The main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange broke through resistance at 290,000 points on the All Jamaica Composite Index this week thanks mostly to a big surge in the price of Scotia Group to a record $57.99.
The All Jamaica Composite Index closed on Thursday at 293,186.46 points having hit 296,779.53 early in the day and technical indicators point to much higher levels in the months ahead and should 510,000 points by the end of 2018 before a great deal of resistance.
The central bank cut interest rates by 25 basis points recently and that seems to be lending support to the market, but apart from the movement in Scotia, there are not much gains evident in most stocks, except for what appears to be some amount of increased trading. The accompanying chart shows the next two levels of resistance, around 370,000 points and 510,000 points on the All Jamaica Composite. Those levels seem some distant away but should be reached in 2018. The first level is 26 percent away and the other 74 percent away.
Stocks to watch as the market ride on, include Barita Investments, Berger Paints, Caribbean Cement, Grace Kennedy, Jamaica Broilers, Jamaica Stock Exchange, NCB Financial Group, JMMB Group, Sagicor Group, Scotia Group and Supreme Ventures.
Falling stocks overwhelmed rising ones
The main market the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed higher on Thursday with the All Jamaica Composite Index jumping 2,646.72 points to a record close at 293,186.46, the JSE Market Index climbed 2,411.46 points to record close of 267,126.05 after trading much higher in the morning session.
The sharp rise was due primarily to gains in Scotia Group as the advance decline ratio was a negative 3 to 1.
In market activity, the volume of securities trading with their last prices are: Barita Investments with a loss of $1, closed at $8 with 18,827 shares, Berger Paints falling 40 cents to close at $12.10 with 137,727 stock units, Cable and Wireless with a loss of 3 cents, to $1.03 with 686,724 shares. Caribbean Cement closed at $28, dropping $2.05 with 81,597 units,Carreras closed at $108 with 51,674 shares, Grace Kennedy traded at $42.90 with 16,980 shares. Jamaica Broilers closed at $18.50 with 1,846,484 stocks, Jamaica Producers lost 70 cents and closed at $15 with 32,069 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange closed at $6.30, with a loss of 5 cents and exchanging 35,994 units, JMMB Group traded 193,740 shares at $21.90. Kingston Properties closed 50 cents lower to $7 with 88,633 stock units, 
Kingston Wharves added 85 cents to close at $30.85 with 8,125 shares, Mayberry Investments closed at $4.50, losing 35 cents with 501,020 shares changing hands, NCB Financial Group traded $1.50 lower to $89.50 with 104,077 stock units, 1834 Investments closed at $1.40 with 1,402 shares. PanJam Investment added 1 cent to close at $33.48 with 17,094 units, Portland JSX exchanged 14,800 shares at $9.25, Radio Jamaica closed at $1.25, while losing 4 cents with 89,511 stocks, Sagicor Group ended at $33.25, with gains of 39 cents trading 46,363 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund closed at $10.99, gaining 1 cent with 30,998 shares, Salada Foods with a loss of 10 cents, closed at $8.50 with 53,870 units, Scotia Group traded 136,129 shares at $57.99, Seprod lost 60 cents, closing at $29.90 with 12,330 shares, Sterling Investments gained 60 cents, closing at $12.90 with 500 shares, Supreme Ventures closed at $11.01, losing 99 cents with 31,370 shares. Proven Investments US ordinary shares closed at 23.99 US cents with 16,400 units, Productive Business Solutions US ordinary shares closed at 60 US cents with 3,210 units, JMMB Group US 6% preference share ended at US$1.12 with 800 units and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% cumulative redeemable preference share traded $5 lower to $100 with 89,100 units.
Scotia stars again
Jacqueline Sharp
Scotia Group remains the star performer on the Jamaica Stock Exchange and is almost the sole stock resulting in the main market hitting new record highs in the past two weeks.
Although the stock traded at $57.99 with a gain of nearly $3 and the advance decline ratio was strongly positive, the market indices slipped at the close on Wednesday.
