On Wednesday the Jamaica Stock Exchange saw more activity than on Tuesday but the market still seems to be nervous with a high level of stocks riding and declining on the same day. At the close there were 8 stocks rising to 8 that declined.
The market closed with 26 securities changing hands totalling 4,027,018 units, valued at $45,899,661 traded in all market segments.
The JSE Market Index gained 148.80 points to 95,738.02, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index added 166.30 points to 105,948.92 and the JSE combined index rose 141.78 points to end at 98,878.40.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had a reading of 14 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 with offers that were lower.
Trading in the main market ended with Cable and Wireless slipped 1 cent with 885,401 shares changing hands, to close at 49 cents. At the close the stock had 1,122,637 units on the bid at 48 cents and 300,000 on offer at 52 cents. Caribbean Cement traded 200,000 shares at $8 while gaining 30 cents, Desnoes & Geddes ended with 128,250 shares trading with a 5 cents gain to close at $6.15, JMMB Group traded at $7.63 with 10,345 shares changing ownership. 
National Commercial Bank had 35,609 units changing hands and ended at $27.47 while losing just 1 cent, Pan Jamaican Investment traded 8,052 shares to close at $61.71. Sagicor Group with 175,880 shares trading, closed 19 cents lower at $12.81, Scotia Group traded 1,496,663 shares to close with a loss of 16 cents at $23.75, Scotia Investments traded 16,267 shares in closing at $24.52 with a gain of 2 cents. Supreme Ventures had 41,160 shares changing hands at $3.75, for a gain of 35 cents Jamaica Money Market Brokers 8.75% preference share traded 231,855 shares at a 52 weeks low of $2.49 after losing 16 cents and Proven Investments preference share traded 59,200 units at $5.
8 up 8 down on JSE on Wednesday
Undervalued Pan Jam few look at
Pan Jamaican Investment Trust is one undervalued company that not many investors seem to be paying much attention at even as many seem to be piling into a few sexy overvalued ones, ignoring the gains being make in the bottom-line of the company. Net profit attributable to owners of Pan Jamaican Investment Trust increased 24 percent for the June 2015 quarter to $853 million, from $688 million in the 2014, second quarter.
Pan Jam generated net profit attributable to owners for the six months to June with an increase of 28 percent to $1.4 billion from $1.09 billion for 2014. Profits resulted in earnings per stock unit of $4.07 for the 2015, second quarter and $6.65 for the six months. Earnings for the year should be in the range of $15-17 per share. The stock traded last at $61.71 while the book value is at $105 per share.
Investment income of $158 million in the second quarter is 28 percent higher than last year’s comparable quarter’s income of $123 million. Year to date, investment income declined 25 percent from the 2014 period to $193 million. Investment income fell due a number of factors, “principally as a result of a profitable conclusion to a real-estate related investment in Canada, which more than offset lower foreign exchange gains of $33 million, versus $42 million last year, dividends and interest of $35 million, versus $45 million last year and trading gains of $26 million, versus $32 million last year. Year to date investment income of $193 million is 25 percent behind last year due principally to reduced foreign exchange gains of $31 million, versus $83 million last year, and trading gains of $12 million versus $37 million last year” the company said in a release accompanying the financials.
Rapid True Value owned by Hardware & Lumber an associate of Pan Jam
Share of results of associated and joint venture companies for the quarter, rose 32 percent to $791 million and grew by 35 percent for the six months period to $1,234 million. The results of Sagicor increased by $175 million or 31 percent for the quarter and by $289 million or 33 percent for the half year. The results for Sagicor Group have some non-recurring income that arose from loan loss recovery.
Operating expenses were held fairly tightly with a 12 percent rise in the quarter to $305 million and for the half year only 5 percent to $565 million. Finance costs declined compared to last year, by $25 million to $106 million for the quarter and $74 million to $200 million for the 6 months, resulting from reduced foreign exchange losses on the International Finance Corporation loan and reduced interest on a smaller average principal balance outstanding for the period compared to 2014.
