Trading in the early morning session on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, after 85 minutes of trading, 
on Monday, the average volume traded amounts to 19,944 units per active stock, compared to an average of 657,664 units traded in the mid-morning session on Friday. Notwithstanding the low volume the market indices record strong gains.
By just under one and a half hour of trading a total of 28 securities accounting for 558,419 shares changed hands as 10 stocks gained and 7 declined.
The market saw the all Jamaica Composite Index gained 1,413.41 points to 168,043.77, the JSE Market Index rose 1,263.82 points to 151,303.00, the JSE combined index ended with a rise of 1,612.99 points to 161,970.95 and the junior market index gained 42.97 points to 2,107.82.
Slow trading in morning session – Monday
Watch their money not their words
Natalia Gobin-Gunter Chairman and Deputy Managing director inserting name strip to indicate listing of Key Insurance on the junior market.
The survey findings of carried out amongst Jamaica’s business executives, show wild swings in their views on current conditions since the start of the data in 2005, while the index of future business conditions was far more predictive of actual business developments. The attached chart shows this up quite clearly. Other findings of the survey also points out that the top management of the various companies were was off the mark when it came to inflation, interest rates and the rate of exchange of the local dollar. One of the clearest measures to test what the executives say and do, is a comparison of the sentiments on business conditions and the performance of the stock market.
When it came time for the business community to put their money where their mouth is, it turned out to be vastly different from what they were saying in the Business Condition Survey. One measure of the business community’s bet on the future, is shown in the attached graph. The graph shows future expectations are is much more aligned with future business conditions than with current ones.
What the business sector did, reflected itself in a much smoother monthly movement than what they said about the future. When it comes to money, the stock market reflects what people are doing with their money as opposed to what they say. The chart shows the movement in the all Jamaica Composite Index, plotted against the two business surveys published by the country’s central bank.The movement of the stock market seems a better predictor of future expectations, than the surveys, as shown by the smoother movement of the stock market compared with the sentiments data. What is also true, is that the future expectations and the stock market movements are fairly closely aligned with each other.
Profits up 18% at Eppley
The insurance premium financer Eppley, reported a 17.7 percent increase in profit after tax for the first quarter this year, of $10.6 million over the $8.7 million made in the first quarter of 2015. The profit resulted in earnings per share of $13.27 in the first three months to March this year.
The improved results emanated from interest income of $43 million, down from $44.94 million in the first quarter of 2015 while net interest income ended at $15.4 million compared with $15.95 million in the 2015 quarter. Other operating income ended at $11.64 million from $5 million in 2015.
Administrative expenses climbed a big 34 percent to $16.48 million from $12.3 million.
The Board approved a dividend of $9 per share payable on April 20 to ordinary shareholders on record as of April 11. The board disclosed that they expect to maintain this level of dividend each quarter, to be adjusted with the final quarterly dividend each year, to distribute the vast majority of annual earnings.
Rights Issue|Eppley will be issuing additional ordinary shares to fund the expansion of our business through a rights issue to existing shareholders who will be advised shortly of the terms of the issue.
Proceeds from the rights will improve the equity capital which now stands at a paltry $314 million and improve the debt to equity ratio which is heavily weighted towards medium term redeemable preference shares. Leverage was 3.2 times equity capital at the end of the quarter, with the average cost of debt at 10 percent. At the end of the quarter, cash was $164 million and net asset value of $394 per share, while invested funds consisting mainly of loans, leases and receivables amounted to $1.26 billion, with an average yield of 16%.
Eppley last traded at $505 on the junior market of the stock exchange and boast a PE of 6 based on projected earnings of $80 per share for 2016 which would result in earnings growing by 14 percent over 2015 out come.
JSE ends April positively – Friday
Mayberry Investments traded 17.65m shares on the JSE on Friday.
The JSE Market Index that plummeted sharply by 2,934.82 points on Thursday, recovered just 527.92 points on Friday to end at 150,039.18. The all Jamaica Composite Index gained 590.41 points on Friday but in contrast to the drop of 3,282.21 points on Thursday as it closed at 166,630.36 and the JSE combined index that dived 2,789.11 points on Thursday enjoyed a slight increase by 94.38 points, to close at 160,357.96. The decline in the movement in the main market on Friday, breaks the four consecutive trading days that the indices gained prior to today out turn.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading showed 21 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 with lower offers.
At the end of market activities, Berger Paints gained 10 in trading 2,472 shares at $4, Cable & Wireless lost 2 cents and closed at $1.37 in trading 349,000 units, Caribbean Cement traded 83,248 shares but the price fell $1.44 to close at $26.56, Carreras rose 50 cents while trading 16,265 shares, to close at $63. Rebranded Gleaner Company, 1834 Investments, gained 1 cent to close at 99 cents in trading 101,900 shares, Jamaica Broilers had 25,000 units changing hands, to close with a loss of 35 cents at $14.15. Jamaica Stock Exchange traded 5,000 units and declined by $1, to close at $21, Kingston Wharves traded 21,644 shares to close at $11.15, with a loss of 5 cents, Mayberry Investments traded 17,650,039 shares but fell 2 cents to close at $3.30.
