Stocks jump to new records in trading on Tuesday with the All Jamaica Composite Index blasting pass resistance around the 243,000 level in decisive fashion. The market should have a comfortable rise to 265,000 points mark, the next area of resistance.
The market closed on Tuesday, as 51 securities changed hands in the overall market, ending with 27 stocks rising and 13 falling, including 11 stocks gaining and 7 declining, in the junior market while 9 securities ended at new 52 weeks’ closing highs.
The All Jamaica Composite Index jumped 5,829.59 points to close at record 248,767.35, the JSE Market Index climbed 5,212.68 points to finish at record close of 226,816.75 and the JSE combined index shot up by 5,336.51 points, to close at new closing high of 241,473.28. The movement of the main market, for the year to date, resulted to gains of 18.4 percent, for the all Jamaica Composite Index, with the JSE Market Index up 18 percent.

PanJam Investment jumped $3 in trading on Tuesday..
The average trade for the day in the main market ended at 176,182 shares compared to an average of 188,966 units on Friday. For the month to date, an average of 176,769 shares traded, versus an average of units 250,588 units up to the prior trading day. January ended with an average of 592,602 units.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 10 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 with lower offers.
In market activity, Berger Paints gained 10 cents to close at $11.50 trading 131,209 shares, Cable and Wireless traded 3,845,588 units, adding 4 cents to close at $1.19, Caribbean Cement lost $1 to close at $32 with an exchange of 21,613 shares. Carreras traded 576,857 units, losing 45 cents and closed at $66.30, while 1834 Investments traded 125,543 shares, gaining 5 cents to close at $1.50, Grace Kennedy added 1 cent, closing at $40.65 with trades of 129,462 units. Jamaica Broilers gained 2 cents trading 597,464 shares to close at $15.50, Jamaica Producers traded 107,150 units, losing 50 cents to close at $18.50, Jamaica Stock Exchange closed at $8 for a gain of $1.79 with 1,600 shares changing hands, JMMB Group dropped 19 cents to close at $17.80 with 3,888 units traded.
Kingston Properties exchanged 1,500 shares at $10, Kingston Wharves closed at $34, gaining $1 with trades of 4,050 units, Mayberry Investments exchanged 20,400 shares with gains of 5 cents to close at $5.90, National Commercial Bank declined $2.70 in closing at $62.20, after swapping 22,435 shares. 138 Student Living traded 10,765 units at $4.50, Pan Jamaican gained $3 to close at $34 with 12,850 shares traded, Portland JSX closed at $10 after trading 500 units, Pulse Investments closed at $7.09 with 10,000 units changing hands. Radio Jamaica gained 20 cents, closing at $1.50 with 154,800 shares changing hands, Sagicor Group traded 20,442 units at $31, Sagicor Real Estate fund gained 3 cents and closed at $10.23 with an exchange of 907 units, Salada rose $1.25 in trading 20,000 shares at $9.25. Scotia Group ended trading with gains of $1.01 to close at $46, having traded 88,515 shares, Scotia Investments gained 43 cents, after trading 7,135 units and closed at a 52 weeks’ high of $35.50, Sterling added 5 cents to close at $15.65 with trades of 500 units. Supreme Ventures closed at $5.70, for a gain of 15 cents with 66,814 shares traded, JMMB 7.25 closed at $1.50, with 430 units exchanged and JMMB Group 7.5% preference share traded 2,650 units at $1.10.

The average trade for the day in the main market ended at 104,123 shares compared to an average of 198,939 units on Friday. For the month to date, an average of 177,355 shares traded, versus an average of units 250,588 units up to the prior trading day. January ended with an average of 592,602 units.

