Medical Disposables fell out of the Top 5 junior market selection during the past week, based on price movement, with the bid at $4.95 and Jetcon Corporation with the price at $4.51 returns, making it back into the top list by just inching ahead of General Accident.
The insurance company enjoyed strong buying during the past week and could slip out in the coming week. Medical Disposables still has more room for growth with the company expanding its product range. Derrimon Trading moved up to third spot after the stock traded at $4 during the week but pulled back to $3.50 by the close. Knocking at the Top 5 position in the junior market are tTech now that the price slipped to $5.30, Caribbean Flavours and Caribbean Cream with Paramount Trading just below.
Stocks in the main market all remained in the Top 5 but positions have changed, the top attraction for the week is JMMB Group that climbed to $13 and sits just and now sits at number 5 spot having entered at the top spot last week. With the news of the group obtaining a banking license, the way may be clear for the price to surge a bit more in the coming week and most likely push it out of the top 5. Stocks peeping in at the Top 5 in the main market are Grace Kennedy, National Commercial Bank and Sterling Investments.
With the junior market trading at new records this past week, the attractive gains that were evident a few weeks ago are receding in the junior market with IC Insider data showing just 7 junior market stocks that could double by early 2017. That is in contrast to the main market that shows 15 stocks that could double or more than double. All that is reflected in the fact that the junior market is up 33 percent year to date, while the main market is up just 9 percent.
Record close for JSE stocks – Friday
The JSE Combined index closes at a new all-time high on Friday.
Trading ended with the prices of 14 securities gaining out of a total of 40 trading, while 14 declined in the overall market, including 7 stocks rising and 8 falling, in the junior market.
At the close 43,448,695 units valued at $912,734,040, changed hands, compared to the 3,849,357 units valued at $41,532,118 changing hands on Thursday. The junior market accounted for 3,440,359 units valued at $12,272,247 of the stocks traded.
At the close, the JSE Market Index climbed 427.61 points to end at 164,482.25. The all Jamaica Composite Index rose 478.22 points to close at 182,782.97 and the JSE combined index climbed 560.98 points, to end at 177,090.44 for a new record high.
In the morning session the markets traded in record territory with the all Jamaica Composite Index jumping 1,572.36 points to 183,877.11, the Jamaica Stock Exchange Market Index climbed 1,405.97 points to 165,460.61, the Jamaica Stock Exchange combined index surged 1,660.01 points to 178,189.47 and the junior market index rose 34.67 points to 2,408.56.IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 20 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 with lower offers.In market activity, Barita Investments traded 6,740 shares to close at $4.20, Berger Paints rose 35 cents and closed at a 52 weeks’ high of $5.50 with 1,415 units changing hands, Cable & Wireless fell 2 cents and closed at 87 cents with 434,690 units changing hands, Caribbean Cement lost 1 cent in trading 18,700 shares to close at $30. Carreras exchanged 3,180 shares at $65.85, trading in 1834 Investments ended with 20,000 shares changing hands, 2 cents lower at $1.22, Grace Kennedy closed with 14,368 shares changing hands at $42.50, Jamaica Stock Exchange ended with a loss of $1 at $27 with 80,570 units trading.
JMMB Group jumped $1.50 in trading 139,118 units to close at $13, National Commercial Bank (NCB) traded 1,951,691 shares and gained 50 cents to end at $41.50, supply for NCB is drying up with only 97,550 on offer between $42 and $47 including 72,835 units at $45.50, Pan Jamaican Investments closed at $23.50 after trading 2,549,213 shares. Sagicor Group gained 1 cent in trading 28,272,885 shares to close at $23.81 and left just one sell order amounting to 2,000 shares at $25, in the market. The lack of supply for Sagicor could be a big signal of an upward movement for the stock, Sagicor Real Estate Fund rose 5 cents in trading 5,603,612 shares to close with at $10.25, Scotia Group lost 50 cents and closed at $31.50 with 890,433 shares changing hands and Seprod traded 1,258 shares to end at $22.
Stocks hit new highs early trading
Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, pushed the markets into new record territory, with the All Jamaica Composite index jumping 1,572.36 points to 183,877.11
beating the previous highest close of 183,366.39 reached in February while the junior market climbed into the 2,400 level for the first time.
