Activity on the Junior Market closed remained very low with only 5 securities traded on Friday just one more than the 4 that traded on Thursday.
Friday’s trading ended with 628,700 units changing hands valued at $1,098,738 and the JSE Junior Market Index advancing 7.49 points to close at 725.26. At the close the prices of 1 stock advanced and 3 declined.
The market ended with 3 stocks having bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 stocks with offers that were lower. There were 6 securities closing with no bids to buy and 5 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
Stocks trading in the junior market are, Dolphin Cove closing with 16,610 shares while gaining 29 cents to end at $8.80. General Accident closed with 405,884 shares trading at $1.70, Lasco Distributors finished with 24,000 shares changing hands, to close down by 4 cents at $1.46, Lasco Financial closed with 1,000 shares trading 6 cents lower to $1.10 and Lasco Manufacturing trading 181,206 shares to end lower by 2 cents at $1.15.
Junior market activity remains low
Carreras hits back on Friday
Carreras stock gained $2.48 to close at $44.50 on Friday as activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, resulted in the prices of 6 stocks rising and 7 declining as 19 securities changed hands, ending in 2,331,425 units trading, valued at $12,830,920, in all market segments.
Main Market| The JSE Market Index gained 172.87 points to 78,496.89, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index rose 193.27 points to close at 86,481.47 and the JSE combined index advanced by 232.28 points to close at 80,586.67.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 9 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 stocks with offers that were lower.
Gains| Stocks gaining with last traded prices, at the end of trading in the main market are, Carreras jumped $2.48 ending at $44.50 while trading 16,258 units, Jamaica Broilers in concluding trading closed with 2,000 shares changing hands, the price gained 2 cents to $4.02, Jamaica Money Market Brokers closing with 3,180 ordinary shares gained 10 cents to $6.90, National Commercial Bank ended trading with 44,457 shares while gaining 2 cents to $21.02 and Scotia Group closing with 290,489 shares to end with an increase of 5 cents at $20.35.
Firm| The stocks in the main market to close without a change in the last traded prices are, Desnoes & Geddes had 52,000 shares changing hands to close $5, Sagicor Group ending with 9,500 units traded at $10.25 and Scotia Investments finishing with 26,090 shares at $23.
Declines| The last traded prices of stocks with losses at the end of trading in the main market are, Caribbean Cement closing with 4,800 shares, trading 2 cents lower, to $2.61. Grace Kennedy in trading 11,076 units, slipped 1 cent to $60, Mayberry Investments closing with 30,000 shares changing hands, 2 cents lower to $1.95 and Proven Investments closing with only 875 units, to end down 0.5 cent at 18.5 US cents.
Preference| Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference share finished with 1,151,000 shares changing hands at $2 and Jamaica Money Market Brokers 8.75% preference share ending with 61,000 units trading at $3.03.
5 stocks gained on TTSE Friday
Trading on the Trinidad Stock Exchange on the final day of the week ended with 12 securities changing hands of which 5 advanced, 2 declined and 5 traded firm with a total of 614,768 units, valued at $5,248,832.
At the close of the market, the Composite Index rose 0.80 points to close at 1,148.87, the All T&T Index fell by 0.22 points to close at 1,980.78 and the Cross Listed Index increased by 0.24 points to end at 41.50.
Gains| Stocks increasing in price at the close are, Firstcaribbean International Bank traded 1,100 shares to close with a gain of 1 cent, at $5.03, Grace Kennedy closed with 3,200 shares and advanced by 1 cent to 3.61. Jamaica Money Market Brokers ending with 329,033 shares changing hands for a value of $142,484 at 44 cents, after gaining 1 cent, followed by National Commercial Bank trading 13,940 units at a cent higher at $1.19 and Sagicor Financial Corporation with 99,221 shares traded for $520,910 and increasing 14 cents to end at $5.25.
Declines| The stocks declining at the end of trading are, Guardian Holdings suffered a loss of 4 to close at $13.10 and Massy Holdings contributed 35,216 shares with a value of $2,243,499 but the price slipped 8 cents to $63.64.
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading are, Clico Investment Fund trading 86,142 shares valued at $1,938,195 with the price remaining at $22.50, First Citizens Bank trading 2,387 shares closed at $35.75, while Scotia Investments added 22,858 shares, at $1.45, Trinidad Cement closed with 13,671 shares trading at $2.55 and West Indian Tobacco trading 1,000 shares at $125.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 7 stocks with the bid higher than their last selling prices and 4 stocks with offers that were lower.
Only 4 stocks trade in Junior market
Activity on the Junior Market closed with just 4 securities traded, ending with 91,421 units changing hands valued at $373,999. The JSE Junior Market Index remained unchanged at 717.77, with the price of 1 stock advancing and 1 declining.
