More prices of stocks declined in main market trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Monday, leading to the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index falling 1,124.08 points to 423,656.74 and the JSE Index declining 1,021.46 points to 385,981.56 on a day when volume trading jumped sharply.
At the close of market, the main and US markets traded 39 securities, compared to 37 trading on Friday as 12 advanced, 14 declined and 13 traded without changes in prices.
Main market activity ended with 36,767,031 units valued at $321,823,355 trading, compared to 4,603,011 units valued $150,633,830 changing hands, on Friday.
Kingston Properties led trading with 18.7 million shares for 50.85 percent of the day’s volume, Sagicor Real Estate Fund ended with 15.5 million units, for 42 percent of the total main market volume changing hands and Mayberry Jamaican Equities ended with 764,943 units, for just 2 percent of the day’s volume.
Market activity ended with an average 1,081,383 units valued at $9,465,393, in contrast to 135,383 shares valued at $4,430,407 on Friday. The average volume and value for the month to date, amounts to 437,535 shares at $6,330,866 shares, in contrast to 391,249 shares at $7,075,160 on the prior trading day. Trading for February resulted in an average of 281,016 shares with a value of $11,715,160, for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator|The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator ended with the reading showing 8 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 closing with lower offers.
In main market activity, Berger Paints rose 49 cents and ended at $20, with an exchange of 10,250 stock units, Caribbean Cement closed with a gain of 98 cents to finish at $52, with 23,970 shares changing hands, Grace Kennedy rose 50 cents in trading 15,064 stock units, to close at $60.50. Jamaica Broilers finished trading of 42,075 units at $32.30, after falling $1.69. Jamaica Producers shed 34 cents and closed at $23.15, with 3,460 shares changing hands, JMMB Group concluded trading of 8,502 shares with a decline of by 50 cents to close at $31.51, Kingston Properties dropped 60 cents to settle at $6, trading 18,697,750 shares. Kingston Wharves dropped $2 to settle at $75, with an exchange of 3,500 units, Mayberry Investments rose by 50 cents and ended trading of 60,000 shares, at $9.50, Sagicor Group rose $1 in trading 100,736 shares, to close at $40. Salada Foods jumped $4.70 in trading 2,975 units to close at $32.70, Stanley Motta rose 40 cents to close at $4.90, trading 100,000 shares, Supreme Ventures rose $1 to finish at $23 with 78,766 units changing hands and Victoria Mutual Investments rose 35 cents to finish at $4, with an exchange of 493,408 units.
Trading in the US dollar market resulted in 5,055,932 units valued at US$539,604 changing hands. JMMB Group 5.75% preference share ended trading of 2,751 stock units at $1.50, JMMB Group 6% preference share traded 22,233 units at US$1.04 and JMMB Group 5.75% customers’ preference share settled at US$2 in trading 974 shares. Proven Investments closed trading with 19,360 units changing hands at 21.5 US cents and Sygnus Credit Investments USD ordinary shares traded 5,010,614 lost 1 cent to close at 10.1 US cents The JSE USD Equities Index fell 1.20 points to close at 174.88.
Market Watch still on Scotia
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Scotia Group January 2019 first quarter results due this week.
Scotia Group did not released this past week as was done in 2018. The 2019 result is expected this week, this is one that is to be watched keenly and investors would be smart to keep an eye on the most critical signal that it will send for increased profits for this year. It must show meaningful growth in the loan portfolio, to start pumping up profit. Caribbean Cement closed at $51.02 and should move higher with limited supply on offer and an analysis of the audited 2018 results suggesting that cost should decline sharply in some areas and revenues rise in the current year. IC Insider.com again revised earnings, this time to to $7 for the year. Last year, cement import cost more than $1 billion, that cost will not recur this year, they will also benefit from a full year of the removal of the expensive lease cost resulting full year’s saving from the $2 billion annual savings, resulting from owning the kilns rather than leasing. Radio Jamaica climbed to $1.15 late last week but there is not much selling at these levels.
