The local dollar lost ground against the US and Canadian dollars on Wednesday as inflows were less than outflows for the second day in a row with the equivalent of $31,876,372 being bought to $34,108,329 sold. On Tuesday dealers bought the equivalent of US$26,494,130 to $36,419,004 sold.
In US dollar trading, dealers bought US$24.57 million compared to US$22.1 million on Tuesday as the buying rate for the US dollar was up 3 cents to $111.13 and sold US$29,670,705 versus US$31,688,770 on Tuesday with the rate closing up 17 cents to $111.79.
The Canadian dollar buying rate rose 39 cents to end at $101.83 with dealers buying C$2,582,416 and selling C$2,670,666 with the rate rose 7 cents to end at $102.50.
The Pound closed at $186.46, for the purchase of £1,547,416, the rate lost 46 cents, while only £300,664 was sold, with the rate falling 20 cents to $188.53. Other currencies bought, amounted to the equivalent of US$2,340,485 while selling accounted for the equivalent of just $1,481,964.
Highs & Lows| The highest rate for buying the US dollar lost 80 cents to $111.90, the lowest buying rate was up 55 cents $90.81, the highest selling rate climbed 6 cents $116.42 and the lowest selling rate was up 21 cents to $90.81.
The highest buying rate for the Canadian dollar eased 5 cents to $102.90, the lowest buying rate moved down 42 cents to $81.46, the highest selling rate was up 16 cents to $105.72 and lowest selling rate fell 50 cents to $98.15.
The highest buying rate for the Pound remained unchanged at $189.50 while the lowest buying rate inched up 4 cents to $151.31. The highest selling rate dropped $2.82 to $192.51 and the lowest selling rate fell 25 cents to $182.30.
More funds sold than Inflows as – J$ slips
Croatia 4-0 as Cameroon players fight
Croatia the better playing team in the world cup match. demolished a Cameroon team that fell apart as one of its player effectively gave himself a red card and departed play, minutes before the end of the first half. At the end of an entertaining world cup match, the Cameroon team not only lost but will be heading home as they are without a point, with only one game to play. Things deteriorated for the Cameroon team when two players were virtually in a fight close to the end of play.
Croatia has a chance to move forward to the next round but would need to beat Mexico or if they draw they would have to rely on Cameroon pulling off an unlikely win against Brazil when they play next week.
T-bill rates drop sharply
The average rate for the 90 day Treasury bill instrument came out at 7.66 percent at today’s auction, down sharply from the May auction which came out at an average of 8.2 percent as Government sought to raise $400 million for this time frame but the auction saw $851 million chasing after the amount available. The 180 day instrument which averaged 8.932 percent in May plummeted to 8.365 percent as $877 million chased after the $400 million available.
Also on offer was a 30 day instrument to raise $400 million which provided an average rate of 6.797 percent as $534,303,700 chased after the $400 million that was available. The previous 30 day Treasury bill issued cleared at an average rate of 6.99 percent, in May this year.
More stocks decline as volumes jump
In Wednesday’s trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange the prices of 6 stocks rose and 9 declined as 29 securities traded, resulting in 22,241,794 shares changing hands valued at $382,726,202.Scotia Investments was one of the brokers that was heavily involved in sales of some of the high volume trades while Pan Caribbean was involved in major crosses for a large portion of the Sagicor Group shares that traded but Scotia Investments was also involved in selling of this stock. Proven Wealth was the broker trading the block of Proven ordinary shares that was crossed. Mayberry Investments closed at a new 52 weeks low at the end of trading.
Main Market| The JSE Market Index fell by 320.97 points to 69,940.79 and the JSE All Jamaican Composite index moved down by 358.91 points to close at 76,914.71.
Gains| Stocks recording gains at the end of trading in the main market are Ciboney with only 4,000 units to gain a cent and closed at 8 cents, National Commercial Bank with 2,072,226 shares valued at $35,858,252, closed with a 5 cents gain to $18.55, Pan Jamaican Investment with 745,000 shares with a value of $35,797,2500 closed at $48.05 for a 5 cents rise, Sagicor Group saw 9,543,413 shares changing hands worth $84,556,781 as the price closed up by 10 cents at $8.90 and Supreme Ventures with only 1,150 unis, gained 3 cents to $1.99.
