Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed Tuesday with losses in the market indices as trading levels remain modest.
At the close of trading, the All Jamaican Composite Index lost 622.31 points to close at 412,832.33 and the JSE Index declined by 566.99 points to close at 376,136.94.
Main market trading ended with 1,496,686 units valued at $31,571,688 compared to 1,668,337 the units valued at $33,203,631 changing hands on Monday.
The main and US dollar markets, had 27 securities changing hands, with prices of 7 rising, 8 declining with 12 remaining unchanged, compared to 31 securities trading on Monday.
Wisynco Group led trading with just 438,832 units and 29.3 percent of the day’s volume, followed by Carreras with 319,764 units or 21.4 percent of the volume changing hands and Scotia group with 157,500 units accounting for 10.5 percent of the day’s volume.
An average of 55,433 units valued at over $1,169,322, in contrast to 57,529 units valued at $1,144,953 on Monday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 44,147 units valued at $1,258,519 compared to 41,450 units valued at $979,123, previously. Trading for December ended, with an average of 835,037 units with a value of $25,906,477, for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator|The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 11 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 closing with lower offers.
In main market activity, Barita Investments lost $2.99 and closed at $48, with 33,604 shares traded, Caribbean Cement fell $1 and finished at $41 trading 1,487 shares, Grace Kennedy dropped $2 trading 17,309 stock units at 
$61, Jamaica Broilers lost $1 and finished trading 5,744 units at $28. Jamaica Producers climbed $1.44 and closed at $21.50, with 22,094 shares changing hands, Jamaica Stock Exchange added 57 cents in closing at $10.77 after trading 106,887 shares, JMMB Group dived $3.19 to conclude trading of 26,387 shares at $30.80, NCB Financial Group gained 50 cents in trading 45,234 shares at $148.50. Salada Foods rose 50 cents trading with 990 units to close at $32.50, Scotia Group traded 157,500 shares after declining 50 cents to close at $54.50, Sterling Investments gained 40 cents and ended at $4.50, with 49,495 shares trading and Supreme Ventures concluded trading at $18.49, with 66,220 stock units changing hands after climbing by 99 cents. There was no trading in the US dollar market on Tuesday.
Fontana list with strong demand – Tuesday
Fontana listed on the Junior Market on Tuesday, accompanied by strong demand to buy more than 17 million shares above $2.43. Attempts to trade the stock above $3.45 did not succeed as they were canceled at the close.
Trading on the market declined sharply from the level on Monday, resulting in an exchange of 2,386,009 units valued at $16,626,218 compared to 93,801,898 units valued at $301,590,900 on Monday.
Trading ended, with 21 securities changing hands, compared to 25 trading on Monday. The prices of 9 securities rose 7 declined and 5 remained unchanged leading the Junior Market Index to decline 25.14 points to close at 3,221.64.
The average trade ended at 113,619 units for an average of $791,725 in contrast to 3,752,076 units for an average of $12,063,636 on Monday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 919,199 units valued at $3,062,219 and previously 1,115,910 units valued at $3,616,643. In contrast, December ended with an average of 136,222 units at a value of $737,367 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 6 stocks ended with higher bids than their last selling prices and 4 closing with lower offers.