Up to 10:45 am, the main trades are Caribbean Cream traded 136,819 units at $9.40 after trading at $9.70, General Accident Insurance had 600,000 units changing hands at $2.40, Lasco Distributors rose to $7.50 with 222,184 shares Honey Bun traded 66,969 shares at $6.10 and Paramount Trading moved to a new all-time high of $19.50 with just 2,000 shares.
At 10:45 am 26 securities traded, resulting in a volume of 1,383,211 shares changing hands carrying a value of $7,292,776. The average number of shares traded amounts to 53,200 units. Market activity resulted in 5 stocks falling while the prices of 10 securities rose.
The all Jamaica Composite Index jumped 1,572.36 points to 183,877.11. If the market ends trading close to this level, it would represent a new all time high for all three major indices. at mid morning the Jamaica Stock Exchange Market Index climbed 1,405.97 points to 165,460.61, the Jamaica Stock Exchange combined index surged 1,660.01 points to 178,189.47 and the junior market index gained 34.67 points to 2,408.56.
Trading drops on TTSE – Thursday
Trading activity dropped on the Trinidad and Tobago stock market on Thursday compared with the levels of trading on Wednesday. Only 89,457 shares valued at $1,653,454 changed hands, compared to 204,982 units valued at $2,918,765 on Wednesday.
The market closed with modest movements in the indices and ended with 3 stocks gaining, 1 declining and 6 remaining unchanged as 10 securities traded.
The Composite Index rose 0.84 points to close at 1,157.05, the All T&T Index gained 1.60 points to close at 1,818.55 and the Cross Listed Index inched up 0.01 to 65.98 points.
IC bid-offer Indicator| The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator ended with 7 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 with offers that were lower.
Gains| National Commercial Bank ended with 32,432 shares changing hands to close at $2.60, with a gain of 2 cents, National Enterprises rose 14 cents and ended with 35,000 shares changing hands at $10.15 and West Indian Tobacco traded 5,000 shares to close a 52 weeks’ high of $127.05 after gaining 5 cents.
Losses| Ansa McAl lost 1 cent in trading 1,360 units to end at $62.70.
Firm Trades| Angostura Holdings jumped 45 cents with 149 shares, changing hands to close at $14.50, First Citizens Bank traded 44 shares to end at $35, Guardian Holdings ended with 808 shares to close at $12.80. Prestige Holdings traded 2,100 shares at $11, Sagicor Financial Corporation closed with 31,341 shares changing hands at $6.90, Scotiabank closed with 30 shares at $58 and Trinidad and Tobago NGL closed at $23.65 with 13,625 units changing hands.
A new junior record on – Thursday
Trading on the Junior market ended with a third consecutive record high Thursday as the closed at a new high of 2,373.89 for a gain of 7.58 points as 4 stocks rose and 2 declined with just 10 securities that trading.
Trading volume and value rose from Wednesday’s levels, ending with 1,742,459.00 units changing hands, 129 percent more than on Wednesday, while the value traded climbed by 224 percent to $12,530,207, from $3,870,697 on Wednesday.
Market activities ended with 10 securities closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 ending with lower offers. Month end is a period when some bids increase to show stronger close than for a few days before with valuation of portfolios based on the higher bids.
In market activity Cargo Handlers stock has not traded since it closed at $86.10 on September 12, the market closed with the bid at $91 to buy 3,000 units, with no units offered for sale, next in line to buy is 6,540 shares at $89, there were stocks offered for sale at the close. The company at a recent extraordinary meeting approved a 10 for 1 stock split, to take effect from the close of business on October 21. Key Insurance remains under pressure with the offer at $2.30 to sell 30,000 units compared with the last sale of $2.49. There were no bids to buy the stock at the close.
Blue Power closed at $25 with 12,400 units changing hands, Caribbean Cream lost 23 cents with 31,000 shares 
changing hands to close at $9.27, C2W traded 37,949 shares to close at 24 cents, Honey Bun with 3,050 shares changing hands and closed at $6.19 with a gain of 19 cents. Jetcon Corporation had just 2,200 units changing hands, to end at $4.70, KLE Group ended at $2.10 with 48,500 shares changing hands after rising by 24 cents, Knutsford Express traded 10,500 units to close at $24 after shedding 48 cents, Lasco Distributors closed with a gain of 24 cents as 1,610,495 units traded at $7.24. Lasco Financial ended with 11,739 shares changing hands at $3.18, after rising by 13 cents, Lasco Manufacturing closed at $5 with 9,565 shares trading.
