Trading activity on the Trinidad and Tobago stock market closed Tuesday with marginal gains in the market indices. The volume traded remained subdued with just over 200,000 units changing hands. At the close 12 securities changed hands, 5 of which rose, 7 remained unchanged with no losing stocks at the end of the day.
Market activity ended with 208,021 shares valued at $2,665,520 changing hands, down from the $3,417,455 traded on Monday.
The Composite Index gained 1.10 points to close at 1,157.64, the All T&T Index rose 0.51 points to close at 1,819.29 and the Cross Listed Index ended 0.23 point higher at 66.04.
IC bid-offer Indicator| The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator ended with 6 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 with offers that were lower.
Gains| Agostini’s gained 25 cent in trading 4,000 shares, to end at $17.30, Angostura Holdings rose 2 cents and ended with 18,685 shares valued at $587,776 changing hands to close at $14.02. Firstcaribbean International Bank ended trading with 13,165 shares and closed with a rise of 5 cents at $6.95, Guardian Holdings gained 1 cent to end at $13.01 with 9,800 shares changing hands and 
Sagicor Financial Corporation gained 1 cent to close with 2,961 shares changing hands at $6.52.
Firm Trades| Clico Investment Fund closed with 28,732 shares valued at $650,997 changing hands, to end 15 cents higher at $22.66, First Citizens traded 4,521 units at $35, Republic Financial Holdings ended with 5,310 shares changing hands at $110, Scotiabank closed with 610 shares changing hands to end at $57.53. Trinidad and Tobago NGL closed at $23.50 with 12,056 units changing hands, Trinidad Cement closed at $3.05 with 107,740 shares valued at $328,607 changing hands and West Indian Tobacco with 441 shares changing hands closed at $126.32.
5 TTSE’s stocks climb none fell – Tuesday
$29.50 new high for JSE early Tuesday
Jamaica Stock Exchange traded 1,400 at a new high of $29.50 up $2.10, following the high it reached in early trading Monday of $28, 
Jetcon Corporation traded 399,800 units at $3.20, after rising 30 cents, tTech jumped 50 cents while it traded 503,333 shares at $5 and Cable & Wireless had 524,622 units trading at $1. Gains in prices moved the market indices much higher than at the close on Monday.
At 10:45 am 29 securities traded, including C2W Music that traded at a new all-time low of 17 cents as investors continue to bail out of the stock, following a history of continued poor results and depletion of capital. Trading resulted in a volume of 1,835,382 shares changing hands. The average number of shares traded amounts to 63,289 units compared to 36,243 units on Monday. The number of stocks falling amounts to 5 while the prices of 11 securities rose as the market continues to consolidate with no new major developments or news to move prices in one direction or the other.
The all Jamaica Composite Index jumped 1,250.51 points to 178,936.00 the Jamaica Stock Exchange Market Index climbed 1,118.18 points to 161,042.37, the Jamaica Stock Exchange combined index gained 1,415.46 points to close at 172,279.24 and the junior market index up 36.86 points to 2,232.00.
More gains ahead for BUY RATED stocks
Image courtesy of suphakit73/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
The Jamaican market has seen strong reaction by investors on the announcement of stock splits with the price of each company stock climbing. IC Insider added Seprod to the list while lifting the watch on Sagicor Group, thus restoring a BUY RATED status on it. There are no other changes to the list.
AMG Packaging is IC Insider’s top junior market stock for growth in the next 12 months.
Caribbean Flavours price lost flight earlier this year, but with reported audited earnings of $0.82 per share, the price is rebounding. Caribbean Producers suffered from competitive pressures in the Jamaican market and wrote down inventory but should see some reversal of that pressure in the New Year.
However, it does not have a high ranking on the BUY RATED list at this time. Dolphin Cove is up 34 percent since its recent elevation to the BUY RATED list and should trend higher. ISP Finance, a recent addition, gained 140 percent since listing. The company is in the process of raising funds through a bond issue, which will provide funding for an expanded loan portfolio. The stock is very scarce, but 2017 could be a big year for the company and the stock.
Investors are ignoring the robust profit performance of Jetcon Corporation but may regret it as the price is likely to grow strongly. Profits have climbed nearly 100 percent over 2015 to June,
Barita is the top IC Insider’s stock for growth over the next 12 months in the main market.
In the main Jamaica stock market, Caribbean Cement remains undervalued and is poised for a big price rise as the company increases revenues from a growing economy and reduce cost. Many investors keep focusing only on the reported earnings, but these include one off cost that should be taken out in assessing earnings and value.