Company expansion| The best rate of growth in the economy for years is expected to continue, with prospects of 2.5 to 3 percent seemingly on the cards for 2017. Against this background, most companies appear set to benefit with increased sales. The real big gainers should come from those companies that are undergoing expansion. They will have a double benefit, that from the pickup in economic activity and from the expansion.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 11 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 with lower offers.
Pulse Investments gained 78 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $7.10, trading 17,000 units. Radio Jamaica closed at $1.36, gaining 16 cents trading 105,008 shares, Sagicor Group lost 50 cents to close at $32.50 with 32,656 shares changing hands, Sagicor Real Estate fund closed at $10.20 for a loss of 30 cents with trades of 3,002,738 units, Scotia Group ended trading with a loss of $1 to close at $40, having traded 777,834 shares. Scotia Investments lost 50 cents, after trading 12,000 units and closed at $35, Supreme Ventures gained 20 cents with 23,824 shares traded and closed at $5.70, Proven Investments traded 194,000 ordinary shares, adding 3 cents to close at a 52 weeks high of 29 US cents and JMMB Group 7.5% preference share traded 177,438 units at $1.10.
but the stock is offered at $42 and in the junior market, Blue Power Group with 1,200 shares at a new high of $50, Derrimon Trading with 40,400 trading at a new high of $7, with no stock on offer and Lasco Financial Services trading 287,245 shares at $3.86.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 16 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 with lower offers.
138 Student Living closed trading with an exchange of 15,000 units at $4.50, Pan Jamaican lost $1.45 and closed at $29.05 with 33,000 shares traded, Pulse Investments gained 32 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $6.32 in trading 12,850 units. Radio Jamaica lost 10 cents to close at $1.20 with 242,445 shares traded, Sagicor Group advanced $2.90 to a 52 weeks’ high of $33 with 33,429 shares changing hands, Sagicor Real Estate Fund gained 28 cents in closing at $10.50 while trading 41,740 units. Scotia Group ended trading with gains of $2.39, to close at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $41, with trades of 16,967 shares, Scotia Investments climbed $3.50 after trading 47,325 units and closed at a 52 weeks’ high of $35.50, Supreme Ventures gained 20 cents with 75,000 shares traded, to close at $5.50. Proven Investments traded 160,000 ordinary shares, adding 2 cents to close at a 52 weeks high of 26.01 US cents and JMMB Group 7.5% preference share traded 88,000 units at $1.10.
Stocks trading at new highs include Jamaica Producers at $16.50, Mayberry Investments at $5.97, Scotia Group at $41, PanJam Investment at $34 and Sagicor Group at $33 and in the junior market Blue Power Group at $41, Consolidated Bakeries at $3.60 and in the US market Margaritaville Turks hit 29 US cents and Proven Investments at 25 US cents.
The average trade for the day in the main market ended at 279,763 shares compared to an average of 384,180 units on Tuesday. January ended with an average of 592,602 units.
Pan Jamaican lost 50 cents and closed at $30.50 with 20,195 units exchanged, Portland JSX traded 7,500 units with gains of 10 cents to close at $9.10, Pulse Investments gained 5 cents to close at $6 in trading 15,750 units, Radio Jamaica closed at $1.30 with 84,170 shares traded. Sagicor Group closed with 55,950 shares changing hands with a loss of 40 cents at $30.10 after it traded earlier at an intraday high of $31, Sagicor Real Estate fund gained 22 cents, closing at $10.22 and trading 14,328 units, Scotia Group ended trading at $38.61, gaining 61 cents with 771,110 shares changing hands. Scotia traded at an intraday high of $40. Scotia Investments also traded at an intraday 52 weeks’ high of $34.94 but closed trading with 980,950 units while losing $1.02, to close at $32, Sterling Investments closed at $15.60 with trades of 70,850 units, Supreme Ventures gained 20 cents after trading 1,790,979 shares to close at $5.30, Proven Investments traded 500,825 ordinary shares, adding 1 cent to close at a 52 weeks; high of 24 US cents and JMMB Group 7.5% preference share traded 1,090,382 units at $1.10.

All major markets indices hit new records during the morning session but with moderate trading taking place. The all Jamaica Composite Index raced 4,291.88 points to 236,317.50 the Jamaica Stock Exchange Market Index surged 3,837.69 points to 215,684.39, the Jamaica Stock Exchange combined index rose 4,023.51 points to 229,663.84 and the junior market index jumped 45.22 points to 2,885.34.
The average trade for the day in the main market ended at 592,602 shares compared to an average of 384,180 units traded on Monday. For the month to date, an average of 149,740 shares compared to an average of 111,605 units on the previous trading day. The average for the month of December ended at 549,379 units.
Pan Jamaican gained $1 and closed at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $31 with 90,681 units being exchanged, Pulse Investments traded 8,000 units, losing 5 cents to close at $5.95, Radio Jamaica lost 5 cents, closing at $1.30 with 73,828 shares traded, Sagicor Group closed with 22,947 shares changing hands with a gain of 50 cents at $30.50. Sagicor Real Estate fund traded 49,769 units and closed at $10, Scotia Group ended trading at $38, losing $1 with 30,863 shares changing hands. Scotia Investments traded 3,849 units, gaining 2 cents to close at $33.02, Sterling Investments closed at $15.60 with trades of 23,000 units, Supreme Ventures lost 11 cents after trading 700,304 shares to close at $5.10 and Proven Investments traded 12,450 ordinary shares and closed at 23 US cents.