The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed higher on Tuesday, following a big 94 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded after 127 percent more funds passed through the market compared with trading on Monday with trading in 41 securities compared with 46 on Monday and ending with prices of 17 rising, 12 declining and 12 closing unchanged.
The market closed with 11,495,682 shares trading for $25,742,485 up from 5,931,329 stock units at $11,322,870 on Monday.
Trading averaged 280,382 shares at $627,865, compared to 128,942 units at $246,149 on Monday with the month to date, averaging 192,229 units at $408,731 compared with 187,416 stock units at $396,767 on the previous day and February with an average of 253,246 units at $637,481.
Spur Tree Spices led trading with 6.79 million shares for 59.1 percent of total volume followed by ONE on ONE Educational with 818,975 units for 7.1 percent of the day’s trade and EduFocal with 665,885 stocks for 5.8 percent market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index climbed 23.71 points to close at 3,816.86 after the market hit the 3,856 points mark in the early trading session.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.3, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging climbed 40 cents to close at $3.51 after 262 stocks passed through the market, Cargo Handlers skidded 14 cents to $13.97 after an exchange of just 4 stock units, Dolphin Cove sank 81 cents and ended at $18.50, with 17,143 shares crossing the market. Fontana dropped 9 cents in closing at $8.91 in an exchange of 22,217 stock units, Honey Bun increased 54 cents to end at $7.04, with 2,770 shares changing hands, Knutsford Express lost 70 cents in closing at $10.80 with investors trading a mere 472 stocks. Lasco Distributors fell 29 cents to $4.28 in switching ownership of 24,635 units, Lasco Financial popped 27 cents to close at $1.89 as investors exchanged 4,253 stock units, Lasco Manufacturing dipped 16 cents to end at $5.40 after 268,980 shares passed through the market. Limners and Bards gained 33 cents and ended at $1.80 in trading a mere one stock unit, Main Event rose 87 cents to $14.45 in an exchange of 508 units, MFS Capital Partners advanced 10 cents in closing at $1.70 with investors dealing in 63,827 stock units. Paramount Trading rallied 29 cents to end at $1.49 and closed a 91 shares and Spur Tree Spices rose 19 cents to close at $2.64 with an exchange of 6,792,429 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Rising stocks beat losers on Trinidad Exchange
The majority of stocks rose at the close of trading ended on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange on Tuesday, following a 66 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded valued 34 percent lower than on Monday, resulting in 23 securities trading compared with 20 on Monday, and ending with prices of 12 stocks rising, four declining and six remaining unchanged.
The market on Tuesday closed with 327,850 shares trading at $2,510,383 compared with 982,701 stocks at $3,779,249 on Monday.
An average of 14,902 shares were exchanged for $114,108 compared with 49,135 units at $188,962 on Monday. Trading for the month to date averages 27,478 shares at $236,643 compared to 29,466 stock units at $245,231 on the previous day and February averaging 21,839 shares at $159,828.
The Composite Index rallied 1.34 points to end at 1,199.70, the All T&T Index fell 1.45 points to 1,792.77, the SME Index remained at 77.95 and the Cross-Listed Index rallied 0.60 points to 79.08.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Agostini’s popped 50 cents to $69 in trading 11 stocks, Angostura Holdings rallied 40 cents to end at $20.50 after an exchange of 3 shares. Ansa McAl gained $2.90 in closing at $57 with investors swapping 2 stock units, Calypso Macro Investment Fund shed 49 cents to close at $22.51 in switching ownership of 2,410 shares, CinemaOne slipped 1 cent to $5.98 with investors trading 100 units. First Citizens Group climbed 90 cents to close at $49 after an exchange of 2,372 stocks, First Caribbean International Bank ended at $7.05, with 9,389 shares changing hands, GraceKennedy rose 17 cents to end at $4.07, with 10,000 stock units crossing the market, Guardian Media remained at $2 in an exchange of 40 shares. JMMB Group slipped 1 cent and ended at $1.50 after 126,831 stocks passed through the market, Massy Holdings popped 1 cent to $4.36 with a transfer of 114,814 units, National Enterprises dipped 5 cents to end at $3.94, with 451 stock units crossing the market. National Flour Mills popped 9 cents in closing at $2.10 in an exchange of 1,005 shares, NCB Financial ended at $3.21 and closed with an exchange of 1,129 stocks, One Caribbean Media increased 10 cents to close at $3.55 with 200 units crossing the exchange. Prestige Holdings ended at $12.50 with investors transferring 9,654 stock units, Republic Financial climbed 48 cents and ended at $119.98 with 7,791 shares clearing the market, Scotiabank slipped by a cent to end at $72.98 after a transfer of 3,181 units, Trinidad & Tobago NGL ended at $8.95 as investors exchanged 2,643 stocks, Trinidad Cement remained at $2.76 trading 19,016 units. Unilever Caribbean rallied 6 cents and ended at $11.15 while exchanging 6,657 stocks and West Indian Tobacco advanced 53 cents in closing at $10.03 with traders dealing in 10,151 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Profit climbs at Desnoes & Geddes
Total revenue rose by 16.6 percent to $27.9 billion at the Jamaican based brewers of the world-renowned Red Stripe beer, Desnoes & Geddes in 2022, up from $23.9 billion in 2021 resulting in profit before tax rising by 11.5 percent to $8.3 billion from $7.2 billion and resulted in a 16 percent rise in after tax profit to $6.6 billion from $5.7 billion in the year to December 2021.
Profit in 2022 was negatively affected by increased input cost relative to revenues at 52.85 percent up from 50.54 percent in 2021 for raw materials, consumables and services.