Better yet, come 2017 the one off costs won’t be there, importantly, not only will the cost relating to staff separation not be there but the ongoing cost for staffing will be reduced by amounts that approximate redundancy cost. GraceKennedy is benefiting from an improving economy locally and overseas and should see more gains ahead in profits and the stock price.IC Insider sees JMMB Group as highly undervalued with decent profit results for the current fiscal year and could surprise to the upside. Barita Investments is having a better 2016 than 2015 and has a big pool of unrealised investment gains on its balance sheet that can be released to profit at any time. The stock seems poised for more growth in the years ahead. Jamaica Stock Exchange’s stock could trend higher with the expectation of a stock split, the price may be getting a bit rich for much short term gains.
IC Insider considers the future to be bright for the stock, as trading activities rise in future years, consequent on growth in the local economy and further declines in interest rates that are bound to drive more money into the market seeking decent return. National Commercial Bank is on target to earn around $6 per share in 2016 while Scotia Group’s results to July showed strong growth in the second quarter over 2015, suggesting that increased profits are once more on the table for this entity. Investors should consider that the year end for these two entities is September and October as such very early in 2017 fresh results will be out before even some of companies with 2016 December year end, release their final numbers for this year. Seprod is engaged in cutting cost in various areas and with growth in the economy, the company is in a good position to do well for investors.
The Trinidad market remains a tough one with the price of oil under pressure. Trinidad Cement seems the only compelling buy, but pressure in the construction sector will be seen as negative for the company. [Read more…]
Surplus FX continues to rise
Trading in Jamaica’s foreign exchange market on Monday saw reduced flows coming in and out of the market only US$23 million entering and US$19.5 million leaving, as inflows again exceeded outflows as was the case for July and August.
In Monday’s trading, dealers bought US$23,079,436 and sold US$19,531,349 compared to US$42,537,612 purchased and US$33,911,288 sold on Friday, of all currencies.
In US dollar trading, dealers bought US$19,609,026 compared to US$39,102,100 on Friday. The buying rate for the US dollar dropped 77 cents to close at $126.26. A total of US$18,292,586 was sold versus US$31,532,699 on Friday,
with the selling rate rising 6 cents to end at $127.67. The Canadian dollar buying rate rose by 27 cents to $94.64, with dealers buying C$1,398,679 and selling C$727,965 at an average rate that gained 49 cents to $98.03. The average rate for buying the British Pound dropped $1.41 to $165.21 for the purchase of £1,674,712 while £359,434 was sold with the rate that falling 75 cents to end at $168.38.
At the end of trading, the selling rate for the Euro, rose 64 cents to close at J$142.80 from Friday’s rate, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, dealers purchased the European common currency at J$141.12 for a jump of $5.13 from the rate on Friday. 
The US dollar equivalent of other currencies traded amounts to US$230,776 being bought, while US$205,828, was sold.
Highs & Lows| Notable changes to the highest and lowest traded rates, for the Jamaican dollar in the foreign exchange market on Monday, include a rise of $1.20 in the highest buying rate for the Canadian Dollar to $98.70, a fall in the lowest selling rate of $1 to $93. Trading in the British Pound resulted in a $3.50 fall in the highest buying rate to $170.40, a rise of $2.18 in the highest selling rate to close of $177.66 and a fall in the lowest selling rate of 50 cents to $162.
JSE stocks rise – Monday
Sterling Investments closed at a new high on Monday
Price movement on the Jamaica Stock Exchange mostly rose on Monday pulling the market indices along with it. Trading levels fell sharply with just 2,234,793 units valued at $29,276,443 well off from the 7,432,213 units valued at $206,556,569 changing hands on Friday’s. The junior market accounted for 1,236,624 units valued at $8,459,914 on Monday.
At the close of trading, the JSE Market Index rose 127.23 points to end at 159,924.19. The all Jamaica Composite Index gained by 142.29 points to close at 177,685.49 and the JSE combined index climbed 305.41 points, to end at 170,863.78.
