With savings accounts paying less than 1.75 per cent and repurchase agreements at the top end of the market for accounts with $1 million or more, the stock market has attracted the interest of investors who want to enjoy a quarterly paycheque and growth on their invested funds.

For this upcoming period, several companies have announced a dividend payout to investors. These dividends are a mix of local currency and US dollars and depending on the price an investor paid for the stock, the yield could be as high as 10 per cent on the equity investment.

1. Proven Investments Limited (ProvenJA) has advised that a dividend payment of US$0.0025 per share was declared at the Board Meeting, which was held on July 27, 2018. The investment bank advises that ordinary shareholders who have requested payment in Jamaican dollars will receive the equivalent of JA$0.3335 per share. This dividend payment will be made to all ordinary shareholders on record on August 27, 2018 and will be paid on September 10, 2018. The ex-dividend date is August 24, 2018.

2. Proven subsidiary and loan financing firm, Access Financial Services Ltd (AFS) has advised that their Board of Directors approved a dividend payment to its ordinary shareholders at the Board Meeting held on July 30, 2018, as follows:

• Dividend per share – $0.22

• Record date: August 15, 2018

• Payment: August 29, 2018

• The ex-dividend date is: August 14, 2018

3. Lasco Manufacturing (LASM) has declared an interim dividend of $0.038 per share totalling $155 million be paid to shareholders on August 31, 2018, representing an 8.7 per cent increase.

4. Medical supply firm, Medical Disposables & Supplies Ltd (MDS) has advised that at a meeting of the Board of Directors held on July 31, 2018, it was decided that a final dividend of $0.104 per share for the year ending March 31, 2018 be paid to shareholders on record as at August 17, 2018. The payment date is September 5, 2018 and the ex-dividend date is August 16, 2018.

5. Downtown Kingston-based conglomerate, GraceKennedy Ltd (GK) has advised that the Board of Directors on July 31, 2018, passed the following resolutions:

•An interim dividend of 45 cents per stock unit be paid on September 26, 2018 to the stockholders on record at the close of business on September 7, 2018.

• The ex-dividend date is September 6, 2018.

6. Tourism entertainment powerhouse, Margaritaville (Turks) Ltd (MTL), has advised that MTL’s Directors have concluded on an interim dividend payment of US$.015 per share for a total payout of US1,012,500.00 to all shareholders on record on August 24, 2018. The proposed payment date is November 30, 2018. The ex-dividend date is August 23, 2018.