Trading the Jamaican Stock Exchange for the first day of April is off to a slow start in the morning session with only moderate volumes and with a number of the last 
traded prices on Thursdays either falling back or showing signs of doing so. A total of 19 securities, accounting for only 234,798 shares have changed hands at 10.45 am as 5 stocks gained and 8 declined
After 75 minutes of the market’s opening, Caribbean Cement that last traded at $28.49 was offered at $27, while Jetcon Corporation traded at a new high of $2.99 while National Commercial Bank lost 65 cents to trade at $40.60 with a small volume.
The main market indices suffered moderate gains but the juniors fell by a greater degree with the all Jamaica Composite Index falling 45.81 points to 170,915.04, the JSE Market Index fell 40.96 points to 153,870.37 the JSE combined index ending with a loss of 254.34 points to 162,263.58 and the junior market index dropped 21.09 points to 1,904.13.
JSE’s modest trading early Friday
Modest gain for JSE on Thursday
Carib Cement jumped $3.49 to $28.49 on Thursday.
The market closed with 4,035,008 units valued at $62,036,257 changing hands in all markets. The junior market accounted for 617,159 units that changing hands, valued at $2,081,398.
The JSE Market Index climbed 313.29 points to end at 153,854.67, the all Jamaica Composite Index jumped 350.11 points to end at 170,897.53 and the JSE combined index lost 59.93 points added, to close at 162,182.52.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading was 10 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 8 with lower offers.
At the end of the market activities, Cable & Wireless traded only 44,610 units, to close 5 cents down at $1.25, Caribbean Cement traded with a gain of $3.49 with 15,038 shares changing hands to end at $28.49, Carreras traded 36,750 shares to end at $66.15, Ciboney traded 80,463 shares at 18 cents. Gleaner traded 4,000 shares but lost 9 cents to end at $2, Grace Kennedy gained 50 cents in closing with 5,560 shares changing hands at $82, Jamaica Broilers traded 415,613 units to close with a gain of 52 cents at $14.80, JMMB Group traded 152,023 shares to close at $10 after falling 95 cents. Margaritaville (Turks) traded 273,730 shares to close at 13.5 US cents up from 12.99 cents, Mayberry Investments traded 9,180 shares and lost 10 cents to end at $4.08, National Commercial Bank gained 22 cents with 84,668 shares changing hands to close at $41.25, property company, 138 Student Living gained 24 cents to close at $5.50 while trading 17,000 shares. 
Pan Jamaican Investments lost $1 in trading 5,435 shares to close at $93, Pulse Investments gained 33 cents to end at $3.23 with 50,000 shares trading, Radio Jamaica traded for the first time after the company split the stock and closed at $1.46, with a loss of 20 cents while trading 34,355 units. Sagicor Group rose by 19 cents while 1,115,716 shares changed hands to end at $23.70, Scotia Group rose 23 cents while trading 405,979 shares to close at $30.62, Scotia Investments climbed $1.04 with 5,000 shares changing hands to end at $29.49. Supreme Ventures lost 1 cent to close at $4.99 with 30,650 units changing hands and JMMB 7.5% preference shares traded 619,293 units to end at $2.15.
5 TSE stocks at 12 months’ low – Thursday
First Citizens dropped 70 cents to a 52 weeks’ low on Thursday.
The slide on the Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange continued on Thursday as trading ended with 391,678 shares valued at $4,904,496 changing hands. Trading resulted in 5 stocks closing at 52 weeks’ lows as total of 16 securities traded with 8 falling, 3 gaining while 5 remained unchanged.
The market closed with the Composite Index advanced by 3.57 points to close at 1,133.16, the All T&T Index advanced by 7.17 points to close at 1,812.34 and the Cross Listed Index declined by 0.01 points at 60.30.
IC bid-offer Indicator| The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator ended with 4 stocks with the bid higher than the last selling price and 7 with offers that were lower. The market still reflects signs of weakness with about a third of the listings with no bids to buy.
Gains| National Enterprises closed with 15,111 shares changing hands at $10 after gaining $1, National Flour ended with 25,000 shares changing hands and closed with a gain of 6 cents at $2.06 and Trinidad and Tobago NGL closed at $20.10 with a gain of 10 cents as 23,625 units changed hands.