At the close of the market prices of 15 securities gained out of a total of 36 that traded, with 9 declining in the overall market, including 8 stocks rising and 1 falling, in the junior market.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading showed 10 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 7 with lower offers, suggesting continued fluidity in price movements ahead.In market activity, Cable & Wireless traded 179,535 shares and closed 3 cents down to $1, Caribbean Cement traded 1,500 shares but fell back 99 cents to close at $25.50, Carreras traded 1,593 shares and jumped by $1.99 to close at $66.50. Grace Kennedy dropped 60 cents to end at $43, with 17,684 shares changing hands. Jamaica Broilers had 40,850 shares changing hands, to end with a fall of 38 cents at $14.52. Jamaica Producers ended at $8.40 with 19,850 units trading, Jamaica Stock Exchange closed with 87,620 units changing hands to close at $27.40, after trading at new all-time high during the morning session at $28. Investors have been reacting positively to the announcement of a meeting later in September to consider a stock split and driving the
JSE stock up from $21.50 before the announcement. JMMB Group fell 10 cents in trading 2,896 units at $9.90.Kingston Wharves traded 66,886 shares, to close at $17.50, Margaritaville Turks traded 348,738 shares to close at 21 US cents, after trading earlier at an intraday high of 23.95 US cents, Mayberry Investments ended with 28,812 shares trading, to close with a gain of 2 cents at $3.30.
National Commercial Bank had 14,983 units changing hands and gained 50 cents to close at $40.50, Pan Jamaican Investments dipped 50 cents and closed at $24, after trading 6,975 shares, Sagicor Group rose 39 cents with 8,426 shares changing hands at $22.40, Scotia Group dropped $1.69 to close at $29.70 with 9,201 shares changing hands. Scotia Investments had 10,826 units changing hands at $26, Seprod climbed $1, in trading 88,000 units to close at $20.50, Sterling Investments closed at a new high of $14.15 while trading 4,000 shares, with a rise of $1.15, Supreme Ventures ended with 4,000 units changing hands at $4.81 and Proven Investments gained 1 US cent, to close at 19.90 US cents.
3 TTSE’s stocks rise 2 down – Monday
Guardian Holdings dropped 53 cents on the TTSE on Monday.
Market activity ended with 197,318 shares valued at $3,417,455 changing hands, up from the $2,244,588 traded on Friday.
The Composite Index fell 1.40 points to close at 1,156.54, the All T&T Index declined 2.84 points to close at 1,818.78 and the Cross Listed Index ended 0.01 point higher at 65.81.
IC bid-offer Indicator| The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator ended with 6 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 with offers that were lower.
Gains| Clico Investment Fund closed with 20,430 shares valued at $462,879 changing hands, to end 15 cents higher at $22.66, Sagicor Financial Corporation gained 1 cent to close with 5,065 shares changing hands at $6.51 and Trinidad Cement rose 1 cent and closed at $3.05 with 5,600 shares changing hands.
Losses| Guardian Holdings dropped 53 cents to end at $13 with 51,000 shares for a value of $663,010 changing hands and Massy Holdings closed with 22,607 shares, valued at $1,243,390 changing hands with a fall of 5 cents to $55.
Firm Trades| Angostura Holdings ended with 41,984 shares valued at $587,776 changing hands to close at $14, First Citizens traded 845 units at $35, Grace Kennedy contributed 15,666 shares to close at $2.56, JMMB Group closed with 29,540 shares changing hands at 62 cents, National Enterprises closed with just 1,000 shares changing hands at $10.49. Republic Financial Holdings ended with 237 shares changing hands at $110, Scotiabank closed with 476 shares changing hands to end at $57.53, Trinidad and Tobago NGL closed at $23.50 with 1,010 units changing hands and West Indian Tobacco with 1,858 shares changing hands closed at $126.32.
8 junior stocks rise 1 fall – Monday
C2W falls to a new low on the JSE on Tuesday.
At the end of trading only 8 stocks rose up from 7 on Friday, while only 1 declined down from 3 on Friday out of 13 securities that traded. The market closed with 1,236,624 units trading, 11 percent less than on Friday,
as the valued traded is 31 percent more than on Friday, with $8,459,914 changing hands on Monday. Trading ended with 5 securities closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 ending with lower offers.At the close, Access Financial end trading with 1,552 units at $17.50, AMG Packaging closed with a gain of 85 cents to end at $14.55, with 17,100 units changing hands, Caribbean Cream climbed 75 cents to close with 683,250 shares changing hands at $8. Caribbean Flavours traded 22,558 units to end at $7.76 with a rise of 56 cents, Caribbean Producers had just 170 units changing hands, to close at $3, Consolidated Bakeries traded 2,800 shares and gained 15 cents to close at $2.35.
C2W Music traded 100,000 units and was down 4 cents to a new low of 20 cents, General Accident traded 18,500 units at $2.09 after rising 4 cents, Jamaican Teas ended with 1,495 shares trading with a gain of 43 cents to end at $3.63. Lasco Distributors ended with 370,871 shares changing hands at up to $6.70, after trading earlier in the day at $6.50, Lasco Financial ended with 7,000 shares changing hands at $3.53, for a rise of 3 cents. Lasco Manufacturing rose 44 cents and closed at $4.85 with 9,800 shares trading and Medical Disposables traded 1,528 shares. At $3.55.
