with 3,731 shares changing hands for a value of $417,872 closed at $112.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 5 stocks with the bid higher than their last selling prices and 6 stocks with offers that were lower.
More J$ losses vs US on Friday
The Jamaican dollar lost further grounds against the US dollar at the end of trading on Friday, with the local currency ending at $119.24 to buy the United States currency. Trading ended in the foreign exchange market with the equivalent of US$26,531,581 bought by dealers, compared with US$27,465,721 on Thursday, while they sold the equivalent of US$29,137,984 versus US$29,489,151 previously.
In US dollar trading , dealers bought US$23,410,069 compared to US$24,803,259 on Thursday. The buying rate for the US dollar rose 1 cent to $118.46 and US$27,690,189 was sold versus US$27,712,745 on Thursday, the selling rate gained 9 cents to end at $119.24. 
The Canadian dollar buying rate dropped $1.36 to end at $87.07, with dealers buying C$718,176 and selling C$872,160, at an average rate that rose $1.08 to $90.59. The rate for buying the British Pound rose $1.48 to $178.51 for the purchase of £1,655,753, while £452,300 was sold, at an average rate that declined 11 cents to $179.45. At the end of trading, it took J$133.50 to purchase the Euro, with a rise of 60 cents on Thursday’s rate, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$130.72, for a gain of 60 cents on Thursday’s rate. The US dollar equivalent of other currencies traded, amounts to US$98,604 being bought, while US$104,457 was sold.
Highs & Lows| The highest buying rate for the US dollar jumped $2.17 on Friday to $119.52, the lowest buying rate rose $1.88 to end at $97.70, the highest selling rate was up $2.41 to $125.19 while the lowest selling rate dropped $17.01 to $97.69.
The highest buying rate for the Canadian dollar dived $2.90 to $90.10, the lowest buying rate dropped $2.94 to $71.05, the highest selling rate dipped $3.80 to end at $92.60 and the lowest selling rate fell $4.15 to $85. The buying and selling rates of the British Pound, all fell with buying rates falling $2.80 and $18.92 to $181.20 and $128.20 respectively and the highest selling and lowest selling rates falling $1.73 to $185.65 and $2.45 to close at $174.80 respectively.
Prices mostly down on TTSE
Unilever products – the company’s stock closed at a 52 weeks’ high on Friday
At the close the Composite Index ending with a modest loss of 0.11 at 1,147.13, the All T&T Index lost 0.08 to 1,950.03 and the Cross Listed Index fell 0.02 to 45.16.
Gains| Unilever Caribbean ended with 45 shares trading 1 cent up, for a new 52 weeks’ high of $67.26.
Losses| Grace Kennedy had 77,892 units a value of $280,416 changing hands at $3.60 for a 4 cents loss, Sagicor Financial Corporation closed with 45,000 shares valued at $269,550 changing hands, 1 cent lower at $5.99 and Point Lisas traded 5,135 shares at $3.96 after shedding 10 cents.
Firm Trades| Clico Investment Fund with 2,000 shares changing hands to closed at $22.50. First Citizens Bank traded 1,741 shares to close at $35, Guardian Holdings with 41,987 shares changing hands for a value of $550,869, closed at $13.12, National Flour ended trading with 250 shares changing hands, and closed at $1.98 and Trinidad Cement closed with 148 shares changing hands at $3.15.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 7 stocks with offers that were lower.
Juniors gained slightly on Thursday
The junior market closed on Thursday with the index gaining 5.77 points to 986.09 and a total of 4 stocks advancing, 2 declining as 10 securities traded. The market ended with 991,037 units, valued at $2,047,066 changing hands.
At the close 3 securities ended with no bids to buy, while 8 had no stocks being offered for sale. A total of 6 stocks closed with bids higher than the last traded prices and 1 closed with a lower offer.
In trading, AMG Packaging closed at $3.65 with 2,114 units changing hands, Caribbean Producers traded just 111,550 units with a loss of 5 cents at $2.30, Dolphin Cove closed with 4,144 units at $11.50, General Accident Insurance ended with 21,000 units changing hands at $1.51, in the process added 1 cent. Honey Bun with 6,383 shares changing hands, closed unchanged at $4.28, Jamaican Teas traded 5,211 units to end at $3.14 but after adding 4 cents, Lasco Distributors with 47,960 units trading, ended unchanged at $2. Lasco Financial had 221,300 shares changing hands to end at $1.79, for a gain of 18 cents, 
Lasco Manufacturing with 569,558 shares trading, closed at $2.03, with a gain of 2 cents and Paramount Trading ended with 1,817 shares changing hands to end at $6 with a gain of 10 cents.
Strong buying has come in for Lasco Manufacturing with at least 1.8 million units on the bid at $2 to $2.17 and at $1.90 are 536,000 units with only two offers on the board presently for $2.40 and at $2.80. Caribbean Cream has also seen increased buying interest with more than 1.6 million units on the bid to buy at $1.80 to $1.86, supply so far is at $2.05.
Republic biggest trade again on TTSE
Trading on the Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange on Thursday with Republic Bank trading more than $2 million worth of shares to be the dominant trade for the day. Elsewhere, market activity concluded with 9 securities trading, no stock traded higher, 1 declined and 8 remained unchanged as a total of 246,043 units traded, valued at $5,061,328.
At the close the Composite Index ending with a modest loss of 0.33 at 1,147.24, the All T&T Index lost 0.01 to 1,950.11 and the Cross Listed Index fell 0.09 to 45.18.
Losses| FirstCaribbean International Bank traded 85,000 shares with a value of $425,195 and closed at $5 after losing of 1 cent.
Firm Trades| with 53,946 shares valued at $755,244 changing hands, closed at $14, Clico Investment Fund with 42,080 shares changing hands valued at $947,217, to closed at $22.50. First Citizens Bank traded 3,801 shares to close at $35, 
JMMB Group with 2,164 shares changing hands closed at 43 cents, Prestige Holdings with 35,360 units valued at $ 350,221 changing hands ended at $9.91, Republic Bank had 19,350 shares with a value of $2,168,320, changing hands at $112. Scotiabank traded 4,168 shares, valued at $ 260,500 to end at $62.50 and West Indian Tobacco closed trading with 164 shares changing hands to end with at $126.01.
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 8 stocks with offers that were lower.
Jump in main indices on Thursday morning
Activity picked up on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday morning, with big trades in Grace Kennedy and National Commercial Bank and resulted in 17 securities trading changing hands at 10.45 am with a volume of 3,524,264 units, with 6 stocks declining and 6 rising.
Trading activity resulted in the JSE Market Index gained 1,591.46 points to 97,916.05. The JSE All Jamaican Composite index jumped 1,778.56 points to 108,382.99, the JSE combined index climbed 1,521.83 points to be at 101,223.14 and the junior market is up 2.45 points to 982.77.
Grace Kennedy traded 2,000,000 shares at $64, National Commercial Bank had 1,073,614 trading between $27.72 to $30, where the price sits now, other useful trades are, Cable & Wireless with 227,689 up to 52 cents, Jamaica Stock Exchange with 40,000 shares at $7.30 and JMMB Group 40,889 at $7.63.
