Jamaica’s Net International Reserves slipped by just US$32 million in September according to data just released by the country’s central bank – Bank Of Jamaica ( BOJ).
According to BOJ the NIR stood at US$3.027 billion at the end of September down marginally from US$3.027 billion at the end of August. Reserves amounts to just over 19 weeks of Goods & Services Imports, the central bank states.
The change comes against the back ground of sale of US$41 million in B-FXITT weekly auction of foreign currency.
Jamaican$ plunges below $134 to US$1
October 5, 2018 by
In another day of buoyant foreign exchange trading, the Jamaican dollar pushed below the $134 mark for one US dollar at the close of the market on Friday.
Dealers bought US$48.8 million at an average rate of $132.914 and sold US$46 million at $133.80 bettering the closing rate on Thursday of $134.02 for the $40.32 million sold and a bit higher than the $132.88 for the US$30.92 Million bought by dealers.
Overall the market had US$56.6 million of inflows of all currencies and US$53.17 million of sales on Friday compared to the buying of US$45.26 and the selling of US$44.58 million of all currencies.
Friday’s rate is the lowest since July 24, when it averaged $134.05 with July 23 just below at $133.39. The local dollar slipped to its lowest level ever on August 23, this year at $137.96
JSE hits new record then drops
October 4, 2018 by
Bulls prowling around Jamaican stocks.
The Jamaica Stock Exchange main market climbed to another record high on Thursday but pulled back towards the close, as the price of Scotia Group traded down to $56 and Grace Kennedy falling at the close.
The All Jamaica Composite Index peaked with gain of 3,093.31 points to a record 411,545.91. At the end of trading, All Jamaica Composite Index declined by 1,232.84 points to close at 407,219.76 and the JSE Index dipped 1,123.25 points to 371,023.29.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 11 stocks ending with bids higher than the last selling prices and 3 closing with lower offers, suggesting mostly gains ahead for stocks.
A total of 29 securities traded including 1 in the US dollar market, compared to 32 trading on Wednesday with the prices of 15 securities rising, 8 declining and 6 holding firm. There were 6 securities trading at 52 weeks’ highs during the day, with 3 ending at a 52 weeks’ closing highs.
The main market ended with 50,485,890 units valued at $464,344,297 compared to 2,630,637 units valued at over $70,273,331 changing hands on Wednesday.
Trading closed with Carreras trading 46,297,844 shares and 91.7 percent of the day’s volume with the price closing at $9.11 after falling 24 cents. JMMB Group accounted for 1,650,000 shares or 3.3 percent of the day’s volume, followed by Ciboney Group with 760,000 shares and 1.5 percent of the volume traded.
Trading resulted in an average of 1,803,068 units valued at over $16,583,725, in contrast to 132,745 shares valued at $3,474,891 on Wednesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 533,195 shares, valued $6,208,222 and previously, 114,884 shares valued $2,790,409. September closed, with an average of 1,022,243 shares valued $15,752,876, for each security traded.
In the main market activity, Grace Kennedy fell $2 in trading 73,275 shares, to close at $61, after the price hit a record $75 in early trading, Jamaica Broilers dropped $3 in trading 406,744 stock units at $28, JMMB Group climbed $2 and ended at a 52 weeks’ high of $35, trading 50,818 shares, Mayberry Equities rose 41 cents to finish at closing high of $12.01, trading 55,088 stock units, 
NCB Financial Group rose $2.50 ended trading with 19,709 shares at record close of $132.50, Portland JSX ended at $8.50, with 55,000 units trading after falling 50 cents, Sagicor Group rose 78 cents to end at $40, with 4,149 shares changing hands, Sagicor Real Estate Fund rose 41 cents to $13.50, trading 122,940 shares, Scotia Group added $1 in trading 48,191 units to close at $62 after it fell to $56 in earlier trading, Seprod jumped $3.56 in trading 32,849 shares at $46.80, Sterling Investments declined by $1.99 and closed at $22.01, with 38,149 shares changing hands after trading at an all-time intraday high of $28 and Supreme Ventures rose 70 cents in trading 202,949 shares to end at $21.70 and Wisynco Group lost 25 cents to finish at $9.30, with 246,788 units trading.
Trading in the US dollar market closed Proven Investments being the sole trade with 134,200 shares to close at 23 US cents. The JSE USD Equities Index closed unchanged at 174.64.
More gains for Junior Market – Thursday
October 4, 2018 by
The Junior Market Index gained 19.14 points to close at 3,400.93, after 28 securities changed hands, resulting in the prices of 16 securities rising, 8 declining and 5 remaining unchanged.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading had 6 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices, 1 closed with a lower offer.