New high for Margaritaville in early session – Monday
Margaritaville Turks traded 339,428 at a new high of 23.95 US cents and gained 2.95 cents in the process In early morning trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, at 10:45 Am, there were no stock being offered for sale. Trading activity generally has been light in early trading with most prices inching up.
Demand came in for Seprod as the price climbed $1.50 with 88,000 shares trading at $20.50 and Scotia Group dropped $1.39 to $30. In the junior market AMG Packaging rose 85 cents with 17,100 units changing hands up to $14.55 while Lasco Distributors fell 20 cents with 166,700 shares trading at $6.50. C2W Music traded down 4 cents to a new low of 20 cents with 100,000 shares.
At 10:45 am 27 securities traded, resulting in a volume of 1,014,803 shares changing hands. The average number of shares traded amounts to 36,243 units compared to 59,281 units on Friday. The number of stocks falling so far amounts to 6 while the prices of 12 securities rose as the market continues to consolidate with no new major developments or news to move prices in one direction or the other.
The all Jamaica Composite Index rose 223.47 points to 177,766.67 the Jamaica Stock Exchange Market Index climbed 199.82 points to 159,996.78, the Jamaica Stock Exchange combined index gained 317.79 points to close at 170,876.16 and the junior market index up 12.90 points to 2,189.78.
40,100 Jamaicans found jobs
Staff at Derrimon Trading.
The unemployment rate decreased for men from 10.3 percent to 9.6 percent but women had a big setback with unemployment for them increasing from 16.8 percent to 18.4 percent.
The year over year change resulted in the Employed Labour Force for March 2016 was 1,168,600 up from 1,128,500 reported in March 2015 and left the Unemployment Rate for March 2016 at 13.7 percent an increase of 0.5 percentage points when compared to the March 2015 rate of 13.2 percent.
According to Statin, “the industry group “Wholesale and Retail, Repairs of Motor Vehicle and Equipment” provided employment for the majority (253,400) of the employed persons. This industry provided employment for the majority of females (117,100) but the largest number of males (157,100) were employed in the industry group “Agriculture, Hunting, and Forestry & Fishing”.The number of persons classified as being outside the Labour Force fell by 49,000 (6.3 percent) to 735,400 in the March 2016 survey bringing the number of persons in the Labour Force to 1,353,500, which was 53,100 (4.1 percent) greater than the 1,300,400 recorded in March 2015.
Surplus FX flows continue to grow
At the end of Friday’s trading in Jamaica’s foreign exchange market inflows again exceeded outflows with the sale of the United States currency being $7.6 million less than the amount purchased by dealers, leading to a slight revaluation of the local dollar.
On Friday authorized dealers bought another $8.6 million more than they sold, bringing the net inflows since the end of June, to US$280 million.
In Friday’s trading, dealers bought US$42,537,612 and sold US$33,911,288 compared to US$32,204,317 purchased and US$29,187,613 sold on Thursday, of all currencies.
In US dollar trading, dealers bought US$39,102,100 compared to US$29,599,812 on Thursday. The buying rate for the US dollar rose 14 cents to close at $127.03. 
A total of US$31,532,699 was sold versus US$28,195,660 on Thursday, with the selling rate declining 5 cents to end at $127.61. The Canadian dollar buying rate dropped $1.69 to $94.37, with dealers buying C$1,002,532 and selling C$793,772 at an average rate that gained 5 cents to $97.54. The average rate for buying the British Pound rose $1.92 to $166.62 for the purchase of £1,683,642 while £875,310 was sold with the rate that climbing $1.43 to end at $169.13.
At the end of trading, the selling rate for the Euro, dropped $2.35 to close at J$142.16 from Thursday’s rate, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, dealers purchased the European common currency at J$135.99 for a fall of 29 cents from the rate on Thursday. The US dollar equivalent of other currencies traded amounts to US$156,176 being bought, while US$123,678, was sold.
Highs & Lows| Notable changes to the highest and lowest traded rates, for the Jamaican dollar in the foreign exchange market on Friday, include a drop of $3 in the highest buying rate for the Canadian Dollar to $97.50, a fall in the highest selling rate of $3.18 to $101.52 while the lowest selling rate climbed by $2 to $94. Trading in the British Pound resulted in a rise of $3.25 in the highest buying rate to $173.90, a rise of $1.41 in the lowest buying rate to close of $136.12 and a gain in the lowest selling rate of $2 to $162.50.