Losses| Clico Investment Fund lost 4 cents to end at $22.56 with 298 shares changing hands, First Citizens had 3,165 shares changing hands with the price declining by 70 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ low of $34, Massy Holdings had 200 shares changing hands with the price declining 1 cent to end at a 52 weeks’ low of $54.87. One Caribbean Media traded 67 shares and fell 5 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ low of $21.70, Republic Financial Holdings dropped 50 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ low of $111.49 with 176 shares changing hands. 
Sagicor Financial lost 1 cent and closed at $7 with 130,000 units changing hands, Scotiabank closed with 87 shares changing hands, after losing 2 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ low of $57.41 and Trinidad Cement closed with a loss of 10 cents at $3.50 with 75,596 shares changing hands.
Firm Trades| ANSA McAl added 43,008 shares at $2,709,599 to end at $63, Firstcaribbean International Bank closed at $6.50 with 1,000 units changing hands. Guardian Holdings traded 950 shares at $13.80, JMMB group traded 5,095 shares to close at 59 cents and National Commercial Bank traded 67,600 shares at $2.40.
Key Insurance list on junior market
Natalia Gobin-Gunter Chairman and Deputy Managing director inserting name strip to indicate listing of Key Insurance on the junior market on Thursday
Key Insurance Company was listed today but did not traded by the close but had 87,500 units on the bid above the Initial Public offering price of $2.27 with bids at $2.53. ISP Finance that was listed on Wednesday and closed trading at $2.50 on the opening day did not trade today, but Jetcon Coporation that was listed on the day before Easter, traded to close at $2.90, in a market that had only modest trades, taking place.
At the close, the junior market index gained 30.46 points being added to close at 1,925.22. The market ended with 16 active securities, 6 of which advanced and 5 declined as a mere 617,159 units changed hands, valued at $2,081,398. There were 4 stocks closing with bids that were higher than their last selling prices and 5 ended with lower offers.
In trading, AMG Packaging closed at $11 with 2,500 units changing hands, CAC 2000 traded 2,620 shares at $7, Caribbean Cream traded 46,275 shares as the price rose 11 cents to end at $4.40, Caribbean Flavours fell 2 cents with 3,100 shares changing hands to end at $7.55. Caribbean Producers traded 124,000 shares to end with a rise of 60 cents at $4.80, Consolidated Bakeries had 5,000 units trading with a rise of 10 cents to end at $1.15, C2W Music gained 4 cents with 50,000 units changing hands at 40 cents, Iron Rock had 2,500 shares trading at $4, 
Jamaican Teas lost 5 cents in closing at $3.80 after trading 14,805 units. Jetcon Corporation traded at a new closing high of $2.90, after trading 230,128 shares, KLE Group traded at $2.10 with a loss of 10 cents with 1,000 shares changing hands, Knutsford Express closed with 2,096 units changing hands to end at $22, Lasco Distributors ended with 19,100 units trading, to end at $5.80. Lasco Financial ended at $3 with 91,755 shares changing hands after regaining 35 cents, Lasco Manufacturing ended with 20,780 shares changing hands to close at $3.70, with a fall of 10 cents and Paramount Trading closed with a loss of 31 cents and closed with 1,500 shares trading at $11.
JSE gains in early trading – Thursday
Key Insurance listed on the junior market of the Jamaican Stock Exchange this morning but has not traded so far but have bids between $2.50 and $2.51 to buy 55,000 shares, there were no stocks offered for sale.
After 75 minutes of the market’s opening, Caribbean Cement rose by $1 to $26 with a small volume, Jamaica Broilers traded with a gain of 57 with 362,086 shares at $14.85, JMMB Group lost 94 cents to trade at $10.01, RJR traded for the first time since the merger with the Gleaner and after issuing a bonus and splitting of its stock to shed 20 cents to be $1.46.
A total of 27 securities, accounting for 1,498,580 shares have changed hands at 10.45am as 7 stocks gained and 7 declined.
The indices enjoyed moderate gains in the main market after suffering modest declines earlier in the session with the all Jamaica Composite Index rising 18.35 points to 170,915.88, the JSE Market Index gaining 16.42 points to 153,871.09 the JSE combined index ending with a gain of 221.95 points to 162,404.47 and the junior market index gained 22.30 points to 1,917.06.
