The Jamaica Stock market made a sharp move higher in the morning session, in the 
process the All Jamaica Index trades at 113,362.93 to rise 963.31 points, JSE Market Index jumped 861.85 points to 102,371.63. The combined index gained 867.20 points to be at 105,949.31 and the junior market index 1,040.72 rising 6.03 points.
A total of 32 securities with a volume of 3,181,946 units have traded with 11 stocks declining versus only 10 that rose. There is trading of 9 securities in the junior market.
JSE makes sharp move higher
August 13, 2015 by
Employment rate up with less employed
August 13, 2015 by
Jamaica’s unemployment rate slipped in March this year to 13.2 percent versus 13.6 percent in March 2014, but with less persons employed in the 2015 period versus 2014.
According to the Statistical Institute of Jamaica the government body charged with collecting and collating economic data on the country, the Employed Labour Force for April 2015 was 1,129,100, a total of 3,900 less than the 1,133,000 recorded in April 2014.
The Employment Rate rose to 86.8 per cent in April 2015 for an increase of 0.4 percentage point compared with 86.4 percent in April 2014 as a result of more persons classified as not being in the labour force, an increase of 15,000 persons. The bulk of the increase in areas where there was employment, was in the clerical category, but the growth here seems to have replaced persons in the lowest area: “Elementary Occupations,” that lost 16,800 workers.
Tourism employed more persons
Investors rebuff T-bill offer
August 13, 2015 by
The Treasury bills offer that closed on Wednesday saw investors rebuffing the government offering by refusing to bid for the full amount of $400 million offered to mature on Friday, 11 September 2015.
This is the first that this has happened for some time. Investors placed bids for only $305,006,100 for the $400 million offered while the government took up $305,005,500 but at a slightly higher rate of 6.2552 percent than obtained at the July auction. At the July auction the average was 6.217 percent. Full allotment was made for bids with yields ranging between 6 percent and 6.5 percent.
In June 2013 investors rebuffed government’s the 90 days and 182 days offers of Treasury bills. The three months issue that matured on 20 September 2013 for $400 million attracted just $284,330,500 and the six month issue that matured on 20 December 2013 for $400 million but attracted just $201,628,400.
J$ slips against all on Wednesday
August 12, 2015 by
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Purchases by dealers of foreign currencies on Wednesday, resulted in the Jamaican currency losing value against the three main currencies it regularly trades against, but the rate of the local currency has been relatively stable over the past two and a half weeks versus the United States dollar hovering around the $117.40 mark. The market closed with dealers buying the equivalent of US$34,248,600 in contrast to US$38,264,784 on Tuesday, while they sold the equivalent of US$42,427,499, previously US$50,151,893.
In US dollar trading , dealers bought US$31,335,438 compared to US$34,542,850 on Tuesday. The buying rate for the US dollar declined 8 cents to $116.78 and US$41,081,381 was sold versus US$47,644,632 on Tuesday, the selling rate increased 2 cents to $117.41. The Canadian dollar buying rate rose 50 cents to $88.03 with dealers buying C$1,355,970 and selling C$698,801, at an average 
rate that rose 18 cents to $89.93. The rate for buying the British Pound climbed 80 cents to $180.21 for the purchase of £1,076,904, while £460,885 was sold, at an average rate that climbed 59 cents to $182.60. At the end of trading, it took J$129.69 to purchase the Euro, with a rise of 82 cents on Tuesday’s rate, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$127.17 for a rise of 81 cents on Tuesday’s rate. Other currencies bought, amounted to the equivalent of US$229,051, while the equivalent of US$94,152 was sold.
Highs & Lows| The highest buying rate for the US dollar, gained 6 cents to $117.55, but there were no changes to the lowest buying and the highest selling rates that remained at $96.15 and $123.21, respectively. The lowest selling rate 
gave up the $1.90 it gained the on the previous day, to end at $96.15. The highest buying rate for the Canadian dollar rose 90 cents to $90.30. The lowest buying rate rose 29 cents to $71.09, the highest selling rate gained just 10 cents to $93 and the lowest selling rate rose $1.40 to $86.90. The highest buying rate for the British Pound, fell 60 cents to $183.20, the lowest buying rate was unchanged at $146.25, the highest selling rate put on 86 cents to $189.39 and the lowest selling rate jumped $1.30 to $177.50.
Juniors slip slightly
August 12, 2015 by
The JSE junior market fell on Wednesday although 5 stocks rose and 2 declined with 3 junior stocks closing at 52 weeks’ high. The market index fell 5.90 points to close at 1,034.69.