In wider market activity, the volume of stocks changing hands and their last traded price are: Barita Investments with a loss of 50 cents in closing at $9 with just 350 shares, Berger Paints closing 34 cents higher to $12.50 with 56,008 shares. Cable and Wireless gained 1 cent, to end at $1.06 with 14,000 shares, Caribbean Cement with a gains of $3.55, closed at $30.05 with 51,576 stock units,Carreras closing at $108 with 65,566 shares, Grace Kennedy added 90 cents and closed at $42.90 with 273,004 shares. Jamaica Broilers rose 79 cents, to $18.50 with 2,900 shares, Jamaica Producers ended with a loss of 10 cents, at $15.70 with 630 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange closed at $6.35 with 4,292 shares and JMMB Group traded 90 cents higher to $21.90 with 92,900 shares. Kingston Wharves gained 47 cents to close at $30 with 12,645 shares, Mayberry Investments closed at $4.85 with 101,445 shares, NCB Financial Group closed $2.50 higher to $91 with 51,608 shares, 138 Student Living closed at $4.75 with 1,216 shares, 1834 Investments gained 6 cents to close at $1.40 with 1,898 shares. 
PanJam Investment added 44 cents to close at $33.47 with 10,550 stock units, Radio Jamaica rose 7 cents to $1.29, with 5,719 shares, Sagicor Group closed at $32.86 trading 927,951 units, Salada Foods closed at $8.60 with 100,500 shares, Scotia Group traded $2.99 higher to close at a new high of $57.99 with 153,874 shares, Scotia Investments exchanged 2,025 shares at $35.50, Seprod closed at $30.50 with 2,850 shares, Sterling Investments with a loss of 50 cents, closed at $12.30 with 998,453 shares, Supreme Ventures closed at $12, losing 65 cents with 5,514 shares changing hands. erotic job escorts near me. Margaritaville Turks US ordinary shares closed at 30 US cents with 3,970 units traded, Proven Investments US ordinary share closed at 23.99 US cents, down from 24 cents, with 1,050,020 units, Productive Business Solutions US ordinary shares closed at 60 US cents with 900 units and Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.5% preference share ended at $2 with 242,935 units trading.
Broilers dominates Monday’s trading
Trading activity rose on Monday in the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange with 9,375,844 units valued at $169,350,761 changing hands, but one stock, Jamaica Broilers dominated trading, accounting for 7.49 million units and 80 percent of the volume traded.
Three stocks ended trading at record closing prices as demand grows for a selective group of companies.
At the close of the market the volume of stocks changing hands and their last traded price are: Barita Investments with gains of $2.15 and closing trading $10.25 with 45,000 units changing hands, Berger Paints closed 90 cents higher to $11.50 with 2,600 shares, Cable and Wireless gained 3 cents in closing at $1.08 with 142,022 shares, Caribbean Cement ending with a loss of 50 cents, to $26.50 with 499,169 units. Carreras closed at $107.55, losing 45 cents with 18,336 stock units, Grace Kennedy with a loss of 80 cents, closed at $41.20 with 9,576 shares. Jamaica Broilers traded $1.10 lower to $17.85 with 7,492,431 shares, Jamaica Producers gained 5 cents to close at $15.10 with 2,190 shares, JMMB Group lost 9 cents to close at $21.40 with 20,818 shares. Kingston Wharves closed at $30.79 with 2,955 shares, Mayberry Investments with gains of 16 cents, closed at $4.46 with 5,470 shares, NCB Financial Group fell 50 cents to close at $89.50 with 6,379 shares, 1834 Investments closed at $1.34 with 27,300 shares. 
Portland JSX exchanged 2,000 shares at $9.25, Pulse Investments lost 4 cents, closing at $1.95 with 195,848 shares, Radio Jamaica closed at $1.23, adding 1 cent with 36,482 stock units changing hands, Sagicor Group closed $1.25 lower to $32.85 trading 8,070 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund ended at $10.99, after losing 97 cents with 10,000 shares trading, Salada Foods closed at $8.50 with 200,000 shares, Scotia Group jumped $2, to a record close of $52 with 93,121 shares traded, Sterling Investments gained 10 cents, closing at $12.85 with 100 units, Supreme Ventures closed at $12.90 with 505,077 shares. Margaritaville Turks US ordinary share closed at 30 US cents with 2,904 units, Proven Investments US ordinary shares closed at 24 US cents with 2,298 units, recently listed Productive Business Solutions US ordinary share closed at a record high of 72 US cents, gaining US12 cents with 500 units, JMMB Group 7.5% preference share ended at $1.16 with 50,000 units and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% cumulative redeemable share closed with a gain of $5 at a record high of $105 with 900 shares.
