Monday’s activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange was moderate, resulting in the prices of 6 stocks rising, 4 declining as only 14 securities changed hands, ending in 2,002,875 units trading, valued at $10,729,312 in all market segments. Main Market| The JSE Market Index gained 314.15 points to 82,702.20, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index rose 351.23 points to close at 91,183.19 and the JSE combined index gained 329.13 points to close at 84,405.68.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator is indicating a sideward movement for the market, with 8 stocks having bids higher than their last selling prices and 6 stocks with offers that were lower.
Gains| Stocks gaining with last traded prices, at the end of trading in the main market are, Jamaica Money Market Brokers with 309,275 ordinary shares changing hands, closing higher by 15 cents at $7.15. Radio Jamaica in conducting trading with 7,025 shares, gained 1 cent to $1.38, Sagicor Group while exchanging 519,047 shares ended gaining 10 cents to close at $10.41 and Scotia Group had dealing in 24,576 shares and added $1 in closing at $22.
Firm| The stocks in the main market to close without a change in the last traded prices are, Barita Investments in trading 2,159 shares closed at $2.25, Caribbean Cement trading 8,900 shares ended at $2.31 and Sagicor Real Estate Fund in dealing with 7,220 shares closed at $6.70.
Declines| The last traded prices of stocks with losses at the end of trading in the main market are, Cable & Wireless finishing with 701,220 units to close lower by 1 cent to 54 cents, Grace Kennedy closing with 2,400 units as the price slipped $1 $61, Jamaica Broilers ending trading with 288,969 shares and lost 5 cents to $4 and Mayberry Investments concluded trading with 1,470 shares and suffered a loss of 13 cents to $2.36.
Only 14 stocks trade on Monday
There not a great deal of activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on the first trading of the week. When the market closed a mere 2,002,875 valued at just $10,729,312 changed hands. Five securities account for the bulk of the stocks trading. The all Jamaica Composite index put on 351.23 to end at 91,183.19 and the JSE Index added 314.15 points to end at 82,702.20. Scotia Group closed at $22 after adding $1 and Grace Kennedy lost $1 to end at $61.
TTSE directionless
Trading on the Trinidad Stock Exchange ended with 9 securities changing hands, 2 advanced, 2 declined and 5 traded firm with a total of 73,201 units, valued at $1,611,813. The market closed with 1 stock reaching a new 52 weeks’ high and 1 falling to a new 52 weeks’ low.
At the close of the market, the Composite Index lost 0.14 points to close at 1,149.27, the All T&T Index fell by just 0.27 points to close at 1,974.36 and the Cross Listed Index remained unchanged at 42.47.
Gains| Stocks increasing in price at the close are, ANSA McAL trading 440 shares t to close with a gain of 1 cent to end at $66.88 and West Indian Tobacco gained 2 cents to end at a new 52 weeks’ high of $125.04 with 4,500 shares.
Declines| The stocks declining at the end of trading are, Massy Holdings contributed 6,000 shares with a value of $380,340 and lost 4 cents to end at a new 52 weeks’ low of $63.39 and Trinidad Cement 5 cents to close at $2.45 with only 1,400 shares changing hands.
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading are, Agostini’s trading 1,079 shares at $17.60, Clico Investment Fund trading 23,200 shares valued at $522,020, remaining at $22.50. Grace Kennedy led with 23,216 shares changing hands at $3.60, followed by Jamaica Money Market Brokers with 8,366 shares trading at 43 cents, while National Flour Mills added 5,000 shares at $1.55.
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 5 stocks with offers that were lower.
Market falls as PanJam trades 24m shares
Pan Jam traded 24.4m shares on Friday
Main Market| The JSE Market Index dropped 1,695.24 points to 82,388.05, the JSE All Jamaican composite index dived 1,895.35 points to close at 90,831.96 and the JSE combined index sank by 1,641.84 points to close at 84,076.55.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and stocks with offers that were lower.
Mayberry closed at a new 52 weeks’ high on Friday
Firm| The stocks in the main market to close without a change in the last traded prices are, Berger Paints while exchanged 7,899 shares close at $1.55, there was dealing in 247,770 Cable & Wireless shares at 55 cents, Grace Kennedy had 3,288 shares changing hands $62 and Jamaica Producers closed with 25,000 shares to close at $17.
Declines| The last traded prices of stocks with losses at the end of trading in the main market are, Caribbean Cement with 8,436 units to close lower by 1 cent at $2.31, Carreras finishing with 5,487 units as the price slipped 99 cents to $43.51, Desnoes & Geddes closed with 129,689 shares trading lower for 5 cents to $5.15. Jamaica Broilers concluding trading with 122,853 shares traded with a loss of 2 cents to $4.05, National Commercial Bank in trading 31,153 shares closed with a loss of $2 to $23.50, the stock closed on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange with a bid of $1.35 to buy 171,500 shares with no stock on offer.