JSE drops sharply on Wednesday
The Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday closed with main market indices recording big losses, cancelling out the gains made in yesterday’s trading. The market closed with a fairly high participation rate of 33 securities changing hands accounting for 3,862,624 units trading, valued at $45,895,747 with 9 stocks rising, 16 declining with 1 stock closing at 52 weeks high, in all market segments.
At the close, the JSE Market Index fell 2,316.03 points to 99,099.31, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index dived 2,588.67 points to close at 109,705.40 and the JSE combined index dropped 2,164.74 points to end at 102,674.88.
The eve of and the actual Treasury bill auction days, historically have not been good for the local stock market. Stockbrokers main focus is on the outcome of the auction and interest rates out turn as well as how successful their bidding was. Wednesday’s sluggishness and pull back in prices could be related to this development with today being the day when Treasury bill bids are opened. At the close of trading on Tuesday the signals were for a weaker market on Wednesday as such today’s declines should come as no great surprise.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had a reading that is better than Tuesday’s reading, with only of 3 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 9 with offers that were lower. Today’s reading is 4 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 6 with offers that were lower, a reading that still carries some negative undertone.
In trading, Cable and Wireless had 306,499 shares changing hands with a loss of 3 cents, to end at 40 cents, Caribbean Cement had 19,000 units changing hands at $8, Gleaner closed with 23,326 shares and fell 17 cents to $2. Grace Kennedy traded firm at $64 with 54,439 shares, Jamaica Broilers traded at $6.05 with 42,876 shares changing hands, Jamaica Producers traded at $18.25 with 4,000 shares changing ownership with a loss of 25 cents. JMMB Group traded 5,909 shares at $7.95 to add 22 cents, with the company reporting strong increase in profit for the first quarter. Jamaica Stock Exchange lost altitude and traded with a decline of $1.50 to $7.50 with only 7,100 shares changing hands.
Mayberry Investments had 242,254 shares trading down 26 cents to $3.14, National Commercial Bank traded 421,180 shares to end at $30, Palace Amusement gained $10 in trading 2,500 shares to end at $75, Pan Jamaican Investment closed at $60.70 after trading 1,539 shares with a loss of $1.30. Sagicor Group with 1,077,602 shares changing hands, closed 50 cents up, at $13.50, Sagicor Real Estate Fund gained 95 cents to close at $8.75 while trading 10,095 units, Scotia Group traded 471,710 units to close at $23.70, down 80 cents, Supreme Ventures ended at $3.50 with 56,004 units to be down by $1 and Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference share traded 150,200 units at $2.
Scotia Group fall hits JSE indices
Scotia lost $2 on Friday
At the close, the JSE Market Index dropped 1,377.83 points to 100,808.67, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index shed 1,540.03 points to close at 111,615.98 and the JSE combined index dipped 1,378.55 points to end at 104,363.81.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had a reading of 6 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 with offers that were lower.In trading, Cable and Wireless ended with 636,069 units changing hands to close 5 cents higher at 45 cents, Caribbean Cement stock rose 35 cents to close at $7.50 with 353,986 units traded, Gleaner closed with 127,400 shares traded to close at $2.71 for a loss of 1 cent, Jamaica Broilers traded at $7 with 18,345 shares changing ownership. Jamaica Stock Exchange traded 14,875 shares at a new all-time high of $8.30 to gain $1.29, JMMB Group
traded 6,545 units with the price rising 30 cents to end at $7.80, National Commercial Bank traded only 7,843 shares at $30.10. Pan Jamaican Investment closed at $61 after trading 5,484 shares, 9 cents higher, Proven Investments closed at 18.55 US cents after declining 0.45 US cents with 40,884 shares changing hand. Pulse Investments lost 15 cents in trading 62,750 shares to end at 45 cents, Radio Jamaica traded just 20,296 shares to end at $3.95, for a 5 cents fall, Sagicor Group ended trading with 46,300 units at $13 to fall by 10 cents. Sagicor Real Estate Fund closed at $8.30 while trading 15,274 units, Scotia Group lost $2 and ended with 89,612 units trading at $24 and Jamaica Money Market 7.5% preference ended at $2 with 54,500 units changing hands.