Jamaica Stock Exchange pulled back during the week to $14.80 and seems poised to slip some more before settling down, ahead of the 2019 first quarter results that is expected to show a big increase in profit if the data of trading values are anything to go for 2019 to date. Grace Kennedy reported improved results with earnings per share of $5, helped by a big increase in investment income and foreign exchange should be priced higher than the $60.80 it last traded at.
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Buying of Fontana was strong on Friday.
Buying came in for Fontana last week pushing the price the price to $4 on Friday and could move higher during the coming week. Wisynco continues to trade around the current price just below $12 and seems poised to continue to move side wards for a while. Watch Elite Diagnostic that has been steady around $3.20 but with good buying interest at the current price level but sellers are reluctant to come off the $3.40 offer price.
Buying for General Accident continues to trade around $4.50 level with no clear signs when it will the break out to a higher price level as there have been selling around these levels and that may well continue for a while.
Lasco Financial remains stuck around $4.60 price level with some selling taking place at $4.60, but buying is not strong enough to move the price in the short term. Medical Disposables bounced last week but the price may bounce around for some time in the medium term. Caribean Cream seems poised to move higher with a gap that has developed between buying and selling interest. Express Catering this one could see huge benefits from the big double digit increase in tourist arrival this year so far, with January up 11.3 percent islandwide. Stationery and Office Supplies dropped to $7 from more than $8 but there are signs of a bounce. Barita Investments announced an interim dividend of 82 cents per share, this news could well lift demand for the stock.
Market Watch on Scotia
The main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange moved within less than 5,000 points of the record close in November last year as investors pushed the prices of some stocks higher during the past week.
Based on the date the first quarter results for Scotia Group was released in 2018, the 2019 results should be released on Thursday but so far the company has not posted the date of dividend consideration that is normally the date of announcing the results. Caribbean Cement closed at $55 and should move higher with limited supply on offer and an analysis of the audited 2018n results suggesting that cost should decline and revenues rise in the current year. IC Insider.com raised earnings to $6 for the year with the expensive $1 billion cement import last year not recurring this year and the benefit of a full year of removal of lease cost with added saving this year from the $2 billion annual savings from resulting from owning the kilns rather than leasing. Keep on watching this one for a break out in price.
Radio Jamaica pulled back to $1 late last week but there is buying at those levels and above.
The Junior Market is consolidating with a slight negative bias, even as this market seems far more undervalued than the main market, the release of quarterly profit results is not helping this market currently as investors wait to see what 2019 results will look like.
Last week, a number of results were released but they showed that investors may have pushed prices to their limit already. Jamaica Stock Exchange report big increase in profit for 2018 of $413 million versus $221 million in 2017 with earnings per share of 59 cents and thus pushing the PE ratio to a rich 30. Berger Paints profits were flat but the company had a blowout final quarter with revenues jumping 155 percent from the poor 2017 quarter and profits of $130 million versus just $30 million in 2017. Grace Kennedy reported improved results with earnings per share of $5, helped
![](http://icinsider.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/11/GK-new-HQ-e1542688648637-450x248.jpg)
Grace new HQ close to the end of construction in downtown Kingston
Fontana’s and Wisynco continues to trade around their current prices just below $4 and $12 respectively and seem poised to continue to move side wards for a while.
Elite Diagnostic moved up to $3.20 last week with good demand at that level continues to trade around $3.10 with a gap developing between the bids at $3.10 and sellers at $3.40. Will buyers move higher or will sellers come down where the majority of buyers are? Watch to see how this develops.
Buying for General Accident continues to trade around $4.50 level with no clear signs when it will the break out to a higher price level.
Lasco Financial remains stuck around $4.60 price level with some selling taking place at $4.60, but buying is not strong enough to move the price in the short term. Medical Disposables bounced last week but the price may bounce around for some time in the medium term.