The junior market closed on Wednesday with advancing stocks having the upper hand on decliners, with low volume of stocks changing hands but with a heighted number of securities being active. The market dropped 48.02 points to end at 1,965.53, with 15 securities trading, of which 6 declined and 3 advanced.
The market ended with 661,732 units changing hands, valued at $2,524,696. At the close, 1 security ended with no bid and only 5 securities had no stocks being offered for sale. There were 4 stocks closing with bids that were higher than their last selling prices and one ended with a lower offer.
In trading, Access Financial Services ended with 1,720 units changing hands at $20 after losing 20 cents, Blue Power rose by $1 with 200 units changing hands to close at $11, C2W Music had 6,770 shares trading with the loss of 2 cents to end at 43 cents, Caribbean Cream fell $1.23 to close at $3.27 with 64,802 units trading. Caribbean Producers had 25,000 units changing hands to close at $4.50, Consolidated Bakeries traded 6,200 units to end at $1.50, 
Dolphin Cove ended with a loss of 10 cents to close at $15.30 while trading just 500 units. General Accident fell 30 cents in closing at $2.50 with 100,000 shares changing hands, Honey Bun rose $1 in trading 2,966 shares to close at $15, Knutsford Express traded 3,943 shares at $19. Lasco Distributors closed with 12,100 units trading to end at $6, Lasco Financial gained 6 cents to end at $3.01 with 600 shares changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing ended 5 cents lower in trading 413,770 shares to close at $4.05, Medical Disposables traded 187 shares at $3.50, tTech traded 22,574 shares to close at $4.25.
Juniors drop back on Wednesday
6 TTSE stocks dropped on Wednesday
FirstCaribbean traded at a new 52 weeks’ high on Wednesday
A sharp 8.3 percent rise in the price of Firstcaribbean International Bank, resulted in the market indices being mixed at the close, with the Composite Index rising 5.38 points to close at 1,168.55, the All T&T Index dropping 2.17 points to close at 1,883.21 and the Cross Listed Index advancing by 1.78 points to close at 60.22.
IC bid-offer Indicator| The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator has turned negative with 5 stocks with bids higher than the last selling price and 9 with offers that were lower.
Gains| Firstcaribbean International Bank was the only stock recording a positive price movement with the price rising 50 cents to close at $6.50 with 38,005 units changing hands.
Losses| JMMB Group fell 2 cents and closed with 380,929 shares changing hands at 58 cents, Massy Holdings closed with only 828 shares trading a with a loss of 10 cents at $57.84 for a new 52 weeks’ low, National Commercial Bank had 111,120 shares changing hands to close with a loss of 5 cents at $2.40.
Scotiabank closed with 523 shares changing hands after falling 1 cent, to end at $59.74, Trinidad and Tobago NGL lost 66 cents in trading a mere 13,925 shares to close at a 52 weeks’ low of $18.25 and Trinidad Cement traded 1,000 shares but fell 5 cents to $3.70.Firm Trades| Clico Investments traded 607 shares to close at $22.52, Republic Financial Holdings closed at $112.18 with 5,512 shares changing hands and Unilever Caribbean traded 440 shares trading at $66.
Jetcon revs up for junior market
Jetcon Corporation is heading to the junior market, if their invitation to sell 44.5 million shares up to $2.25 each to the public, is successful. The share offer opens on Monday March 14 and is slated to close a few days later, on the 17th.
Successful completion of the issue, would bring the total number of junior market ordinary share listings, to 27 and the total listings to 31 securities, with Iron Rock having successfully completed their public offering on March 1st.
Jetcon enjoyed strong 49.9 percent growth in revenues of $523 million in 2015 up from $349 million in 2014. Revenues since 2015 continued to grow, increasing by 45 percent. The company recorded profit before tax of $50.6 million in 2015 with a net profit of $40 million.
The offer expects to raise up to $95.66 million for use by the company to fund the cost of listing and for working capital purposes.
Jetcon started operation 1994 to import used cars from Japan for resale in Jamaica.
JSE majors dives on Tuesday
Jamaican main market stocks lost much ground on Tuesday, as Cable & Wireless lost 7 percent and Carib Cement 13 percent in value. Declining and advancing stocks were even, at 15 each as 38 securities changed hands, in all market segments. At the close 2 stocks traded at 52 weeks’ intraday highs with 6,931,877 units valued at $84,204,868 changing hands in all markets. The junior market accounted for 1,498,582 units changing hands, valued at $7,035,386.
The JSE Market Index dived 2,056.31 points to 153,186.49 the all Jamaica Composite Index dropped 2,298.05 points to end at 170,150.84 and the JSE combined index shed 1,809.09 points to close at 162,629.19.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior 
markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading was 12 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 6 with lower offers.
