The Jamaican foreign exchange market returned to normal on Friday with gains against the Canadian dollar and the Pound sterling with dealers buying the equivalent US$58,820,996 and selling US$48,672,598, compared with US$33,372,380 purchased and US$30,923,069 sold on Thursday.
In US dollars trading, dealers bought US$55,716,976 compared to US$28,892,317 on Thursday with the buying rate for the US dollar rising 18 cents to $120.31. A total of US$45,573,684 was sold versus US$29,140,678 on Thursday as the selling rate climbed by just 1 cent to $120.78.
The Canadian dollar buying rate fell 77 cents to end at $80.51 with dealers buying C$1,061,474 and selling C$2,675,194, at an average rate that declined by 65 cents to $83.65. The rate for buying the British Pound dropped $1.37 to $172.13 for the purchase of £1,449,673, while £599,840 was sold, with the rate falling $1.24 to $171.54. At the end of trading, it took J$130.91 to purchase the Euro, for a fall of 8 cents on Thursday’s rate, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$128.26 for a fall of 9 cents from Thursday’s rate. 
The US dollar equivalent of other currencies traded, amounts to US$319,663 being bought, while US$394,128 was sold.
Highs & Lows| Notable changes to the highest and lowest rates the currencies traded at are, a fall of $16.88 in the lowest selling rate for the US dollar to $100.57, the Canadian dollar highest buying rate rising $1.39 to $85 and the highest selling rate of British Pound, dropping $2.20 to $177.56.
Jam$ gains vs Pound & Can$ – Friday
Inflation lowest in 32 years in Jamaica
Fuel prices at the pumps in May 2015.
Prices in Jamaica rose during 2015 by their lowest in 32 years. One has to go back to 1983 to find a lower rate of increase with the rate for that year was up by 2.964 percent.
Last year prices increased 3.66 percent with the rate of increase in December being 0.2 percent. A major factor in the deceleration in average prices, is the sharp fall in the price of petroleum prices on the world market as well as some other imported commodities. The decline would have been even lower but for the fact the devaluation of the Jamaican dollar would have pushed up the prices of some goods or prevented some from falling even lower than they did. in addition increased taxation also prevented prices from falling further.
In 2015, the Jamaican dollar lost 5 percent of its value with about half of the increase feeding into inflation.
More decline for JSE on Friday
JPS preference share rose $76 on Friday to $1,201.
Trading levels on the Jamaica Stock Exchange continues to be buoyant with 40 securities changing hands on Friday in all market segments. At the close 17 securities in the combined markets gained and 15 declined.
Eight stocks closed at 52 weeks’ highs and 3 at intraday highs as 6,458,590 units valued at $100,762,294 changed hands in all markets, with the junior market accounting for 2,572,307 units that changed hands, valued at $13,732,252.
While all main market indices fell the declines were less than on Thursday, with the JSE Market Index dropping 1,351.93 points to 156,273.84, the all Jamaica Composite Index falling with 1,510.87 points to end at 173,601.12 and the JSE combined index diving 1,405.00 points to close at 167,824.05.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reached an elevated level indicating several rising prices ahead with reading of 19 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and only 3 with lower offers.
In trading, Barita Investments traded 134,925 shares and gained 50 cents to close at $4.40, Berger Paints closed at $3.75 as the price rose 55 cents with 18,500 units trading, Cable and Wireless ended with 257,600 units changing hands to close with a gain of 1 cent to $1.45. Caribbean Cement traded more orderly on Friday, than it did on Thursday when there were wild price swings and closed today with an increase of $2 to $24 with 4,884 shares trading. Carreras fell 5 cents to end at $60 with 60,210 units changing hands, Gleaner Company traded 7,400 shares to gain 30 cents to close at $2.70, Grace Kennedy closed at $80.21, with 20,240 units changing hands. Jamaica Broilers fell $1.51 to close at $11.50 with 256,650 shares changing hands. Jamaica Producers had 3,570 shares trading as the price rose by 10 cents to $32.30, Jamaica Stock Exchange gained $1 and closed at a 52 weeks’ high of $20 while trading 200,000 shares, JMMB Group traded 83,100 units to end with a loss of 18 cents at $11.77. Kingston Wharves traded 8,341 units to close at $11.15, Margaritaville Turks came into its own after reporting profits of US$518,134 in the six months to November last year versus $279,000 in 2014. The stock traded 1,128,920 units at 10.5 US cents each. Mayberry Investments traded 327,979 shares and lost 2 cents to end at $4.70, National Commercial Bank ended with a loss of 99 cents at $40.51 with 257,266 units changing hands, Pan Jamaican Investments fell 9 cents to close at $94.06 with 8,528 shares trading. 
