The Jamaica Stock Exchange, ended with 13 stocks advancing, 10 declining as 30 securities changed hands, ending in 3,850,561 units trading, valued at $23,389,820. Trading closed with 7 stocks ending at new 52 weeks’ highs and 1 ending a new low, in all market segments.
The JSE Market Index lost 556.70 points to 97,333.36, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index fell 622.25 points to close at and the 107,731.47 JSE combined index dropped 542.27 points to end at 100,220.42.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows only 3 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 6 with offers that were lower, an indication of the markets softening in the short term. 
The junior market that recorded 3 gains to 2 declines showed weakness at the end with 3 stocks closing with lower offers than the last sale and only 1 with the bid that was higher.
Stocks trading include, Barita Investments trading 24,000 shares at $2.65 for an increase of 14 cents, Cable & Wireless with 290,187 shares changing hands closing at 44 cents, Gleaner trading 500,000 shares gained 7 cents to close at $1.07, Hardware & Lumber closed with 5,950 shares trading to end at $19. Investors pushed Jamaica Stock Exchange 50 cents to close at $6.50 with 78,000 units changing hands, in continued favourable response to the company’s increased first quarter profit and the payment of a 53 cents dividend. Jamaica Producers had 7,450 units trading 10 cents lower at $18.55, JMMB Group saw 13,200 shares trading, to close 4 cents down at $7.22, down 24 cents, Mayberry Investments traded 623,497 stock units and lost 19 cents to end at $2.88, at the close there was a bid by Mayberry to buy 1,198,980 units at $2.88.
National Commercial Bank had 315,733 shares trading with a gain of 10 cents to close at $29.50, Radio Jamaica traded 12,265 units at a new 52 weeks’ high of $3.01 by adding 1 cent, Sagicor Group trading at the close at a new 52 weeks’ high of $12.40 after putting on 10 cents with 113,740 shares changing hands. Scotia Group dropped 90 cents with only 5824 shares trading, to close at $23.50, Scotia Investments traded 7,000 stock units, to end at $26.28. Proven Investments traded 236,105 ordinary stock units at 21.05US cents, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference share trading 500,850 units at $2 while losing 3 cents.
3 TTSE stocks rise none declined
Trading on the Trinidad Stock Exchange ended with 10 securities changing hands 3 of which advanced and 7 traded firm, with a total of 62,727 units, valued at $923,515.
At the close of the market, the Composite Index rose 0.07 points to close at 1,161.73, the All T&T Index gained 0.02 points to close at 1,970.58 and the Cross Listed Index increased by a mere 0.2 points to end at 46.31.
Gains| Stocks increasing in price at the close are, Clico Investment Fund with only 415 shares trading at $22.55, One Caribbean Media traded 550 shares and closed 1 cent higher at $22,42 and Sagicor Financial Corporation ended trading 6,842 units at $6.06 after rising 2 cents.
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading are, 
ANSA McAL trading 212 shares and closed at $67.07 while Angostura traded 371 shares at $13.95, First Citizens Bank traded 5,422 shares valued at $194,162, to close at $35.81, Guardian Holdings closed at $14.05 while trading 30,000 shares carrying a value of $421,500. Massy Holdings traded 2,855 shares valued at $183,719to close at $64.35, Scotia Investments closed with 3,460 shares changing hands and closed at $1.47 and Trinidad Cement ended the day at $2.90, with 12,600 shares changing hands.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 1 stock with the bid higher than their last selling prices and 2 stocks with lower offers.
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.
Only 3 stock rose 1 fell on TTSE
Trading on the Trinidad Stock Exchange ended with 11 securities changing hands of which 3 advanced, 1 declined and 7 traded firm with a total of 718,142 units, valued at $1,958,691.
At the close of the market, the Composite Index rose 1.21 points to close at 1,161.66, the All T&T Index gained just 0.12 points to close at 1,970.56 and the Cross Listed Index increased by a mere 0.31 points to end at 46.29.
Gains| Stocks increasing in price at the close are, Clico Investment Fund with 4,400 shares trading, gained by 5 cents to end at $22.55, National Commercial Bank contributing 329,506 shares with a value of $283,784, to end at $1.80 up 4 cents and West Indian Tobacco ]traded 550 shares and closed at $125.40, up 7 cents.
Declines| JMMB Group with 314,254 shares being traded for $142,389 to close down by 2 cents at 45 cents to be the sole stock declining.
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading are, ANSA McAL trading 318 shares and closed at $67.07, First Citizens Bank trading 635 shares to close at $35.81. Guardian Holdings close at $14.05 while trading 40,000 shares with a value of $562,000, Massy Holdings traded 5,509 shares valued at $354,504 to close at $64.35, National Flour traded 1,000 units and closed at $2, Sagicor Financial Corporation traded 13,470 units at $6.04 and Scotia Investments ended with 8,500 shares changing hands at $1.47.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 1 stock with the bid higher than the last selling price and 2 stocks with lower offers.