At the close of the day’s activities, AMG Packaging ended 8 cents higher at $1.95, trading 82,200 stock units, Derrimon Trading ended at $2.45, with 33,720 shares changing hands, Elite Diagnostic finished 10 cents higher at $2.95, with an exchange of 98,577 stock units. Everything Fresh lost 25 cents to end trading of 123,750 shares at $1.75, Express Catering settled at $8, with 52,034 units changing hands, FosRich Group ended trading 5 cents higher at $3.95, with an exchange of 1,200 shares. Honey Bun closed with a loss of 5 cents at $3.80, in exchanging 11,000 stock units, Indies Pharma rose 10 cents in trading of 34,124 shares at $3.20, Jamaican Teas finished 30 cents higher at $4.50, trading 500 shares, Jetcon Corporation settled with a loss of 14 cents at $3.20, with an exchange of 10,350 shares. Key Insurance ended 
trading 500 stock units at $3.10. Knutsford Express finished trading 15,249 shares and rose 50 cents to end at $13, Lasco Distributors closed with a loss of 19 cents at $3.80, trading 15,800 shares, Lasco Financial ended with a loss of 27 cents at $4.23, with an exchange of 29,636 shares. Lasco Manufacturing concluded trading of 7,470 stock units with a rise of 15 cents to $3.85, Medical Disposables settled at $7, exchanging 5,000 shares. Paramount Trading ended in exchanging 5,200 shares and lost 30 cents to close at $2.60, Stationery and Office fell 10 cents, in closing at $8, while exchanging 1,813,896 shares and tTech closed $1.61 higher at $6.20, trading 500 units. In the Junior Market preference segment, CAC 2000 9.5% closed at $1.16, with 16,303 shares trading.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
JSE rise in modest trading on Monday
Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed Monday with gains in the market indices of just over 600 points but with modest traded volume, valued just less than $34 million.
At the close of trading, the All Jamaican Composite Index gained 662.75 points to 413,454.64 and the JSE Index advanced by 603.84 points to close at 376,703.93.
Main market trading ended with 1,668,337 the units valued at $33,203,631 compared to 1,056,249 units valued at $28,629,116 changing hands on Friday.
The main and US dollar markets, had 31 securities changing hands, with prices of 9 rising, 10 declining with 12 remaining unchanged, compared to 30 securities trading on Friday.
Victoria Mutual Investments led trading with just 334,162 units and 20 percent of the day’s volume, followed by Jamaica Broiler with 213,800 units or 12.8 percent of the volume changing hands and WISYNCO Group with 192,623 units accounting for 11.6 percent of the day’s volume.
An average of 57,529 units valued at $1,144,953, in contrast to 39,120 units valued at $1,060,338 on Friday. The 
average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 41,450 units valued at $979,123 compared to 35,899 units valued at $921,873, previously. Trading for December ended, with an average of 835,037 units with a value of $25,906,477, for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator|The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 8 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 closing with lower offers.
In main market activity, Jamaica Producers dropped $2.94 and closed at $20.06, with 48,527 shares changing hands, Jamaica Stock Exchange shed 55 cents in closing at $10.20 after trading 106,887 shares. JMMB Group rose 99 cents to conclude trading of 31,710 shares at $33.99, NCB Financial Group dropped $1.90 in trading 31,989 shares at $148, Proven Investments traded 13,400 stock units rising by $1 to close at $27. Pulse Investments 
finished with a rise of 35 cents to close at $3.20, trading 82,750 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund fell $1 after trading 13,400 shares to end at $11. Salada Foods rose 50 cents trading with 336 units to close at $32, Scotia Group traded 83,527 shares after rising $1 to close at $55, Seprod rose 70 cents to close at $31, with 23,179 shares changing hands and Stanley Motta lost 34 cents and ended at $5, with 15,376 shares changing hands.
Trading in the US dollar market amounted to 67,971 units valued at $16,007. Eppley 5% preference share ended at 97 cents with 2,466 shares trading and Proven Investments traded 65,505 stock units and rose 0.5 cent to 21.5 US cents. The JSE USD Equities Index advanced by 1.90 points to close at 162.46.
Indies Pharma trades 93M Junior Market shares – Monday
Indies Pharma traded 93 million shares on the Junior Market on Monday and pushed the day’s volume to 93,801,898 units valued at $301,590,900 compared to 1,085,040 units valued at $5,213,905 on Friday.
Trading ended, with 25 securities changing hands, compared to 25 trading on Friday. The prices of 7 securities rose 9 declined and 9 remained unchanged leading the Junior Market Index to decline 5.34 points to 3,246.78 at the close.
The average trade ended at 3,752,076 units for an average of $12,063,636 on Monday, in contrast to 43,402 units for an average of $208,556 on Friday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 1,115,910 units valued at $3,616,643 and previously 35,515 units valued at $154,760. In contrast, December ended with an average of 136,222 units at a value of $737,367 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 5 stocks ended with higher bids than their last selling prices and 3 closing with lower offers.
