Big jump again for juniors

Trading activity on the junior market ended on Thursday with the market making strong gains as investors responded to the strong profit increase of the Lasco companies leading to the JSE Junior market Index rising 20.86 points to close at 895.83. Based on the 45 percent jump in profit for Lasco Distributors and 75 percent increase at Lasco Manufacturing, the gains in the market should continue.
The market ended with 7 securities trading with 741,698 units changing hands, valued at $2,204,755 and the prices of 4 stocks rising and 2 declining.
At the close, the junior market had 6 stocks having bids higher than their last selling prices, 2 with lower offers. 6 securities closed with no bids to buy, while 8 had no stocks being offered for sale.
Stocks trading are, AMG Packaging traded 365,828 units with the price rising 5 cents to $3.50, Caribbean Cream had 6,998 shares trading, lost 5 cents to close at $2.05. Lasco Distributors traded 60,000 shares to close at $1.65, up 5 cents, the stock closed with demand to buy $158 and $1.60 and selling at $1.80 but there are only 3 offers in the market at $1.80 to $2.13 for 70,000 units. Lasco Financial Services traded 128,290 units and gained 2 cents to end at $1.52, after posting first quarter profit of $54 million compared with $47 million in 2014, Lasco Manufacturing with 74,582 shares trading, closed 10 cents higher at $1.60, for anew 52 weeks high, after posting first quarter profit of $247 million compared with $141 million in 2014. Lasco Manufacturing has demand to buy at $1.60, but the offers are light with under 50,000 units ranging from $1.65 to $2.50. Paramount traded 80,000 shares at $5.50 for a loss of 50 cents and Epply 10 percent preference share traded 26,000 units at $2.40.