National Commercial Bank gained $1.20 while 180,965 shares traded, to close at $41, after the company released improved results for the March quarter, Pan Jamaican lost $1 to close at $88 with 4,860 shares changing hands. Radio Jamaica traded 94,200 shares and climbed 7 cents to close at $1.15. Sagicor Group gained 45 cents to end with 12,844 shares changing hands at $22.50, Scotia Group closed with a loss of $1, to end at $30 while 10,421 units changed hands, Supreme Ventures gained 1 cent and closed at $5.06 with 160,489 shares changing hands. Proven Investments closed with 8,677 ordinary shares trading at 20 US cents and JMMB Group 6% preference share ended with 62,630 units trading with a loss of 5 cents at $1.10.
Mayberry 17m trade – Friday
Mayberry Investments dominated trading with 17,605,039 shares but the price declined to $3 in 
the mid-morning session on the Jamaica Stock Exchange. Other trades of import are Lasco Distributors with 684,917 units at $7.20 and Lasco Financial Services 422,346 units at $3.
After 90 minutes of trading, on Friday, the average volume traded amounts to 657,664 units per active stock, compared to an average of 149,862 units traded in the mid-morning session on Thursday. A total of 30 securities accounting for 19,729,923 shares changed hands as 7 stocks gained and 11 declined.
The market saw the all Jamaica Composite Index gained 623.18 points to 166,663.13, the JSE Market Index rose 557.22 points to 150,068.48, the JSE combined index ended with a rise of 116.53 points to 160,380.11 and the junior market index declined 39.14 points to 2,064.26.
Big losses for JSE – Thursday
Mayberry Investments traded most shares on the JSE with 2,315,000 units.
The JSE Market Index plummeted 2,934.82 points to end at 149,511.26, the all Jamaica Composite Index dropped 3,282.21 points to 166,039.95 and the JSE combined index dived 2,789.11 points, to close at 160,263.58. The decline in the movement in the main market on Thursday, breaks the four consecutive trading days that the indices gained prior to today out turn.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading showed 19 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 with lower offers. The higher bids jumped sharply, but that is most likely associated with month end widow dressing.At the end of market activities, Berger Paints traded 19,399 shares at $3.90, Cable & Wireless closed at $1.39, in trading 1,517,355 units, Caribbean Cement traded 29,736 shares and rose $2 to close at $28, Carreras fell 50 cents while trading 1,805 shares, to close at $62.50. Slimmed down Gleaner Company, now rebranded as 1834 Investments, lost 2 cents to close at a 52 weeks low, of 98 cents, Hardware and Lumber had 10,240 shares trading with a loss of 55 cents at $12.50, Jamaica Broilers had 22,805 units changing hands, to close with a gain of 50 cents at $14.50. Jamaica Stock Exchange traded 15,000 units and rose $1, to close at $22, JMMB Group traded 23,873 shares and shed 50 cents to end at $10, Kingston Wharves traded 6,174 shares to close at $11.20, with a loss of 10 cents, Mayberry Investments traded 2,315,000 shares but fell 58 cents to $3.32, National Commercial Bank lost 20 cents in trading 589,045 shares, to close at $39.80.
Pulse Investments traded 185,515 shares with a fall of 30 cents to close at $2.50, Radio Jamaica traded 94,200 shares and climbed 7 cents to close at $1.15, Sagicor Group fell 15 cents to end with 605,440 shares changing hands at $22.05, Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 25,645 shares to close at $10.15 after falling 10 cents, Scotia Group closed with a loss of $2.99 to end at $31 while 20,164 units changed hands, Scotia Investments traded 115,465 shares to close at $25.50 and Supreme Ventures closed at $5.39 with 240,047 shares changing hands for a loss of 34 cents, Proven Investments closed with 24,500 ordinary shares trading and gained 2 US cents to 20 US cents and JMMB Group 7.50% preference shares ended with 1500,00 units trading at $1.04.
More gains for JSE stocks – Wednesday
Scotia Group jumped $3.44 on Wednesday
The JSE Market Index gained 1,175.25 points to end at 152,446.08, the all Jamaica Composite Index rose 1,314.36 points to 169,322.16 and the JSE combined index climbed 1,524.74 points, to close at 163,052.69.