2 new entrants to TOP 10
“The biggest change to stocks this coming week may well be guided by the recent cut in interest rates, with Treasury bill rates falling and Bank of Jamaica cutting its overnight rate by 25 basis points.” That was part of last week’s opening statement for the TOP 10 stocks report by IC Insider.com.
During the week main market stocks surged to record levels on 3 days with Friday closing with the third highest daily gain in the market’s history. The main market sits just below the critical 290,000 point mark and seems headed to break through that level, based on the shortage of supply for Scotia Group shares on Friday with a closing bid of $52. The cut in BOJ’s bench mark rate would translate to the all Jamaica Composite Index climbing to 298,000 points.
At the close of last week, there were no changes to the TOP 10 Junior list but two new companies swapped places in the main market with Barita Investments returning, as investors cooled on the stock following a run up in the price following news out of the company that the directors were considering a bid to acquire majority shares. Based on the third quarter results showing unrealized investment gains more than doubling the level at the end of September last year to $1.1 billion at June, the company should see major gains going forward in this area, with falling interest rates and rising stock prices. 
Salada Foods fell in price to $8.50 and along with Barita pushed out Sagicor Group and Pan Jam Investment, both of which rose in price during the week.
The average PE ratio for the Junior Market Top stocks is at 7.3 and the PE for the main market TOP 10, ends the week at 6.9. The average PE for the overall main market trades at 13.4 and 13.3 for Junior Market, based on 2017 estimated earnings.
At the close of the week, IC Insider.com’s TOP 10 stocks now trade at an average discount of 45 percent to the average of the market for Junior Market Top stocks and it remains at 48 percent for the main market.
Finance companies blast JSE indices
Sagiocr Group was one of the big contributors to the JSE rise on Friday with a rise of $2.30.
The main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange started trading for September in a very bullish mode and closed the day with a huge jump in the market indices, thanks to 2 to 1 advance decline ratio, but more so by movements in the three large capitalisation stocks, NCB Financial, Sagicor Group and Scotia Group.
The All Jamaica Composite Index surged 8,689.74 points, at the close of trading the third highest in the markets history and the JSE Market Index climbed 7,917.33 points. The market sits just under a major resistance level at 290,000 points on the All Jamaica Composite Index, a meaningful break out this coming week could open the market up for a huge rally for the balance of the year.
At the close of market activity, the volume of stocks changing hands and their last traded price are Barita Investments with gains of 5 cents to end at $8.10 with 9,501 shares, Berger Paints closed $2.50 lower to $10.60 with 30,378 shares as investors responded negatively to the buyout offer for the minority shareholdings while ignoring the fundamentals of the company. Cable and Wireless gained 5 cents, closing at $1.05 with 18,094 shares, Caribbean Cement traded 40,150 shares at $27, Carreras closed at $108 with 30,352 stock units, Ciboney exchanged just 200 shares at 17 cents, Grace Kennedy added 2 cents to close at $42 with 14,115 shares. Jamaica Broilers lost 5 cents and closed at $18.95 with 26,278 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange closed at $6.35, rising of 50 cents in trading 850 shares,JMMB Group gained 49 cents to close at $21.49 with 11,653 units. Kingston Properties closed at $7.50, rising 30 cents with 742 stock units, Kingston Wharves traded 6 cents lower to $30.79 with 1,503 shares, 
Mayberry Investments lost 20 cents, closing at $4.30 with 199,098 stock units, NCB Financial Group climbed $1.01 to close at $90 with 42,492 shares, 1834 Investments ended with a gain of 4 cents, closed at $1.34, with 31,474 shares and 138 Student Living lost 70 cents to close at $4.75 with 100 stock units. Radio Jamaica closed at $1.22 with 25,927 units changing hands, Sagicor Group jumped $2.30 to $34.10 trading 331,028 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund ended at $11.96, after falling 9 cents with 17,729 shares, Salada Foods gained 50 cents, closing at $8.50 with 100,000 shares, Scotia Group closed at $50 with 255,822 shares, after trading earlier at $52. The market closed with no stock being offered for sale ahead of the third quarter results due in the coming week. Seprod traded 4,000 shares at $33, Supreme Ventures closed at a record $12.90, gaining 90 cents with 81,771 units. Newly listed Productive Business Solutions US ordinary shares rose 5 cents and closed at a record 60 US cents while trading just 100 units, Proven Investments US ordinary share closed at 24 US cents with 14,100 units, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.5% preference share traded 45,100 units at $2 and JMMB Group 7.5% preference share gained 1 cent to close at $1.16 with 34,643 units.