At the close, 9 securities traded, resulting in 2,064,713 units valued at $4,360,597 changing hands. The market ended with 5 securities closing with no bids to buy, while 7 had no stocks being offered for sale and 3 stocks closed with bids higher than the last traded prices and only 1 with the offer being lower.
In trading, AMG Packaging closed with a gain of 5 cents to $3.65 with 36,579 units changing hands, for a new 52 week’s high, Blue Power closed with 19,500 units changing hands and gained $1.22 to close at $13.50, for a new General Accident traded 223,081 shares to close at $1.74 for .
52 week’s high. Caribbean Cream traded 393,344 units, to close at $2. Derrimon Trading ended with 99,500 shares changing hands, with a gain of 30 cents at $2.45, for a 52 week’s high. Dolphin Cove traded with a gain of 45 cents to $13 with 5,000 shares, a loss of 4 cents, Lasco Distributors closed with 66,976 units trading 9 cents lower at $1.76, Lasco Financial Services traded 41,500 units to close at $1.90 after gaining 1 cent and Lasco Manufacturing with 1,179,233 units changing hands closed at $2.
20 stocks rose to 6 falling on JSE
August 12, 2015 by
RJR closed at a new 52 weeks high of $4.30.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had a reading of 5 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 with offers that were lower.
In trading, Cable and Wireless ended with 1,182,806 units changing hands at 40 cents, Caribbean Cement stock gained 51 cents to close at $8.50, Carreras traded 6,834 units to close at $52, Desnoes & Geddes had 43,637 shares changing hands at $6.80, up 29 cents. Gleaner closed with 250,132 shares traded at new closing 52 weeks’ high of $2.51 for a gain of 36 cents. The stock had traded as high as $2.70 during trading. Grace Kennedy traded 72,578 shares to end at $64, Jamaica Broilers had 11,419 shares changing hands, in closing at $7 for a gain of 30 cents. Jamaica Producers (JP)dropped $1.20 to $18.80 with 986,248 units trading. JP reported earnings for the second quarter attributable to shareholders of $414 million but the bulk of that it, $319 million came from gain on sale of fixed assets and investments. The year-to-date to June net profit attributable to JP shareholders was $589 million compared to $138 million in 2014 of which $429 million came from gains on disposal of fixed assets and investments. JMMB Group traded 10,600 units and fell 39 cents to end at $7.60, 
Mayberry Investments had 219,866 shares trading at $3.15 for a loss of 35 cents, National Commercial Bank traded 44,926 shares at $31 with a gain of 50 cents. Radio Jamaica traded just 8,132 shares to end at $4.30, a new 52 weeks’ high, Sagicor Group ended trading with 17,790 units at $13.05, and lost 15 cents. Proven Investments closed at 17.5 US cents after falling 0.50 US cents with 200,000 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund closed at $8.30 while trading 295,742 units, Scotia Group gained 44 cents and ended with 109,216 units trading at $26.45, Scotia Investments ended with 15,000 shares changing hands at $27.99, up 99 cents and Supreme Ventures traded 1,974,455 shares at $4.50, a new all-time high by adding 92 cents.
1 stock rose 2 fell on TTSE
August 12, 2015 by
Trading on the Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange ended with 8 securities changing hands on Wednesday with 1 stock rising, 2 declining and 5 traded with prices unchanged as a total of 185,197 shares traded, valued at $1,901,674.
At the close of the market, the Composite Index fell 0.41 points to close at 1,150.79, the All T&T Index lost 0.12 points to 1,957.92 and the Cross Listed Index fell 0.09 to 45.08.
Gains| Prestige Holdings traded 8,875 shares at $9.89 with a gain of 2 cents.
Declines| Grace Kennedy lost 10 cents and closed with 50,000 shares changing hands at $3.50 and Guardian Holdings had 8,347 shares trading at the close at $13 after slipping 9 cents.
Firm Trades| Clico Investment Fund traded 45,715 units at $22.51 with a value of $1,029,576, Firstcaribbean International Bank traded 60,045 shares with a value of $300,225 and ended at $5. First Citizens Bank closed at $35 with 4,646 shares changing hands, National Flour trade 22,079 units at $2.10 and Sagicor Financial traded unchanged to end at $6 with 16,780 shares.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 4 stocks with the bid higher than their last selling prices and 5 stocks with offers that were lower.
Gleaner at new high
August 12, 2015 by
Gleaner Company traded at a new 52 weeks high of $2.50 
in the morning session while Supreme Ventures traded at $4. The market indices slipped but the junior market made moderate gain.