Firm| The stocks in the main market to close without a change in price are Cable & Wireless with only 10,000 shares and closed at 27 cents, Caribbean Cement 10,050 units to close at $2.10, Desnoes & Geddes had 846 shares trading, to close at $4.30, Gleaner with 201,732 shares closed at $1.10, Grace Kennedy 1,561,330 shares valued at $84,411,820 to close at $54, Jamaica Broilers 838 shares closed at $4.57, Jamaica Money Market Brokers traded 99,448 units to close at $6.60, Kingston Wharves had 63,082 units changing hands as it closed at $5.05 and Radio Jamaica with 10,292 ended at $1.29.
Preference share| Jamaica Money Market Brokers 8.75% preference share with 306,100 units closed unchanged at $3.05.
Declines| The number of stocks that declined in the main market are Berger Paints with 7,863 shares as the price closed down 4 cents at $1.66, Carreras with 100 shares, closed with a decline of 5 cents to $33.95, Mayberry Investments 10,000 units, to close at $1.50, down by 15 cents for a new 52 weeks low, Proven Investments with 5,661,425 units losing 0.0001 US cents to end at 0.1799 US cents. Sagicor Real Estate Fund had only 2,100 units as the price dropped a cents to close at $6.09, Scotia Group had a big trade of 1,251,830 shares valued at $24,171,166, the price lost 10 cents to close at $19.20 and Scotia Investments with 16,353 units ended down by 90 cents, at $23.10
Junior Market| The JSE Junior Market Index declined by 0.63 points to close at 710.15 as 7 stocks traded with only one advancing and 2 declining.
Gains| General Accident Insurance was the only stocks recording gains at the end of trading in the junior market with 40,000 units as the price was up a cent at $1.37.
Firm Trades| The stocks in the junior market stocks that traded to close at the same price as the day before are Access Financial with 30,000 shares traded to close at $13.50, Blue Power with 2,452 units closed at $9.01, Medical Disposables with 3,000 shares to close at $2 and Paramount Trading 387,085 units to end at $2.68.
Declines| Stocks declining in the junior market at the end of trading are Caribbean Cream with 174,079 and closed with a decline of 5 cents to close at 70 cents and Consolidated Bakeries traded 26,000 units to close with a 2 cents fall to 80 cents.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had 8 stocks with the bid higher than the last selling price and 4 stocks with offers that were lower.
Chile boots Spanish from new world
Chile boots the Spanish from South America with a 2-0 ousting, indicating that Chile first victory against Australia was not a fluke performance. The match again showed the Spaniards failed to shine in this world cup tournament.
Moderate trading as 3 up 2 down on TTSE
Trading levels on the Trinidad stock market on Wednesday was moderate with 10 securities changing hands of which 3 advanced 2 declined and 5 traded firm with 219,377 stocks trading with a value of $2,520,485. The Composite Index rose by 0.66 points to close at 1,181.10, the All T&T Index rose fell by just 0.79 points to close at 2,026.68 and the Cross Listed Index gained a mere 0.07 points to end at 43.96
Gains| Stocks increasing in price at the close are, National Commercial Bank with 606 shares changing hands and closed with a 1 cent advance to $1.06 and Neal & Massy with 1,000 shares traded to close 5 cents higher at $68.95 for a new 52 weeks high, Republic Bank increased by 30 cents to end the day at $121 while trading 2,700 shares with a value of $326,700.
Declines|The stocks declining at the end of trading are Scotiabank with 8,296 shares traded for $575,637, the price lost 7 cents to close at $69.38 for a new 52 weeks low and West Indian Tobacco with 433 shares, declined by 7 cents to close at $118.
Firm Trades| Stocks closing with prices unchanged at the end of trading are ANSA McAL with a mere 22 shares to close at $66.29, Clico Investment Fund traded 65,000 shares valued at $1,404,000 to close at $21.60, Guardian Holdings with only 67 shares to close at $14.75, Jamaica Money Market Brokers with 139,753 shares changing hands for a value of $62,889 closed at 45 cents, National Enterprises added 1,500 shares valued at $28,125 to close at $18.75.
