JSE majors suffer big losses – Tuesday
The market closed another day of moderate trading, with just 3,350,232 units valued at $30,238,950 changing hands, in all market segments. The junior market accounted for 724,885 shares trading with a value of $2,996,936, of all trades.
A total of 38 securities traded, with the prices of 11 stocks rising, 16 declining, including 6 stocks rising and 6 declining from the junior market as the market continues to consolidate while waiting for fresh and important news to move the market out of the narrow range its been traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading showed 14 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 6 with lower offers.
At the end of market activities, Berger Paints traded 107,426 units to close at $4.50, Cable & Wireless lost by 3 cents while trading 751,041 shares to close at $1.10, Caribbean Cement traded 37,682 shares and fell 10 cents to close at $22.10, Carreras dropped 45 cents in trading 5,832 shares to close at $66. Ciboney closed at 21 cents close at 21 cents with 102,534 units, Grace Kennedy gained 45 cents to close at $119.95 with 51,096 units changing hands. Jamaica Broilers ended with 218,848 units changing hands with a loss of 40 cents to close at $14.50, Jamaica Producers closed at a 52 weeks’ high $8.60 with a rise of 65 cents with 19,348 shares traded. Jamaica Stock Exchange traded 10,000 shares at $21.35, JMMB Group traded 20,333 units and gained 13 cents to end at $9.85, with Kingston Wharves trading 39,567 units at $15 with a fall of $1.35, after trading as high as $16.30, National Commercial Bank ended with 142,306 units changing hands at $42. Pan Jamaican Investment Trust traded 7,695 shares to close at $24 after falling 30 cents, Portland JSX fell 74 cents and ended with 108,852 shares changing hands at a new closing high of $12.75. Pulse Investments traded 30,000 shares with a rise of 5 cents to end at $2.55, Sagicor Group ended with 47,036 shares changing hands, the price dropped 60 cents to end at $23.05. Scotia Group lost 15 cents with 43,100 shares trading, to close at $30.06, Scotia Investments climbed $1.80 and ended with 94,054 shares trading, to close at $27.80, Proven Investments accounted for 43,335 units to end at 17 US cents and JMMB 7.50% preference share accounted for 732,325 at $1.05.
JSE off to slow start – Monday
Jamaica stocks are off to a slow and moderate start to the new week with no trading in junior stocks after more than 44 minutes of opening. Kingston Wharves, however, climbed to a new high of $16.50, but with limited volume.
Cable & Wireless is the sole stock to trade more than 100,000 units with 204,519 shares traded at $1.12, Knutsford Express fell $2.10 on small volume to $14.70 and Portland JSX fell 80 cents to $13.20 with 26,892 shares changing hands. Elsewhere, Lasco Distributors that came under selling pressure last week traded a small volume of just 1,500 shares at $6.
The session had low volumes trading overall after 80 minutes of the market’s opening resulting in 22 securities changing hands, accounting for a volume of just 296,560 shares 10 stocks gained and 6 declined. The average number of shares traded amounts to 13,480 units compared to an average of 49,022 units on Friday.
The all Jamaica Composite Index climbed 343.87 points to 177,104.17, the Jamaica Stock Exchange Market Index rose 307.48 points to 159,404.39 the Jamaica Stock Exchange combined index rose by 652.50 point to close at 168,805.05 points and the junior market index gained 35.80 points to 2,041.49.
Portland JSX jumps to $14
Investors pushed Portland JSX to a new high of $14, for an increase of 27 percent, since it was listed on Wednesday. The stock has so far traded 30,000 shares and put on $1 in the morning session. Lasco Distributors with 124,864 shares changing hands and Caribbean Producers, made some recovery from two day of declines.
Elsewhere, Pan Jamaican Investment traded 469,095 shares at $24.20 and Lasco Financial traded 128,515 shares at $3.35.
The session, generally, had low volumes trading after 85 minutes of the market’s opening, resulting in 22 securities changing hands and accounting for a volume of 1,078,489 shares, of which 11 stocks gained and 3 declined. The average number of shares traded amounts to 49,022 units, compared to an average of 17,210 units on Thursday.
The all Jamaica Composite Index climbed 881.09 points to 179,623.77, the Jamaica Stock Exchange Market Index rose 787.85 points to 161,657.36 the Jamaica Stock Exchange combined index rose by 472.92 point to close at 170,549.07 points andthe junior market index slipped 25.14 points to 2,007.78.
By 11:15 am, the main market shed 1,785.12 points as measured by the all Jamaica Composite Index , the Jamaica Stock Exchange Market Index chopped 1,596.21 points and the Jamaica Stock Exchange combined index 1,738.49 while the junior market remained unchanged.
LasD chops over 85 points off juniors
Investors chopped the price of Lasco Distributors by $1.01 to $5.99 and pulled down the junior market index by a large 4 percent or 85 points in early Thursday morning trading. After 80 minutes of trading the price plummeted to $5.30 pulling the index even lower. The drop also pulled down the combined market index by more than 1,100 points.
