The Main and the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange saw investors taking profit after a robust run since the second half of March, up to last Tuesday after reopening from the Easter holiday break. At the close of the week, IC Insider.com TOP 10 stocks had four changes to the lists.
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The Main Market closed the week with one change as Caribbean Cement climbed 14 percent to $48.50, from $42.50. The latest entrant is Eppley, with the price falling to $14.80 from $17 at the close of the prior week. The more volatile Junior Market ended with three changes. Moving on from the Junior Market TOP 10 are Caribbean Assurance Brokers that traded at a new high during the week, Lasco Distributor and Stationery and Office Supplies. New entrants to the list are Mailpac Group, Elite Diagnostic and Medical Disposables after the prices of all three fell at the end of the week.
The three top Junior Market stocks remain unchanged from last week with Caribbean Producers leading, followed by KLE Group and Lasco Financial with the potential to gain between 300 to 533 percent by 2021. In 
the Main Market, Berger Paints leads the pact, followed by Radio Jamaica and Sygnus Credit Investments with projected gains of 180 to 186 percent.
Significant uncertainties exist in the economy and the financial markets; accordingly, it is not possible to determine the exact impact on company earnings for the rest of the year. Actual earnings could vary materially from IC Insider.com’s forecast. Looking beyond the immediate fallout or benefits for companies can be useful in guiding investment decisions for above-average gains in the period ahead.
The targeted average PE ratio of the market is 20 based on the profits of companies reporting full year’s results for the financial year ending after this year’s second quarter and up to the second quarter in 2021. Both the Junior and Main markets are currently trading well below this level. 
The JSE Main Market ended the week, with an overall PE of 13 and the Junior Market a mere 9, based on current 2020/21 earnings. The PE ratio for Junior Market Top 10 stocks averages a just 5.4 with the Main Market at a much higher level of 8.2.
The TOP 10 stocks now trade at a discount of 40 percent of the average for Junior Market and Main Market stocks trade at a discount of 37 percent to the overall market. The average projected gain for the IC TOP 10 stocks is 296 percent from 278 percent last week, for the Junior Market and 146 percent from 139 percent last week for the JSE Main Market, based on 2020/21 earnings.
IC TOP 10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns to March 2021. Forecasted earnings and PE ratio for the current fiscal year are in determining potential gains. The ranking of stocks is in order of likely increases, with the highest-ranked, being the most attractive. Expected 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 as new information is received that can result in changes in and out of the list.
Persons who compiled this report may have an interest in securities commented on in this report.