The principal activities of the company comprise the brewing, bottling and distribution of beers, stouts and spirits. In 2022, the company paid dividends of $2.56 per share amounting to $7.2 billion up from $5.5 billion in 2021.
In 2016, the majority of shares were acquired by Heineken Sweden AB, resulting in Heineken International B.V. having an increased control of 95.78 percent. In May 2016, the ownership was transferred from Heineken Sweden AB to Heineken Beverage Switzerland AG.
No rising stock on the JSE USD Market
Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market ended Monday, with the volume of stocks exchanged rising 9 percent after 625 percent more US dollars entered the market compared with Friday, resulting in trading in six securities, compared to eight on Friday with prices of none rising, two declining and four ending unchanged.
The market closed with an exchange of 90,769 shares for US$18,681 up from 83,304 units at US$2,577 on Friday.
Trading averaged 15,128 units at US$3,113 versus 10,413 shares at US$322 on Friday, well below the month to date average of 54,141 shares at US$3,842 compared with 56,108 units at US$3,878 on the previous day and February that ended with an average of 46,765 units for US$6,084.
The US Denominated Equities Index lost 0.14 points to cease trading at 250.57.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 9.7. The PE ratio is computed based on the last traded price divided by projected earnings done by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending and or around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Margaritaville slipped 1 cent to end at 10 US cents with 70,084 stocks clearing the market, Productive Business Solutions ended at US$1.70 in switching just one unit, Proven Investments ended at 15.99 US cents after investors traded 1,918 shares. Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share dipped 1.74 cents to close at 11 US cents after 7,038 units crossed the exchange and Transjamaican Highway remained at 2.19 US cents after a transfer of 2,728 shares.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group US8.5% preference share ended at US$1.17 with investors swapping 9,000 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Fluid trading on Trinidad Exchange
Trading levels dropped on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange on Monday, following a 63 percent plunge in the volume of stocks traded and the value plunging 69 percent compared to trading on Friday and resulting in the trading of 20 securities compared with 19 on Friday, and ending with prices of eight stocks rising, seven declining and five remaining unchanged.
The market closed with an exchange of 982,701 shares for $3,779,249 down from 2,674,948 stocks at $12,070,993 on Friday.
An average of 49,135 shares were traded at $188,962 compared with 140,787 stock units at $635,315 on Friday. Trading for the month to date averages 29,466 shares at $245,231 compared to 28,128 units at $249,065 on the previous trading day and an average of 21,839 shares at $159,828 in February.
The Composite Index climbed 4.37 points to close at 1,198.36, the All T&T Index increased 9.02 points to settle at 1,794.22, the SME Index remained at 77.95 and the Cross-Listed Index slipped 0.09 points to 78.48.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows nine stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Angostura Holdings skidded 40 cents to end at $20.10 with traders dealing in 400 stock units, Ansa McAl rose 57 cents to $54.10 with 971 shares clearing the market, Calypso Macro Investment Fund gained 25 cents and ended at $23 in an exchange of 2,999 stocks. First Citizens Group remained at $48.10 after 1,970 units crossed the market, FirstCaribbean International Bank ended at $7.05 after an exchange of 15,322 shares, Guardian Holdings remained at $17 with investors trading 5,000 stock units. JMMB Group dipped 2 cents and ended at $1.51, with 741,460 stocks changing hands, Massy Holdings popped 5 cents to end at $4.35 with a transfer of 14,912 units, National Enterprises climbed 16 cents in closing at $3.99 while exchanging 4,643 stocks. National Flour Mills shed 9 cents to close at $2.01 in trading 3,410 shares, NCB Financial popped 1 cent to $3.21 and closed after 47,000 units passed through the market, One Caribbean Media ended at $3.45 with investors trading 20 stock units. Point Lisas ended at $3.71 with 7,409 shares passing through exchange, Prestige Holdings rallied 50 cents to $12.50 after a transfer of 9,175 stock units, Republic Financial dropped 40 cents and ended at $119.50 after 3,758 units passed through the market. Scotiabank advanced 99 cents to $73 in an exchange of 3,235 stocks, Trinidad & Tobago NGL popped 44 cents and ended at $8.95 with investors dealing in 5,500 units, Trinidad Cement lost 3 cents to close at $2.76 in switching ownership of 10 stocks. Unilever Caribbean fell 6 cents to $11.09 as investors exchanged a mere 200 shares and West Indian Tobacco dipped 80 cents to end at $9.50, with 115,307 stock units crossing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
BOJ pumps life into J$ with high interest rates
Jamaica’s Central Bank is pumping a great deal of life into the Jamaican dollar, lifting the value from just under J$158 to one United States dollar in February this year, to under $155 currently and driving rates on CDS up by almost 26 percent from a year ago, as the bank moves aggressively to bend year over year inflation within the mandated 4-6 percent, from 6.20 percent to February.
Liquidity in the financial has been drained with BOJ pulling out all available liquidity. At the most recent auction of Certificate of Deposits, the bank offered $42.5 billion to the public and attracted bids amounting to $43.16 billion, resulting in an average yield for successful bids of 11.12 percent, with the rate of 13.29 percent being partial satisfied.
The total outstanding 30-day CDs now amount to $157.5 billion, in contrast, a year ago the total outstanding 30-day CDs was $81.85 billion with the average yield at that auction being 8.85 percent.
Revaluation of the Jamaican dollar is critically important in curbing inflation as it cuts the cost of imported items and, most importantly, the cost of fuel that feeds into a wide array of goods and services. These include petrol for vehicles, electricity for households and businesses and powering the water supply. Of course, it affects other imported items such as foods clothing to name just two.