Scotia Group pushes Indices
After 90 minutes of trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, 15 securities traded 
with 3 stocks rising and 4 declining. A total volume of just over 442,125 shares have changed hands.
The all Jamaican Composite index inched up 401.21 to 109,707.08 points, JSE Combined Index put on 335.46 to reach 101,269.39 points, JSE Index is now at 99,100.86 points after adding 358.94 points and Junior Market Index fell to 895.87, down by 0.32 points.
The most noticeable trades so far are, Scotia Group that traded at $24.95 to gain 44 cents with 106,700 shares, Cable & Wireless traded 243,298 units at 46 cents, Pan Jamaican shed 40 cents to $61.10 with 22,520 shares trading and Gleaner traded at a new 52 weeks’ high of $1.50.
Technical issues hit JSE on Tuesday
The Old Lady of North Street traded at a new 52 weeks’ High of $1.40 on Tuesday
The JSE Market Index declined 159.12 points to 97,271.15 the JSE All Jamaican Composite index fell 177.86 points to close at 107,661.94 but the JSE combined index fell just 13.51 points to end at 99,998.57 thanks to
gains in the junior market offsetting declines in the main market.IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator was showing a poor reading of 10 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 6 with offers that were lower, an improvement over the ratio on Monday of 5 to 5. In trading, Cable & Wireless had 200,000 units changing hands to close at 45 cents but looking better than for weeks with bid at 46 cents to buy 201,436 while the offers at 50 cents declined leaving only 315,000 units at the price. With the company reporting profits from operations of $186 million in the March quarter from revenues of $6 billion, the highest in a March quarter since 2007, investors may be quietly going after the stock. The company confirmed that the quarter had some business to business sales in the revenue figure which helped to push improvement up by 29 percent.
Caribbean Cement had 131,225 units trading at $6 after adding 50 cents, Carreras gained 70 cents in trading just 2,382 shares to close at $49. Desnoes and Geddes traded at $7.55 with 54,724 shares, Gleaner ended with 65,885 shares changing hands to gain 11 cents, for a 52 weeks’ high of $1.40. Jamaica Broilers fell 59 cents in trading 7,410 units to end at $5.41, National Commercial Bank in trading 20,960 shares, to close at $29.04, Pan Jamaican Investment had 18,780 shares changing hands 50 cents higher at $61.50. Radio Jamaica ended with 124,000 shares trading at $3.50, Proven Investments ended with 51,900 ordinary share trading at 21 US cents, Sagicor Group gained 45 cents with 22,385 units trading, to end at $13, but had 1 million units on sale at $13 at the close and Proven 8% preference share traded 155,695 units at $5.
JSE enjoying slow Friday
Trading was mild with 75 minutes of trading having elapsed leading to 11 securities 
trading with 5 rising and 2 declining comprising a total volume of only 252,281 shares changing hands.The all Jamaican Composite index inched up 81.31 to 107,496.53 points, JSE Combined Index put on 77.40 to 99,682.59 points, JSE Index is now at 97,123.17 points after adding 72.75 points and Junior Market Index fell to 895.31, up by 0.97 points.
The most noticeable trade so far is Pan Jamaican with just 760 units trading as the price rose by $2.93 to $63.70, National Commercial Bank with 137,010 shares changing hands at $29 and Proven Investments with 76,970 shares at 21.2 US cents.
JSE slips most stocks rose
Caribbean Cement factory the company’s stock closed at a 52 weeks’ high on Friday
TheJSE Market Index lost 248.58 points to 97,382.18, theJSE All Jamaican Composite index fell 277.83 points to close at 107,786.05 and the JSE combined index dropped 186.25 points to end at 100,134.89.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 8 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 with offers that were lower.