At the close of the day’s activities, AMG Packaging ended trading with 4,447 stock units, changing hands with a loss of 3 cents at $1.87, Cargo Handlers settled at $15, with an exchange of 16,668 shares, Caribbean Cream ended trading 5,955 shares, with a loss of 5 cents at $5.85, Caribbean Flavours traded 1,830 stock units at $19. Caribbean Producers finished trading of 517,615 units with a loss of 10 cents at $4.90, Derrimon Trading ended at $2.45, with 176 shares changing hands, Elite Diagnostic lost 5 cents at $2.85, trading 42,801 stock units, Everything Fresh rose 10 cents to end trading of 71,724 shares to close at $2. Express Catering settled 10 cents higher at $8, with an exchange of 18,240 units, FosRich Group ended trading with 60,860 shares at $3.90. General Accident traded 10,665 shares, with a loss of 9 cents at $3.29, GWest Corporation finished trading of 5,700 shares 30 cents higher at $2, Honey Bun closed at 
$3.85, with 2,625 stock units changing hands, Indies Pharma lost 15 cents in trading of 92,764,938 shares at $3.10. Jamaican Teas finished 20 cents higher at $4.20, with an exchange of 85,640 shares, Jetcon Corporation jumped 74 cents to $3.34, with 9,500 shares trading, Key Insurance ended trading 20,095 stock units, with a loss of 90 cents to close at $3.10, KLE Group traded 51,833 units at $3, Knutsford Express finished trading at $12.50, with 447 shares. Lasco Distributors closed 10 cents higher at $3.99, in trading 21,600 shares. Lasco Financial ended with a loss of 10 cents at $4.50, with 51,011 shares changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing concluded trading with 23,925 stock units with a loss of 29 cents at $3.70, Main Event finished 1 cent higher at $6.98, with 860 units changing hands and Stationery and Office traded 12,643 shares at $8.10. In the junior market preference segment, CAC 2000 9.5% closed at $1.16, in trading 100 shares.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
Record new JSE listings for 2019
This year could be a busy one for Initial public offers (IPOS) and record new listings on The Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE), giving investors many more choices for placing their money.
Nine IPOs came to the market in 2018 with three in December, giving investors more investment choices than in 2017. For 2019, ICreate will be the first IPO out of the block. The government owned Wigton Wind Farm’s IPO will be launched early 2019, probably by March, but it is not one for all investors, in spite of what some politicians would want to see happening. IC Insider.com gathers others to come include, a central Jamaica Manufacturing entity with strong export base, a large paint company and one in the BPO sector.
In addition, IC Insider.com gathers that there are at least another three IPOs, should definitely make it to the market this year.
The JSE is projecting for 21 new listing in the current year, Marlene Street Forrest, General Managing Director, informed IC Insider.com recently.
“The main market expects 10 of the total and the Junior Market 11. The list includes both ordinary and preference shares”, Street Forrest stated.
JSE falls in late trading on Friday
Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, got off to a very late start on Friday with the trading platform in all three territories of Barbados, Trinidad and Jamaica being down until late in the afternoon.
The main and US dollar markets, had 30 securities changing hands with prices of 9 rising, 9 declining with 12 remaining unchanged, compared to 32 securities trading on Thursday.
At the close of trading, the All Jamaican Composite Index dived 4,996.25 points to 412,791.89 and the JSE Index dropped 4,552.15 points to close at 376,100.09.
Trading ended with 1,056,249 units valued at $28,629,116 compared to 1,104,557 units valued at $29,738,314 changing hands on Thursday.
WISYNCO Group led trading with just 156,244 units and 14.8 percent of the day’s volume, followed by Carreras with 155,620 units or 14.7 percent of the volume changing hands and Scotia Group with 139,095 units accounting for 13.2 percent of the day’s volume.
An average of 39,120 units valued at $1,060,338, in contrast to 36,819 shares valued at $991,277 on Thursday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 35,899 units valued at $921,873 compared to 34,373 units valued at $856,284, previously. Trading for December ended, with an average of 835,037 units with a value of $25,906,477, for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator|The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 5 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 closing with lower offers.
