The main market pulled back on but blasted to a new intraday high on Friday confirming that the bull run is in its early stages, while the Junior Market continues to bounce around.
The main market has gained nearly 3,600 points for July, thus mirroring the start of the usual summer rally on the Jamaica Stock Exchange.
The main market is being steered higher by an upward sloping support line as well the 45 and 125 day moving averages, lending support just below the index and the Junior Market is being steered by an upward rising long term support line and the start of a golden cross.
The market saw many developments that confirm that a bull market is in place with all three initial public offers closing ahead of the scheduled close.
The past week saw a few strong results being posted and more are expected this week that should include NCB Financial and Proven Investments. Barita Investments got the offer to buy 75% of the shares at $9.20 each. IC Insider.com is of the view that the stock is worth much more with good prospects to build on the strong foundation that it has. Jamaican Stock Exchange released strong gains in profit and announced a dividend as well, and could benefit from both, with eyes focused on even greater improvement in 2019. Caribbean Cement stock is another to watch, with the annual general meeting on this week and results for the June quarter due. Margaritaville had a bid of 16.9 cents versus a last sale of 15 cents and is being offered at 18 cents to sell 43,795 units, Proven Investments had a bid of 16 cents 
versus a last sale of 15 cents and is being offered at 18.5 cents to sell 1,050 units.
Medical Disposables came in for strong demand in the past week with the price going as high as $5.50. Trading during the week removed supplies that was overhanging the market leaving little supply at the end of the week and could go higher in the coming week. Caribbean Cream after posting a 59 percent increase in profit for the 2019 first quarter saw no more continuation of the demand that lifted the price into the $6 region but could well make some increased interest this week.
2 new IC TOP 10 listings
This weeks’ review comes against the back drop of the main market hitting a record high on Friday in the morning session and the Junior market continuing to eke out modest gains.
Unlike last week when there are several changes to the TOP stocks, there are only two new additions this week. Victoria Mutual Investments and Jamaican Teas are out of the TOP 10 with Berger Paints that fell in price to $18.76 and Caribbean Cream are back in the TOP 10 lists.
TOP 10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns within a 12 months period. Stocks are selected based on projected earnings for each company’s current fiscal year. 
Based on an assumed PE for each, the likely gains are determined and then ranked, with the stocks with the highest potential gains ranked first followed by the rest, in descending order. Potential values will change as stock prices fluctuate and will result in movements of the selection in and out of the lists for most weeks. Earnings per share are revised on an ongoing basis based on new information received that can result in changes in and out of the list as well.
The past week saw a few results being posted and more are expected this week, including NCB Financial and Proven Investments that entered the TOP 10 last week, 
both are expected to report positive gains with NCB continuing from increases seen up to the second quarter and Proven that President, Christopher Williams informed IC Insider.com is performing well in all divisions, see Collapse of the JSE US market.
The PE ratio for Junior Market Top stocks averages 7.4 compared to an average PE for the overall market of 11.8, based on 2018 estimated earnings and the main market PE stands at 7.5 for the top stocks, compared to a market average of 12.5, this is a good indication of the level of undervaluation of these stocks.
IC Insider.com last week stated that there are warning signs of a tsunami that is on the way for the market. During last week one more sign came to the fore with a sharp drop in Treasury bill rates again, this coupled with scarcity of supply for many stocks. Investors seem to be going about their business as if prices will remain around current levels for a prolonged period. 
Late comers to buying stocks who try to join the party will find get stocks but at a much higher prices as the year rolls on and that is confirmed by technical indicators in both the Main and Junior markets.
The TOP 10 stocks now trade at an average discount of 37 percent to the average for the Junior Market Top stocks but it’s a third of what the average PE for the year is likely to be of 20 times earnings and main market stocks traded at a discount of 40 percent to the market.
Financiers bullish on Carib tourism
Entities eyeing the Caribbean region and in need of financing should be encouraged by findings by top accounting firm KPMG included in their annual survey on financing for the sector amongst banks and non-banks.