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 2 stocks with offers that were lower. Of note is First Citizens ended with an offer of $37.29 to sell 4,163 units compared to the last selling price of $37.43 and Point Lisas has a bid of $4.15 for 4,000 units compared with a last sales of $4. Both closing quotes suggest that when next these stocks trade there should be a noticeable price change.
Lasco Distributors staff share plan
Lasco Distributors Board approved the rules of the 2014 Stock Option Plan for the Employees of Lasco Distributors. The amount of shares available in the option plan is 168,321,556 units or 5 percent of the total of 3,366,431,150 shares currently issued pursuant to a resolution passed at the 3013 annual general meeting which gave the directors powers to set the terms of the options.
The resolution passed states “THAT the directors be and are hereby authorized to enter into a stock option plan for up to but not more than 5% of the issued ordinary shares of the Company with such of the employees of the Company as the directors might determine upon such terms and conditions and subject to such rules and regulations as the directors shall in their absolute discretion determine and to execute such deeds agreements documentation or other assurances as might be required and to enter into such engagements and arrangements as might be necessary for the due operation and administration of such a plan.”
The company has been very successful with profit for the year to March this year increasing to $587.46 million versus $506.8 million in 2013. The company is expected to benefit from the distribution of Salada Foods products which it started to handle at the start of 2014 as well as from additional products from the expanded Lasco Manufacturing factory, a sister company.
Share buy back for Kingston Properties
Kingston Properties advises that the Board of Directors authorized a buy-back of up to one percent (1%) of the company’s shares in issue for up to one year following the expiry of 21 days from the date of notice to the Stock Exchange. The repurchase of the shares will be conducted on an open market through the Company’s Stockbrokers. The Company’s cash flows will be the source of funds for the purchase of shares. Kingston Properties will advise its shareholders of the details of the purchase within 30 days of the repurchase of the shares. The total number of shares issued amounts to 68,800,102 units. One percent of the issued shares amounts 688,000 units. The stock last traded at $4 after it had fallen to $3.50 a few trading days before but the net asset value of the shares is around $12.
Inside trades – Director buys into D&G
Trade by insiders can be a good indicator about the future prospects of a company’s performance but not every inside trade will be informative and can be relied on. The latest insider trades include a relative big purchase that of 1,971,000 Desnoes & Geddes shares by a Director of the company that was carried out on June 13, 2014.
An Executive of Scotia Group purchased 239,106 shares under the company’s Executive Long Term Incentive Scheme on June 9, 2014 for settlement on June 12, 2014. Over at Pan-Jam Investment Trust a Director purchased 10,000 Pan-Jamaican Trust shares on June 10, 2014.
More funds sold than Inflows
The local dollar was mixed against the majors on Tuesday as inflows was far less than outflows with the equivalent of $26,494,130 bought to $36,419,004 sold pretty much utilizing the excess amounts purchased on Monday when dealers bought of the equivalent of US$50 million with the equivalent of US$39.4 million sold.
In US dollar trading, dealers bought US$22,119,731 compared to US$44,649,343 on Monday as the buying rate for the US dollar eased 2 cents to $111.09 and sold US$31,688,770 versus US$36,125,994 on Monday with the rate closing up 6 cents to $111.62.
The Canadian dollar buying rate rose 53 cents to end at $101.44 with dealers buying C$1,443,301 and selling C$1,256,387 with the rate falling 10 cents to end at $102.43.
The Pound closed at $186.92, for the purchase of £1,416,577, the rate lost 32 cents, while £1,151,219 was sold, with the rate falling 22 cents to $188.73. Other currencies bought, amounted to the equivalent of US$673,078 while selling accounted for the equivalent of just $1,630,839.
Highs & Lows| The highest rate for buying the US dollar gained 70 cents to $112.70, the lowest buying, the highest selling and the lowest selling rates all remained unchanged at $90.26, $116.36 and $90.60 respectively.
The highest buying rate for the Canadian dollar eased 5 cents to $102.95, the lowest buying rate moved up 75 cents to $81.88, the highest selling rate was up 67 cents to $105.56 and lowest selling rate was up by 65 cents to $98.65.
The highest buying rate for the Pound declined 25 cents to $189.50 while the lowest buying rate remained unchanged at $151.27. The highest selling rate rose by 32 cents at $195.33 and the lowest selling rate was up 30 cents to $182.55.
