The junior market seems set to hit a new record this coming week thus surpassing the record 1,040.59 points it closed at on 11th of August 2015. Any new record is not likely to be from a broad based rally but from a few selective securities. Since that peak the market retreated 9.3 percent to 943.44 on September 16.
The chart shows the market closing the week at resistance level, see red line. If it breaks through that level, it could move on to 1,200 points before any further level of major resistance is reached, see upward sloping black line. At that stage other junior stocks are likely to chip in.
On Friday, the junior market index jumped 31.29 points to close the week at 1,017.38 with Lasco Manufacturing hitting a new high of $2.40 before closing at $2.28 and Caribbean Cream jumping 30 cents to $2.05. Both companies have been in the new with expansion plants that is expected to 9increase revenues and cut cost. IC Insider’s earnings per share forecast for the current fiscal year ending March 2016, is 40 cents for Lasco and Caribbean Cream for the current fiscal year ending February 2016 is 78 cents per share. Demand is in for Caribbean Cream with selling moving to $3 by the close on Friday but with only 28,338 units, Lasco Manufacturing closed with just 17,200 shares on offer after it closed at a record high but has buy orders in 614,000 units at $2.15 and above and over 950,000 units at $2 and $2.10. Lasco Distributors is not as bullish with earnings per share forecast of 34 cents, as its manufacturing sister but has only 8,544 units on offer at $2.10 and 10,000 units at $2.15, buying is in at $1.88 and below.
Juniors gained slightly on Thursday
The junior market closed on Thursday with the index gaining 5.77 points to 986.09 and a total of 4 stocks advancing, 2 declining as 10 securities traded. The market ended with 991,037 units, valued at $2,047,066 changing hands.
At the close 3 securities ended with no bids to buy, while 8 had no stocks being offered for sale. A total of 6 stocks closed with bids higher than the last traded prices and 1 closed with a lower offer.
In trading, AMG Packaging closed at $3.65 with 2,114 units changing hands, Caribbean Producers traded just 111,550 units with a loss of 5 cents at $2.30, Dolphin Cove closed with 4,144 units at $11.50, General Accident Insurance ended with 21,000 units changing hands at $1.51, in the process added 1 cent. Honey Bun with 6,383 shares changing hands, closed unchanged at $4.28, Jamaican Teas traded 5,211 units to end at $3.14 but after adding 4 cents, Lasco Distributors with 47,960 units trading, ended unchanged at $2. Lasco Financial had 221,300 shares changing hands to end at $1.79, for a gain of 18 cents, Lasco Manufacturing with 569,558 shares trading, closed at $2.03, with a gain of 2 cents and Paramount Trading ended with 1,817 shares changing hands to end at $6 with a gain of 10 cents.
Strong buying has come in for Lasco Manufacturing with at least 1.8 million units on the bid at $2 to $2.17 and at $1.90 are 536,000 units with only two offers on the board presently for $2.40 and at $2.80. Caribbean Cream has also seen increased buying interest with more than 1.6 million units on the bid to buy at $1.80 to $1.86, supply so far is at $2.05.
Juniors slip with 2 stocks up 2 down
The junior market closed on Wednesday with the index slipping by just 0.63 points to 980.32 and a total of 2 stocks advancing, 2 declining as 7 securities traded. The market ended with 1,114,636 units, valued at $2,408,864 changing hands.
At the close 4 securities ended with no bids to buy, while 8 had no stocks being offered for sale. A total of 5 stocks closed with bids higher than the last traded prices and 2 closed with lower offers.
In trading, General Accident Insurance ended with 54,405 units changing hands at $1.50, in the process added 3 cents. Honey Bun with 19,883 shares changing hands, closed unchanged at $4.28, Jamaican Teas traded 54,925 units to end at $3.10 but after losing 12 cents. Lasco Distributors with 146,290 units trading, ended with unchanged at $2, Lasco Financial had 3,850 shares changing hands, ended at $1.61, Lasco Manufacturing with 335,283 shares trading, closed at $2.05 with a gain of 5 cents and Derrimon Trading preference share ended with 500,000 shares changing hands to end at $2.20 down 5 cents.
Juniors move up on Tuesday
The junior market closed on Tuesday with the index rising 12.09 points to 980.95 and a total of 4 stocks advancing, 4 declining as 12 securities traded. The market ended with 241,772 units, valued at $747,229 changing hands.
At the close 4 securities ended with no bids to buy, while 9 had no stocks being offered for sale. A total of 4 stocks closed with bids higher than the last traded prices and 2 closed with lower offers.