In main market activity, Barita Investments fell $3.20 and closed at $51, with 43,500 shares changing hands, Jamaica Stock Exchange gained 25 cents in closing at $10.75 after 18,112 shares were traded. JMMB Group fell 99 cents to conclude trading of 28,159 shares at $33, Kingston Wharves rose 50 cents, finishing trading of 45,491 stock units at $75, NCB Financial Group rose 40 cents in trading 35,433 shares at $149.90, Proven Investments traded 7,100 stock units but fell 
40 cents to close at $26. Sagicor Real Estate Fund declined by 75 cents after trading 2,517 shares to end at $12. Scotia Group traded 139,095 shares after falling $2 to close at $54, Seprod rose 30 cents to close at $30.30, with 21,292 shares changing hands and Sterling Investments gained 30 cents and ended at $4, with 73,017 shares changing hands.
Trading in the US dollar market amounted to 185,049 units valued at $30,410. Eppley lost 3 cents and ended at a 52 weeks’ low of 97 cents with 534 shares trading, Proven Investments traded 111,515 stock units and lost 0.5 cent to 21 US cents and Sygnus Credit Investments Jamaica dollar denominated shares traded 67,000 units at 9 US cents. The JSE USD Equities Index fell 4.71 points to close at 160.56.
Sharp jump in Junior Market trading – Friday
In a long delayed but shortened trading session on Friday, the Junior Market traded volume jumped 154 percent over Thursday’s levels while the value of trades increased by 203 percent resulting from 1,085,040 units valued at $5,213,905 compared to 426,549 units valued at $1,722,476 on Thursday,
Trading ended, with 25 securities changing hands, up from 15 trading on Thursday. The prices of 8 securities rose 9 declined and 8 remained unchanged leading the Junior Market Index to decline 9.24 points to 3,252.12 at the close.
The average trade ended at 43,402 units for an average of $208,556 in contrast to 28,437 units for an average of $114,832 on Thursday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 35,515 units valued at $154,760 and previously 30,037 units valued at $117,401. In contrast, December ended with an average of 136,222 units at a value of $737,367 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 6 stocks ended with higher bids than their last selling prices and 2 closing with lower offers.
At the close of the day’s activities, Access Financial ended with a loss of $2.03 at $50.55, with 8,692 shares changing hands, AMG Packaging ended 3 cents higher at $1.90, trading 60,400 stock units, Cargo Handlers settled at $15, with an exchange of 11,000 shares, Caribbean Cream closed 8 cents higher at $5.90, in trading 5,445 shares. Derrimon Trading ended at $2.45, with 150,489 shares changing hands, Dolphin Cove concluded trading of 355 shares, at $16.50, Elite Diagnostic finished with a loss of 4 cents at $2.90, with an exchange of 20,996 stock units, Everything Fresh ended trading of 128,018 shares to close at $1.90. Express Catering settled with a loss of 29 cents at $7.90, with the trading 265,900 units, FosRich Group ended trading of 4,821 shares and rose 4 cents higher to $3.90. General Accident traded 75,107 shares with a loss of 2 cents at
$3.38, Honey Bun closed with a loss of 5 cents at $3.85, with 13,750 stock units changing hands, Indies Pharma closed trading of 50,512 shares at $3.25, ISP Finance concluded trading 3,300 shares at $1 higher to end at $13. Jamaican Teas finished 10 cents higher at $4, exchanging 500 shares. Key Insurance ended trading at $4, with an exchange 10,000 stock units, KLE Group traded 42,700 units at $3, Knutsford Express closed trading of 1,100 shares with a loss of 50 cents at $12.50. Lasco Distributors closed 7 cents higher at $3.89, with 169,003 shares changing hands, Lasco Financial ended with a loss of 16 cents at $4.60, after 25,861 shares changed hands, Lasco Manufacturing concluded trading with 13,300 stock units for a gain of 1 cent to $3.99. Medical Disposables settled 50 cents higher at $7, with the trading of 10,588 shares, Paramount Trading exchanged 4,122 shares at $2.90, SSL Venture Capital lost 1 cent in trading 5,115 shares to end at $1.93 and Stationery and Office traded with a loss of 5 cents at $8.10, with 3,966 shares changing hands.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
JSE down over 5,000 points in late trading
Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange starts today with the preopening going from 2.30pm with trading opening at 2.45Pm.
