Recent Junior Market listing, GWest Corporation dominated trading on Friday with 2.2 million shares and accounting for 76 percent of the overall volume traded for the day, the spice slipped by 20 cents to $2.80 at the close.
The Junior Market Index slipped 0.73 points to 2,697.52, resulting from an exchange of 2,964,625 units valued at $9,024,979 compared to 1,258,859 units valued at $5,181,599 on Thursday.
Market activity ended with 21 securities changing hands versus 18 on Thursday, with gains in the prices of 4 securities, declines in 8 with 9 closing unchanged.
Trading ended with an average of 141,173 units for an average of $429,761 in contrast to 69,937 units for an average of $287,867 on Thursday. For the month to date an average of 111,699 shares valued at $393,882 and previously, an average of 98,998 shares valued at $391,387. December closed with an average of 568,732 units valued at $3,447,957 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 5 stocks ending with the bid higher than the last selling price and 3 with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Access Financial closed with a loss of 1 cent at $42, with 1,000 shares, AMG Packaging ended at $2.55, with 12,775 stock units, CAC 2000 finished with a loss of 70 cents at $7.30, with 4,000 shares trading, Caribbean Cream ended trading 10 cents higher at $5, with 173,000 shares, Caribbean Producers finished trading with a loss of 10 cents at $4.30, with 11,471 units. Consolidated Bakeries closed with a loss of 10 cents at $2.60, with 1,000 shares, Dolphin Cove finished at $16.10, with 7,745 stock units, Eppley settled at $11, with 100 units, Express Catering ended trading with a loss of 30 cents at $4.20, with 2,944 shares. FosRich Group traded 7 cents higher at $2.60, with 316,755 shares, GWest Corporation closed 11 cents higher at $2.81, with 2,261,047 stock units, Honey Bun ended at $4.15, with 12,000 units, 
Jamaican Teas settled at $4.50, with 15,800 shares. Jetcon Corporation ended trading with a loss of 44 cents at $4.01, with 39,761 stock units, Knutsford Express closed at $15, with 1,108 shares, Lasco Distributors ended with a loss of 14 cents at $3.45, with 16,150 shares, Lasco Financial concluded trading with a loss of 10 cents at $5.25, with 71,609 stock units. Lasco Manufacturing finished 14 cents higher at $3.49, with 7,500 units, Medical Disposables ended trading at $4.95, with 560 shares and tTech ended at $6.38, with 4,300 shares. In the junior market preference segment, Eppley 9.5% finished at $7.20, with 4,000 shares,
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
Main market makes big gains – Thursday
Wisynco producers of Wata, traded 1.75 million shares on Thursday.
The Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange recovered some lost ground on Thursday with JSE All Jamaican Composite Index jumping 1,681.33 points to 311,750.81 and the JSE Index climbing 1,531.89 points to 284,040.25.
Main market activities ended with 9 stocks rising, 11 declining and 5 trading firm as 22 securities traded versus 22 on Wednesday.
Market activity ended with 4,616,878 shares valued at $176,039,060, in contrast to 3,008,815 shares valued at $51,707,605 on Wednesday.
Trading in the US dollar market ended Proven Investments trading 78,270 ordinary shares with a value of US$17,207 at 22 US cents. The JSE US Equities Index closed with a loss of 0.09 points to 168.66.
Trading ended with an average of 164,889 units for an average of $6,287,109 in contrast to 136,764 units for an average of $2,350,346 on Wednesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 256,118 units valued at $6,475,597 and previously 263,882 units valued at $6,493,073. December closed with average of 686,156 units valued at an average of $8,654,832 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and the US dollar markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 2 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 with lower offers.
The major movers at the close of the market are, Victoria Mutual Investments trading just under the million range, with 893,653 units changing hands and Wisynco Group exchanging 1,751,629 units. Price changes saw Berger Paints closing $1.49 higher at $18, Caribbean Cement jumping $2.50 to close at $35, Jamaica Producers closed $1.50 higher at $18, Kingston Wharves settled with a loss of $1.42 at $30.08 and Seprod concluded trading with a loss of $1.50 at $28.50.
For more details of market activities see – Demand rise for VM Investments & Wisynco .
Demand rise for VM Investments & Wisynco
VM Investments volume rose on thursday.
Demand for shares in newly listed Victoria Mutual Investments and Wisynco Group rose trading on the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange to more than 2.645 million units with the prices of both rise at the close.
