NCB Financial Group’s shares looks like they could break into the $70 range soon.
is another stock worth watching with IC Insider.com upgrading earnings for the 2018 fiscal year starting April, to $1.90 from $1.60 previously used and 2017 earnings to $1.30 from $1.10. Berger ended the previous week with a last sale price of $12.20 but moved up by the end of the week to $14, closing with an offer of 1,453 units at $15 while 22,600 units are on the bid at $13.55.
The average PE ratio of both markets are currently at an average of 12, based on this year’s estimated. At the close of the markets on Thursday, IC Insider.com’s TOP 10 Junior Market stocks continue to trade at an average discount of just under 40 percent to the Junior Market average, those in the main market are trading just below 50 percent discount, leaving several stocks with good room for growth for the rest of the year.Release of 2017 first quarter results will be important in determining if the steep price discount will continue for much longer, or whether the historical May syndrome of reduced market interest came early this year and last until summer or after, similar to 2016.
Overall bid volumes for junior market stocks remained low at the close of the past week continuing the low levels at the close of the week before.
Caribbean Cement continues to trade with a heavy downside bias notwithstanding the rise in price for the week to $32, with last year’s first quarter results dated April 20, this year’s results could be out in the coming week and provide direction for the stock. JMMB Group’s buying interest is at $18.10 for 2,073 units on the bid and 409,862 units offered at $18.40, NCB Financial Group traded on Thursday at a new record high of $66.90 before pulling back to $65 at the close, supply seems low and could help the price move up ahead of second quarter results, that should be out before month end. The stock also traded at a new high in Trinidad this past week. Pulse Investments has offers to sell 245,639 units at $8 with buying at $7 for 1,000 shares, the same as for the prior week. Radio Jamaica bid is at $1.60 to buy 279,561 units with 100,940 units on offer at $1.75 and Scotia Investments closed the week with only 550 units on the bid to buy at $37 and 4,180 units offered at $39.40.
NCB Financial at record high of $66.90 during trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday but closed lower by the close of the market. Trading ended with 22 securities changing hands with 2 trading in the US dollar market. In the main market, 4 stocks advanced and 12 declined in the main market.
The main market ended trading with an average of 82,915 units compared to an average of 58,075 units on Wednesday. The average volume for the month to date ended at 555,645 units versus 614,736 units on the prior trading day. The average volume and value for March ended at 549,909 units and $1,379,459.
Pan Jamaican closed at $35 with 11,900 shares changing hands. Radio Jamaica lost 4 cents to close at $1.75 with trades of 20,488 shares, Sagicor Group closed at $33.02, after losing 48 cents in exchanging 16,970 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund closed at $10.10, with a loss of 10 cents and 989 shares traded, Scotia Group closed $1.24 lower to $38.75, with an exchange of 17,697 units, Supreme Ventures closed at $6.38, gaining 28 cents with trades of 300,681 shares. Margaritaville Turks gained 0.03 US cents to close at just over 26 US cents with 1,600 units traded, Proven Investments closed at 31 US cents exchanging 88,180 ordinary shares, JMMB 7.25% preference share gained 9 cents, closing at a 52 weeks’ high of $2.50 with 2,667 units changing owners and JMMB Group 7.25% preference share traded 200 units at $1.50.
At the close of the market on Thursday, Access Financial Services rose 75 cents to $35 in trading traded 5,000 units AMG Packaging closed at $5.49 with 21,715 units changing hands, CAC 2000 lost 10 cents and closed at $7.35 with 3,500 shares trading Caribbean Cream traded 21,900 units to end at $7.30, Caribbean Flavours loss 50 cents in trading 11,640 units to end at $12.50 Caribbean Producers gained 5 cents and closed trading with 56,930 units at $3.75, Consolidated Bakeries dropped 34 cents with 756,918 shares changing hands, to close at $2.66, C2W Music closed trading with 15,000 shares at 33 cents, Derrimon Trading had 97,206 units changing hands to close with a loss of 20 cents at $8.50. Dolphin Cove ended at $20.06 with 2,473 shares trading, Honey Bun had 8,500 shares changing hands to close with a rise of 5 cents to end at $7.25, ISP Finance fell 15 cents to end at $15.50 with 10,000 units. Jamaican Teas price was adjusted to reflect the 2 for 1 split approved at the Annual General Meeting on Thursday, but no trading took place as bids were well ahead of the closing prices on Thursday. 
Jetcon Corporation rose 30 cents to end at $11.80 with 4,237 shares traded, KLE Group ended at $2.70 with 64,129 shares changing hands, Knutsford Express traded 261 shares to close at $40.95 after gaining 75 cents, Lasco Distributors added 45 cents and ended with 45,430 units trading at $6.70, Lasco Financial gained 30 cents and ended with 85,273 shares changing hands at $4, Lasco Manufacturing fell 38 cents to close with 60,000 units changing hands at $5, Main Event fell 7 cents trading 48,149 shares at $5.73, Medical Disposables closed trading with 8,039 shares and lost 15 cents to end at $5.85 and Paramount Trading lost 4 cents and closed at $3.55 with 1,012,987 units trading, this after the company reported lower profit for the third consecutive quarter than in the previous year and tTech traded 12,489 shares to end at $7.15.