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.
JSE struggles to break out
Buyers are willing to buy proven at a PE of 48, by far the highest in the market.
Trading in the market resulted in the prices of 10 stocks rising, 8 declining as 31 securities changed hands, ending in 4,581,896 units trading, valued at $24,655,549, in all market segments and 3 stocks closed a new 52 weeks’ high, in all market segments. The main market of the JSE Market Index lost 1,163.43 points to 98,088.54, theJSE All Jamaican Composite index fell 1,300.42 points to close at 108,575.56 and the JSE combined index dropped by 1,097.94 points to end at 100,748.95.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 12 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and just 2 with offers that were lower. The indications from pass comparisons with the next day actual performance suggests that the numbers of stocks likely to rise on the next trading day will be close to the number of higher bids but the negatives number could end being 2 to 4 times the above lower bids.In trading, Cable & Wireless continues to shed cents from the stock price as it traded 105,232 shares, to end at 43 cents 2 cents down. Caribbean Cement had just 10,000 shares trading, but it lost 20 cents to close at $4.80, Carreras had just 3,200 units changing hands at $1 higher to $51, Jamaica Stock Exchange had 15,850 units changing hands for 5 cents more to reach a new 52 weeks closing high of $5.05
as the board of the company meets on Monday coming, to declare a dividend. National Commercial Bank lost 60 cents while trading 131,412 units to end at $29, Sagicor Group finished with 25,900 shares to close at $12, Proven Investments traded a good volume of 368,945 shares to close at 21 US cents, but finished with the bid at US 22 cents for a hand full of shares. If the stock should trade at this level the valuation would be a PE ratio of 48 times ongoing earnings, well above any other stock on the exchange. Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.25% preference share trading 1.8 million units and the 8.75% preference share ending with 999,225 shares.
JSE records gains as 12 stock rose
JSE closed at a new high on Thursday of $5
The JSE Market Index rose by 850.14 points to 99,251.97,
the JSE All Jamaican Composite index rose 950.23 points to close at 109,875.98 and the JSE combined index gained 909.48 points to end at 101,846.89.IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 11 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 with offers that were lower.
After two hours of trading on Thursday there was heavy trading in a number of stocks. The big trades for the day are Caribbean Cement with 4,504,011 shares to close at $4.80, the vast majority traded at $5. Carreras traded 528,878 units to end at $50, Jamaica Broilers with 3,019,120 shares changing hands, closed at $5.50, Scotia Group traded 1,103,300 shares with the price closing unchanged at $25.50 as Scotia Investment bought most of those to trade. Supreme Ventures had 8,559,749 shares traded to end at $3.50, down 25 cents and Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference share traded 836,000 units with a gain of 19 cents to end at $2.30.
Elsewhere in the market, Jamaica Stock Exchange traded 21,150 units to end with a gain
of 20 cents to a new closing high of $5. National Commercial Bank with 248,135 shares closed at $29.60 to end with a 5 cents gain, Pan Jamaican Investment traded 5,678 shares to close 3 cents higher at a new 52 weeks high of $60.55, Pulse Investments traded 300,000 units at 45 cents, to gain 9 cents for a new 52 weeks high. Sagicor Group had 388,585 shares trading to close at $12, Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 418,797 shares at $7.60, up 50 cents on the day, Scotia Investments exchanged 20,028 shares to close at $26.28 and Proven Investments traded 146,255 shares at 21 US cents.
Cross currents impact Scotia Group
Faced with cross currents of one sort or the other Scotia Group has had to navigate some traitorous water over the past two years or so. They may be coming to the end but their latest results are not very encouraging. For with profit of $10.5 billion in 2013 up from $10.2 billion in 2012, Scotia could just manage $9.76 billion last year or $3.14 per share. The group so far seems to be retreating rather than going forward, with the latest results.
Scotia in its latest quarterly report reported net profit of $3.845 billion for the six months ended April 2015, a fall of $1.1 billion, from the restated net income of $4.96 billion for the period ended April 2014. For the quarter to April net profit came in at $2.3 billion versus $2.69 billion in the April 2014 quarter, reduction in foreign exchange trading and securities trading gains and increased in other operating costs were major contributors to the decline but were partially offset by increased fee income and insurance revenues.
Jackie Sharp CEO of Scotia Group
Net interest income after impairment losses for the period was $11.4 billion, an increase of $235 million when compared with the same period in 2014. There was a reduction in the impairment losses on loans of $242 million.
