Proven Investments was the dominant trade on the Jamaica Stock Exchange in Monday’s trading session. The company had 6,966,866 ordinary shares with a value of US$1,247,669 changing hands, at 1799 US cents each, down a fraction of a cent for the day.
The prices of 8 stocks rose and 5 declined as 22 securities changed hands, resulting in 8,451,027 shares trading, valued at $151,978,606, for the first trading day of the week.
Main Market| Notwithstanding, the slightly positive advance decline ratio, the JSE Market Index declined by 155.43 points to close at 69,746.90 and the JSE All Jamaican Composite index fell by 173.80 points to 76,697.90 points.
Gains| Stocks recording gains at the end of trading in the main market are, Caribbean Cement with 2,000 shares, to close with a gain of 5 cents at $2.25, Carreras with 62,750 shares changing hands, to close 25 cents higher at $35, Grace Kennedy 2,486 units, to close $1.95 higher at $56. Jamaica Money Market Brokers traded just 4,300 units to gain 12 cents to close at $7 and Supreme Ventures with 5,000 units closed 2 cents up, at $1.97.
Firm| The stocks in the main market to close trading without a price change are, Berger Paints with 3,115 shares while closing at $1.65, Jamaica Broilers with 38,252 units, to close at $4.57, Cable & Wireless 79,061 shares to close at 29 cents, Sagicor Group 643,931 shares at $8.80 and Scotia Group with 79,609 units to close at $18.50.
Preference| Jamaica Money Market Brokers 8.75% preference share, traded 28,450 units with a 1 cent gain to $3.03.
Declines| The number of stocks declining in the main market are Desnoes & Geddes with 137,605 shares in losing 20 cents, to end at $4.30, National Commercial Bank 32,472 shares to close down 45 cents, to end at $17.50 and Radio Jamaica with 17,270 shares, closed a cent down at $1.28.
Junior Market| The JSE Junior Market Index rose by 5.45 points to close at 714.80 as 7 securities traded with 2advancing and 1 declining.
Gains| Stocks recording gains at the end of trading in the junior market are, Lasco Distributors with 14,910 units changing hands as the price gained a cent, to close at $1.19 and Lasco Manufacturing with 2,530 shares traded, with the price moving up 5 cents, to $1.12.
Firm Trades| The stocks in the junior market that traded to close at the same price as the day before are, Access Financial Services with 420 units to close at $13.50, Caribbean Cream had just 10,000 shares changing hands at 70 cents, General Accident 150,000 shares to close at $1.40 and Medical Disposables with 70,000 units to end at $2.
Declines| The only stocks declining in the junior market at the end of trading is Caribbean Producers in trading 100,000 shares and lost 34 cents to end at $2.65.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 5 stocks with the bids higher than the last selling prices and 4 stocks with offers that were lower.
Proven Investments trades 7M shares
Gleaner & Sagicor inside trades
The latest in inside trades on the Jamaican stock exchange have been released. These traded can be great guides as to the likely fortunes of a company, this is not always the case and investors will need to make their own assessment of each trade or a series of trades together, to determine what may be about to unfold.
In the latest insider trades a Director of the Gleaner Company purchased 384,900 shares on July 4, 2014 the Company advised the stock exchange.
Sagicor Group in which there has been a series of inside trading in the stock advised that a senior manager sold 50,000 shares on June 26, 2014 under the SJ Executive Long Term Incentive Scheme.
Massy Group hits new high at $69.57
Trading activity on the Trinidad stock market on Monday lead to 12 securities changing hands of which 2 advanced 3 declined and 7 traded firm with 201,884 stocks changing hands, with a value of $2,556,399. The Composite Index lost 0.55 points to close at 1,164.04, the All T&T Index rose 0.40 points to end at 2,009.68 and the Cross Listed Index fell by just 0.20 points to close at 41.68.
Gains| Stocks increasing in price at the close, are Massy Group that gained 30 cents to end the day at a new 52 weeks high of $69.57, with a volume of 12,753 shares traded for $886,645, the stock seemed poised to move higher with the closing bid above the last sale price. First Citizens Bank with 5,974 shares changing hands, closed a cent higher at $35.01.
Declines| The stocks declining at the end of trading are ANSA McAL with only 11 shares closed with a 4 cents loss at $66.25, Jamaica Money Market Brokers with 102,154 shares changing hands for a value of $41,883, fell 4 cents to close at a new 52 weeks low of 41 cents, Sagicor Financial Corporation traded 4,826 shares to close 2 cents lower at $6.53
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading are Angostura Holdings with 200 shares to close at $13, Clico Investment Fund posted a volume of 53,815 shares valued at $1,165,372, the price advanced by a cent to end at $21.65, Flavorite Foods traded just 143 shares, to close at $5.75, Grace Kennedy contributed 11,000 shares with a value of $37,950.00, while Guardian Holdings added 10,800 shares valued at $154,440 at $14.30., Republic Bank had 200 shares trading at $122 and West Indian Tobacco with 8 shares to close at $118
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 4 stocks with the bid higher than the last selling price and 3 stocks with offers that were lower.