In trading, Cable & Wireless ended with 400,245 units changing hands, 1 cents down at 44 cents, there is some amount of selling at the 48-50 cents range and not much buying showing before 40 cents, with the full 2015 fiscal year results showing a large loss. The Gleaner contributed 670,000 shares with the price rising 3 cents, to end at $1.08, Jamaica Stock Exchange ended at a new all-time high of $7 with 58,055 shares trading to gain of 65 cents, ahead of the ex-dividend date of June 23. JMMB Group had 215,427 shares changing hands with the price remaining at $7.50. National Commercial Bank trading in only 32,931 shares closed at $29.50, Pan Jamaican Investment contributed 20,962 shares with the price slipping 1 cent, to $63.50, 
the stock traded earlier at a 52 weeks’ high of $65, Radio Jamaica closed at a new 52 weeks’ high of $3.20 with 50,000 shares changing hands. Sagicor Group contributing 185,000 shares with the price easing 1 cent, to $12.60. Scotia Group contributing 32,351 shares with the price rising just 1 cent to $23.15, Scotia Investments had 32,219 shares trading between $27.28 and the last price of $29.85, Supreme Ventures contributed 2,148,484 shares with the price falling 20 cents, to $3.50 and Proven Investments contributing 94,708 shares with the price closing unchanged at 22 US cents.
Rising stocks outnumber decliners
Activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, resulted in the prices of 16 stocks rising, 5 declining as 29 securities changed hands, ending in 2,166,650 units trading, valued at $9,438,928, and 8 stocks trading at new 52 weeks’ high, in all market segments. Trading was characterized by number of the stocks trading recorded relatively high levels of price movements.
TheJSE Market Index gained 411.58 points to 98,200.49, theJSE All Jamaican Composite index rose 460.04 points to close at 108,700.70 and the JSE combined index put on 519.16 points to end at 100,983.07.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 7 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 with offers that were lower.
Stocks trading include, Barita Investments losing 14 cents with 334,867 shares trading to end at $2.51, Caribbean Cement with 365,811 shares closing at $5, Carreras ending with a 50 cents loss with 9,995 units to close at $49.50, Desnoes & Geddes traded 608 shares to rise cents to $8 having gained 45 cents. 
Jamaica Stock Exchange traded 37,000 units after the company announced a 53 cents dividend, payable in July and closed at $5.75 with a gain of 75 cents for a new high, National Commercial Bank ended with 42,811 shares changing hands $1 higher to end at $30. Pan Jamaican Investment traded 10,000 units to gain $1.50 and end at a 52 weeks’ high of $63.50, Sagicor Group ended with 121,095 shares trading at $12.06 for a 5 cents gain. Scotia Group had just 11,600 units trading to close $1.01 down at $24.50, Scotia Investments traded only 3,000 units to close up by $3.57 to $29.85, Supreme Ventures enjoyed trading in 21,700 shares at $3.60 and Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference share traded 113,120 units at $2.11 for a 19 cents dip.
JSE closes down on Monday
Carreras traded over 4 million shares on Monday
TheJSE Market Index lost 299.63 points to 97,788.91, theJSE All Jamaican Composite index fell 334.90 points to close at 108,240.66 and the JSE combined index declined 285.04 points to end at 100,463.91.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 10 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 6 with offers that were lower.
Stocks trading include, Cable & Wireless had 380,130 units trading and closed at 43 cents, Carreras with 4,067,804 shares at mostly $50, to shed $1 from Friday’s close. Desnoes & Geddes gained 5 cents while trading 37,000 units to close at $7.55, Hardware & Lumber traded 111,500 shares at $18, Jamaica Broilers with 218,900 shares at $5.50, JMMB Group 85,992 shares after slipping 30 cents to $7.50, the Jamaica Stock Exchange traded 16,000 shares to close at $5. The directors of the JSE met during the day and declared a dividend of 53 cents per shares to be paid in July. Mayberry Investments ended with 267,075 units at $3, 
National Commercial Bank closed with 113,100 units trading at $29. At the close NCB had 17 offers to sell 818,742 shares at $30 each and 4 bids amounting to 704,000 units to buy between $29.02 and $28, thereafter, meaningful bids are at $26.50. Pan Jamaican Investment had just 1,285 units trading at a new 52 weeks’ high of $62, after gaining $1.45, Scotia Group had 612,697 shares changing hands to close at $25.51 and Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference share traded 561,800 units and ended at $2.30.