In the process the All Jamaica Index trades at 111,963.85 to fall 126.84 points, JSE Market Index fell 113.48 points to 101,119.91. The combined index lost 101.27 to be at 104,773.76 and the junior market index 1,041.22 rising 0.63 points.
A total of 21 securities with a volume of 2,704,762 units have traded with 6 stocks declining versus only 8 that rose.
Subsequent to the above, Gleaner traded at a new 52 weeks’ high of $2.70, Radio Jamaica traded at a new 52 weeks’ high of $4.30 and Supreme Ventures traded 1,974,455 units up to a new all-time high of $4.50.
J$ slips against all on Tuesday
August 11, 2015 by
Purchases by dealers of foreign currencies on Tuesday, resulted in the Jamaican currency losing value against three main currencies it regularly trades against. The rate of the local currency has been relatively stable over the past two weeks versus the United States dollar. The market closed with dealers buying the equivalent of US$38,264,784 in contrast to US$60,881,491 on Monday, while they sold the equivalent of US$50,151,893, previously US$47,409,801.
In US dollar trading , dealers bought US$34,542,850 compared to US$55,326,993 on Monday. The buying rate for the US dollar rose 3 cents to $116.86 and US$47,644,632 was sold versus US$45,378,025 on Monday, the selling rate increased 3 cents to $117.39. The Canadian dollar buying rate rose 42 cents to $87.53 with dealers buying C$1,594,307 and selling C$1,271,027, at an average rate 
that rose 67 cents to $89.75. The rate for buying the British Pound fell 4 cents to $179.41 for the purchase of £1,521,362, while £761,295 was sold, at an average rate that climbed 55 cents to $182.01. At the end of trading, it took J$128.86 to purchase the Euro, with a rise of 47 cents on Monday’s rate, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$126.36 for a rise of 67 cents on Monday’s rate. Other currencies bought, amounted to the equivalent of US$192,135, while the equivalent of US$355,091 was sold.
Highs & Lows| The highest buying rate for the US dollar, fell 11 cents to $117.49, but there were no changes to the lowest buying and the highest selling rates that remained at $96.15 and $123.21, respectively. The lowest selling rate 
rose $1.90 to end at $98.05. The highest buying rate for the Canadian dollar fell 50 cents to $89.40. The lowest buying rate rose 17 cents to $70.80, the highest selling rate gained $1.64 to $92.90 and the lowest selling rate rose 30 cents to $85.50. The highest buying rate for the British Pound, increased $1.10 to $183.80, the lowest buying rate rose 5 cents to $146.25, the highest selling rate put on 5 cents to $188.53 and the lowest selling rate jumped $26.47 to $176.20.
Bulls & bears jostling for control on JSE
August 11, 2015 by
The Jamaica stock market closed with 7 stocks rising, 10 declining as 27 securities changed hands with 2,264,841 units trading, valued at $15,471,105 and 6 stocks closed at new 52 weeks’ high in all market segments.
At the close, the JSE Market Index gained 638.23 points to 101,233.39, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index rose 713.37 points to close at 112,090.69 and the JSE combined index climbed 601.76 points to end at 104,875.03.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and junior markets, 
the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had a reading of 8 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 6 with offers that were lower.
In trading, Cable and Wireless ended with 286,500 units changing hands to end at 39 cents, Caribbean Cement stock gained 74 cents to close at $7.99, Carreras traded 11,949 units to close at $52 after trading at a 52 weeks, intraday high of $52.50, Desnoes & Geddes had 21,400 shares changing hands at $6.51, down 4 cents. Gleaner traded at $2.15, and gained 26 cents after 386,946 shares changed hands. At the close, Gleaner closed with the bids above the last traded price at $2.20 to buy 1,000 shares. Grace Kennedy traded 8,000 shares to end at $63, Jamaica Broilers had 61,000 shares changing hands, in closing at $6.70 for a fall 
of 30 cents. National Commercial Bank traded just 89,384 shares at $30.50 with a gain of 49 cents, at the close the stock was offered at $30.50 to sell 51,623 shares and then after that the bid is at $32.50 to sell 245 units, the only other offers posted are, at $33 to sell 503 units and at $60 to sell 2,000 shares. Radio Jamaica traded just 25,185 shares to end at $4, Sagicor Group ended trading with 195,878 units at $13.20, and lost 30 cents. Sagicor Real Estate Fund closed at $8.30 while trading 155,507 units, Scotia Group ended with 138,986 units trading at $26.01, Scotia Investments ended with 44,735 shares changing hands at $27 and Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference traded 46,000 units at $2.