National Flour Mills lost 4 cents to close at $2.56, with 3,000 units changing hands and Scotiabank closed at $58, with a loss of 50 cents while trading 905 shares.
Stock market reports showed Eppley ordinary share leaping $7.10 to a record high of $12. The stock could not officially trade there as it exceeded the 30 percent limit in a day. 
The junior market ended trading with an average of 151,855 units for an average value of $742,022 traded, compared to 87,081 units for an average value of $473,283 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for the month to date is 276,098 units and $1,924,623. The average volume and value for the month to the previous trading day ended at 293,848 units and $2,093,565. The average volume and value for March was 137,459 units and $1,313,411.
Jamaican Teas fell 25 cents in trading 230,153 shares to close at $7.50, the stock trade ex-split on Thursday, to accommodate the 2 for 1 split approved at the Annual General Meeting on Wednesday. Jetcon Corporation dropped 40 cents to end at $11.50 with 13,403 shares traded, Lasco Distributors fell 55 cents and ended with 30,600 units trading, to close at $6.25, Lasco Financial ended with 6,000 shares changing hands at $4, Lasco Manufacturing fell 38 cents to close with 1,677,200 units changing hands at $4.60, Main Event rose 7 cents trading 42,410 shares at $5.80, Medical Disposables closed trading with 215 shares and rose 50 cents to end at $6 and Paramount Trading closed at $3.59 with 42,600 units trading and tTech traded 10,000 shares but fell 35 cents to end at $7.15.
Trading on the Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange on Wednesday resulted in 14 securities changing hands compared to 16 on Tuesday with 4 stocks advancing, 1 declining and 9 unchanged. 
Firm Trades| Angostura Holdings traded 86,454 units at $14.90 valued $1,288,165, Grace Kennedy closed at $2.70 with trades of 100,720 shares, Guardian Holdings closed at $15.50 exchanging 24,898 units valued at $385,919. Massy Holdings traded just 65 shares at $51.66, Prestige Holdings closed at $11 with 800 units changing hands, Sagicor Financial held firm at $9.15 trading 103 units, Trinidad Cement closed at $4.20 with an exchange of 101,167 shares valued at $424,901, Trinidad & Tobago NGL exchanged 35,473 units at $21 valued at $744,862 and West Indian Tobacco closed at $127 with 172 units changing owners.
The average volume and value for the month to date is 293,848 units and $2,093,565. The average volume and value for the month to the previous trading day ended at 328,309 units and $2,363,612. The average volume and value for March was 137,459 units and $1,313,411.
Jetcon Corporation rose 40 cents to end at $11.90 with 35,262 shares traded, KLE Group traded 3,000 shares and fell 30 cents in closing at $2.70, Knutsford Express traded just 1,266 shares but fell 80 cents to close at $40.20, Lasco Distributors fell 5 cents and ended with 23,461 units trading to close at $6.80, Lasco Financial added 20 cents and ended with a mere 242 shares changing hands at $4, Lasco Manufacturing fell 1 cent and closed with 1,264,833 units changing hands at $4.98, Main Event rose 50 cents trading 10,000 shares at $5.73, Medical Disposables closed trading with 55,000 shares and fell 50 cents to end at $5.50 and Paramount Trading closed with a loss of 1 cent to end a $3.59.
The average volume and value for March ended at 549,909 units and $1,379,459.
NCB Financial Group gained $1.60 to close at $64, after exchanging 19,712 shares, 1834 Investments traded 4 cents lower to close at $1.50, while exchanging 7,900 units, 138 Student Living closed at $4.49, gaining 3 cents with an exchange of 12,400 units, Pan Jamaican closed 14 cents lower at $35.46 with 20,250 shares changing hands. Radio Jamaica gained 20 cents to close at $1.80, trading 37,000 shares, Sagicor Group closed with a loss of 97 cents to $32.54 exchanging 225,742 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund closed at $10.05, with 4,600 shares traded, Scotia Group closed at $38.60, with trades of 62,464 units, Seprod advanced $3.70 to close at $39.70, with 2,000 shares changing hands, Sterling Investments gained 25 cents, closing at $17 with an exchange of 67,394 units, Supreme Ventures closed at $6.38 trading 21,500 shares and Proven Investments gained 2 US cents to close at 31 US cents with trades of 72,850 ordinary shares.
Shareholders of Jamaican Teas will consider a 2 for 1 stock split at their Annual General Meeting scheduled for tomorrow April 12, to be held at the Courtyard Marriott hotel in Kingston. 