138 Student Living Jamaica traded 985 shares at a 52 weeks’ high of $5.10, after rising by 35 cents, Radio Jamaica gained 40 cents in trading 32,400 shares to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $6. Sagicor Group fell 65 cents to close at $22.80 with 365,894 units changing hands, Scotia Group dropped $4.90 with 346,798 shares changing hands to close at $30.09, Scotia Investments recovered the $3.10 it lost on Thursday to close at $29.90 after 18,469 units traded. Seprod dropped $2.49 with 83,600 shares trading and closed at $18.51, Supreme Ventures gained 4 cents to end at $4.70 with 70,820 units changing hands, Proven Investments ordinary share traded 40,730 units at 22 US cents, down from 22.99 US cents.
Jamaica Public Service 9.5% preference share traded for the first time in months, with 33,000 units valued at $39,633,000 changing hands to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $1,201, for an increase of $76 and Proven Investments 8% preference shares traded 100,000 units at $5.
Juniors eased further on Friday
Paramount’s products the company’s stock close at an all-time high of $10.50 on Friday.
The junior market ended the week on a mixed note as investors continued profit taking, in continuation of Thursday declines. At the close, the junior market was down a moderate 14.42 points to end at 2,266.34 with 13 securities trading, 6 of which advanced, 5 declined with 3 closing at new 52 weeks’ highs.
The volume of 2,572,307 units changed hands, valued at $13,732,252 with indicators showing potential for a resumption of upward price movements, with the supply of stocks being reduced as indicated by the increased number of stocks without offers. At the close, 1 security ended with no bid and 11 securities had no stocks being offered for sale. A total of 7 stocks closed with bids higher than their last traded prices while 2 closed with lower offers.
In trading, AMG Packaging price rose $2 to a new high of $11.05 with only 3,000 shares changing hands in response to profits rising 87 percent in the November quarter to $29 million, C2W Music ended at 49 cents while 7,000 units changed hands, Caribbean Cream ended with a loss of 15 cents as 464,151 shares changed hands at $4.95. Caribbean Producers had 10,392 units changing hands but slipped 27 cents to close at $5.20, 
Consolidated Bakeries saw trading in 9,753 units but fell 4 cents to $1.36, General Accident rose by 13 cents with trading in 10,000 shares to close at $2.19. Honey Bun rose to a new 52 weeks’ high of $7.18 and gained of 18 cents as 11,000 shares changed hands, Lasco Distributors closed with 366,072 units trading and ended with a rise of 9 cents at $8.09, Lasco Financial lost 5 cents to close at $4.70 with 334,168 shares changing hands. Lasco Manufacturing traded 1,028,935 shares and gained 26 cents to close at $5, Medical Disposables had 170,000 shares changing hands at $3.30, Paramount Trading closed with a gain of 40 cents to a 52 weeks’ high of $10.50 while 57,575 units traded and tTech closed with a loss of 6 cents at $4.95 with 100,261 units changing hands.
Citizens dominate with $10.7m trade
Activity on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange continued with moderate trading with 9 active securities on Friday with First Citizens having the largest trade accounting for $10.7 million but no stock declined at the close of the market. At the close 2 stocks advanced, none declined, with the prices of 7 remaining unchanged. A total of 351,327 shares changed hands valued at $10,807,413.
The Composite Index ended with a gain of 0.68 points to 1,164.82 the All T&T Index rose 0.34 points to 1,941.11 and the Cross Listed Index gained 0.14 to end at 51.22.
IC bid-offer Indicator| The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator has turned negative with only 2 stocks with bids higher than the last selling price and 10 stocks with offers that were lower.
Gains| Guardian Holdings gained 7 cents with 480 shares changing hands to close at $13.51 and Point Lisas gained 1 cent with 3,697 shares trading to close at $3.93.
Firm Trades| Clico Investment Fund traded 1,143 shares to close at $22.75, First Citizens had 305,826 shares changing hands for a value of $10,703,910 changing hands at $35, JMMB Group traded 27,580 units at 55 cents. National Commercial Bank closed at $2.30 while trading 4,527 shares. National Flour Mills traded 2,000 units at $2.50, Sagicor Financial Corporation ended with 2,019 shares changing hands at $6.50 and West Indian Tobacco closed at $126.29 as 29 shares changed hands.
JSE pulls back again in early trading
The stock market pulled back again on Friday with the indices falling in junior and the main markets and adding to Thursday end of day losses as volumes remained relatively light after 75 minutes of trading. 
The all Jamaica Composite Index fell 549.58 points to 174,562.41 the JSE Market Index tumbled 491.76 points to 157,134.01 the JSE combined index dropped 607.09 points to 168,621.96 and the junior market index fell 28.19 points to 2,264.88.