Investors continue to react negatively to the news that Pfizer’s estimate for damages due to Lasco is US$518,000 well off the US$300 million the local company is claiming. Lasco Distributors traded 396,700 shares as the price dropped $1.70 overall. The next big trade was Supreme Ventures with 4,600,497 units at $4.50. Some demand have built up for Portland JSX with 59,949 shares trading at $12.60 and with bids at $13.
The session had low volumes trading overall after 80 minutes of the market’s opening resulting in 18 securities changing hands, accounting for a volume of 5,311,849 shares 5 stocks gained and 5 declined. The average number of shares traded amounts to 295,103 units compared to an average of 17,210 units on Thursday.
The all Jamaica Composite Index dropped 379.30 points to 177,163.92, the Jamaica Stock Exchange Market Index fell 339.17 points to 159,457.81, the Jamaica Stock Exchange combined index declined by 1,190.21 to close at 168,783.34 points andthe junior market index slipped 99.03 points to 2,034.54.
Portland JSX list gains $1.51
The Jamaica Stock Exchange suffered another morning of slippage on Wednesday. The latest IPO, Portland JSX was listed at the start of the session after a successful public offering that saw the offer being oversubscribed. The stock opened with a bid to buy 30,000 shares at $12, compared to the IPO price of $11 and later traded 666 units up to $12.51.
Caribbean Producers continues to see investors react negatively to news from the company of write down of inventories and restructuring cost, that will hit profits for the company’s fourth quarter, by cutting the price from the $3.90 it fell to on Tuesday, down to $3. Elsewhere Scotia Group traded 107,887 units at $30.51, AMG Packaging fell from $13.10 to $12.41 with 5,854 shares trading while Carib Cement crashed to $22.28 from $25 with 6,750 shares.
The session had low volumes trading overall, after 75 minutes of the market’s opening, resulting in 18 securities changing hands and accounting for a volume of 309,785 shares as 6 stocks gained and 6 declined. The average number of shares traded amounts to 17,210 units, compared to an average of 24,178 units on Tuesday.
The all Jamaica Composite Index dropped 607.16 points to 177,956.81, the Jamaica Stock Exchange Market Index fell 542.91 points to 160,166.80, the Jamaica Stock Exchange combined index declined by 657.15 to close at 170,886.98 points andthe junior market index slipped 14.97 points to 2,175.48.
Portland JSX over
VM Wealth Management advised that the Portland JSX IPO closed on June 22, with the offer oversubscribed and raising $1.52 billion, said lead broker VM Wealth Management.
The terms of the prospectus allowed the directors the right to accept subscriptions in excess of the stated raise and will issue and allot additional Shares to satisfy as much of the applications in excess of the stated raise as they, in their sole discretion, shall determine appropriate.
It is the intention of the Company to apply to the Jamaica Stock Exchange for admission of the ordinary shares to the main market.
The invitation to investors stated, “Many investment opportunities remain in essential services throughout the Caribbean, and Fund II is well positioned to pursue them.” DOUGLAS HEWSON, Chairman of Portland JSX stated in the prospectus.
Hewson further stated “With Fund II, Portland is seeking to replicate the success of Fund I – in simple terms, it is the same team executing the same strategy but with the benefits of lessons learned. Our view is that the Caribbean remains overlooked and underserved by equity capital providers. With Fund II, we continue our strategy of investing in scalable businesses in defensive industries while exploiting this capital gap for the benefit of our investors. The Team believes we are off to a good start. We have closed on USD136 million with leading global emerging market investors, have completed three investments in sectors we find very attractive on a risk adjusted basis (wind energy, telecommunications and financial services), have a strong pipeline of investment opportunities, and have an investment team that is passionate about making a difference. As an investor increasing its capital commitment to Fund II, PJX and, by extension PJX shareholders, will benefit from a look-back into current fund portfolio.”
The Company is incorporated in St Lucia in September 2015 and the business of the Company is to invest as a Limited Partner in Portland Caribbean Fund II which in turn invests in other businesses over a period of several years.
The performance of the Company is highly dependent on the timing of these investments. The Company intends to use the proceeds of the IPO to invest primarily as a limited partner in Portland Caribbean Fund II, which holds a portfolio of equity or debt securities of companies, located in the Caribbean and Latin America the majority of which, over the life of PCF II, are expected to be private. According to the prospectus, PCF II’s objective is to provide above average returns over the long term primarily by investing in undervalued companies with good potential. The industry focus is telecommunications, financial services and energy.
At the time of the IPO the company issued 170,926,161 ordinary shares and the issue brings the total to 309 million units. The company intends to distribute one hundred percent of distributable net profits as dividends.
IC Insider views investment in the company as one for long-term returns, with the hope that the businesses the funds are invested in deliver a good rate of return. The full allocation for all applicants will mean that there will be reduced demand after listing as it appears most demand for the stock has been filled.