Market activity ended on Thursday with 28 securities changing hands up from 22 on Wednesday, of which 9 advanced, 10 declined, 9 traded firm leading to 4,616,878 shares valued at $176,039,060 changing hands.
At the close of the market the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index leapt 1,681.33 points to 311,750.81 and the JSE Index rose 1,220.52 points to 282,508.36.
In main market activity, Barita Investments ended with a loss of 60 cents at $7.90, with 2,466 stock units, Berger Paints closed $1.49 higher at $18, with 19,967 shares, Cable & Wireless concluded trading at $1.32, with 63,275 units, Carreras finished 24 cents higher at $11.30, with 131,538 shares, Caribbean Cement jumped $2.50 to close at $35, with 24,777 shares. Grace Kennedy traded 45 cents higher at $43.45, with 4,152 stock units, Jamaica Broilers finished trading with a loss of 48 cents at $17.52, with 750,362 units, Jamaica Producers closed $1.50 higher at $18, with 21,873 shares, JMMB Group concluded trading with a loss of 11 cents at $25, with 59,672 shares. Kingston Properties finished at $6, with 3,698 stock units, Kingston Wharves settled with a loss of $1.42 at $30.08, with 22,061 units, Mayberry Investments ended trading with a loss of 93 cents at $5.77, with 39,335 shares, NCB Financial Group traded at $99.80, with 38,998 shares. 1834 Investments finished trading with a loss of 12 cents at $1.15, with 55,000 shares, PanJam Investment ended $2.73 higher at $41.25, with 3,225 units, Radio Jamaica settled with a loss of 5 cents at $1.05, with 47,500 shares, Sagicor Group ended trading with a loss of 1 cent at $35.50, with 10,972 stock units, Sagicor Real Estate Fund finished trading at $14, with 23,200 stock units,
Salada Foods traded at $11, with 5,000 units, Scotia Group finished trading at $52.99, with 122,416 shares, Seprod concluded trading with a loss of $1.50 at $28.50, with 1,257 stock units, Sterling Investments finished at $13, with 22,451 units. Supreme Ventures settled with a loss of 60 cents at $11, with 311,151 shares, VM Investments Limited ended trading 11 cents higher at $4.10, with 893,653 shares, Wisynco Group traded 50 cents higher at $10.50, with 1,751,629 shares and In the main market preference segment, Jamaica Public Service finished at $1,302, with 93,000 shares, Jamaica Money Market traded 93,150 stock units 20 cents higher at $ and JMMB Group closed with a loss of 1 cent at $1.18, trading 1,100 shares.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place. For more details of market activities, see “Main market make big gains – Thursday.”
Junior Market slide continues
The Junior Market Index fell for the 5th straight days, at the close of trading on Tuesday, slipping just 4.35 points to at 2,698.25, in another moderate trading session, resulting from an exchange of 1,258,859 units valued at $5,181,599 compared to 1,730,062 units valued at $6,203,084 on Wednesday.
Market activity ended with 18 securities changing hands versus 24 on Tuesday, with gains in the prices of 6 securities, declines in 6 with 6 closing unchanged.
Trading ended with an average of 69,937 units for an average of $287,867 in contrast to 72,086 units for an average of $258,462 on Wednesday. For the month to date an average of 98,998 shares valued at $391,387 and previously, an average of 100,840 shares valued at $397,948. December closed with an average of 568,732 units valued at $3,447,957 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 1 stock ending with the bid higher than the last selling price and 8 with lower offers.
At the close of the market, AMG Packaging ended at $2.55, with 6,500 stock units, Caribbean Cream ended trading with a loss of 10 cents at $4.90, with 11,200 shares, Caribbean Producers finished trading 10 cents higher at $4.40, with 164,139 units, Dolphin Cove finished with a loss of 95 cents at $16.10, with 3,655 stock units, Express Catering ended trading at $4.50, with 11,214 shares. FosRich Group traded 3 cents higher at $2.53, with 459,191 shares, GWest Corporation closed with a loss of 12 cents at $2.70, with 31,941 stock units, Honey Bun ended 1 cent higher at $4.15, with 23,000 units, Jamaican Teas settled at $4.50, with 1,053 shares. Jetcon Corporation ended trading with a loss of 50 cents at $4.45, with 4,000 stock units, 
Knutsford Express closed at $15, with 32,250 shares, Lasco Distributors ended 9 cents higher at $3.59, with 194,658 shares, Lasco Financial concluded trading 26 cents higher at $5.35, with 67,155 stock units. Lasco Manufacturing finished with a loss of 5 cents at $3.35, with 13,808 units, Main Event settled 60 cents higher at $6, with 170,296 shares, Paramount Trading ended with a loss of 49 cents at $3, trading 17,000 shares and Stationery and Office finished trading at $4.80, with 47,649 stock units. In the junior market preference segment, Eppley 8.24% ended at $5.45, with 150 stock units, trading.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
Main market lost more ground – Wednesday
Scotia Group $2.75 on the JSE on Wednesday.