In trading 29 securities were active and accounted for 1,814,132 units changed hands with 12 stocks rising and 10 falling.
Scotia Group traded at $30.09 compared to nearly $34.99, the last traded price with 81,528 shares Barita Investments had 134,925 shares trading at $4.40, Margaritaville Turks came into its own after reporting profits of US$518,134 versus $279,000 in the six months to November last year, the stock traded 394,700 at 10.5 US cents, Radio Jamaica jumped to a new high of $6 with 32,400 units.
In the junior market, AMG Packaging traded at a new high of $11.05, Honey Bun is up to a new 52 weeks’ high of $7.18 and Paramount Trading at $10.50, Lasco Financial fell back to $4.20 from yesterday’s close of $4.75.
Massy’s profit jumps 32% in Q4
The Trinidad based conglomerate Massy Holdings reported improved 2015 results with net profit of $252 million attributable to shareholders for the quarter ending September, up a strong 32 percent over 2014.
For the year, profit rose by a much slower 15 percent to $638 million. Pretax profits grew at a slower pace of 21.5 percent for the September quarter and 10.4 percent for the full year.
The group had a poor June quarter with 24 percent lower profits of $175 million than in 2014, before cost of rebranding the group. The group operates in 6 segments but only the automotive and industrial segment showed any meaningful increase in profit, moving from $230 million in 2014 to $285 million, the others were virtually flat, with insurance and other investments suffering declines.
For the full year ongoing profit grew much less than the above stated rate as 2014 incurred $58 million in rebranding cost with virtually none in 2015. Massy generated earnings per share of $2.58 for the September quarter and $6.53 for year, up from $5.69 in 2014. IC Insider expects earnings for the full year to be around $7.50 per share. Falling oil prices on the world market could complicate the outlook for Massy as the Trinidad economy now in recession, could get worse as government put in place measures that will trim demand. The company’s other regional businesses with revenues of just under 50 percent could offset some of any possible decline in Trinidad.
Sales revenue for the quarter rose 8.3 percent to $2.98 billion, compared to $2.75 billion in 2014 and by 11.6 percent for the year to $11.94 billion.
Cash flows from operating activities amounted to $1.14 billion for the year versus $1.04 billion in 2014. The group has assets of $10.4 billion and equity of $4.4 billion and borrowings of $2.17 billion.
Massy Holdings plans expansion into new areas of methanol and DME plants being constructed. Methanol is used as a raw material in the making of traditional petrochemicals, including formaldehyde and acetic acid. DME (Dimethyl Ether) is a form of liquefied gas that can be made from natural gas or from other raw materials such as coal or biomass.
Jamaican $ slips on Thursday
The Jamaican foreign exchange market returned to normal on Thursday with dealers buying the equivalent US$33,372,380 and selling US$30,923,069, compared with US$36,348,672 purchased and US$33,993,285 sold on Wednesday. Changes in the rates of the various currencies saw the Jamaican dollar losing value against the majors.
In US dollars trading, dealers bought US$28,892,317 compared to US$32,927,644 on Wednesday with the buying rate for the US dollar rising 3 cents to $120.13. 
A total of US$29,140,678 was sold versus US$31,914,028 on Wednesday as the selling rate climbed 4 cents to $120.77. The Canadian dollar buying rate fell 48 cents to end at $81.28 with dealers buying C$1,221,260 and selling C$1,111,039, at an average rate that rose 52 cents to $84.30. The rate for buying the British Pound jumped $2.30 to $173.50 for the purchase of £2,418,796, while £545,310 was sold, with the rate rising 9 cents to $172.78. At the end of trading, it took J$130.99 to purchase the Euro, for a rise of 30 cents on Wednesday’s rate, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$128.35 for a fall of 15 cents from Wednesday’s rate. The US dollar equivalent of other currencies traded, amounts to US$160,372 being bought, while US$226,645 was sold.
strong>Highs & Lows| Notable changes to the highest and lowest rates the currencies traded at are, a rise of $16.88 in the lowest selling rate for the US dollar to $117.45, the Canadian dollar highest selling rate fell $1.50 to $88.50, the lowest selling rate fell $1 to $80. The highest buying rate of British Pound, rose by $1.48 to $176.68 and the lowest selling rate declined by $1.90 to close at $166.10.
Negative outlook for TTSE
Activity on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange continued with moderate price movement with trading in 9 securities on Thursday and more prices rising than falling but there is a clear negative bias with several stocks closing with offers below their last sale price.
At the close 1 stocks advanced, 2 declined, with the prices of 6 remaining unchanged. A total of 738,453 shares changed hands valued at $6,423,607.
