After climbing 36.88 points on Monday, 45.59 points on Tuesday the Junior Market jumped 76.21 points to close at 2,922.21 to be up 7 percent for the year to date. Much of the gains have to do with some recovery in the prices of two largest Lasco companies.
At the close of market activities on Wednesday, 25 securities changed hands, resulting in an exchange of 4,216,943 units valued at $15,584,380 compared to 8,181,768 units valued at $31,174,089 from 22 securities changing hands, on Tuesday. GWest Corporation accounted for 71 percent of the volume traded for the day. Market activities ended with the prices of 11 securities that advanced, 12 declined and 2 remained unchanged.
Trading ended with an average of 168,678 units for an average of $623,375 in contrast to 371,899 units for an average of $1,417,004 on Tuesday. For the month to date an average of 122,386 shares valued at $489,704 and previously, an average of 119,907 shares valued at $482,228. December closed with an average of 568,732 units valued at $3,447,957 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator|At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 2 stocks ending with the bid higher than the last selling price and 5 with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Access Financial jumped by $5.90 and closed at $48, with a mere 220 shares trading, AMG Packaging ended with a loss of 2 cents at $2, with 20,000 stock units, Caribbean Cream ended trading with a loss of 5 cents at $5.51, with 106,425 shares, Caribbean Producers finished trading with a loss of 20 cents at $4.30, with 30,500 units, Consolidated Bakeries closed with a loss of 2 cents at $1.98, with 103,000 shares. Dolphin Cove finished 62 cents higher at $17, with 59,647 stock units, Eppley settled $1.50 higher at $12.50, with 6,200 units, but only after it traded at a 52 weeks’ low of $9.50. Express Catering ended trading with a loss of 5 cents at $4.50, with 29,503 shares, FosRich Group traded with a loss of 5 cents at $2.50, with 114,890 shares. GWest Corporation closed with a loss of 5 cents at $3.20, with 2,982,117 stock units, Honey Bun ended 44 cents higher at $5, with 21,000 units, Jamaican Teas settled with a loss of 5 cents at $4.60, with 37,143 shares, 
Jetcon Corporation ended trading with a loss of 30 cents at $4.50, with 43,328 stock units. Key Insurance traded 30 cents higher at $3.55, with 16,000 units, Knutsford Express closed $1 higher at $15, with 1,200 shares, Lasco Distributors ended 20 cents higher at $4, with 53,444 shares, Lasco Financial gained 4 cents to close at $5.15, with 112,729 stock units. Lasco Manufacturing finished 10 cents higher at $4.40, with 242,450 units, Main Event settled with a rise of 20 cents at $5.70, with 3,143 shares, Paramount Trading traded at $3.40, with 6,921 shares, Stationery and Office finished trading at $5.05, with 180,026 stock units. Sweet River closed with a loss of 5 cents at $3.80, with 30,000 units and tTech ended with a loss of 5 cents at $5.95, with 917 shares. In the junior market preference segment, Eppley 8.25% concluded trading with a loss of 5 cents at $5.40, with 8,940 units and Eppley 9.5% finished 64 cents higher to a 52 weeks’ high of $7.89, with 7,200 shares.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
Several JSE prices up ahead of month end
Trading activity on the main market ended on Monday as 28 securities changed hands, leading to 4,096,473 shares valued at $78,829,626 changing hands, with the prices of 16 stocks rising, 3 declining and 9 trading firm.
At the close of the market the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index rose 927.49 points to 313,102.61 and the JSE Index advanced by 845.05 points to 285,271.89.
In main market activity, Barita Investments ended at $8, with 108 stock units, Berger Paints closed at $17.50, with 407,139 shares, Cable & Wireless concluded trading 1 cent higher at $1.36, with 18,175 units, Carreras finished with a loss of 4 cents at $11.25, with 147,989 shares, Caribbean Cement settled 50 cents higher at $33, with 1,936 shares. Ciboney Group ended trading at 22 cents, with 167,535 shares, Grace Kennedy traded 60 cents higher at $43.10, with 61,812 stock units, 
Jamaica Broilers finished trading with a loss of $1 to $17.50, with 18,019 units, Jamaica Producers closed $1.50 higher at $16.50, with 16,403 shares. Jamaica Stock Exchange ended 35 cents higher at $7, with 33,400 shares, JMMB Group concluded trading at $24, with 824,485 shares, Kingston Wharves settled 50 cents higher at $33.50, with 6,556 units, Mayberry Investments ended trading 15 cents higher at $6, with 56,902 shares. NCB Financial Group traded at $100.85, with 118,542 shares, 1834 Investments finished trading at $1.20, with 32,027 shares, 138 Student Living ended 15 cents higher at $6.15, with 300 shares, PanJam Investment ended 50 cents higher at $41, with 37,100 units, Pulse Investments finished with a loss of 1 cent at $1.99, with 4,400 shares. Radio Jamaica settled at $1.05, with 28,454 shares, Sagicor Group ended trading 80 cents higher at $36, with 20,854 stock units, 
Salada Foods traded with a loss of $1.55 at $11, with 500 units, Scotia Group jumped $2.90 to close at $52.95, with 250,531 shares. Seprod closed 50 cents higher at $30, with 48,496 shares, Sterling Investments ended at $13, with 3,942 shares, Supreme Ventures concluded trading 20 cents higher at $11.70, with 83,345 stock units, Victoria Mutual Investments finished 9 cents higher at $4.10, with 308,773 units. Wisynco Group settled $1.00 higher at $11.45, with 1,249,530 shares and Sagicor Real Estate Fund ended trading 50 cents higher at $14.50, with 149,220 shares.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place. For more details of market activities, see “Main market trading picks up with 17 gains.”