“Confidence levels of banks increased yet again for an amazing ninth year in a row,” the survey stated and went on to indicate that “confidence levels of non-banks also increased.” “Overall non-banks remain more confident than banks registering 7.43 out of 10 in terms of their level of confidence versus 7.11 out of 10 for banks. For both banks and non-banks to exhibit these high levels of confidence would be very positive at any time but for them to do so following what can only be described as a catastrophic 2017 hurricane season for the region, represents very welcome, positive news,” the KPMG report stated.
“Canadian headquartered banks have for many years been the primary financiers of developments in the region’s tourism industry. However, it is now firmly established that the landscape has changed, although the Canadian banks remain very much part of that new landscape. The consensus view appears to be that they are “back in the market but more selective than before”. Other “players” are predominantly local banks who are increasingly participating in syndicated deals, U.S. funds, pension funds and insurance companies and development banks who are also active in the marketplace,” the survey finding went ion to say.
JSE retreats from Friday’s record high
The main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange surged to new record high during trading in the morning sessions hitting a high of 340, 893.72 points on the all Jamaica Index while the JSE index rose to a record high of 310,624.04 but the market pulled back to close just below the record closing high reached on Thursday last week.
Trading in the main market ended with 2,441,530 units valued $54,632,965 compared to 2,808,119 units valued $38,691,449 on Thursday.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index advanced by 878.93 points to 339,155.12, sitting just 692.75 points below the record close on last week Thursday and the JSE Index climbed 800.80 points to 309,008.59, just 631.20 points away from the record close reached last week.
Market activities resulted in 27 securities trading in the main market, compared to 26 securities trading on Thursday in the main and US dollar markets. At the end of trading, the prices of 7 stocks advanced, 10 declined and 10 closed unchanged.
The day’s volume was led by, Carreras with 25.27 percent of trading in an exchange of 616,888 shares, followed by Ciboney Group with 548,381 units, accounting for 22.46 percent of the day’s volume and NCB Financial Group with 276,402 shares and 11.32 percent of the day’s volume.
Stocks with major price changes are, Berger Paints fell 74 cents to $18.76 with 16,154 trading, Caribbean Cement gained $2 to finish at $42, exchanging 5,050 shares, Jamaica Broilers dropped $1.08 to $25.42, with 65,410 stock units trading, Kingston Wharves fell 85 cents and ended at $50, trading 14,127 shares, NCB Financial dropped $2.99 to $95 trading 276,402 units. Pulse Investments fell 40 cents and settled at $3, in trading 29,611 units,
Sagicor Real Estate Fund rose 40 cents and closed at $14.50, exchanging 5,200 shares and Scotia Group declined 90 cents to $50.10, with 248,215 units.
Trading resulted in an average of 90,427 units valued at an average of $2,023,443 for each security traded. In contrast to 122,092 units for an average of $1,682,237 on Thursday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts 146,947 units valued at $2,885,584 compared to 151,016 units valued at $2,952,092 on Thursday. June closed with an average of 250,168 shares with a value of $5,895,281, for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 6 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 closing with lower offers.
Junior Market pregnant for bull run
Bulls are prowling around Jamaican stocks.
The Junior Market Index rose for the second day by adding 10.31 points to close at 3,050.66 on Friday, as advancing stocks beat out declining ones.
IC bid-offer Indicator|At the end of trading, as was the case at the close on Thursday signs continue to be good for a continuation of gains when trading resumes on Monday with a very positive Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading of 9 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with a lower offer.
Trading resulted in an exchange of 780,012 units valued at $3,632,523 compared to 2,301,169 units valued at $10,750,562 on Thursday from 26 securities changing hands, compared to 22 on Thursday. At the close of the market. the prices of 13 securities advanced, 11 declined and 2 traded unchanged.