Trading will end at 4 Pm in a shortened session after the trading platform became non functional across the Caribbean region today. With the long interuption the JSE is yet to inform the public and entities that that get their feed about teh interruption and commencement of trading. It appears that the general public and investors who are avid flllowers of the market are unimportant in the scheme of things.
With only a few minutes into trading only the Junior Market inched up just 8.14 points and the JSE all Jamaica Composite index dropped 5,384.11 points to 412,404.03.
Stock trading disrupted across Caribbean
Trading has not commenced on either the Trinidad or Jamaica Stock exchanges up to 1 PM, Jamaica time.
Based on a release from the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange, (TTSE) a systemic problem affected the trading activity in allof the three exchanges in Jamaica, Trinidad and Barbados is the reason for the lack of trading earlier in the day.
The TTSE issued a release earlier today as follows, “TTSE wishes to advise all our valued stakeholders of a delay in trading on January 4th, 2019 due to a technical infrastructure issue experienced by one of our service providers which has impacted all three (3) major regional exchanges and is beyond the control of the TTSE. While our service providers are working expeditiously to resolve this issue, we have activated our business continuity process and advise that trading will commence later today. We thank you for your patience and cooperation at this time.”
The Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE) advised no one of the problem, while a check on the Barbados Stock Exchange website revealed no information on trading for the day.
Marlene Street Forrest, Managing Director of the JSE.
IC Insider.com had previously indicated that the problem was with the current trading platform that was installed at the start of 2016, has been plagued with several problems. Marlene Street Forrest, Managing Directors of the JSE advised that the problem was not with the platform but was a connectivity issue that impacted the system that prevented trading from taking place.
JSE majors climb on Thursday
Stocks closed higher on the second day of trading for the new year on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, but with very low volume even as the number of securities trading rose above Wednesday’s level.
The main and US dollar markets, had 32 securities changing hands with prices of 8 rising, 12 declining with 12 remaining unchanged, compared to 30 securities trading on Wednesday.
At the close of trading, the All Jamaican Composite Index gained 1,565.74 points to 417,788.14 and the JSE Index advanced by 1,426.57 points to close at 380,652.24. Trading ended with 1,104,557 units valued at $29,738,314 compared to a mere 854,686 units valued at just $19,069,873 changing hands on Wednesday.
JMMB Group 7.25% led trading with just 425,000 units and 38.5 percent of the day’s volume, followed by Kingston Wharves with 139,281 units or 12.6 percent of the volume changing hands and Victoria Mutual Investments with 137,604 units accounting for 12.5 percent of the day’s volume.
An average of 36,819 units valued at over $991,277, in contrast to 31,655 shares valued at $706,292 on Wednesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 34,373 units valued at $856,284. Trading for December ended, with an average of 835,037 units with a value of $25,906,477, for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator|The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 6 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 closing with lower offers.
In main market activity, Grace Kennedy lost $2 to close at $63, trading 5,966 shares, Jamaica Broilers traded 6,677 shares after rising $1 to close at $29. Jamaica Stock Exchange regained 
$1.10 in closing at $10.50 after 500 shares traded. Kingston Wharves declined by $1.50 and finished trading of 139,281 stock units at $76, NCB Financial Group lost 40 cents in trading 73,050 shares at $149.50, Sagicor Real Estate Fund declined $1.32 after trading just 100 shares to end at $12.75. Scotia Group traded 30,397 shares with a gain of $2 to close at $56, Seprod lost 90 cents to close at $30, with 6,075 shares changing hands and Supreme Ventures rose $1 to close at $17.50 trading 18,987 shares.
Trading in the US dollar market amounted to 21,126 units valued at $22,035. JMMB Group 5.75% preference share lost 6 cents and ended at US$2 with 9,800 shares changing hands and Proven Investments traded 11,326 stock units and increased 1.5 cents to 21.50 US cents. The JSE USD Equities Index advanced by 5.94 points to close at 165.27.