Trading on the Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange ended on Wednesday with JSE All Jamaican Composite Index dropping by 1,339.60 points to 310,069.48 and the JSE Index declined by 1,220.52 points to 282,508.36.
Main market activities ended with 9 stocks rising, 8 declining and 5 trading firm as 22 securities traded versus 26 on Tuesday.
Market activity ended with 3,008,815 shares valued at $51,707,605, in contrast to 2,769,195 shares valued at $33,208,767 on Tuesday.
Trading in the US dollar market ended with JMMB Group 6% preference share ending with a loss of 7 cents at U$1.10 with 940 stock units, Margaritaville concluded trading added 20 US cents with 7,624 units, Productivity Business closed at 55 cents with 650 shares and Proven Investments traded 51,300 ordinary share at 22 US cents. Total volume for this market was 60,514 units with a value of US $14,202. The JSE US Equities Index closed with a loss of 0.19 points to 168.75.
Trading ended with an average of 136,764 units for an average of $2,350,346 in contrast to 118,216 units for an average of $1,443,859 on Tuesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 263,882 units valued at $6,493,073 and previously 272,991 units valued at $ 6,818,573. December closed with average of 686,156 units valued at an average of $8,654,832 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and the US dollar markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 5 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 with lower offers.
The major movers at the close of the market are, Victoria Mutual Investments trading just under the million range, with 865,000 units changing hands and Wisynco Group exchanging 982,000 units. Price changes saw Caribbean Cement falling $1 to $32.50, Scotia Group climbing $2.75 to $52.99 and Seprod rising by $1 to $30.
For more details of market activities see – Wisynco volume slips below 500,000 shares.
Junior Market slide continues
The Junior Market Index fell at the close of trading on Wednesday, slipping 14.95 points to close at 2,702.60, in a moderate trading session of an exchange of 1,730,062 units valued at $6,203,083 compared to 1,755,909 units valued at $6,431,725 from 21 securities changing hands on Tuesday.
Market activity ended with 24 securities changing hands versus 26 on Tuesday, with gains in the prices of 7 securities, declines in 6 with 11 closing unchanged.
Trading ended with an average of 72,086 units for an average of $258,462 in contrast to 67,535 units for an average of $247,374 on Tuesday. For the month to date an average of 100,840 shares valued at $397,948 and previously, an average of 103,494 shares valued at $410,824. December closed with an average of 568,732 units valued at $3,447,957 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 1 stock ending with the bid higher than the last selling price and 7 with lower offers.
At the close of the market, AMG Packaging ended 5 cents higher at $2.55, with 1,114 stock units, CAC 2000 finished 69 cents higher at $8, with 6,528 shares, Cargo Handlers settled at $10, with 3,000 shares, Caribbean Cream ended trading at $5, with 6,000 shares, Caribbean Flavours traded at $11.50, with 500 stock units. Caribbean Producers finished trading 2 cents higher at $4.30, with 80,304 units, Consolidated Bakeries closed 70 cents higher at $2.70, with 39,666 shares, Derrimon Trading concluded trading at $7, with 34,800 shares, Express Catering ended trading at $4.50, with 13,900 shares. FosRich Group traded at $2.50, with 85,073 shares, GWest Corporation closed 1 cent higher at $2.82, with 604,000 stock units, Honey Bun ended 14 cents higher at $4.14, with 40,711 units, Iron Rock concluded trading at $2.86, with 590 shares. Jamaican Teas settled with a loss of 11 cents at $4.50, with 17,808 shares,
KLE Group finished trading at $2.30, with 12,195 shares, Knutsford Express closed at $15, with 40,562 shares, Lasco Distributors ended 34 cents higher at $3.50, with 592,136 shares. Lasco Financial concluded trading with a loss of 21 cents at $5.09, with 17,282 stock units, Lasco Manufacturing finished with a loss of 8 cents at $3.40, with 103,187 units, Main Event settled with a loss of 1 cent at $5.40, with 600 shares, Medical Disposables ended trading with a loss of 5 cents at $4.95, with 3,926 shares. Paramount Trading traded with a loss of 1 cent at $3.49, with 9,400 shares and Stationery and Office finished trading at $4.80, with 16,680 stock units. In the junior market preference segment, Eppley 9.5% finished at $7.20, with 100 shares changing hands.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
Bank of Jamaica chops interest rate
Falling interest rates
Interest rates on the Bank of Jamaica overnight policy rate was slashed by 7.7 percent effective 18 January 2018. The policy interest rate which is offered on overnight placements with the Bank will be reduced to 3 percent from 3.25 percent.