Trading closed with an average of 30,000 units for an average of $139,712 in contrast to 104,599 units for an average of $488,662 on Thursday. 
The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 200,496 units valued at $811,788 and previously 232,964 units valued at $869,841. June closed with an average of 139,543 units, valued at $671,002 for each security traded.
At the close of trading, AMG Packaging ended with a loss of 3 cents at $1.97, trading 3,318 stock units, Cargo Handlers fell 16 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ low of $9.49, in an exchange of 17,500 shares, Caribbean Cream ended trading 25 cents higher at $6, with 10,700 shares trading, Caribbean Producers fell 9 cents to $5.27, exchanging 80,000 units, C2W Music ended 18 cents higher at a 52 weeks’ high of $1.70, trading 18,500 shares. Derrimon Trading concluded trading with a loss of $2.40 at $20.50, after exchanging in 5,000 shares, Dolphin Cove finished 10 cents higher at $15.90, with 500 stock units changing hands, Elite Diagnostic settled 1 cent higher at $2.96, with 117,229 units switching owners, Eppley ended trading with a loss of 2 cents at $9.98, while exchanging 9,616 shares. Everything Fresh traded 103,042 shares at $1.96, Express Catering closed 4 cents higher at $7.34, with 98,894 shares traded, 
FosRich Group finished trading with 49,576 shares at a loss of 24 cents to $2.71, General Accident closed 2 cents higher at $3.05, after 3,835 stock units crossed the exchange platform, GWest Corporation ended 1 cent higher at $2.41, with 20,000 units. Honey Bun concluded trading with 39,515 shares and rose 1 cent to $4.52, Jamaican Teas ended trading with a loss of 1 cent at $5.29, with 1,790 stock units, Jetcon Corporation traded 12,747 units with a loss of 13 cents at $4.15, Knutsford Express ended 49 cents higher at $12, trading 2,685 shares. Lasco Distributors rose 20 cents to $4.20, with 37,200 stock units trading, Lasco Financial finished at $5, with 38,577 units, Lasco Manufacturing settled 15 cents higher at $4, in exchanging 4,068 shares, Main Event ended trading 1,240 shares, gaining 55 cents to $7.65, Medical Disposables traded 5 cents higher at $5.25, with 20,000 shares, Paramount Trading closed at $2.98, with 12,235 stock units, Stationery and Office closed with a loss of 10 cents at $7.97, as 35,280 units changed ownership and tTech concluded trading with a loss of 18 cents at $5.32, after 36,965 shares changing hands.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
TTSE volume traded down value up – Friday
Trading on the Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange on Friday ended with 17 securities changing hands against 12 on Thursday, leading to 75,042 units valued $1,676,375 being exchanged compared to 151,203 units valued just $700,274 on Thursday.
Trading closed with 5 securities rising, 5 declining and 7 remaining unchanged. The Composite Index rose 0.15 points to 1,226.46, the All T&T Index lost 0.51 points to 1,719.82 and the Cross Listed Index rose 0.11 points to close at 98.46.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows market sentiment with 3 stocks ending with higher bids than the last selling prices and 3 with lower offers.
Gains| First Caribbean International Bank rose 9 cents and ended at $8.10, with 434 units changing hands, First Citizens added 1 cent and completed trading at $34.9
2, after exchanging 4,573 shares, Guardian Holdings gained 9 cents and ended at $16.60, with 18,191 units, One Caribbean Media rose 10 cents and settled at $12.10, after exchanging 2,372 shares and Republic Financial Holdings closed with a gain of 2 cents at 52 weeks’ high of $102.79, after exchanging 6,441 shares.
Losses| Grace Kennedy lost 10 cents and concluded trading at a 52 weeks’ low of $2.80, with 15,119 stock units changing hands, Point Lisas ended trading 10 cents lower at a 52 weeks’ low of $3.70, with 466 stock units changing hands, Scotiabank concluded trading with a loss of 5 cents at $65.05, with 1,000 units, Trinidad & Tobago NGL declined 10 cents and ended at $29.56, after exchanging 2,370 shares and Trinidad Cement fell 5 cents and closed at $2.90, after 6,300 shares traded.
