Changes for TOP 10 stocks

Gains in the overall market of 20 percent for the year to date have spawned some attractive gains for many stocks, but there is likely to be much more to come for the rest of the year.
The junior market hit new highs during the past week but pulled back quite a bit on Friday, leading to positive and negative price changes. ISP Finance had two sizable trades during the week, the price was up to a new high of $10 but closed the week at $9. Medical Disposables slipped by $1.40 to $6 at the end of the week. Access Finance closed with the bid at $38 compared to $35 last week. Earnings for Lasco Manufacturing and Lasco Financial were reduced following release of the December results and partially accounted for the fall out of the TOP 10 for the two. Lasco Manufacturing sits just below the TOP 10 with a PE of 9 while Lasco Financial is in 16th spot with a PE of 10, both are below the junior market average of 12. The space left by the two, have been filled by General Accident having a PE of 8 and Caribbean Producers valued at a PE of just under 9.
In Main market TOP 10 trading activity during the past week, Jamaica Broilers jumped to $16 from $14.50 to end up be edged out of the top list by Scotia Investments. Strong demand pushed the number 1 main market stock, Cable & Wireless to $1.50 from $1.28 at the start of the week with more news on a potential offer to buy out minority shareholders by Liberty Global, while Caribbean Cement jumped to a new high of $39.60 but closed with just limited selling at $45. The company reported profit of $1.3 billion for 2016 down from $1.55 billion in 2015. In 2016 there were exceptional costs of $807 million while 2015 had one off income of $168 million. The cost savings that will flow from the cut in the labour force will have a positive effect on cost for 2017. Broilers that now sits just below the TOP 10 boast a PE of just 8 compared to an average for the main market of 12 and a potential of 20 for the year.