Jamaican stocks at all-time high – Thursday
Stocks on the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange rose with sizable gains at the close of trading on Thursday. Prices in the overall closed at a new record high, as the JSE combined index surged to a new high for 2016 as advancing stocks overpowered declining ones 3 to 1.
Trading ended with the prices of 13 securities gaining out of a total of 29 trading, while 4 declined in the overall market, including 3 stocks rising and 5 falling, in the junior market.
At the close 3,849,357 units valued at $41,532,118, changed hands, compared to the 3,098,446 units valued at $40,569,011 changing hands on Wednesday. The junior market accounted for 759,344 units valued at $3,870,697 of the stocks traded.
At the close, the JSE Market Index climbed 943.55 points to end at 164,054.64. The all Jamaica Composite Index rose 1,055.21 points to close at 182,304.75 and the JSE combined index climbed 952.95 points, to end at 176,529.46 for a new record high, surpassing the record reached in February.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading show a sharp rise to 22 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 6 with lower offers.
In market activity, Berger Paints closed at $5.15 with 1,019 units changing hands, Cable & Wireless fell 1 cent and closed at 89 cents with 95,807 units changing hands, Caribbean Cement rose 81 cents in trading 2,000 shares to close at $29.20, Carreras exchanged 8,597 shares at $65.85. Trading in 1834 Investments ended with 43,451 shares changing hands 2 cents higher at $1.24, Grace Kennedy closed with 2,265 shares changing hands at $42.50, 
Jamaica Broilers had 19,210 shares changing hands to end at $14.60 after rising 5 cents, Jamaica Producers closed at $8.40 with 1,349 units trading. Jamaica Stock Exchange ended at $28 with 7,839 units trading, JMMB Group climbed 60 cents in trading 1,239,331 units to close at $11.50, Sagicor Group declined by 20 cents in trading 391,564 shares to close at $23.80, Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 114,328 shares to close with at $10.20. Scotia Group climbed $1.70 and closed at $32 with 10,731 shares changing hands, Seprod rose 10 cents in trading 129,305 shares to end at $22, Supreme Ventures rose 5 cents to close at $4.65 with 12,000 shares. Proven Investments traded 9,700 ordinary shares to close at 20 US cents after gaining 1.5 cents.
Jamaica’s FX market balanced on Thursday
Flows in and out of the Jamaican foreign exchange market were in balance on Thursday. The impact on rates was mixed, with slippage in the value of the Jamaican dollar against United States and Canadian currencies and gains against the pound and euro.
At the end of trading, the equivalent of all currencies bought by dealers was US$29,696,401, while US$29,483,135 was sold compared to US$29,131,694 purchased and US$23,158,962 sold on Wednesday.
In US dollar trading, dealers bought US$26,609,238 compared to US$26,470,810 on Wednesday. The buying rate for the US dollar rose 18 cents to close at $127.50. A total of US$27,286,685 was sold versus US$21,617,895 on Wednesday, with the selling rate rising 9 cents to end at $128.20.
The Canadian dollar buying rate jumped $2.68 to $96.85, with dealers buying C$2,401,978 and selling C$2,067,916 at an average rate that climbed $1.56 to $97.91. The average rate for buying the British Pound fell $1.11 to $162.77 for the purchase of £900,326 while £381,123 was sold as the rate fell 20 cents to end at $166.23.
At the end of trading, dealers sold €102,860 as the selling rate for the Euro, closed at $143.92 for a fall of 25 cents from Wednesday’s rate, according to data from Bank of Jamaica. Dealers purchased €96,008 of the European common currency at $138.31 after falling $1.09 from the rate on Wednesday. The US dollar equivalent of other currencies traded, amounts to US$9,077 being bought and the selling of US$7,432.