In Jamaica there are only 4 offers totalling 109,000 units between $25.50 and $33 with only one offer of significance at 103,873 at $30. Pan Jamaican Investment finished trading with 24,401,900 units to fall 80 cents to $53.20, there was dealing in 94,545 units in Scotia Group with a decline of $1.39 to end at $21 after the banking group issued first quarter results that were down from the previous year’s results. Seprod contributed 48,719 and lost $1.10 to $11.90 and Supreme Ventures concluded trading with 1,065,614 shares traded with a loss of 4 cents to $2.27.Preference| Jamaica Money Market Brokers 8.75% preference share traded 260,600 shares to end at $3.04, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference share traded 24,000 units to close at $2.
Winners hard to find on TTSE
NCB closed at a new 52 weeks’ high on the TTSE on Friday
At the close of the market, the Composite Index rose 3.05 points to close at 1,149.41, the All T&T Index fell by 0.12 points to close at 1,974.63 and the Cross Listed Index increased by 0.83 points to end at 42.47.
Gains| Stocks increasing in price at the close are, National Commercial Bank increased 12 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $1.35 the equivalent of J$24.37 while it closed at $23.50 on the Jamaica Stock Exchange. The stock closed with a bid of $1.35 to buy 171,500 shares with no stock on offer. In Jamaica there are only 4 offers totalling 109,000 units between $25.50 and $33.
Declines| The stocks declining at the end of trading are, Clico Investment Fund traded with 28,280 shares valued at $636,542 and declined by 4 cents to end at $22.50 and First Citizens Bank contributed 40,141 shares with a value of $1,423,400, and closed 3 cents down at $35.46.
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading are, Grace Kennedy traded 28,548 shares to close at $3.60, Jamaica Money Market Brokers with a volume of 82,734 shares at 43 cents, National Enterprises 173 shares to close at $17.40, National Flour Mills 1,500 shares traded at $1.55. One Caribbean Media had 12,224 shares changing hands at $23.95, Point Lisas Industrial Port Development traded 4,557 shares to close at $3.50, Republic Bank added 32,120 shares valued at $3,796,795 to close at $118.21, Sagicor Financial Corporation with 286,835 shares changing hands for a value of $1,462,909 at $5.10.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 2 stocks with the bid higher than their last selling prices and 3 stocks with offers that were lower.
JSE make big daily gains again
National Commercial Bank gained $2.50 and Scotia Group $2.39 to help the Jamaica stock market to close at a two and a half year high on Thursday, resulting from the prices of 13 stocks rising and only 4 declining as 23 securities changed hands, ending in 6,535,906 units trading, valued at $19,861,234 in all market segments.
Main Market| The JSE Market Index gained 1,092.69 points to 84,083.29, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index rose 1,221.67 points to close at 92,727.31 and the JSE combined index gained 1,146.47 points to close at 85,718.39. IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 5 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 6 stocks with offers that were lower.
Scotia Group closed higher at the close & helped to push market up on Monday
Firm| The stocks in the main market to close without a change in the last traded prices are, Cable & Wireless finishing trading with 102,545 shares at 55 cents, Gleaner concluded trading with 1,500 shares at $1.10, Grace Kennedy in trading 10,510 shares, closed at $62 and Kingston Wharves finishing with 1,000 shares trading at $6.40.
Declines| The last traded prices of stocks with losses at the end of trading in the main market are, Desnoes & Geddes closing with 270,000 units as the price slipped 15 cents to $5.20 and Sagicor Real Estate Fund with 25,000 shares closed with a loss of 10 cents to $6.70.
Low TTSE trading activity on Thursday
Trading on the Trinidad Stock Exchange was very low with only 7 securities changing hands, none advanced, 5 declined and 2 traded firm with a total of 311,962 units, valued at $5,730,563.
At the close of the market, the Composite Index lost 0.12 points to close at 1,146.36, the All T&T Index fell by just 0.17 points to close at 1,974.75 and the Cross Listed Index fell by a mere 0.01 points to end at 41.64.
Gains| There were no stocks increasing in price at the close.
Declines| The stocks declining at the end of trading are, Clico Investment Fund traded 111 shares to end at $22.55 and Massy Holdings suffered a loss, 2 cents to close at $63.43 with 5,624 shares trading, valued at $356,732.
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading are, Ansa Mcal closing with 1,159 shares at $66.87, Guardian Holdings contributing 12,259 shares with a value of $159,367, closed at $13, One Caribbean Media traded 2,115 shares to end at $23.95. Republic Bank with 31,842 shares traded for $3,763,570 at a price of $118.21 and Sagicor Financial Corporation with 258,852 shares changing hands for a value of $1,320,234, closed at $5.10.
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 5 stocks with offers that were lower.
