PORT OF SPAIN, Trinidad - The year 2012 was a challenging year for equity investors in Caricom. Despite solid gains on manufacturing, conglomerate and banking stocks, returns were depressed by declines on tourism, real estate, insurance, investments and retail stocks.
As a result, the CSX 30, which tracks the 30 most influential stocks in Caricom, posted a modest gain of 7.27 per cent for the year. Investors in Junior Market shares had a torrid year, and the CJSX, which tracks the returns of Junior Market shares in Caricom posted a decline of 20.48 per cent. New readers should note that returns are in US dollars, and reflect movements in the stock’s price (capital gains), dividends and movements in the exchange rate against the US dollar.
For the year, 1,991,884,759 shares valued at US$400,107,790 crossed the floors of the six stock exchanges across Caricom, with 50 stocks advancing, 74 declining and eight remaining unchanged. Sagicor Life Jamaica was the most active stock of the year with 358,057,483 shares being traded. Demerara Tobacco Company posted the largest gain for the year (117.32 per cent), while on the losing end, Caribbean Cement Company (66.51 per cent).