Highs & Lows| Changes to the highest and lowest traded rates for the US Dollar remain moderate but notable changes to rates for the three other currencies in the foreign exchange market on Thursday, include a rise of $2.24 highest buying rate of the Canadian dollar to $100.10. The highest buying rate of the British Pound dropped $2.40 to $166.60, the highest selling rate rose $1.93 to $174.20 while the lowest selling rate fell $3.75 to $158. Trading in the Euro resulted in a rise of $3.10 in the highest selling rate to end at $149.80 and a gain of $2.58 in the lowest selling rate to $137.08.
Stock split for Paramount Trading
Paramount puts stock split resolution to AGM in October.
No recommendation is being put to the shareholders as to the level of the split. The timing and extent of the split is proposed to be left for the directors of the company to determine. The resolution included on the agenda of the annual general meeting and included in the company’s annual report states: “That each of the issued ordinary stock units in the capital of the company be sub-divided in accordance with the Articles of Incorporation of the company, into such number of stock units as may be prescribed by the Board of Directors.”
Based on the current stock price of $17.50 and lack of supply, the split seems likely to be in the order of 5 or 6 to 1. The top 10 shareholders of Paramount own just over 95 percent of the 154.24 million shares issued by the company.
Technical problems hit JSE trading
When trading resumed Thursday on the on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, it lasted just over half an hour before activity came to an abrupt end, with only a few securities having traded to that point.
A check with the exchange, revealed that technical issues affected the trading platform. Users of the platform found out that there were no new feed of information being received and they were unable to reload the trading platform that shows market activities. The information available revealed that after three hours persons in the information technology department of the Exchange and the management for trading are locked in a meeting to see if the problem can be identified and rectified. In the past when trading is disrupted, the exchange normally extends the trading hours to compensate for the lost time. if this is done today trading may not end until close to 4 PM.
JSE majors jump on Wednesday
Stocks on the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange rose with sizable gains at the close of trading on Wednesday with four digit gains in the main indices as over advancing stocks gained the upper hand at the close.
Trading ended with the prices of 13 securities gained out of a total of 41 trading, while 9 declined in the overall market, including 3 stocks rising and 5 falling, in the junior market.
At the close 3,098,446 units valued at $40,569,011, changed hands, compared to the 3,375,381 units valued at $114,125,679 changing hands on Tuesday. The junior market accounted for 759,344 units valued at $3,870,697 of the stocks traded.
At the close, the JSE Market Index garnered 1,178.43 points to end at 163,111.09. The all Jamaica Composite Index rose 1,317.90 points to close at 181,249.54 and the JSE combined index climbed 1,138.30 points, to end at 175,576.51.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading showed 15 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 with lower offers.
In market activity, Berger Paints gained 4 cents to close at $5.15 with 500 units changing hands, Cable & Wireless closed at 90 with 197,033 units changing hands, Caribbean Cement dropped 30 cents in trading 33,165 shares to close at $29.20, Carreras exchanged 46,014 shares at $65.85 to gain 85 cents. 1834 Investments traded 207,766 shares at $1.22, Grace Kennedy rose 50 cents and closed with 152,808 shares changing hands at $42.50, Jamaica Broilers had 19,108 shares changing hands to end at $14.55, Jamaica Producers closed at $8.40 with 41,793 units trading. Jamaica Stock Exchange ended at $28 with 3,600 units trading, JMMB Group traded 32,634 units to close at $10.90, 
Margaritaville Turks traded 120,000 shares to close at 23.5 US cents after gaining 0.50 cent, Mayberry Investments traded 28,428 but fell 15 cents in closing at $3.70, National Commercial Bank rose 80 cents to $41 with 15,162 shares changing hands. Pan Jamaican Investment traded 84,575 shares to close $23.50 after rising 19 cents, Sagicor Group rose 30 cents in trading 220,817 shares to close at $24, Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 8,000 shares to close with at $10.20, Scotia Group climbed $1.30 and closed at $30.30 with 10,100 shares changing hands. Scotia Investments closed at $26 with 8,800 shares changing hands, Supreme Ventures lost 20 cents to close at $4.60 with 22,100 shares. Proven Investments traded 468,600 ordinary shares to close at 18.5 US cents after declining by 0.49 cents, JMMB Group 7.50% preference share traded 100,000 units at $1.10 and Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference share traded 482,849 units at $2.13.