The Composite Index ended with a gain of 0.47 points to 1,164.14 the All T&T Index fell 0.56 points to 1,940.77 and the Cross Listed Index gained 0.21 to end at 51.08.
IC bid-offer Indicator| The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator has turned negative with only 3 stocks with bids higher than the last selling price and 9 stocks with offers that were lower.
Gains| National Commercial Bank rose 5 cents and closed at $2.30 while trading 4,527 shares.
Declines| Angostura Holdings traded 850 shares at a 52 weeks’ low of $16.64 with a fall of 10 cents and Scotiabank lost 4 cents to end at $61.85 while trading 1,100 shares.
Firm Trades| Clico Investment Fund traded 68,941 shares valued at $1,568,390 to close at $22.75, First Citizens had 14,596 shares with a value of $510,847 changing hands at $35, JMMB Group traded 23,930 units at 55 cents. Republic Financial Holdings closed at $112 with 1,157 shares changing hands, the stock closed with the bid at $112 to buy 234,511 shares, Sagicor Financial Corporation traded 622,852 shares changing hands for a value of $4,048,538 at $6.50 and West Indian Tobacco closed at $126.29 as 500 shares changed hands.
JSE suffers big drop on thursday
Scotia Group caused major swing in the JSE index on Wednesday & Thursday.
The recorded closing price for Scotia Group in yesterdays’ trading was $34.23 according to the Jamaica Stock exchange rules, but the stock last traded at $30.10. The stock exchange indices are based on the weighted average price making Scotia Group the main mover to push up the market index sharply on Wednesday based on the JSE recognized closing price.
In today’s trading, the stock last traded at $34.99 but the official closing price is $31.87, the end, the market index dropped sharply, resulting in major swings in the market, despite the JSE’s attempt to use the weighted averages to set the final closing price for a day, in an effort to cut closing price manipulation and its impact on the indices.
There were relatively large trades in excess of 2 million units, in National Commercial Bank, Sagicor Group and Supreme Ventures. The high number of stocks participating in trading on the exchange continued on Thursday with 44 active securities in all market segments. At the close 24 securities in the combined markets gained and 9 declined. Four stocks closed at 52 weeks’ highs and 3 at intraday highs as 20,376,982 units valued at $295,286,830 changed hands in all markets, with the junior market accounting for 2,815,123 units changed hands, valued at $15,357,167.
The JSE Market Index dropped 3,221.67 points to 157,625.77, the all Jamaica Composite Index made a sharp downturn with 3,600.40 points to end at 175,111.99 and the JSE combined index dived by 3,710.78 points to close at 169,229.05.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reached an elevated level indicating several rising prices ahead with reading of 19 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and only 3 with lower offers.
In trading, Barita Investments traded 10,000 shares and gained 10 cents to close at $3.90, Cable and Wireless ended with 113,157 units changing hands to close with a gain of 4 cents t0 $1.44, Caribbean Cement had wild price swings during trading, with the stock trading at an intraday high of $27.75 and as low as $20.50. The price fell $3.10 to $22, with 87,713 shares trading. At the close there were 2,203,900 units offered for sale at $28. Carreras rose 5 cents to end at $60.05 with 34,895 units changing hands, Gleaner Company traded 145,708 shares to close at with a loss of 30 cents at $2.40, Grace Kennedy fell to $80.21, with a fall of $3.79, as 114,095 units changed hands. Jamaica Broilers jumped $1.51 to close at $13.01 with 317,655 shares changing hands, for a new 52 weeks’ high. Jamaica Producers had 5,000 shares trading as the price moved up by 60 cents to $32.20, Jamaica Stock Exchange closed at $19 while trading 900 shares, at the close the bid was at $19.50 for only 340 units, JMMB Group traded 94,158 units to end with a loss of 5 cents at $11.95. Kingston Wharves traded 80,823 units but lost 5 cents to close at $11.15, Mayberry Investments traded just 2,540 shares and lost 8 cents to end at $4.72,
National Commercial Bank ended with a gain of 1 cent at $41.50 with 2,096,961 units changing hands, Pan Jamaican Investments fell $1.85 to close at $94.15 with 5,247 shares trading. Radio Jamaica traded 21,940 shares but closed $5.60. Sagicor Group fell 5 cents to close at $23.45 with 5,208,162 units changing hands, Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 83,740 shares to end at $11, Scotia Group gained $4.89 with 55,940 shares changing hands at $34.99, Scotia Investments dropped $3.10 to close at $26.80 after 49,315 units traded, Supreme Ventures gained 4 cents to end at $4.70 with a high volume of 8,564,688 units changing hands and Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference share traded 50,500 units at $2.