According to the country’s central bank, “this adjustment reflects the Bank’s assessment that inflation for the next eight quarters should remain within the target of 4 percent to 6 percent but the risks to the projections are skewed to the downside. One of the key risks highlighted by recent data is that, even as the economy continues to expand, growth has been weaker than anticipated. The outlook for inflation continues to reflect the expectation that the Government will continue the high standard of fiscal management outlined in the fiscal rules.”
“Inflation picked up slightly in recent months, largely driven by higher agricultural food prices and electricity costs caused by the recent heavy rains and increases in international oil prices. However, the inflationary impact of the heavy rains on agricultural food prices should be reversed over the coming quarters.”
“The Bank’s decision to ease monetary policy supports continued credit expansion and faster economic growth. International reserves are growing, inflation expectations remain broadly anchored around the Bank’s target, the current account of the balance of payments is projected to remain at sustainable levels, market interest rates are declining and the fiscal accounts continue to perform strongly.”
Investors in fixed assets such as real estate and equity investments should take note as it could mean a lift in the value of those assets class.
Wisynco volume slips below 500,000 shares
One of the Sagicor Real Estate Fund properties.
Recent listings, Victoria Mutual Investments and Wisynco Group continue to be amongst the three leading trades in the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Tuesday, with the two being bettered, by Sagicor Real Estate Fund with over 874,000 shares.
Market activity ended with 23 securities changing hands, of which 6 advanced, 11 declined, 7 traded firm leading to 2,769,195 shares valued at $33,208,767 changing hands.
At the close of the market the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index fell 751.79 points to 311,409.08 and the JSE Index lost 684.96 points to end at 283,728.88.
In main market activity, Berger Paints closed with a loss of 49 cents at $16.51, with 23,275 shares, Cable & Wireless concluded trading at $1.32, with 159,543 units, Carreras finished with a loss of 24 cents at $11.05, with 109,027 shares, 
Caribbean Cement added $1.45 higher at $33.50, with 23,389 shares, Grace Kennedy traded 36 cents higher at $43.36, with 26,180 stock units. Jamaica Broilers finished trading 26 cents higher at $17.50, with 19,596 units, Jamaica Producers closed with a loss of 20 cents at $16.50, with 12,332 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange ended at $6.95, with 1,663 shares, JMMB Group concluded trading with a loss of 27 cents at $24.73, with 102,431 shares. Kingston Wharves settled at $31.50, with 15,927 units, NCB Financial Group traded 7 cents higher at $99.57, with 20,895 shares, 1834 Investments finished trading at $1.27, with 105,430 shares, PanJam Investment ended with a loss of $2.36 to end at $39.14, with 750 units. Pulse Investments finished with a loss of 20 cents at $1.90, with 36,847 shares, Radio Jamaica settled with a loss of 5 cents at $1.05, with 76,870 shares, Sagicor Group ended trading at $36, with 53,529 stock units, 
Scotia Group finished trading with a loss of 26 cents at $50.24, with 41,045 shares. Sagicor Real Estate Fund ended trading at $14.25, with 874,293 shares, Seprod closed at $29, with 1,920 shares, Supreme Ventures concluded trading with a loss of 21 cents at $11.49, with 2,060 stock units, VM Investments Limited finished with a loss of 5 cents at $4.05, with 541,728 units and Wisynco Group settled 35 cents higher at $10.10, with 470,131 shares. In the main market preference segment, JMMB Group closed 3 cents higher at $1.19, with 100 shares and in the bond market 4,910 units of ISP Finance corporate bonds traded at $110 each.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place. For more details of market activities, see “Main market stocks lost altitude – Tuesday.”