Market activities, resulted in an exchange of 2,660,833 units valued at $11,718,330 compared to 2,813,183 units valued at $9,853,139 on Wednesday, from trading 27 securities.
Trading closed with an average of 95,030 units for an average of $418,512 in contrast to 104,192 units for an average of $364,931 on Wednesday. Trading for the month to date averages 75,437 for an average of $310,542 compared to averages of 68,664 for an average of $273,220 previously. September, ended with an average of 484,335 at $2,628,299 for each security traded.
At the close of trading, AMG Packaging ended at $1.95, with 205,213 shares changing hands, Cargo Handlers settled with a loss of $1.49 to $13.51, in exchanging 6,800 shares, Caribbean Cream lost 6 cents to close at $7.85, with 
86,620 shares changing hands, Caribbean Flavours traded 5,200 stock units and rose $2 to end at $19, Caribbean Producers finished trading 48,552 units with a loss of 5 cents at $6.25, Derrimon Trading ended 20 cents higher at $2.90, with 248,952 shares changing hands. Elite Diagnostic finished 8 cents higher at $3.15, with 6,000 stock units changing hands, Everything Fresh gained 19 cents and ended trading of 46,790 shares at $2.10, Express Catering ended trading 385,115 shares with a loss of 6 cents at $8.35, FosRich Group traded 6,500 shares and gained 55 cents to $3.85, General Accident finished trading 420,991 shares, at $3.80, Indies Pharma rose 4 cents and ended with 628,525 shares changing hands to close at $3.20. Honey Bun ended 10 cents higher at $3.95, with 1,769 units changing hands, Iron Rock concluded trading of 15,000 shares and climbed 10 cents higher to $5, Jetcon Corporation ended trading with 35,000 stock units with a loss of 9 cents at $3.90. 
Key Insurance traded at $3.08, with 148 units changing hands, Knutsford Express closed 32 cents higher at $12, with 1,142 shares, Lasco Distributors ended 9 cents higher at $4.10, with 19,022 shares changing hands, Lasco Financial concluded trading of 29,062 stock units with a loss of 8 cents at $5.42. Lasco Manufacturing finished with a loss of 12 cents at $3.73, with 12,460 units trading, Main Event settled 25 cents higher at $6.50, with 600 shares, Paramount Trading climbed 16 cents higher to $2.91, exchanging 89,375 shares, Stationery and Office finished trading 13,018 stock units and rose 31 cents to $9.50 and tTech ended 5 cents higher at $5.60, with 18,102 shares changing hands. In the junior market preference segment, Derrimon Trading 9% ended 26 cents higher at $2.51, trading 174,000 stock units, Eppley 8.75% finished at $6, with 145,607 shares, Eppley 9.5% settled with a loss of 2 cents at $6, with 1,270 shares, changing hands.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
5 TTSE stocks rise 2 decline on Thursday
October 4, 2018 by
Republic Bank traded at a 52 weeks’ high and inching higher.
The Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange, closed with all three main indices rising on Thursday. At the close, the Composite Index rose 1.86 points to 1,219.95, the All T&T Index gained 2.44 points to 1,694.97, while the Cross Listed Index added 0.17 points to 110.12.
At close, 14 securities changed hands, with the price of 5 rising, 2 declining and 7 remaining unchanged, against 14 trading on Wednesday.
The market ended trading of 602,213 shares valued $7,388,303, compared to 194,813 shares valued $1,743,710, changing hands on Wednesday.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading closed with 6 stocks ending with higher bids than the last selling prices and 4 with lower offers.
Stocks closing with gains| JMMB Group gained 5 cents and settled at $1.65, after exchanging 1,958 shares, NCB Financial Group rose by 2 cents and completed trading at $5.75, after exchanging 10,752 shares, Republic Financial Holdings finished trading after an increase by 1 cent to a 52 weeks’ high of $103.70, after exchanging 466 shares, Trinidad & Tobago NGL closed with a gain of 1 cent at $29.17, after exchanging 50,171 shares and West Indian Tobacco finished 44 cents higher and ended at $88.44, with 205 units changing hands.
Stocks closing with losses| Clico Investments concluded trading with a loss of 30 cents at $19.50, with 57,592 stock units changing hands and Sagicor Financial traded 9,301 stock units, with a loss of 1 cent at $7.74.