Firm Trades| Ansa McAl ended at $58, in exchanging 413 units, Clico Investments concluded market activity at $20.43, with 11,406 stock units changing hands, Massy Holdings settled at $46.95, after exchanging 311 shares, National Enterprises closed at $9.55, with 2,000 stock units changing hands, National Flour traded 1,844 units at $1.75, Sagicor Financial concluded trading at $7.80, with 1,602 stock units changing hands and West Indian Tobacco ended at $87 trading 200 units.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
All Jamaica nears record 341,000 points
NCB Financial climbed to $99.80 and Jamaica Broilers at a record $30 after just after 11 on Friday morning and pushed the main market to a new record high, surpassing the record reached last week Friday.
At minutes after 11, the All Jamaican Composite Index jumped 2,522.73 points to a record 340,798.92 surpassing the record of 340,315.50 reached last Friday with the JSE Index rising 2,298.49 points to 310,506.28 versus a record 310,065.85 last week. . The Junior Market added 23.66 points to trade at 3,064.01. the main market rose further to 340,893.72 points on the All Jamaican Composite Index and the JSE Index climbed to 310,624.04 at 11:15 am.
Carreras traded 612.643 shares at $9.20 and NCB Financial traded 274,733 units and now trades at $95. In the Junior Market C2W Music traded at a 52 weeks’ high of $1.70.
Profit up 19% at Lasco Distributors
Revenues at Lasco Distributors rose just 3.5 percent for the June quarter, to $4.28 billion from $4.13 billion in 2017 but profit before taxation climbed a much stronger 17 percent in the quarter to $254 million from $217 million in 2017.
The improved profit out turn was helped by modest improvement in gross profit of $50 million and improvement in other income from $18.4 million to $42.7 million. The improvement comes off a strong period in the last fiscal year with profit rising 65 percent to $1 billion from $610 million in 2017. the 2017 profit slipped below the $717 million for 2016.
Administrative and other expenses rose faster than revenues at 5 percent, to $630 million and depreciation increased 31 percent to $30 million.
Peter Chin – Lasco Distributors’ Managing Director
Taxation was flat at $20 million, leaving net profit for the quarter rising 19 percent to $234 million. Earnings per share rose to 7 cents, from 6 cents in 2017.
Gross cash flow brought in $263 million but growth in receivables, offset by reduced inventories and reduction in amount owed to creditors, resulted in negative cash flows of $222 million and left cash and equivalent with at reduced $1.33 billion.
At the end of December, shareholders’ equity stands at $4.8 billion with borrowings at just $233 million. Net current assets ended the period $3.3 billion almost equal to Payables of $3.4 billion.
The stock traded at $4 on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange with a PE ratio of 11 times 2019 estimated earnings. In April the company paid out $408 million in dividends.
JSE jumped on Thursday
The main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange recovered the losses of the previous two days and added more to the indices in the process on Thursday as trading remains subdued with less than half the value traded on Wednesday.
Trading in the main market ended with 2,808,119 units valued $38,691,449 compared to 2,665,607 units valued $71,318,160 on Wednesday.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index jumped 1,768.07 points to 338,276.19. and the JSE Index climbed 1,610.91 points to 308,207.79.
Activities in the main market and US dollar market resulted in 24 securities trading including 2 from the US dollar market, compared to 26 securities trading on Wednesday. At the end of trading, the prices of 8 stocks advanced, 9 declined and 7 closed unchanged.
The day’s volume was led by, JMMB Group with 25.3 percent of trading in an exchange of 711,490 shares, followed by Ciboney Group with 687,852 units accounting for 24.5 percent of the day’s volume and JMMB Group 7.5% preference share with 500,000 shares or just under 18 percent.