Main market stocks lost altitude – Tuesday
The Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange lost ground in moderate trading on Tuesday with an averse advance to decline ratio of almost 2 to 1.
At the close of the market the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index shed 751.79 points to 311,409.08 and the JSE Index declined by 684.96 points to 283,728.88.
Main market activities ended with 6 stocks rising, 10 declining and 9 trading firm as 24 securities including one from the bond segment, traded versus 22 securities on Monday.
Market activity ended with 2,769,195 shares valued at $33,208,767, in contrast to 3,228,645 units valued at $37,292,283 on Tuesday. In addition 4,910 units of ISP Finance corporate bonds traded at $110 each.
Activity in the US dollar market ended with 2 securities trading, resulting in Margaritaville concluding trading at 20 US cents with 8,034 units, Proven Investments trading 42,200 units at 22 US cents. Total volume for this market was 50,234 units with a value of US$10,921.The JSE US Equities Index closed with a gain of 0.18 points to 168.94.
Trading ended with an average of 118,216 units for an average of $1,443,859 in contrast to 146,757 units for an average of $1,695,104 on Monday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 272,991 units valued at $ 6,818,573 and previously 285,526 units valued at $7,299,578. December closed with average of 686,156 units valued at an average of $8,654,832 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and the US dollar markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 5 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 with lower offers.
The major movers at the close of the market are, the two recently listed companies continuing to be in good demand but with volumes traded easing. At the close Victoria Mutual Investments continues to trade around the half a million range with 542,000 units changing hands and Wisynco Group exchanging 470,000 units down from the million units levels it been trading at before. Price changes saw Caribbean Cement jumping $1.45 to $33.50 falling $1 to $17 and PanJam Investment sliding $2.36 to $39.14.
For more details of market activities see – Wisynco volume slips below 500,000 shares.
Junior Market slips again
The Junior Market Index fell at the close of trading on Tuesday, easing 11.64 points to close at 2,717.55, in a moderate trading session of an exchange of 1,755,909 units valued at $6,431,725 compared to 1,326,412 units valued at $4,542,759 from 21 securities changing hands on Monday.
Market activity ended with 26 securities changing hands, with gains in the prices of 5 securities, declines in 10 with 6 closing unchanged.
Trading ended with an average of 67,535 units for an average of $247,374 in contrast to 63,162 units for an average of $216,322 on Monday. For the month to date an average of 103,494 shares valued at $410,824 and previously, an average of 107,489 shares valued at $428,985. December closed with an average of 568,732 units valued at $3,447,957 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 1 stock ending with the bid higher than the last selling price and 5 with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Access Financial closed 1 cent higher at $42.01, with 304 shares, AMG Packaging ended at a 52 weeks’ low with a loss of 5 cents to $2.50, with 10,174 stock units, CAC 2000 finished with a loss of 89 cents at $7.31, trading 6,000 shares, Cargo Handlers settled at $10, with 900 shares, Caribbean Cream ended trading with a loss of 77 cents at $5, with 22,000 shares. Caribbean Producers fell 9 cents to end at $4.28, with 95,000 units, Derrimon Trading concluded trading at $7, with 5,000 shares, Eppley settled at $11, with 200 units changing hands, Express Catering declined 35 cents to $4.50, with 234,900 shares. FosRich Group traded at $2.50, with 369,544 shares, General Accident finished trading with a loss of 30 cents at $2.50, with 493,216 shares, GWest Corporation closed with a loss of 9 cents at $2.81, with 14,033 stock units, Honey Bun ended at $4, with 12,000 units. Iron Rock concluded trading at $2.86, with 1,460 shares, 
ISP Finance finished 2 cents higher at $12.08, with 48,000 shares, Jamaican Teas settled 7 cents higher at $4.61, with 11,444 shares, Jetcon Corporation ended trading 40 cents higher at $4.95, with 119,005 stock units. Key Insurance traded at $3.50, with 9,102 units, Knutsford Express closed at $15, with 690 shares, Lasco Distributors ended at $3.16, with 246,507 shares, Lasco Financial concluded trading with a loss of 10 cents at $5.30, with 4,941 stock units. Lasco Manufacturing finished at $3.48, with 1,000 units, Medical Disposables ended trading at $5, with 1,600 shares, Stationery and Office finished trading with a loss of 10 cents at $4.80, with 30,000 stock units and tTech ended at $6.38, with 17,984 shares. In the junior market preference segment, Derrimon Trading closed at $2.15, with 905 shares changing hands.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.