Stocks trading with no price change| Ansa Mcal ended at $57, trading 200 units, First Citizens completed trading at $32.80, after exchanging 1,893 shares, Grace Kennedy closed at $2.70, with 244,500 stock units changing hands, Massy Holdings settled at $47, after exchanging 48,084 shares, National Enterprises ended at $8.96, with 173,016 stock units changing hands, One Caribbean Media settled at $12.11, after exchanging 4,000 shares and Scotiabank ended at $64.94, with 75 units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
Fall in Scotia pushed market down
October 4, 2018 by
Scotia Group dropped to $56 from $61 close of Wednesday, Grace Kennedy fell to $61 from $63 and from a trade at $75 in early trading and Jamaica Broilers fell to $28 from $31 and pulled the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange under water, with 45 minutes of trading left for the day.
All the gains earlier in the morning that pushed the market into record territory was given up with the All Jamaica Composite Index pulling back 1,892.60 points from Wednesday’s close, to trade at 406,560 and the JSE Index fell 1,724.38 points to 370,422.16.
Earlier, the All Jamaica Composite Index on Wednesday moved higher by 3,093.31 points to a record 411,545.91.
All Jamaica breaks 410,000
October 4, 2018 by
The main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange continue to surge forward on Wednesday, with the All Jamaica Composite Index climbing 2,310.44 points to a record 410,763.04 after Grace Kennedy raced to an all-time high of $75.
The JSE Index gained 2,105.07 points to a record 374,251.61, The Junior Market rose 9.81 points to 3,391.60.
The main market has broken through all resistance points with the last being around 400,000 points and the next big one is at 510,000 points, which would represent a gain of 24 percent and lift the gains for the year to 60 percent.
The Junior Market sits just below a short term resistance that is holding it back from moving higher in the short term. Positive news is required for a number of the companies to move that market forward and that may be coming with new set of quarterly results that should start coming in a few days.
More records signaled for JSE
October 3, 2018 by
Jamaica Stock Exchange main market climbed to another record close on Wednesday past the 408,000 points mark based on the movement of the All Jamaica Composite Index. Closing quotes suggest that the market should move higher on Thursday.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 10 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and only 1 closing with a lower offer, suggesting mostly gains ahead for stocks.
At the end of trading All Jamaica Composite Index climbed 3,109.71 points to close at a record closing high of 408,452.60 and the JSE Index jumped 2,833.30 points to a record close of 372,146.54.
A total of 32 securities traded including 3 in the US dollar market, compared to 29 trading on Tuesday with the prices of 20 securities rising, 5 declining and 4 that held firm. The market had 4 new highs during trading but ended with just two closing at a 52 weeks’ high.
The main market ended with 2,630,637 units valued at over $70,273,331 changing hands, compared to 3,284,901 units valued at $66,139,568 changing hands on Tuesday.
Trading closed with JMMB Group accounting for with 740,000 shares or 19.22 percent of the day’s volume, followed by Sagicor Group with 539,066 units and 14 percent of the volume traded and Grace Kennedy with 434,750 units and 11.3 percent of the day’s volume.
Trading resulted in an average of 132,745 units valued at over $3,474,891, in contrast to 97,431 shares valued at $2,602,716 on Tuesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 114,884 shares valued $2,790,409 and previously, 105,635 shares valued $2,435,945. September closed, with an average of 1,022,243 shares valued $15,752,876, for each security traded.
In the main market activity, Berger Paints dropped $1.50 and ended at $21, trading 12,969 stock units, Caribbean Cement lost 90 cents to finish at $49.10, in trading 20,497 shares, Jamaica Broilers rose $1 in trading 25,397 stock units at $31, Jamaica Producers lost $2 to close at $30, trading 204,464 stock units,
Kingston Wharves added $1.10 to close at a record $75.10, with 6,139 stock units changing hands, Mayberry Equities rose 15 cents to finish at closing high of $11.60, trading 122,247 stock units, PanJam Investment rose 5 cents and ended at 52 weeks’ closing high of $64.90, while exchanging 3,376 stock units, Portland JSX ended at $9 with 19,245 units trading after falling 50 cents, Pulse Investments lost 40 cents and concluded trading of 24,989 shares at $2.40, Sterling Investments close at $24, with 19,180 shares changing hands after trading at an all-time intraday high of $28 and Supreme Ventures rose $1.50 in trading 88,917 shares to end at $21.
Trading in the US dollar market closed with 70,385 units valued at $22,180 as JMMB Group 6 percent preference share concluded trading of 50,000 shares at $1.06, Margaritaville rose 4.1 cents and ended at $0.24 with 1,200 shares trading and Proven Investments traded 3,200 shares to close at 23 US cents. The JSE USD Equities Index advanced by 1.73 points to close at 174.64.
Junior Market edge higher – Wednesday
October 3, 2018 by
The Junior Market Index advanced 14.25 points on Wednesday to 3,381.79, after 27 securities changed hands, resulting in the prices of 10 securities rising, 10 declining and 7 remaining unchanged.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading had 6 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices, 1 closed with a lower offer.