Main market trading picks up with 17 gains
Wisynco traded the most shares on the JSE on Tuesday
Trading on the Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange ended on Tuesday with JSE All Jamaican Composite Index gained 927.49 points to 313,102.61 and the JSE Index advanced by 845.05 points to 285,271.89.
Main and US market activities ended with 17 stocks rising, 5 declining and 9 trading firm as 31 securities traded, versus 26 on Monday, including 3 from the US market.
Main market activity increased with 4,096,473 shares valued at $78,829,626 traded, in contrast with 3,323,821 shares valued at $32,670,539 on Monday.
The US market traded 35,129 units with a value of US$7,605 with the JSE US Equities Index declining 1.18 points to end at 174.32. Trading in this market ended with Margaritaville closing at 22 US cents with 4,100 units after shedding 3 cents, Proven Investments trading 27,087 ordinary shares, to close with a gain of 2 cents at 23 US cents and Sterling Investments closing with a loss of 2 US cents and ended at 12 US cents with 3,942 shares.
Market activity ended with an average of 146,303 shares valued at $$2,815,344, in contrast to 132,953 shares valued at $1,306,822 on Monday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 220,146 units valued at $5,239,823 and previously 224,025 units valued at $5,115,100. December closed with average of 686,156 units valued at an average of $8,654,832 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and the US dollar markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 12 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 with a lower offer.
Major price changes at the close of the market are, Jamaica Broilers finished trading with a loss of $1, Jamaica Producers lost $1.50, Salada Foods traded with a loss of $1.55 and Scotia Group jumped $2.90. The volume traded was dominated by JMMB Group concluded trading at $24, with 824,485 shares and Wisynco Group with 1,249,530 shares with the price jumping $1.
For more details of market activities see – Several JSE prices up ahead of month end.
Junior Market index jumps – Tuesday
Lasco Distributors traded 76% of total volume in the Junior Market.
After climbing 36.88 points on Monday the Junior Market made further gains on Tuesday at the close 45.59 points higher to 2,846.00, as the prices of 12 securities advanced, 9 declined and 1 remained unchanged.
At the close of market activities on Tuesday, 22 securities changed hands, resulting in an exchange of 8,181,768 units valued at $31,174,089 compared to 4,267,682 units valued at $16,140,258 from 22 securities changing hands, on Monday. Lasco Distributors gained 20 cents, accounting for 76 percent of the market volume and Lasco Manufacturing finished 13 cents higher with 329,396 units making a major contribution to the gain in the market index.
Trading ended with an average of 371,899 units for an average of $1,417,004 in contrast to 193,986 units for an average of $733,648 on Monday. For the month to date an average of 119,907 shares valued at $482,228 and previously, an average of 107,450 shares valued at $423,942. 
December closed with an average of 568,732 units valued at $3,447,957 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator|At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 6 stocks ending with the bid higher than the last selling price and 6 with lower offers.
At the close of the market, AMG Packaging ended with a loss of 38 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ low of at $2.02, with 146,183 stock units, CAC 2000 finished 20 cents higher at $8.70, with 1,211 shares, Caribbean Cream ended trading 6 cents higher at $5.56, with 1,200 shares, Caribbean Producers finished trading with a loss of 7 cents at $4.50, with 5,551 units, Consolidated Bakeries closed with a loss of 18 cents at $2, with 33,724 shares. Dolphin Cove finished with a loss of 52 cents at $16.38, with 2,963 stock units, Express Catering ended trading 5 cents higher at $4.55, with 1,997 shares, FosRich Group traded with a loss of 5 cents at $2.55, with 77,954 shares, General Accident finished trading 13 cents higher at $2.85, with 20,000 shares. 