Huge 61% JSE fee hike but stocks drop 45%
Investors in public listed companies on the Jamaica Stock Exchange got a huge 25 percent hike in cess they have to pay for trading on the stock exchange effective July 1, 2014. The Jamaican Stock Exchange hiked the fee investors are charged by when trading shares from 0.20 percent on each side of a trade to 0.25 percent. Since 2004 the exchange hiked fees by 61 percent while stock values are down around 45 percent since peaking in 2005.
Worse, stock investors who were getting dividends tax free, saw the re-enactment of two tax increases in the past three years. Stock market investors have gotten hit on all fronts with less income form share ownership over the past several year as they see their investment shrink in most cases. Customers of the exchange without whom the stock exchange cannot be viable, have been buffeted on all sides with no entity looking after their interest.
The fee levied on transactions across the floor of the Exchange will be increased by 0.10 percentage points or 0.05 percentage points on each side of a transaction.
The cess charge will be reflected on brokers, Contract Notes for each transaction will be 0.25 percentage points on each side of a transaction effective July 1, 2014 a release from the Jamaican Stock Exchange stated. The recent increase the second such increase from 2012 and the third since 2004.
In 2012 shareholders of public listed Companies on the Jamaica Stock Exchange started paying additional charges effective March 1, 2012 when the cess levied on transactions across the floor of the Exchange was increased by 0.0075 percentage points, or 0.00375 percentage points on each side of a transaction. The cess charge will be 0.2 percentage point on each side of a transaction. On October 1, 2004 the JSE increased its cess from 0.15625 percent to 0.19625 percent.
Jamaica remittances grow but lag region
Remittances into Jamaica continue to grow as the international economy continues to recover from the depression suffered since 2008. Jamaica’s increase of 4.4 percent for the first three months of 2014, is one of the lowest in the region of countries with large remittance inflows. Mexico is up 13 percent, El Salvador 8 percent and Guatemala 9 percent. Most likely, exchange instability affected Jamaica’s numbers negatively.
Net remittances, increased by US$11 million to US$172 million for March 2014, or 6.7 percent over March last year. Gross inflows were US$188 million, an increase of US$9 million. Net remittances for the three months to March amounted to US$461 million, an increase of US$30 million or 6.9 percent. For the three months, total remittance inflows were US$514 million, an increase of US$22 million or 4.4 percent.
Inflows were higher in each of the three months for the year, so far. Total remittance outflows declined in the quarter versus 2013, from US$61 down to US$53. The USA accounted for 61 percent of inflows and the UK 16 percent, in the quarter.
Big improvement in balance of payments
There is a major improvement in Jamaica’s Current Account deficit for the March 2014 quarter, according to a report out of Bank of Jamaica. Lower imports partially offset by lower exports and improved service inflows led to an improvement of US$301 million the deficit of US$401 million in the March 2013 quarter, resulting in a deficit of US$101 million.
“The outturn for the 2014 first quarter is the second lowest current account deficit recorded since 2007” the country’s central bank states. The improvement in the Goods Account was due to a significant decline in imports which was partially offset by decline in exports. The decline in Imports of US$281 million was primarily driven by a US$172 million and a US$133 million decline in chemicals and mineral fuels imports, respectively. The decrease in exports was primarily attributable to a US$86 million and a US$31 million decrease in chemical and crude material exports, respectively, partially offset by an increase in the exports of manufactured goods of US$21 million.
An increase of US$31 million to US$270 million in the balance on the Services sub-account resulted primarily from improvements in transportation and travel services of US$33 million and US$18 million, respectively. The improvement in transportation resulted from reduced freight costs associated with the reduced imports, while the increases in travel receipts occurred due to a 3.3 in visitor arrivals.
Attractive PE for Trinidad stocks
Massy Group gained 25 cents to end the week at a new 52 weeks high of $69.25 but there was little change in the 100 percent potential gains that lie ahead, Republic Bank moved to a new 52 weeks high at $122 which barely dented the 40 percent potential gains ahead.
Scotiabank fell to new 52 weeks low, to end at $69 but is not currently a buy and investors seem right to take some profit at this time. Flavorite became slightly less overvalued by slipping sharply to $5.75 by week end. Elsewhere not mush change took place but the Trinidad market has several stocks that are priced at a PE that are well below the market average, offering investors good potential gains in the months ahead.
The market has 6 stocks that are priced at a PEs that are well below the market’s average of 15, and a few close to the average, thus offering profitable investment opportunities for investors with medium term investment horizon.
The price earnings ratio is the most popular measure investors use to compare and determine stocks values. It is computed by dividing the price of a stock by the earnings per share. It allows investors to compare the value of one company with others in order to decide which ones are to be bought sold or held on to. When the market moves markedly away from the norm it is usually time for investors to move. Nowhere is this truer than PE ratios.
In looking at good buying opportunities the crude measure is to buy those stocks with low PEs compared to the market or to stocks in the same sector.
