Having fallen badly in the previous week, the Junior Market rallied a solid 5.2 percent the past week to end up above 3,800 points on Thursday and Friday and the Main Market rose 1.2 percent to close out the week, with the Junior Market ICTOP 10 blazing a trail with some lofty gains and the Main Market posting just two stocks with notable gains and a few losses of size, with one new stock entering the TOP10.
Other than the b moves in the TOP10, the market got some good news this past week. For one Jamaica Broilers reported positive full year results that were helped by a $2.3 billion one off gain, excluding those gains normal profits would have been in the order of $4.80 when taxes relating to the capital gains are excluded. The other positive news is that the Bank of Jamaica will officially start to ease the tight monetary policy pursued over the past three years. In reality, they commenced easing in early May, with CD rates falling from 11.59 percent in early April to mostly under 10 percent during June.
The other news of worth is that GDP growth for the March quarter was 1.4 percent, but that reflects a slowdown from last year and an even slower December quarter that was 1.7 percent. The latest GPD data and other available information suggest the evidence of a slow down. These include reduced first quarter results of several companies and a decline in tourist arrivals in the second quarter, suggesting that the second quarter is likely to grow at an even slower pace than the first. The positive take from any economic slowdown is that the tight monetary policy that the country is in will be eased further.
JSE Main Market had three winners and four losers. The Junior Market ended with six winners and three losers.
The Junior Market ICTOP10 saw Dolla Financial surging 30 percent to $3 followed by Consolidated Bakeries’ big recovery from last week’s big 28 percent fall and ended with a gain of 28 percent to $1.98, Access Financial gained 15 percent to end at $21.93, Caribbean Cream popped 7 percent to $3.80 and Stationery and Office Supplies rose 7 percent to close at $1.70. Declining stocks include Caribbean Assurance Brokers down 13 percent to close at $3.31 and tTech falling 9 percent to $2.10.
JMMB Group was the star performer in the Main Market TOP10, climbing 13 percent to $25.10 and Berger Paints was up 6 percent in closing at $8.52. Declining stocks are 138 Student Living and Pulse Investments dipping 6 percent to $3.86 and $1.50 respectively and Guardian Holdings dropped 4 percent to close at $345.
Dolla Financial with a 30 percent surge, dropped out of the ICTOP10 for the week and is replaced by One Great Studio.
One Great Studio was listed in September 2023 at $1 per share, the price has since slipped to a low of 80 cents per share following first quarter profit that fell 55 percent to $10 million from $23 million in 2023, following a fall in revenues from $115 million to $91 million.
The principal activities of the Group are to provide search engine optimisation, web design and development and software development services, with clients based in Jamaica, the wider Caribbean and other countries. The company is looking to add other services by way of a possible acquisition in the future to benefit from synergies.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market ICTOP 10 stands at 5.1, well below the market average of 13.9 and the Junior Market TOP10 sits at 6.7, just over half of the market, with an average of 13.3.
The Main Market ICTOP10 is projected to gain an average of 303 percent by May 2025, based on 2024 forecasted earnings and providing better values than the Junior Market with the potential to achieve 215 percent over the same period.
In the Main Market ICTOP 10, a total of 17 of the most highly valued stocks representing 33 percent of the Main Market are priced at a PE of 15 to 102, with an average of 30 and 19 excluding the highest PE ratios, and a PE of 24 for the top half and 16 excluding the stocks with overweight values.
In the Junior Market IC TOP10 are 14 stocks, or 30 percent of the market, with PEs ranging from 15 to 53, averaging 21, well above the market’s average. The average PE for the top half of the market is 18, possibly the lowest fair value measure for stocks currently.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market, but this is not always so. ICInsider.com ranks stocks based on projected earnings, allowing investors to focus on the most undervalued stocks and helping to remove emotions in selecting stocks for investments that often result in costly mistakes.
IC TOP10 stocks will likely deliver the best returns on or around May 2025 and are ranked in order of potential gains, computed using projected earnings for the current fiscal year. Expected values will change as stock prices fluctuate, resulting in weekly movements in and out of the lists. Revisions to earnings are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.
Persons who compiled this report may have an interest in securities commented on in this report.
The All Jamaican Composite Index jumped 3,166.41 points to close at 358,136.59, the JSE Main Index rose 1,525.91 points to close trading at 318,919.87 and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.56 points to close at 66.85.
Caribbean Producers popped 60 cents to end at $9.60 with investors trading 878,024 units, Eppley fell $2.38 to close at $36.50, with 1,125 shares crossing the exchange, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund gained $2.99 to finish at $40 in trading 291 units. Guardian Holdings shed $5 and ended at $345 after 346 stocks passed through the market, Jamaica Broilers rose $2.50 to $35.50 with an exchange of 819,391 stock units, Jamaica Producers advanced 50 cents to finish at $25 with 142,941 shares clearing the market. Kingston Wharves dropped 49 cents in closing at $26 as investors exchanged 82,906 stock units, Mayberry Group lost 69 cents to close at $7.31 after a transfer of 324 stocks, Mayberry Jamaican Equities slipped 49 cents to end at $9 in the trading of 40,000 units. NCB Financial sank $1.16 to end at a multiyear closing low of $54.84 after an exchange of 30,415 stocks and trading as low as $52.90, 
Pan Jamaica declined $4.47 to finish at $46 with investors trading 360,819 shares, Sagicor Group climbed 50 cents and ended at $41 after an exchange of 93,948 stock units. Seprod popped $7.90 in closing at $87.90 after 54,417 units raced across the market and Supreme Ventures climbed $2.90 to end at $26 in an exchange of 1,563,786 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
At the close of the market, the JSE Combined Market Index rose 1,723.87 points to 332,526.55, the All Jamaican Composite Index increased 3,166.41 points to 358,136.59, the JSE Main Index climbed 1,525.91 points to close trading at 318,919.87. The Junior Market Index popped 37.12 points to 3,843.23, fractionally higher than the close in June and the JSE USD Market Index rallied 1.70 points to settle at 236.67.