Lower profits at Guardian
Guardian Holdings reported lower profit for 2015 of TT$335 million or $1.14 per share compared to TT$341 million or $1.47 per share. While the bottom-line was lower in 2015 profit from continuing operations were higher at $334 million versus $303 million.
Insurance premium income rose to $5.17 billion from $5.03 billion while net profits from insurance activities jumped to TT$662 million from $490 million. Investment income was flat at $772 million but gains from investment securities dropped from $86 million to just $6 million. Expenses were held tightly with operating expenses rising 6.3 percent to $962 million while finance cost rose 8 percent to $141 million.
Guardian has assets of TTS22.18 billion at the end of 2015 with financial assets and loans of $16.624 billion. Borrowed funds amount to $2.15 billion and equity capital ended at $2.73 billion.
The stock last traded on the Trinidad Stock Exchange at $13.80 for a PE just below 10 times earnings. IC Insider considers the stock to be undervalued but with the Trinidad’s economy in recession and with the bulk of Guardian business emanating in that country it will be difficult for revenues to rise in a meaningful manner and deliver consistent increased profits.
Guardian Holdings is primarily involved in the business of life insurance, investments and general insurance with operations throughout the Caribbean. In 2015, National Commercial Bank agreed subject to regulatory approval acquire just under 30 percent of the issued shares from a group of shareholders.
Jamaican$ steadies vs US$ – Wednesday
Trading in the foreign exchange market resulted in the Jamaican dollar remaining steady against the US dollar but declining versus the Pound and Canadian dollar on Wednesday. The market closed with dealers buying the equivalent of US$46,701,824 and selling US$57,584,794, in contrast to US$64,271,438 purchased and US$51,490,582 sold on Tuesday.
In US dollars trading, dealers bought US$42,342,647 compared to US$59,240,425 on Tuesday, as the buying rate for the US dollar rose 5 cents to end at $121.30. A total of US$54,952,951 was sold versus US$49,386,062 on Tuesday, the selling rate remained at $121.97. 
The Canadian dollar buying rate rose 79 cents to end at $89.63 with dealers buying C$1,653,054 and selling C$1,141,964, at an average rate that was up by 56 cents to $91.89. The rate for buying the British Pound climbed by $1.13 to $171.25 for the purchase of £2,023,111, while £1,085,844 was sold, as the rate rose $1.33 to $172.67. At the end of trading, the selling rate for Euro, rose 20 cents to close at J$136.43, from Tuesday’s rate, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$133.59 for a rise of 18 cents from Tuesday’s rate. The US dollar equivalent of other currencies traded, amounts to US$281,738 being bought, while US$234,268 was sold.
Highs & Lows| Notable changes to the highest and lowest rates the currencies traded at on Wednesday are, a big jump of $18.72 in the lowest selling rate of the US dollar to $118.50, a rise of $1.25 in the lowest buying rate for the British Pound to $139.03, a rise of $1.25 in the highest selling rate to end at $180.90 and a big jump of $20.75 in the lowest selling rate to end at $167.50.
Modest gain for JSE on Wednesday
The main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange rose moderately on Wednesday with declining stocks having the upper hand on advancing stocks with 40 securities changing hands, in all market segments with 14 rising and 18 declining with 3 closing at a 52 week’s highs and one at a 52 weeks’ low.
The market closed with 6,983,295 units valued at $116,071,425 changing hands in all markets. The junior market accounting for 2,476,908 units changed hands, valued at $8,795,980.
The JSE Market Index climbed 313.29 points to end at 153,854.67, the all Jamaica Composite Index jumped 350.11 points to end at 170,897.53 and the JSE combined index lost 59.93 points added, to close at 162,182.52.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading was 10 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 8 with lower offers.