At the close of the market, there were 2 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 stocks with offers that were lower. The junior market ended with 6 securities closing with no bids to buy and there were 6 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
Stocks trading in the junior market are, Blue Power closing unchanged at $6.50 after trading 16,412 shares, Lasco Distributors lost 1 cents in closing at $1.50 with 7,870 shares, Lasco Financial Services put on 1 cents in closing at $1.16 as 30,374 units were traded and Eppley 9.5% preference shares traded
36,765 units at $6.
7 stocks rise 4 declined on JSE
Thursday’s activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, resulted in the prices of 7 stocks rising, 4 declining as 22 securities changed hands, ending in 2,265,968 units trading, valued at $19,839,480, in all market segments.
Main Market| The JSE Market Index lost 387.09 points to 78,324.02, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index fell 432.78 points to close at 86,288.20 and the JSE combined index declined by 364.13 points to close at 80,354.39.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 5 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 stocks with offers that were lower.
Gains| Stocks gaining with last traded prices, at the end of trading in the main market are, Berger Paints concluding trading with 3,349 shares while gaining 1 cent to $1.57, Caribbean Cement closing with 4,500 shares as the price jumped at 3 cents to $2.63, Desnoes & Geddes ended trading with 2,565 shares while gaining 8 cents to $5. Gleaner closing with 15,857 shares while gaining 2 cents to 83 cents, Mayberry Investments finished with 6,017 shares as the price jumped 1 cent to $1.97 and Scotia Group in trading 22,050 shares to end with an increase of 24 cents to $20.30.
Firm| The stocks in the main market to close without a change in the last traded prices are, Cable & Wireless closing with 295,128 units, trading at 48 cents, Jamaica Broilers with 34,058 shares trading at $4, National Commercial Bank finishing with 30,750 units trading at $21. Pan Jamaican Investment ending with 100 shares changing hands at $53.50, Sagicor Group finishing with 1,519,267 units traded at $10.25, Sagicor Real Estate Fund ended trading with 4,470 shares at $6.80 and Scotia Investments closing with 4,000 units to close at $23.
Declines| The last traded prices of stocks with losses at the end of trading in the main market are, Carreras closing with 34,036 units 98 cents lower, at $42.02, Jamaica Money Market Brokers with 93,900 shares trading, closed 10 cents lower, at $6.80 and Supreme Ventures finishing with 8,500 units trading, the price slipped 15 cents to $1.85.
Preference| Jamaica Money Market Brokers 8.75% preference share closed with 50,000 shares changing hands to close $3.03 and Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference share ending with 46,000 shares trading at $2.
US$10m sell off on Thursday
There was more selling than buying foreign currencies by dealers on Thursday with purchases of all currencies, amounting to US$42,778,081 compared with the US$30,677,230, on Tuesday and selling of the equivalent of US$52,219,662 versus US$30,462,192 sold on Tuesday.
In US dollar trading, dealers bought US$38,951,367 compared to US$26,930,923 on Tuesday. The buying rate for the US dollar climbed 1 cent to $115.23 and US$49,786,691 was sold versus US$28,282,954 on Tuesday, the selling rate gained 2 cents to $115.69. The Canadian dollar buying rate dived 27 cents to $90.36 with dealers buying C$1,180,113, and selling C$586,622, at an average rate that rose 8 cents, to $92.62. The rate for buying the British Pound jumped $1 to $176.28 for the purchase of £1,775,831, while £933,879 was sold, at an average rate of $177.92, while it gained 44 cents. At the end of trading it took J$131.42 to purchase the Euro, 56 cents less than on Tuesday, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$128.94 for 18 cents lower and on Tuesday. Other currencies bought, amounted to the equivalent of US$184,444 while the equivalent of US$527,064, was sold.
Highs & Lows| The highest buying rate for the US dollar, the lowest buying and the highest selling rates remained at $115.90, $94.52 and $121.23 respectively. The lowest selling rate fell $18.18 to $95.02. The highest buying rate for the Canadian dollar rose $1 to $94, the lowest buying rate climbed 42 cents to $74.04. The highest selling rate fell 12 cents to $95.44 and the lowest selling rate gained 50 cents to $89.20. The highest buying rate for the British Pound, rose 65 cents to $178.50. The lowest buying rate climbed 17 cents to $142.76, the highest selling rate increased 21 cents to $184.04 and the lowest selling rate was up 20 cents to $172.
4 stocks fall & gained on TTSE
Trading on the Trinidad Stock Exchange on Thursday ended with 10 securities changing hands of which 1 advanced, 4 declined and 5 traded firm with a total of 99,810 units, valued at $664,476.