The increased movement in the main market on Wednesday is the fourth consecutive trading days that the indices have gained.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading showed 11 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 6 with lower offers.At the end of market activities, Cable & Wireless rose 4 cents to close at $1.39, in trading 41,211 units, Caribbean Cement traded 337,237 shares and rose $2 to close at $26, Carreras fell $1.99 while trading 64,337 shares, to close at $63, Jamaica Broilers had 288,526 units changing hands, to close with a loss of 25 cents at $14. Jamaica Producers lost $1.43 to close at $33.50, but only 1,000 shares changed hands,
Jamaica Stock Exchange traded 30,330 units at $21, JMMB Group traded 311,461 shares and rose 50 cents to end at $10.50, National Commercial Bank rose $1 in trading 5,614 shares, to close at $40. Pulse Investments traded 72,980 shares with a rise of 30 cents to close at $2.80, Radio Jamaica traded 62,954 shares and lost 12 cents to close at $1.08, Sagicor Group rose 5 cents to end with 11,500 shares changing hands at $22.20. Scotia Group closed with a gain of $3.44 at $33.99 with 365,623 units changing hands, Scotia Investments lost $1.94 with 7,295 shares to close at $25.50 and Supreme Ventures closed at $5.39 with 23,800 shares changing hands for an 11 cents loss.
Profit jumps 127% for car mart
Sanya Goffe addressing the audience at the listing of Jetcon’s shares in March. Looking on are Andrew Jackson and Karl Wright, directors.
Jetcon Corporation’s revenues grew 55 percent in the first quarter ending March, leading to an increase of 127 percent in profit before tax came of $19.35 million, while after tax the profit rose 126 percent to $14.6 million or 9.4 cents per share compared with $6.8 million in the same period in 2015.
The growth for the quarter is above the 50 percent increase enjoyed during all of 2015. Gross profit doubled to $32.4 million and gross profit margin, moved from 16.9 percent to 21.9 percent, during the quarter.
Inventory of motor vehicles and parts increased moderately since March 2015 but is up 46.7 percent since December 2015, to reach $123.9 million while receivables increased sharply but is due to amounts deposited with suppliers for goods. All loans that were outstanding at the end of December last year have since been repaid in full and cash on hand increased to $60.5 million helped by the inflows of funds from the initial Public offer.
The shares which were listed on the junior market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange in March this year, traded at $2.85 after details of the results were released.
JSE jumps in early trading – Wednesday
Trading picked up in the mid-morning session on the Jamaica Stock Exchange with a few million unit trades. Consolidated Bakeries had 1,000,000 units changing hands, KLE Group 1,000,000 shares as well along with 6 trades of more than 200,000 units.
Trading saw all major indices rising, with the main market indices gaining just under 900 points and the junior market index climbing over 53 points after 90 minutes of trading, on Wednesday. The average volume traded amounts to 157,938 units per active stock, compared to an average of 107,260 units traded in the mid-morning session on Tuesday.
A total of 28 securities accounting for 4,422,256 shares changed hands as 12 stocks gained and 8 declined.
The market saw the all Jamaica Composite Index rising 1,109.08 points to 169,116.88, the JSE Market Index gained 991.69 points to 152,262.52, the JSE combined index ended with a rise of 1,470.55 points to 162,998.50 and the junior market index rose 53.69 points to 2,121.22.
JSE stocks make more gains – Tuesday
Grace Kennedy traded 1,412,488 shares on Tuesday.
Trading amounted to 8,175,132 units valued at $170,455,575 changing hands, in all markets, the junior market accounting for 3,312,315 units valued at $12,515,372.
The JSE Market Index gained 227.72 points to end at 151,270.83, the all Jamaica Composite Index rose 736.09 points to 168,007.80 and the JSE combined index climbed 658.18 points, to close at 161,527.95.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading showed 13 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 with lower offers.At the end of market activities, Berger Paints traded 14,027 units to close at $4 after rising by 10 cents, Cable & Wireless rose 2 cents to close at $1.35, in trading 500,946 units, Caribbean Cement traded 241,594 shares and fell $2 to close at $24, Carreras fell 1 cent while trading 270,430 shares, to close at $64.99. Grace Kennedy traded 1,412,488 shares with a rise of 50 cents, to end at $82,
Jamaica Broilers had 46,616 units changing hands, to close with a loss of 20 cents at $14.25. National Commercial Bank rose $1 in trading 101,619 shares to close at $40, Radio Jamaica traded 74,000 shares and gained 2 cents to close at $1.20, Sagicor Group fell 35 cents to end with 193,396 shares changing hands at $22.15, Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 16,110 shares to close at $10.25, for a rise of 25 cents. Scotia Group closed with a gain of 5 cents at $30.55 with 211,936 units changing hands, Supreme Ventures closed at $5.50 with 63,960 shares changing hands, Proven Investments ordinary share traded 4,133 units to close at 18 US cents and JMMB Group 7.5% preference shares traded 1,672,980 units at $1.04, with a fall of 2 cents.