GWest Corporation closed 5 cents higher at $3.25, with 1,128,212 stock units, Honey Bun ended 6 cents higher at $4.56, with 31,130 units, Jamaican Teas settled 5 cents higher at $4.65, with 5,918 shares, Jetcon Corporation ended trading 55 cents higher at $4.80, with 28,105 stock units. Key Insurance traded 24 cents higher at $3.25, with 66,862 units, Knutsford Express closed with a loss of 1 cent at $14, with 5,300 shares, Lasco Distributors ended 20 cents higher at $3.80, with 6,221,994 shares changing hands, Lasco Financial concluded trading with a loss of 13 cents at $5.11, with 45,927 stock units. Lasco Manufacturing finished 13 cents higher at $4.30, with 329,396 units, Main Event settled at $5.50, with 9,920 shares, Medical Disposables lost 5 cents to close at $4.95, with 5,400 shares, Paramount Trading traded with a loss of 5 cents at $3.40, with 10,821 shares and Stationery and Office finished trading 5 cents higher at $5.05, with 2,000 stock units.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
TTSE stocks reverse most of Monday’s gains
The Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange continues to show some signs that prices of most stocks will likely move higher. On Monday, 14 securities changed hands against 15 on Monday, with the prices of just 2 advancing, 4 declining and 8 remaining unchanged.
At close the Composite Index lost 3.05 points on Tuesday to 1,273.03, the All T&T Index fell 5.48 points to 1,704.76, while Cross Listed Index inched 0.08 points lower to close at 113.53.
Market activity ended with 194,026 shares with a value of $4,409,625 traded, compared to 283,597 shares with a value of $4,409,625 on Monday.
IC bid-offer Indicator|At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 5 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 with lower offers.
Gains| Trinidad & Tobago NGL closed with an increase of 5 cents and ended at $27.55, with 4,176 units and West Indian Tobacco rose 1 cent to end at $88.51, with 1,437 stock units changing hands.
Losses| Clico Investments shed 5 cents and ended at $20.90, trading 2,553 units, First Citizens had 10,200 shares changing hands, with a loss of 5 cents to close at $32.01, Scotiabank declined by 1 cent to close at $62.00, with 11,600 stock units changing hands, after trading as low as $61.20 and 
Unilever Caribbean shares fell 1 cent, in concluding trading at $28.99, with an exchange of 79 shares.
Firm Trades| Ansa Mcal ended trading at $60, with 6,458 units changing hands, First Caribbean International Bank finished at $9.30, trading 47,200 shares, Grace Kennedy finished at $3.47, with 12,000 units, JMMB Group finished at $1.85, with 28,930 stock units changing hands. Massy Holdings closed at $47.50, with 25,476 stock units changing hands, NCB Financial Group concluded trading at $6.60, with 27,021 shares, Republic Financial Holdings finished at $101.50, with 735 stock units changing hands and Sagicor Financial concluded trading at $7.90, with 16,161 units.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
Lasco Financial beats 2017 profit in 9 months
Lasco Financial reports profit for 9 months at $222 million.
Profit after tax, suffered a decline in the third quarter, falling to $54.7 million from $62 million in 2016, as revenues increased by 36 percent to $405 million from $298 million in the 2016 period. The results reflect just one month’s of CrediScotia’s operation.
Responding to the growth in the December quarter results, Lasco’s Managing director, Jacinth Hall-Tracey stated in her report to shareholders, “This is attributed to seasonally strong remittance and cambio inflows bolstered by the income from its new acquisition of CreditScotia, renamed LASCO Microfinance. After recognizing some direct expenses for the acquisition and normal seasonal operational increases, profit from operations for the quarter closed at $91.4 million, an increase of 18.5 percent.” Interest cost associated with the funding of the acquisition was pushed up by $20 million in the quarter and reduced the positive gains in operating profit below pretax profit in 2016 of $75 million to $69 million.
Administrative and other expenses, jumped a sharp 63 percent to $179 million in the third quarter, but for the nine months, it rose by a more moderate 41 percent, to $531 million, well ahead of the increased revenues. Marketing cost rose 22 percent in the quarter to $135 million and 20 percent for the nine months, to $389 million.
Total assets jumped from $1.55 billion at the end of March 2017 to $3.3 billion with the acquisition of the CrediScotia shares, funded by $1.27 billion from by short-term loans, from related companies. The short-term loans will be repaid in full from a long term instrument being arranged.
Access Financial has assets of $3.3 billion at September 2017.