JSE at 20 months high heading higher
Activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, took the market to a new 20 month high resulting from the prices of 7 stocks rising and 8 declining as 20 securities changed hands, ending in 10,902,372 units trading, valued at $48,753,888, in all market segments. Gleaner Company accounted for the bulk of the shares trading with 8 million units while Sagicor Group and Scotia Group each accounted for more than 1 million units.
The chart shows the all Jamaica composite index just crossing over short term resistance. Resistance from July 2007 at 91,700 points is the more important resistance level for it to break through to move to the next critical point of 100,000.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 9 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 stocks with offers that were lower.
Gains| Stocks gaining with last traded prices, at the end of trading in the main market are, Gleaner in having 8,267,155 shares changing hands, closed higher by 19 cents at $1.10, Grace Kennedy closed trading with 15,600 shares trading to gain 50 cents to end at $62, Hardware & Lumber ended trading with 5,000 shares changing hands for 83 cents greater at $7.40, Mayberry Investments saw trading in 17,130 units to close with a gain of 16 cents to a 52 weeks’ high of $2.36 and Sagicor Real Estate Fund ended with 6,300 shares the price rose by 10 cents to $6.80.
Firm| The stocks in the main market to close without a change in the last traded prices are, Cable & Wireless dealing in only 17,500 shares at 55 cents, Jamaica Broilers contributing 3,000 shares at $4.06. National Commercial Bank concluding trading with 37,691 shares at $23, Radio Jamaica exchanging 5,000 shares at $1.37 and Scotia Group with 1,114,723 shares changing hands to close at $21.Declines| The last traded prices of stocks with losses at the end of trading in the main market are, Carreras closed with 6,800 units as the price slipped 18 cents to $44, Desnoes & Geddes finished with 155,000 shares trading lower for 15 cents to $5.35. Jamaica Money Market Brokers with 149,000 ordinary shares closed with a loss of 2 cents at $6.90, Sagicor Group in trading 1,025,226 and lost 9 cents to $10.21 and Supreme Ventures finished trading with 28,487 shares with a loss of 20 cents to $2.20.
Margins squeezed Grace’s profit
Grace Kennedy reported flat profits for the 2014 year although revenues grew 20 percent for the year to reach $83.5 billion. Grace ended with net profits of $3.29 billion compared with $3.22 billion due to shareholders of the group.
Not even lower taxes that delivered savings of $200 million could push the performance that saw lower pretax profit of $4.85 billion versus $5 billion in 2013.
Gross profit climbed from $64 billion to $74.9 billion but profit margin declined to 4.13 percent from 5.23 percent in 2013. Frank James Group Chief Financial Officer attributed some of the decline to one off cost associated with the acquisition of the Le Fe subsidiary during the year and tightness in the local economy that placed pressure on the margin as the devaluation to the local currency pushed up cost which they were not able to pass on in full. But there is more to it than that. Grace’s segment results showed no growth in segment profits between the September and December quarters, in food trading and insurance, two important profit areas of the group. Profit in the last quarter was make primarily by Hardware and Lumber and money transfer.
Results for segments were mixed with money transfer ending with $2.39 billion up from $1.9 billion, Insurance rose from $122 million to $454 million. Food retailing ended at $875 million from $1.145 billion in 2013 and hardware & Lumber reported $284 million versus $343 million in 2013.
The group reported earnings of $9.90 per share and announced an interim dividend of 75 cents per share payable on May 18, 2015 to shareholders on record as at April 28 with the ex-dividend date being April 24. Return on equity for the group is only 9.5 percent a relatively low rate in a country where Treasury bill rates were close to that level during the year.
One stock gained on TTSE – Wednesday
Trading on the Trinidad Stock Exchange on Wednesday closed with 8 securities changing hands, 1 advanced, 4 declined and 3 traded firm with a total of 320,027 units, valued at $3,798,765.
At the close of the market, the Composite Index lost 0.24 points to close at 1,146.48, the All T&T Index fell by 0.42 points to close at 1,974.92 and the Cross Listed Index eased by a mere 0.01 points to end at 41.65.
Gains| National Flour Mills was the only stock gaining on Wednesday as 78,955 shares changed hands for a value of $122,380, the price rose 3 cents to end the day at 52 weeks’ high of $1.55.
Declines| The stocks declining at the end of trading are, Clico Investment Fund trading 85,000 shares valued at $1,920,500 and declined by 5 cents to end at $22.55 while Grace Kennedy added 30,000 shares valued at $108,018, to close at $3.60, down a cent. Guardian Holdings with a volume of 65,713 shares traded for $854,440 closed at $13 after falling 1 cent and Republic Bank lost 13 cents to close at $118.22 while trading only 1 share.
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading are, National Enterprises contributed 34,593 shares with a value of $601,918 to close at $17.45, Guardian Media exchanged 4,080 shares at $19.75 and Sagicor Financial Corporation trading 21,685 shares to end at $5.11.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 2 stocks with the bid higher than their last selling prices and 5 stocks with offers that were lower.