In trading, AMG Packaging closed at $3.65, with 5,100 units changing hands, Blue Power traded 2,000 shares and lost 50 cents to close at $13.20, Consolidated Bakeries traded 40,000 shares and declined by 20 cents to end at $1. General Accident Insurance traded 20228 units at $1.47 in the process lost 3 cents. Honey Bun with 26,827 shares changing hands and closed unchanged at $4.28, Jamaican Teas traded 500 units at $3.22 and added 2 cents, Lasco Distributors with 17,240 units trading, ended with a unchanged at $2, Lasco Financial had 46,336 shares changing hands, ended at $1.61 after losing 14 cents. Lasco Manufacturing with 25,350 shares trading, closed at $2 with a gain of 1 cent, Paramount Trading ended with 16,782 shares changing hands and gained 9 cents to be at $5.90, Eppley cumulative preference share 2019, ended with 8,209 units changing hands, 2 cents higher, at $6.07 and Eppley 9.5% preference share, ended with 33,200 units changing hands at $6.01.
Juniors inched up on Monday
The junior market ended on Monday with the index rising 3.35 points to 968.86 and a total of 4 stocks advancing, 3 declining as 8 securities traded. The market ended with 798,223 units, valued at $1,792,306 changing hands.
At the close 3 securities ended with no bids to buy, while 9 had no stocks being offered for sale. A total of 7 stocks closed with bids higher than the last traded prices and 3 closed with lower offers.
In trading, AMG Packaging closed with a gain of 5 cents to reach $3.65, with 500 units changing hands, Caribbean Cream traded 540,000 shares and lost 5 cents to close at $1.75, Caribbean Producers traded 25,301 shares at $2.35 by gaining 5 cents. Jamaican Teas traded 8,000 units at $3.20 by slipping 30 cents, Lasco Distributors closed with 201,388 units trading and ended with a gain of 16 cents at $2, Lasco Financial with 20,350 shares changing hands ended at $1.75 after losing 5 cents. Lasco Manufacturing with 1,684 shares trading closed at $1.99 with a gain of 4 cents, and Derrimon Trading preference share ended with 1,000 shares changing hands to end 2 cents higher at $2.25.
5 junior stocks rise 1 fall on Friday
The junior market ended on Friday with the index rising 5.71 points to 965.51 with indications below showing that Monday should be another day of more stocks rising than declining. A total of 5 stocks advanced, 1 declined with 6 securities trading. The market ended with 1,524,288 units, valued at $3.455 million changing hands.
The market ended with 3 securities with no bids to buy, while 9 had no stocks being offered for sale. A total of 9 stocks closed with bids higher than the last traded prices and 4 closed with lower offers.
In trading, Caribbean Cream traded 20,000 shares and gained 9 cents to close at $1.80, Dolphin Cove traded 4,000 shares at $11.50, General Accident Insurance traded 24,000 units at $1.50 to gain 3 cents, Lasco Financial with 85,750 shares changing hands ended at $1.80. Lasco Manufacturing with 306,414 shares trading closed at $2.05 with a gain of 9 cents, Medical Disposables traded 621,144 shares to close unchanged at $2.50 and Derrimon Trading preference share ended with 463,000 shares changing hands to end at $2.23. The usual trading data was not available after the close on Friday as such the volumes on the bid and offers are for the most part those at 11 am on Friday morning.
2 junior stocks up 3 down on Wednesday
The junior market ended on Wednesday with the index rising marginally by 0.15 points to close at 950.48. A total of 2 stocks advanced, 3 declined with of 6 securities trading. The market ended with 687,049 units, valued at $1,432,957 changing hands.
The market ended with 3 securities with no bids to buy, while 8 had no stocks being offered for sale. A total of 8 stocks closed with bids higher than the last traded prices and 3 closed with lower offers.
In trading, AMG Packaging closed with a loss of 5 cents at $3.60 as 1,300 units changed hands, Caribbean Flavours ended with 9,481 shares changing hands at $2.70, Caribbean Producers traded 368,558 units to close with a loss of 5 cents at $2.30. Honey Bun had 10,710 shares trading with an increase of 2 cents to close at a new 52 weeks’ high of $4.30, Knutsford Express traded 6,000 shares to close at $6 after falling by 10 cents and Lasco Financial with 290,000 shares changing hands rose 6 cents to end at $1.61.
4 junior stocks gain on Tuesday
The junior market ended on Tuesday with the index falling marginally by 0.60 points to close at 950.33. A total of 4 stocks advanced, none declined with a total of 9 securities trading. The market ended with 772,681 units, valued at $1,436,470 changing hands.
The market ended with 4 securities with no bids to buy, while 7 had no stocks being offered for sale. A total of 7 stocks closed with bids higher than the last traded prices and 2 closed with lower offers.
Stocks trading are, Caribbean Cream ended with 185,000 shares changing hands at $1.71, as the price rose 6 cents, Caribbean Producers traded 23,000 units to close at $2.35, General Accident trading 26,621 sharesCargo Handlers with 550 shares changing hands ended at $31, to end at $1.46 with a 1 cent rise. Honey Bun had 10,000 shares trading with an increase of 28 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $4.28, Knutsford Express had 8,000 shares changing hands at $6.10, Lasco Distributors with 115,800 shares trading, closed at $1.84 after rising by 2 cents. Lasco Financial ended with 174,000 shares changing hands for a decline of at $1.55, Lasco Manufacturing with 229,630 shares trading closed at $1.90.