New record for JSE main market
The main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange surged to a new high at 11 am on Friday with the all Jamaica Composite index jumping 4,315.47 points to a record 284,872.86 while the main market index rose 3,931.88 points to a record 259,551.43.
The Combined Index climbed 3,602.38 points to a record 272,379.47 as market sentiments suggest that the market may be at an early stage of a major bull run. The Junior Market slipped 1.95 points to 3,096.95 while the US dollar market index is unchanged at 182.58.
Sagicor Group traded 242,800 units valued $8 million and Lasco Distributors had 214,992 units trading valued at $1,68 million and Salada Foods had 100,000 units changing hands with a gain of 50 cents to $8.50.
Major end of month JSE moves
Supreme Ventures closed at record high of $12 on Thursday.
In an active day of market activities, 29 securities traded with Scotia Group hitting a record high of $50 ahead of the third quarter results due for release within a week and Supreme Ventures (SVL) closed at a high of $12 on the Jamaica Stock Exchange
Investors continue to respond positively to SVL half year results that rose 41 percent but Sterling Investments dropped to a 52 weeks’ low of $12.75.
Elsewhere in the main market overvalued Jamaica Producers traded 1,082,752 shares to close at $15.99 after adding 5 cents and 138 Student Living gained 30 cents to close at $5.45 with 1,589,048 shares. Productive Business Solutions that went to the public to raise fresh capital had the US dollar ordinary shares and the preference shares were listed at the start of the day but there was no trading in them.
PBS shares were listed on Thursday.
Pulse Investments gained 4 cents, closing at $1.99 with 4,826 shares, Radio Jamaica closed at $1.22 with 1,000 shares, Sagicor Group closed at $31.80 with gains of 20 cents trading 44,472 units, Sagicor Real Estate fund ended at $12.05, after gaining 5 cents with 500 shares, Salada Foods dropped $2 to $8 with 100,000 shares, Scotia Group advanced $3 to $50 with 75,994 shares, Scotia Investments eased 1 cent to $35.50 with 200 shares, Seprod traded 2,500 shares at $33, Sterling Investments declined $1.25 to $12.75 with 2,000 shares, Supreme Ventures closed at $12, gaining $1.01 with 114,906 shares. Margaritaville Turks US ordinary shares closed at 30 US cents with 1,000 units, Proven Investments US ordinary shares closed at 24 US cents with 51,749 units, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.5% preference share with gains of 15 cents, closed at $2 with 745,140 units and Proven 8.25% cumulative redeemable preference share gained 40 cents to close at $5.50 with 21,000 units.
NCB accounts for 61% of trade on Wednesday
NCB Financial traded 3m shares on Wednesday on the JSE.
On another record breaking day with the all Jamaica Composite index closing over 280,000 points for the first time, NCB Financial Group led the market with 61 percent of the volume traded, accounting for 3,011,045 shares with the price inching 1 cent higher to $87.55.