The acquisition pushed Lasco’s assets to the same amount that Access Financial had at the end of September. There are two differences, Access Financial is valued by the stock market at twice the market value of Lasco’s market value of $6.6 billion, with Access at $11.55 billion. Access’s loan portfolio stood at $2.68 billion at September while Lasco is less than $1.5 billion at the end of December last year.
According to the quarterly report, in the coming months, the loan business will be combined into the subsidiary company. The combined businesses own a network of 13 branches, a large customer base and a billion dollar loan portfolio.
The company looks like it will end 2018 fiscal year with profits around $300 million level with earnings per share of 25 cents. The stock last traded on the Junior Market of the Stock Exchange at$5.24 at a PE around 20 times current fiscal year’s earning, but the focus will be on the next fiscal year when the full benefits of the acquisition of the CrediScotia is fully reflected in the results and one off cost are removed.
JSE main market slipped on Monday
Victoria Mutual Investments traded more than 1 million shares to lead the market on Monday.
Trading on the Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, ended on Monday with JSE All Jamaican Composite Index slipping just 36.79 points to 312,175.12 and the JSE Index inched 33.52 points lower to 284,426.84, even as declining stocks beat out those rising by a decent margin.
Main and US market activities ended with 7 stocks rising, 12 declining and 7 trading firm as 26 securities traded, the number as on Friday, including 1 from the US market.
Main market activity ended with slightly more volume than on Thursday with 3,323,821 shares valued at $32,670,539 traded, in contrast to with 2,638,664 shares valued at $47,864,816 on Friday.
Trading in the US dollar market ended with Proven Investments trading 6,490 ordinary shares with a value of US$1487, to close with a loss of 2 cents at 21 US cents. The JSE US Equities Index declined 0.42 points to end at 172.50.
Market activity ended with 132,953 units for an average of $1,306,822 in contrast to 105,547 units for an average of $1,914,593 on Friday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 224,025 units valued at $5,115,100 and previously 228,507 units valued at $5,313,035. 
December closed with average of 686,156 units valued at an average of $8,654,832 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and the US dollar markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 7 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 with a lower offer.
Major price changes at the close of the market are, Jamaica Producers lost $1 the second day running to end at $15, JMMB Group lost $1 to end at $24, NCB Financial regained the 85 cents it lost on Friday to end at $100.85 and Scotia Group fell 95 cents to $50.05. The volume traded was dominated by the two newest listings on the market, Victoria Mutual Investments finishing with 1,225,416 units at $4.01 and Wisynco Group closed at $10.45, with 900,281 shares.
For more details of market activities see – Trading on JSE’s main market sinks – Monday.
Trading on JSE’s main market sinks – Monday
Trading activity on the main market ended on Monday as 25 securities changed hands, leading to 3,323,821 shares valued at $32,670,539 changing hands, with the prices of 7 stocks rising, 11 declining and 7 trading firm.
At the close of the market the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index dipped 36.79 points to 312,175.12 and the JSE Index lost 33.52 points to 284,426.84.
In main market activity, Barita Investments ended at $8, with 1,774 stock units, Cable & Wireless concluded trading at $1.35, with 22,165 units, Carreras finished with a loss of 1 cent at $11.29, with 47,138 shares, Caribbean Cement settled with a loss of 10 cents at $32.50, with 4,300 shares, Ciboney Group ended trading at 22 cents, with 800 shares. Grace Kennedy traded with a loss of 60 cents at $42.50, with 15,000 stock units, Jamaica Broilers finished trading 50 cents higher at $18.50, with 15,969 units, Jamaica Producers closed with a loss of $1 for the second day in a row, to close at $15, with 3,000 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange ended with a loss of 35 cents at $6.65, with 8,489 shares. JMMB Group concluded trading with a loss of $1 at $24, with 12,937 shares, Kingston Wharves settled with a loss of 50 cents at $33, with 2,685 units, Mayberry Investments ended trading 10 cents higher at $5.85, with 419,093 shares, NCB Financial Group traded 85 cents higher at $100.85, with 88,617 shares. 1834 Investments finished trading at $1.20, with 11,700 shares, PanJam Investment ended 50 cents higher at $40.50, with 2,405 units, Portland JSX concluded trading at $11, with 814 shares, Pulse Investments finished 5 cents higher at $2, with 214,000 shares. Radio Jamaica settled with a loss of 5 cents at $1.05, with 18,744 shares, 
Sagicor Group ended trading at $35.20, with 7,022 stock units, Sagicor Real Estate Fund ended trading with a loss of 20 cents at $14, with 42,280 shares. Salada Foods traded 5 cents higher at $12.55, with 100 units, Scotia Group finished trading with a loss of 95 cents at $50.05, with 4,487 shares. Supreme Ventures concluded trading at $11.50, with 254,605 stock units, Victoria Mutual Investments finished with a loss of 11 cents at $4.01, with 1,225,416 units and Wisynco Group settled 25 cents higher at $10.45, with 900,281 shares.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place. For more details of market activities, see “JSE main market slipped – Monday.”