Market activities, resulted in an exchange of 2,813,183 units valued at $9,853,139 compared to 1,606,501 units valued at $7,572,441 on Tuesday, from trading 28 securities.
Trading closed with an average of 104,192 units for an average of $364,931 in contrast to 57,375 units for an average of $270,444 on Tuesday. Trading for the month to date averages 68,664 for an average of $273,220 compared to averages of 50,901 and $227,364 previously. September, ended with an average of 484,335 at $2,628,299 for each security traded.
At the close of trading, AMG Packaging gained 5 cents to $1.95, in trading 1,197,742 stock units, Blue Power concluded trading of 13,398 units with a loss of 15 cents at $5.85, CAC2000 finished with a loss of 20 cents at $18.80, while exchanging 15,327 shares, Cargo Handlers settled at $15, with 338 shares trading, Caribbean Cream ended trading with a loss of 9 cents at $7.91, with 133,316 shares changing hands. Caribbean Flavours traded 1,000 stock units at $17, Caribbean Producers finished trading 55,688 units with a loss of 5 cents to end at $6.30, Consolidated Bakeries closed at $2, with an exchange of 1,000 shares, Derrimon Trading ended with a loss of 23 cents at $2.70, with 203,686 shares changing hands. Dolphin Cove concluded trading of 2,370 shares, rising $1.01 to $16, Elite Diagnostic finished with a loss of 8 cents at $3.07, with 87,300 stock units changing hands, Everything Fresh ended trading of 180,782 shares at $1.91, Express Catering ended trading 85,088 shares and rose 1 cent to $8.41, FosRich Group traded 71,006 shares at $3.30 after trading at an intraday high of $4. GWest Corporation closed with a loss of 7 cents at an all-time low of $1.90, with an exchange of 14,863 stock units, 
Honey Bun ended 15 cents higher at $3.85, with 23,041 units changing hands, Indies Pharma lost 9 cents and ended with 238,186 shares changing hands to close at $3.16. Jetcon Corporation ended trading of 66,436 stock units after rising 13 cents higher to $3.99, KLE Group finished trading with 6,276 shares at $3.80, Knutsford Express closed at $11.68, with 8,990 shares changing hands, Lasco Distributors ended 5 cents higher at $4.01, trading 165,267 shares, Lasco Financial concluded trading of 136,768 stock units and added 10 cents to close at $5.50, Lasco Manufacturing finished 10 cents higher at $3.85, with 21,530 units trading. Main Event settled 15 cents higher at $6.25, with 12,457 shares changing hands, Medical Disposables ended trading of 4,060 shares and rose 50 cents to $6, Stationery and Office finished trading with a loss of 1 cent at $9.19, with an exchange of 66,295 stock units and Sweet River closed with a loss of 6 cents at $3.80, with 973 units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
5 TTSE stocks fall 2 rise on Wednesday
October 3, 2018 by
The Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange, closed with all three main indices declining on Wednesday. At the close, the Composite Index fell 1.98 points to 1,218.09, the All T&T Index shed 0.90 points to 1,692.53, while the Cross Listed Index fell 0.42 points to 99.95.
At close, 14 securities changed hands, with the price of 2 rising, 5 declining and 7 remaining unchanged, against 14 trading on Tuesday.
The market ended trading of 194,813 shares valued $1,743,710, compared to 624,349 shares valued $13,033,986, changing hands on Tuesday.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading closed with 5 stocks ending with higher bids than the last selling prices and 3 with lower offers.
Stocks closing with gains| One Caribbean Media closed with a gain of 1 cent and settled at $12.11, after exchanging 800 shares and Trinidad & Tobago NGL rose 5 cents and completed trading at $29.16, after exchanging 6,167 shares.
Stocks closing with losses| Clico Investments fell 4 cents and ended at $19.80, with 8,118 stock units 
changing hands, First Caribbean International Bank closed with a loss of 10 cents and ended at $8.40, trading 412 units, Massy Holdings shed 5 cents and settled at $47 after exchanging 6,591 shares, Republic Financial Holdings lost 1 cent and settled at $103.69, after exchanging 3,124 shares and West Indian Tobacco ended trading 1,000 units, 44 cents lower at $88.
Stocks trading with no price change| Grace Kennedy closed at $2.70, with 140,000 stock units changing hands, Guardian Holdings ended at $16.90, trading 1,210 units, National Enterprises ended at $8.96, with 10 stock units changing hands, National Flour ended trading of 282 units at $1.60, Prestige Holdings ended at $7.53, with 24,306 units trading, Sagicor Financial closed at $7.75, with 475 stock units changing hands and Scotiabank ended at $64.94, trading 911 units.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.