Elsewhere at the close of market activity, on a day when there were less securities rising than declining the securities changing hands with the last traded price and volume exchanged are:Barita Investments that lost 1 cent, to close at $9 with 17,951 shares, Cable and Wireless ending at $1 after losing 5 cents with 755,957 shares. Caribbean Cement traded $1 lower to $29 with 59,177 shares, Carreras closed 50 cents lower to $107.50 with 100,008 stock units, Grace Kennedy with gains of 50 cents, closed at $41.50 with 12,349 shares. Jamaica Broilers closed at $18.20 with 21,335 units, overvalued Jamaica Producers added 50 cents, in closing at $15 with 1,936 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange closed at $6.35, with a loss of 14 cents in trading 91,633 shares, 
JMMB Group gained of 20 cents and closed at $20.95 with 19,820 shares. Kingston Wharves closed at $32 with 150 shares, Mayberry Investments exchanged 97,980 shares at $4.60, 1834 Investments ended with a loss of 10 cents, closed at $1.30 with 342,520 shares, PanJam Investment climbed $1.52 to $34.50 with 6,000 shares. Pulse Investments fell 4 cents to $1.95 with 109,500 shares, Radio Jamaica lost 8 cents to close at $1.22 with 3,611 shares, Sagicor Group closed at $31.60 with a loss of 40 cents trading 43,720 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund closed at $12 with 8,983 shares, Scotia Group closed $1 higher at $47 with 29,941 shares, Seprod traded 5,000 shares at $33, Sterling Investments exchanged 7,000 shares at $14, Supreme Ventures slipped 1 cent to $10.99, with 81,268 shares. Proven Investments US ordinary shares gained 1 US cent to close at 24 US cents with 60,480 units and Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.25% preference share closed at $2.51 with 17,709 units.
Trading activity picks up on JSE
The main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange saw increased trading on Tuesday over Monday’s activity, with higher values and volumes. The market closed at a new record high with the gains for the year to date being 33 percent based on the All Jamaica Composite Index that advanced 1,183.31 points by the close of trading.
In trading Cable Bahamas Jamaica dollar denominated preference share, traded for the first time with 3 units changing hands at $1,000,000 each.
Elsewhere, at the close of market activity, the securities changing hands, the last price and volume traded for the day are, Barita Investments with a fall of $1.48 to $9.01 with 6,099 shares, after investors seemed to have lost interest in it, following the announcement of a buyout of majority shares. Berger Paints closed at $15.80, losing 20 cents with 60,636 shares, Cable and Wireless lost 5 cents to close at $1.05 with 905,749 shares, Caribbean Cement exchanged 5,388 shares at $30, Carreras held firm at $108 with 730,722 shares, Grace Kennedy ending with a loss of 50 cents, t0 $41 with 5,213 shares. 
Jamaica Broilers rising 45 cents, to $18.20 with 234,394 shares, Jamaica Producers with a loss of 48 cents, closed at $14.50 with 326,105 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange jumped 79 cents to $6.49, in trading 5,300 shares, JMMB Group lost 15 cents to $20.75 with 284,052 shares. Kingston Properties closed at $7.50, after losing 50 cents with 10,325 shares, Kingston Wharves climbed $1.15, to $32 with 164,207 shares, Mayberry Investments gained 10 cents to finish at $4.60 with 12,020 shares, NCB Financial Group closed at $87.54, losing 45 cents with 110,532 shares, PanJam Investment lost 2 cents to close at $32.98 with 150,000 shares. Pulse Investments closed with a loss of 1 cent, at $1.99 trading 20,701 shares, Radio Jamaica gained 10 cents to $1.30 with 54,276 shares, Sagicor Group closed at $32 with 55,233 units, Sagicor Real Estate Fund ended at $12 trading 8,200 shares, Salada Foods exchnaged 7,705 shares at $10, Scotia Group closed 50 cents higher to $46 with 16,854 stock units, Seprod climbed $3.25 to close at $33 with 9,091 shares, Supreme Ventures closed at record high of $11, gaining $1.49 with 34,580 shares. Proven Investments US ordinary shares closed at 23 US cents with 2,420 units, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.5% preference share, closed at $1.85 with 74,950 units, JMMB Group 7.5% preference share closed with 300,000 shares at $1.15 and Proven 8.25% preference share gained 10 cents to close at $5.10 with 279,533 units.