At the end of the market activities, Berger Paints lost 27 cents while trading 5,869 shares at $4.10, Cable & Wireless fell 11 cents in closing at $1.40 with 2,143,771 units, Caribbean Cement dropped $3.11 to end at $20 with 182,378 shares trading. Carreras fell by 10 cents to close at $64, while trading 7,157 units, Grace Kennedy ended with 89,733 shares trading to close at $83, Hardware and Lumber traded 37,426 shares at $15, Jamaica Broilers gained 14 cents after trading 583,222 units to close at $14.50, Jamaica Producers traded 47,500 shares but lost 50 cents to close at $35. Jamaica Stock Exchange traded 1,400 shares to end at $22.90, 
JMMB Group had 39,263 units changing hands but rose 12 cents in closing at $10.52, Kingston Wharves had 11,800 shares trading with a rise of 5 cents at $11.35, National Commercial Bank had 805,840 shares changing hands to close at $41. Pan Jamaican Investments traded 12,900 units at $96 after rising $1, Sagicor Group fell 5 cents with 85,759 shares changing hands at $23.50, Scotia Group had 444,188 shares changing hands to close with a gain of 50 cents at $31. Scotia Investments dropped 5 cents with 22,300 units changing hands at $26.50, Supreme Ventures closed at $5.15 with 76,200 units changing hands after shedding 10 cents, Proven Investments lost 2 US cents to end at 20 US cents with 518,500 units trading and JMMB 7.5% preference share traded 300,000 units at $2.15.
TTSE stocks slip again on Tuesday
Trading activity ended on the Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange on Tuesday with 330,345 shares valued at $5,414,285 changing hands. All three market indices declined, continuing a negative trend, in evidence for 2016. The market ended with 15 active securities of which, 4 rose, 4 fell and 7 remained unchanged. One stock ended at 52 weeks’ low at the close.
The Composite Index lost 2.79 points to close at 1,163.17, the All T&T Index dropped 5.49 points to close at 1,885.38 and the Cross Listed Index declined 0.01 points to close at 58.44.
IC bid-offer Indicator| The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator has turned negative with 5 stocks with bids higher than the last selling price and 8 with offers that were lower.
Gains|Clico Investments traded 199,522 shares valued at $4,492,875 to close 1 cent higher at $22.52, Guardian Holdings rose 4 cents with 36,036 shares valued at $493,676 changing hands to end at $13.70. Scotiabank closed with 100 shares changing hands with a 1 cent rise, to end at $59.75 and West Indian Tobacco traded 1,547 shares to close at $126.28 after rising 3 cents.
Losses| Massy holdings closed with only 50 shares trading a with a loss of 4 cents at $57.94 for a new 52 weeks’ low, National Enterprises closed with just 10 shares changing hands at $13.99 after dropping 46 cents, to close at a 52 weeks’ low. Sagicor Financial Corporation closed with 2,000 shares changing hands with a loss of 1 cent at $6.99 and Trinidad and Tobago NGL lost 3 cents in trading a mere 10 shares to close at $18.91.
Firm Trades| Ansa Merchant Bank contributed 490 shares in closing at $38.95, First Citizens traded 10 shares at $34.99, JMMB Group closed with 21,798 shares changing hands at 60 cents, Guardian Media ended trading with 1,365 shares changing hands at $19.75. National Commercial Bank had 5,238 shares changing hands to close at $2.45, Republic Financial Holdings closed at $112.18 with 170 shares changing hands and Scotia Investments closed at $1.90 while trading 62,000 shares.
J$ mostly gains on Tuesday
Trading in the Jamaican foreign exchange market resulted in the Jamaican dollar slipping against the US dollar but rising versus the rest. Volumes slipped back from the high levels of the past two trading days to more normal levels on Tuesday.
The market ended with dealers buying the equivalent of US$28,345,738 and selling US$37,733,784, in contrast with US$44,518,271 purchased and US$47,139,125 sold on Monday.
In US dollars trading, dealers bought US$24,911,761 compared to US$40,700,061 on Monday, with the buying rate for the US dollar declining 10 cents to $121.13. A total of US$36,231,245 was sold versus US$44,798,976 on Monday as the selling rate climbed 5 cents to $121.90. The Canadian 
dollar buying rate climbed 63 cents to end at $87.80 with dealers buying C$1,157,694 and selling C$549,737, at an average rate that fell 49 cents to $89.71. The rate for buying the British Pound slipped 21 cents to $169.15 for the purchase of £1,693,738, while £595,863 was sold, the rate fell 52 cents to $171.41. At the end of trading, the selling rate for Euro, fell 30 cents to close at J$133.84, from Monday’s rate, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$131.16 for a fall of 41 cents from Monday’s rate. The US dollar equivalent of other currencies traded, amounts to US$229,731 being bought, while US$260,107 was sold.