Stocks with major price changes are, Caribbean Cement gained 99 cents to finish at $40, exchanging 66,139 shares, Jamaica Broilers jumped $2.54 to $26.50, with 50,891 stock units trading, JMMB Group gained 44 cents and ended at $30, trading 711,490 shares, Jamaica Producers shed 50 cents to $17 trading 30,582 units. Mayberry Investments fell 49 cents and settled at $6.50, with 53,128 units, Proven Investments lost 50 cents trading 750 shares in the Jamaican market to close at $26.50, Sagicor Real Estate Fund lost 90 cents and closed at $14.10, exchanging 10,100 shares, Pulse Investments rose 45 cents trading 98,245 shares to close at $3.40, Scotia Group rose 50 cents to $51, with 1,830 units.
Trading resulted in an average of 122,092 units valued at over $1,682,237, in contrast to 111,067 shares valued at $2,971,590 on Wednesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts 151,016 units valued at $2,952,092 compared to 152,906 units valued at $3,041,409 on Wednesday. June closed with an average of 250,168 shares with a value of $5,895,281, for each security traded.
Trading in the US dollar market closed with 10,150 units valued at $1,252. Sygnus Credit was the only stock trading in the US market, the price rose 1.47 cents to 12.48 US cents. The JSE USD Equities Index rose 1.39 points up to 141.04.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 5 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 closing with lower offers.
Losing streak broken for Junior Market
The Junior Market Index climbed 19.37 points to close at 3,040.35 on Thursday, breaking three unbroken days of decline to Wednesday.
IC bid-offer Indicator|At the end of trading, The signs were good for a continuation of gains on Friday with a very positive Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading of 7 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and 1 with a lower offer.
Trading resulted in an exchange of 2,301,169 units valued at $10,750,562 compared to 1,512,347 units valued at $7,031,079 on Wednesday as 22 securities changed hands, compared to 20 on Wednesday. At the close of the market. The prices of 11 securities advanced, 5 declined and 6 traded unchanged.
Trading closed with an average of 104,599 units for an average of $488,662 in contrast to 75,617 units for an average of $351,554 on Wednesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 232,964 units valued at $869,841 and previously 223,946 units valued at $899,898. June closed with an average of 139,543 units, valued at $671,002 for each security traded.
At the close of trading, AMG Packaging ended with a loss of 1 cent at $2, trading 855 stock units, Caribbean Flavours traded 9 cents higher at $11.69, with 14,645 stock units changing hands, Caribbean Producers traded 2,746 units at $5.36, Consolidated Bakeries closed at $2, in exchanging 48,713 shares, Derrimon Trading concluded trading $2.90 higher at $22.90, with 30,366 shares. Elite Diagnostic settled at $2.95, with 37,206 units, Eppley climbed $2 to $10, trading 4,000 shares, Express Catering traded 55,414 shares at $7.30, FosRich Group exchanged 104,100 shares and rose 35 cents to $2.95. General Accident closed with a loss of 2 cents at $3.03, after 29,410 stock units traded, Honey Bun concluded trading with a loss of 51 cents at $4.51, with 76,640 shares, Jamaican Teas ended trading 3,800 stock units at $5.30, Jetcon Corporation traded 28 cents higher at $4.28, with 1,454,186 units. 
Knutsford Express ended 1 cent higher at $11.51, in an exchange of 16,510 shares, Lasco Distributors concluded trading with a loss of 20 cents at $4, in exchanging 72,070 stock units, Lasco Financial finished 10 cents higher at $5, with 80,609 units, Lasco Manufacturing settled at $3.85, with 24,731 shares. Main Event ended trading 25 cents higher at $7.10, with 10,182 shares, Medical Disposables traded 13 cents higher at $5.20, with 16,442 shares and Stationery and Office closed 7 cents higher at $8.07 trading 8,890 units. In the junior market preference segment, Eppley 8.25% concluded trading 11 cents higher at $6.11, with 171,500 units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