At the close of the market, the Composite Index rose 0.15 points to close at 1,148.07, the All T&T Index fell by just 0.34 points to close at 1,981.00 and the Cross Listed Index increased by a mere 0.09 points to end at 41.26.
Gains| Sagicor Financial Corporation was the sole stock to gain at the end of trading as 4,140 shares changed hands, the price rose 20 cents to $5.21.
Declines| The stocks declining at the end of trading are, Guardian Holdings with a volume of 27,000 shares trading for $354,740 closed down 4 cents to $13.10. Massy Holdings suffered a 3 cents loss, to close at $63.72 with 300 units changing hands, National Enterprises closed with a 1 cent lost, at $17.34 with 250 units changing hands and Trinidad Cement traded 240 shares but lost 2 cents to end at $2.55.
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading are, Clico Investment Fund trading 2,560 shares with the price remaining at $22.50, First Citizens Bank contributing 4,751 shares with a value of $169,849 to close unchanged at $35.75. Grace Kennedy traded 2,000 shares at $3.60, Jamaica Money Market Brokers with 58,369 shares changing hands closed at 43 cents and One Caribbean Media contributed 200 shares to the total traded and the price closed unchanged at $23.95.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 6 stocks with the bid higher than their last selling prices and 4 stocks with offers that were lower.
JSE mid day report Thursday
Jamaica Stock Exchange trading data as of 12 noon on Thursday February 19, 2015. Carreras fell to $42.02 and NCB to $21.
J$ up vs US$ on Tuesday
There was even flows of foreign currencies on Tuesday with purchases of all currencies by dealers, amounting to US$30,677,230 compared with the US$27,990,320, on Monday and selling the equivalent of US$30,462,192 versus US$32,644,232 sold on Monday.
In US dollar trading, dealers bought US$26,930,923 compared to US$23,883,763 on Monday. The buying rate for the US dollar climbed 28 cents to $115.22 and US$28,282,954 was sold versus US$30,042,681 on Monday, the selling rate fell 6 cents to $115.67. The Canadian dollar buying rate dived 13 cents to $90.63 with dealers buying C$998,990, and selling C$675,812, at an average rate that rose 15 cents, to $92.54. The rate for buying the British Pound rose 8 cents to $175.28 for the purchase of £1,390,331, while £667,284 was sold, at an average rate of $177.48, while it gained 23 cents. At the end of trading it took J$131.98 to purchase the Euro, 4 cents higher than on Monday, according to data from Bank of Jamaica, while dealers purchased the European common currency at J$129.12 for 38 cents lower and on Monday. Other currencies bought, amounted to the equivalent of US$845,369 while the equivalent of US$614,772, was sold.
Highs & Lows| The highest buying rate for the US dollar, remained at $115.90, the lowest buying rate fell 50 cents to $94.52 and the highest selling rate rose 32 cents to $121.23. The lowest selling rate climbed $16.98 to $113.20. The highest buying rate for the Canadian dollar rose 15 cents to $93, the lowest buying rate climbed 35 cents to $73.62. The highest selling rate rose 56 cents to $95.56 and the lowest selling rate gained 40 cents to $88.70. The highest buying rate for the British Pound, rose 8 cents to $177.85. The lowest buying rate climbed 8 cents to $142.59, the highest selling rate increased 11 cents to $183.83 and the lowest selling rate was up 10 cents to $171.80.
25% jump in Berger Jamaica profit
Berger Paints Jamaica enjoyed a 25 percent jump in after tax profit, for the December quarter and 12 percent for the nine months to December, thanks to lower tax rate as profit before tax was up 16 percent and only 4.5 percent respectively.
Sales revenues were up 9 percent in the quarter, to $679 million and 6 percent for the nine months to reach $1.496 billion. Profit before tax, amounted to $84 million for the quarter, up from $72.5 million and $95.3 million versus $91 million.
After providing $21 million for tax, net profit for the quarter ended at $63 million or 30 cents per share, and for the nine months, earnings ended at $71.5 million or 33 cents per share.
At year end, cash ended at $48 million compared $41 million at the end of March, but current assets climbed to $891 million from $674 million at March and $792 million at the end of 2013. Current liabilities rose as well, to $422 million from $390 million at the end of 2013 and $290 at March last year.
Going forward, Berger should benefit from the lower price for oil on the world market as a major input into producing paints is oil based products. Profits for the year to March, should end around 34 cents. Investors should be seeing a large portion of the profit being paid out as dividend, with the stock price now at $1.56, the yield could exceed 10 percent. IC Insider forecast 54 cents per share for the 2016 fiscal year.
Berger Paints Jamaica is listed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange.