Junior Market makes strong gains – Monday
The Junior Market made further gains at the close on Monday with the index climbing 36.88 points to close at 2,800.41 as the prices of 9 securities advanced, 6 declined and 7 remained unchanged.
At the close of market activities, trading ended with an exchange of 4,267,682 units valued at $16,140,258 with 22 securities changing hands, compared to 3,500,362 units valued at $13,179,651 from 22 securities changing hands, on Friday.
For the month to date an average of 107,450 shares valued at $423,942 and previously, an average of 102,949 shares valued at $407,835. December closed with an average of 568,732 units valued at $3,447,957 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator|At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 3 stocks ending with the bid higher than the last selling price and 5 with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Access Financial closed at $42.10, with 641 shares, AMG Packaging ended at $2.40, with 26,311 stock units, Cargo Handlers settled 45 cents higher at $10.50, with 5,300 shares, Caribbean Cream ended trading 41 cents higher at $5.50, with 112,841 shares, Caribbean Producers finished trading and rose 27 cents to $4.57, with 10,000 units. Derrimon Trading fell 10 cents to end at $7, with 4,663 shares, Express Catering ended trading at $4.50, with 60,621 shares, FosRich Group traded with a loss of 1 cent at $2.60, with 11,869 shares, General Accident finished trading with a fall of 13 cents at $2.72, with 20,000 shares. GWest Corporation closed 30 cents higher at $3.20, with 110,020 stock units, Honey Bun ended 18 cents higher at $4.50, with 19,200 units, Jamaican Teas settled at $4.60, with 10,518 shares, 
Jetcon Corporation ended trading with a loss of 25 cents at $4.25, after 51,030 stock units changed hands. KLE Group finished trading 28 cents higher at $2.53, with 87,602 shares, Knutsford Express closed at $15, with 1,500 shares, Lasco Distributors ended 10 cents higher at $3.60, with 3,366,216 shares, Lasco Financial concluded trading with a loss of 16 cents at $5.24, with 294,996 stock units. Lasco Manufacturing finished 17 cents higher at $4.17, with 68,811 units, Main Event settled with a loss of 70 cents at $5.50, with 4,363 shares, Medical Disposables ended trading 5 cents higher at $5, with 150 shares, Paramount Trading traded at $3.45, with 930 shares and Stationery and Office finished trading at $5, with 100 stock units.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
6 Trinidad stocks rise 1 falls – Monday
The Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange continues to show some signs that prices of most stocks will likely move higher. On Monday, 15 securities changed hands against 16 on Friday, with the prices of 6 advancing, 1 declining and 8 remaining unchanged.
At close the Composite Index rose 3.87 points on Monday to 1,276.08, the All T&T Index gained 6.06 points to 1,710.24, while Cross Listed Index inched 0.22 points up to close at 113.61.
Market activity ended with 283,597 shares with a value of $4,409,625 traded, compared to 153,453 shares with a value of $1,756,529 on Friday.
IC bid-offer Indicator|At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 4 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 with lower offers.
Gains| First Citizens Bank gained 6 cents and finished at $32.06, trading 1,610 shares, Grace Kennedy closed with a rise of 2 cents and ended at a 52 weeks’ high of $3.47, with 150,000 units, JMMB Group ended trading with a rise of 4 cents to $1.85, with 6,000 stock units, National Enterprises finished trading 2 cents higher to $9.67, with 8,574 units, 
Prestige Holdings rose by 1 cent to finished at $10.50, trading 17,643 shares and Scotiabank jumped $1.85 and finished at a 52 weeks’ high of $63, with 1,000 stock units changing hands.
Losses|> Clico Investments shed 4 cents and concluded at $20.95, trading 5,605 units.
Firm Traded| Ansa Mcal ended at $60, with 39,934 units, Ansa Merchant close at $40, trading 1,168 shares, Strong> Guardian Holdings finished with $17, trading 1,619 shares, LJ Williams B share ended at $0.7, trading 3,454 shares, NCB Financial Group finished at $6.6, trading 18,714 shares. Sagicor Financial finished at $7.9, with 58 units, , Trinidad & Tobago NGLconcluded at $27.5, with 27,174 units and Unilever Caribbean finished at $29, trading 1,044 shares.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.