Operating Expenses for the six months amounted to $9.94 billion and increase of $434 million over the $9.4 billion in 2014 excluding the Asset Tax of $1.29 billion being recorded in the financial results for April 2015, compared to $484 million for April 2014.
The loan portfolio is up $10.8 billion or 7.9 percent over April last year, and after allowance for impairment losses, loans amounted to $147.55 billion as at April. Non-performing loans totalled $4.9 billion, representing 3.26 percent of total gross loans down from 3.45 percent last year and 3.34 percent as at January this year the bank advised investors. The Group’s aggregate loan loss provision as at April 2015 was $5.3 billion.
Earnings per share amounts to 74 cents for the quarter and $1.21 for the half-year and looks like ending the year just below $3 per share. The stock traded on the Jamaica Stock exchange at $25.50 on Thursday. A dividend of 40 cents was declared, payable on 15th of July.
3 new highs on TTSE
Unilever closed at a new 52 weeks high on Wednesday
At the close of the market, the Composite Index fell by 1.56 points to close at 1,159.15, the All T&T Index rose by just 0.62 points to close at 1,969.84 and the Cross Listed Index decreased by 0.50 points to end at 45.72.
Gains| Stocks increasing in price at the close are, Ansa McAL traded 900 shares to close with a gain of 1 cent at $67.06, Massy Holdings ended up with 380 units changing hands 15 cent higher at $64.25. Mora Ven Holdings, with 200 shares trading closed at a 52 weeks’ high of $14.98 as the price gained a cent. The stock was traded for the first time since April last year, according to data on the Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange. National Flour Mills with 1,500 shares changing hands, closed with a gain of 10 cents at $2, for a new 52 weeks’ high. Point Lisas gained 1 cent to end at $3.81 with just 300 shares trading, Unilever Caribbean contributed 3,839 shares with a value of $254,724 and gained 21 cents to end at $66.36 for another r52 weeks’ high and West Indian Tobacco closed 2 cents up to $125.33 with 94 shares trading.
Declines| The stocks declining at the end of trading are, Clico Investment Fund which lost 5 cents to close at $22.50 with 7,150 shares trading, valued at $160,888. Grace Kennedy added 1,900 shares to close 2 cents lower at $3.55, National Commercial Bank contributing just 120 shares, 5 cents lower at $1.70 and JMMB Group with a volume of 100,000 shares being traded 3 cents lower, at 47 cents.Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading are, Agostini’s ending with 1,100 shares trading, in closing at $17.25. First Citizens Bank trading 9,781 shares valued at $350,181 closed at $35.80, National Enterprises with 250 shares closed at $17.20, Prestige Holdings ended with just 10 shares changing hands at $9.90 and Scotiabank traded 50 units at $62.54.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 2 stocks with the bid higher than their last selling prices and 2 stocks with offers that were lower.
Declining stocks outpace advancers
Activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, resulted in the prices of 10 stocks rising, 13 declining as 33 securities changed hands, ending in 9,407,399 units trading, valued at $83,136,775, with 4 stocks closing at 52 weeks’ high, in all market segments.
The JSE Market Index lost 787.71 points to 98,401.83, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index declined 880.45 points to close at 108,925.75 and the JSE combined index dropped by 631.19 points to end at 100,937.41.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 15 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 9 with offers that were lower. The indication is for fluidity in price movements on Thursday and the likelihood of declining stocks out numbering advancing ones.
In trading, Berger Paints traded 71,289 units at $3, Caribbean Cement had 201,560 units trading at $5 after dropping 10 cents. Interestingly, even as Cable & Wireless posted a large loss after taking a $7 billion one off extra ordinary expense hit, the stock traded 649,000 units between 50 cents and the closing price of 48 cents, the same as on Tuesday. Carreras traded 483,380 units at $50, after falling $1.50, Gleaner Company had 219,403 shares trading at $1, Hardware & Lumber closed with 38,638 shares trading unchanged at $18, Jamaica Broilers having 2,428,147 units trading with the price holding at $5.18 after slipping from $5.50 earlier in the day, to end the day down 7 cents. JMMB Group lost 79 cents while it traded 1,130,033 units as the price closed at $7.71, following poor profit results in the final quarter of the fiscal year to March.
Mayberry Investments had 1,099,821 units trading 4 cents lower at $3.05. One million units of the stock were sold by JMMB Securities and Mayberry bought them for in house purposes. National Commercial Bank ended with 81,153 units changing hands 35 cents down at $29.55, Pan Jamaican Investment traded 4,078 units 2 cents higher for a new 52 weeks’ high of $60.52. Sagicor Group had 1,199,248 shares trading at $12, after slipping 5 cents, Scotia Group had 315,085 units changing hands to end 250 cents higher at $25.50 and Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference shares closed with 295,000 units trading to end at $2.11.