Ghana Market returns close to peak
The Ghana stock market closed Friday July 4 just slightly below the peak to February 21, with the GSE Composite Index up 11.54 percent for the year to date and GSE financial stock index gaining 21.08 percent.
For year to date for the week ending February 21, the GSE Composite Index was up 12.85 percent and the GSE financial stock index gained 21.36 percent. The market had declined after peaking with the Main index falling back to a 4.59 percent gain and 6.32 percent for the GSE financial stock index after the country’s currency fell sharply versus the US dollar and Treasury bill rates climbed to more than 24 percent.
The main market closed at 2352.45 points on Friday 27 of June, closed up by July 4 at 2,392.68. The GSE financial stock index finished 2,163.13 compared to 2,102.52 on June 27.
8 stocks rose for the week and 4 declined, a big improvement over the previous week, when 9 fell to only 4 hat rose. By the end of the week 13 stocks rose in price for the year to date and 14 fell.
HFC Bank, the subject of an offer by Trinidad’s Republic to acquire the majority ownership, had the greatest gain at 51 percent followed by Ecobank Transnational Incorporation, with 47 percent, Ecobank Ghana 31 percent and Total Petroleum 29 percent. The greatest losers were African Champion Industries down 50 percent, Trust Bank down 31 percent, Pz Cussons Ghana 29 percent and Produce Buying Company down 24 percent.
Forex flows down sharply
In Forex trading on Friday, the total inflows of funds was more than outflows, with the equivalent of US$24,376,857 purchased to US$22,464,188 sold compared to the equivalent of US$38,577,518 bought and US$32,619,871 sold on the previous trading day.
In US dollar trading, dealers bought US$20.36 million compared to US$33.54 million on Thursday as the buying rate for the US dollar fell 6 cents to $111.90 and sold US$18,760,043 versus US$29,180,481 on Thursday, with the rate rising 9 cents to $112.48.
The Canadian dollar buying rate was up $1.57 to $104.97 with dealers buying C$2,289,929 and selling C$2,105,928, the rate rose by 46 cents to $106.11.
The Pound closed at $189.80 for the purchase of £986,464, the rate fell 31 cents, while £452,417 was sold, with the rate inching down by 70 cents to $192.59. Other currencies bought, amounted to the equivalent of US$192,950 while selling was the equivalent of just US$942,867.
Highs & Lows| The highest rate for buying the US dollar was unchanged at $112.90, the lowest buying rate climbed 42 cents to $91.85, the highest selling rate was unchanged at $117.70 but the lowest selling rate was up 83 cents to $91.85.
The highest buying rate for the Canadian dollar rose 35 cents to $106.30, the lowest buying rate was up 54 cents to $83.83, the highest selling rate was unchanged at $108.07 and lowest selling rate rose by $1 to $101.
The highest buying rate for the British Pound declined by 20 cents to $193.30 while the lowest buying rate increased 62 cents to $154.63. The highest selling rate fell $3.61 to $196.11 and the lowest selling rate was down by $3.04 to $182.96.
Only 13 securities trade on the JSE
Only 3 stocks rose in Friday’s trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange and 6 declined as a mere 13 securities changed hands resulting in 2,903,200 shares trading valued at $40,743,114.
Main Market| The JSE Market Index dropped by 589.94 points to 69,902.33 and the JSE All Jamaican Composite index moved down 659.67 points to close at 76,871.70
Gains| Stocks recording gains at the end of trading in the main market are Carreras with 107,250 shares as the price gained 25 to $34.75 and Gleaner 384,900 units with an 8 cents rise to $1.18.
Firm| The stocks in the main market to close without a change in price are Jamaica Broilers with 3,728 units to close at $4.57 and Proven Investments ordinary share traded 20,000 units at 18 US cents.
Preference| Jamaica Money Market Brokers 8.75% preference share traded 811,504 units at $3.02 and Jamaican Teas debenture note saw 19,000 units trading at $100 each.
Declines| Stocks that declined in the main market are National Commercial Bank with 149,678 units, closing 5 cents lower at $17.95, Pan Jamaican Investment with 200,375 shares, the price slipped 50 cents to $48.50, Sagicor Group with 237,115 shares, the price declined by 10 cents to end at $8.80, Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 23,000 shares to lose 15 cents to end at $5.85 and Scotia Group with 927,200 shares lost 50 cents to close at $18.50.
Junior Market| The JSE Junior Market Index edged up by 1.08 points to close at 709.35 as only 2 stocks traded with 1 advancing and 1 declining.
Gains| Lasco Manufacturing with 37,450 shares was the only stock that gained at the end of trading in the junior market, with the price inching up a cent, to close at $1.07.
Declines| Cargo Handlers lost a cent in trading 1,000 shares, to close at $14 and was the only stock in the junior market that traded to close at a lower price at the end of the trading day.
Firm Trades| No stock declined in the junior market at the end of trading.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 5 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 stocks with offers that were lower.