Highs & Lows| Notable changes to the highest and lowest rates the currencies traded at on Tuesday are, a fall of $1.70 in the highest buying rate for the Canadian dollar that ended at $91.30, the lowest selling rate dropped $1.70 to $84.50, the highest buying rate for the British Pound gained 75 cents to $174.25 and the lowest buying rate jumped 83 to end at $137.95 and the highest selling rate fell 86 cents to $179.50.
Recovery of juniors continue on Tuesday
Knutsford Express traded at a new all-time high of $19 on Tuesday.
The market ended with 1,497,753 units changing hands, valued at $7,035,386 and with 1 stock closing at a 52 weeks’ high and one at an intraday high. At the close, 1 security ended with no bid and only 3 securities had no stocks being offered for sale. There were 3 stocks closing with bids that were higher than their last selling prices and none ended with lower offers.
In trading, Access Financial Services traded at an intraday 52 weeks’ high of $21, but fell back to close at $20.20 with 3,900 units changing hands. AMG Packaging had 4,840 units changing hands for a loss of 60 cents, to close at $11.40, Caribbean Cream gained 42 cents to close at $4.50 with 38,200 units trading, Carib Flavours had 1,873 units changing hands at $8.60. Caribbean Producers had 30,000 units changing hands to close with a loss of 5 cents at $4.50, Consolidated Bakeries traded 59,000 units but lost 9 cents to end at $1.50, Derrimon Trading ended with a gain of 30 cents to close at $4.80 while trading just 2,000 units.
General Accident gained 20 cents in closing at $2.80 with 21,910 shares changing hands, Honey Bun traded 21,041 shares to close at $14, Jamaican Teas rose 20 cents and ended with 176 units changing hands at $7, Knutsford Express traded 1,000 shares and gained 49 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $19. Lasco Distributors closed with 651,257 units trading to end 40 cents higher at $6, Lasco Financial fell 7 cents to end at $2.95 with 53,279 shares changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing ended 10 cents higher in trading 271,206 shares to close at $4.10, tTech lost 25 cents in trading 10,971 shares to close at $4.25 and Derrimon Trading 11.75% preference share traded 327,100 units at $2.16 after adding 1 cent.
JSE Majors suffer deep fall – Tuesday
The Jamaica Stock Exchange recorded losses in the main market with the junior 
market recording a gain as limited volumes traded in the early morning session on Tuesday.
After 90 minutes of the market opening, 30 securities traded, accounting for only 1,056,772 shares changing hands. A total of 11 stocks declined and 8 rose.
The all Jamaica Composite Index lost 2,008.86 points to 170,440.03, the JSE Market Index dropped 1,797.54 points to 153,445.26, the JSE combined index fell -1,540.62 points to 162,897.66 but the junior market index rose 17.08 points to 2,016.26
Access Financial Traded at a new high of $21 with only 1,000 shares, Caribbean Cement fell $3.11 to $20 with 182,378 shares trading, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% traded 300,000 units at $2.15 and Knutsford Express traded at a new high of $19 with just 1,000 shares.
9 juniors down to 3 up on Monday
Access at new high on Monday
The market rose 15.15 points to end at 1,999.18 with 18 securities trading of which 9 declined and 3 advanced. The market ended with 729,681 units changing hands, valued at $3,325,492 and with 2 stocks closing at a 52 weeks’ high. At the close, 1 security ended with no bid and 5 securities had no stocks being offered for sale. There were 7 stocks closing with bids that were higher than their last selling prices and none ended with lower offers.
In trading, Access Financial Services gained $2.75 to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $20.20, with 100 units changing hands, AMG Packaging had 8,809 units changing hands for a loss of 50 cents to close at $12, Blue Power ended with 794 shares changing hands with a loss of 5 cents at $10. C2W Music traded 6,500 units at 45 cents, Caribbean Cream lost 7 cents to close at $4.08 with 48,440 units trading, Carib Flavours had 11,936 units changing hands at $8.60, Caribbean Producers had 48,187 units changing hands to close with a loss of 30 cents at $4.55, Consolidated Bakeries traded 6,006 units but lost 1 cent to end at $1.59. Dolphin Cove had 1,700 units changing hands to close with a loss of 55 cents at $15.40,
General Accident lost 20 cents in closing at $2.60 with 12,305 shares changing hands, Honey Bun traded 20,342 shares to close with a loss of $2.50 at $14, Jamaican Teas ended with 4,055 units changing hands at $6.80. Lasco Distributors closed with 10,500 units trading to end 40 cents higher at $6, Lasco Financial fell 4 cents to end at $3.02 with 31,275 shares changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing ended trading 457,028 shares to close at $4. Medical Disposables traded 16,542 units and closed at $3.50, Paramount Trading ended with 150 units trading with a gain of 34 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $11.65 and tTech traded 45,012 shares to close at $4.50.