At the end of the market activities, Berger Paints traded 4,000 shares and gained 24 cents to end at $4, Cable & Wireless traded only 75,437 units, to close at $1.30, Caribbean Cement traded with a gain of $1.05 with 24,896 shares to end at $25, Carreras traded 640 shares to end with a loss of 35 cents at $66.15. Grace Kennedy lost 50 cents in closing with 107,459 shares changing hands at $81.50, Jamaica Broilers traded 79,909 units to close with a gain of 27 cents at $14.28, 
JMMB Group traded 335,833 shares to close at $10.95 after gaining 77 cents. Mayberry Investments traded 22,338 shares to end at $4.18 with a loss of 32 cents, National Commercial Bank lost 22 cents with 8,135 shares changing hands to close at $41.03, Sagicor Group rose by 1 cent while 62,297 shares changed hands to end at $23.51, Sagicor X Fund traded 9,547 shares but fell by 50 cents to end at $11. Scotia Group lost 41 cents while trading 176,618 shares to close at $30.39, Sterling Investments fell by 24 cents with 14,500 shares changing hands to end at a 52 weeks’ low of $12.75, Supreme Ventures gained 34 cents to close at $5, with 120,462 units changing hands and Proven Investments ordinary share lost 3 cents, in trading 3,451,022 units to end at 18 US cents.
ISP list on junior market – Wednesday
ISP Finance was listed on Wednesday and closed trading at $2.50 after listing at $2. The new listing brought the junior market listings to 31 while the listing of Key Insurance on Thursday will bring the total to 32. Jetcon Coporation that was listed on the day before Easter traded to close at $2.80, the stock was offered to the public at $2.25.
At the end of trading on Wednesday, the junior market index dropped 38.69 points to close at 1,894.76. The market ended with 19 active securities, 6 of which advanced and 8 declined as 2,476,908 units changed hands, valued at $8,795,980.
At the close, three stocks closed at new highs while there were 3 stocks closing with bids that were higher than their last selling prices and 6 ended with lower offers.
In trading, AMG Packaging closed at $11 with 4,101 units changing hands, Blue Power had 7,267 shares trading but lost $1.05 to close at $13. CAC 2000 lost 40 cents in trading 6,800 shares at $7, Caribbean Flavours fell 43 cents with 5,000 shares changing hands to end at $7.57. Caribbean Producers traded 32,200 shares to end at $4.20 Consolidated Bakeries had 100,000 units trading with a loss of 7 cents to end at $1.05, Dolphin Cove had 1,850 units changing hands at 79 cents lower at $14.50. Honey Bun traded just 3,185 shares and gained 2 cents in closing at $11.03, Iron Rock had 163,004 shares trading at $4, ISP Finance traded 10,250 shares at a record high of $2.50 after adding 50 cents from the initial offered price of $2, Jamaican Teas lost 15 cents in closing at $3.85 after trading 121,235 units. 
Jetcon Corporation traded at a new high to close at $2.80, after trading at $2.90 and ended with a gain of 24 cents while 163,973 shares were traded, Knutsford Express closed with 1,429 units changing hands to end at $22, Lasco Distributors lost 5 cents with 21,300 units trading, to end at $5.80. Lasco Financial ended at $2.65 with 52,600 shares changing hands after shedding 35 cents, Lasco Manufacturing ended with 1,688,914 shares changing hands to close at $3.80, with a rise of 30 cents, Medical Disposables rose 27 cents and closed with 800 shares trading at $3.42. Sweet River traded 92,000 shares and gained 3 cents to end at a new high of $4.05 and tTech gained 18 cents, in trading 1,000 shares at $4.48.
Juniors down majors up – Wednesday
Trading on the Jamaican Stock Exchange resulted small gains in the early morning session on Wednesday for the main market but the junior stocks declined overall.
After 90 minutes of the market’s opening, ISP Finance which listed today traded at $2.25 with 250 shares while Jetcon Corporation that listed last week Thursday. traded at $2.70 with 14,000 shares. Lasco Manufacturing traded 1,621,865 shares at $3.80 and Proven Investments traded 2,521,850 shares at 19 US cents.
Only 30 securities, accounting for 4,868,739 shares changed hands as 8 stocks gained and 12 declined.
The indices enjoyed moderate gains in the main market after suffering modest declines earlier in the session with the all Jamaica Composite Index rising 151.61 points to 170,699.03, the JSE Market Index gaining 135.67 points to 153,677.05 the JSE combined index ending with a loss of 205.56 points to 162,036.89 but the junior market index fell 36.34 points to 1,897.11.