In the Junior Market, Dolla Financial led trading with 11.33 million shares followed by Express Catering with 5.20 million units, Omni Industries was next with 5.12 million stocks, Future Energy ended with 4.64 million shares, Lasco Financial closed with 2.72 million stock units and Jetcon Corporation with 2.63 million units.
The chart should be used in making rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the average for the sector, not going too far from it unless there are compelling reasons to do so. This approach helps to remove emotions from investment decisions and place them on fundamentals while at the same time not being too far from the majority of investors. Investors who buy when the price of a stock is close to the average will find that they are not inclined to overpay for a stock.
The market closed with 13,687,861 shares being traded for $100,043,332 compared to 13,147,467 stock units at $113,060,902 on Wednesday.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 14.9. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are based on last traded prices and earnings forecasts done by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending around August 2025.
Scotia Group climbed $1 to end at $45 with 86,230 shares clearing the market. Supreme Ventures dropped 89 cents to end at $23.10 in an exchange of 34,131 units and Wisynco Group popped 66 cents and ended at $21.22 with investors trading 40,955 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
At the close of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index climbed 1,917.96 points to 330,802.68, the All Jamaican Composite Index skidded 2,566.82 points to 354,970.18, the JSE Main Index fell 2,262.58 points to conclude trading at 317,393.96. The Junior Market Index advanced by 34.92 points to 3,806.11 and the JSE USD Market Index dipped 1.23 points to wrap up trading at 234.97.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% sank $6.49 to close at $41.50. JMMB Group 7% preference share slipped 90 cents to $2.34 and 138 Student Living preference share rallied $44.71 in closing at $180.45.
The chart should be used in making rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the average for the sector, not going too far from it unless there are compelling reasons to do so. This approach helps to remove emotions from investment decisions and place them on fundamentals while at the same time not being too far from the majority of investors. Investors who buy when the price of a stock is close to the average will find that they are not inclined to overpay for a stock.
The Main Market closed with trading of 13,147,467 shares for $113,060,902 up from 11,380,554 units at $102,771,663 on Tuesday.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 14.1. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are based on the last traded prices and earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending around August 2025.
MPC Caribbean Clean Energy jumped $6.94 to $90 with a transfer of 35 stocks, Pan Jamaica fell 75 cents to finish at $50.75 after traders swapped 254,028 stocks, Sagicor Group climbed 50 cents and ended at $41 in an exchange of 8,573 shares. Scotia Group slipped 89 cents to close at $44 with investors trading 29,563 units, Sygnus Credit Investments popped $1.47 to end at $12.16 after shareholders traded 1,330,198 stocks and Wisynco Group lost 44 cents in closing at $20.56 with investors dealing in 10,176 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
At the close of the market, the JSE Combined Market Index climbed 1,589.37 points to 332720.64, the All Jamaican Composite Index rose 803.03 points to 357,537.00, the JSE Main Index rallied 1,434.43 points to close at 319,656.54. The Junior Market Index rallied 30.50 points to end the day at 3,771.19 and the JSE USD Market Index jumped 17.10 points to wrap-up trading at 236.20.
In the preference segment, Productive Business Solutions 10.5% preference share rallied $50 to $1,100 and Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5% rose $2 to end at $110.
This approach helps to remove emotions from investment decisions and place them on fundamentals while at the same time not being too far from the majority of investors. Investors who buy when the price of a stock is close to the average will find that they are not inclined to overpay for a stock.
Investors traded 11,380,554 shares at $102,771,663 down from 13,700,341 units at $172,344,664 on Monday.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 14.1. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are based on the last traded prices and earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending around August 2025.
Pan Jamaica increased 50 cents to $51.50 after an exchange of 40,296 units, Proven Investments climbed 50 cents to end at $20 with investors transferring 68,892 stock units, Sagicor Group rose 50 cents to $40.50, with 10,575 shares crossing the market. Sagicor Real Estate Fund advanced 52 cents to finish at $8.02 after exchanging 250 stock units, Scotia Group rose $2.04 and ended at $44.89 with investors swapping 5,550 stocks, Stanley Motta fell 50 cents to close at $6, with 9,984 stock units changing hands. Supreme Ventures rallied 99 cents to $23.99 with 84,590 shares changing hands and Wisynco Group increased $1 to end at $21 in trading 41,618 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
At the close of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index climbed 564.71 points to 331,131.27, the All Jamaican Composite Index rallied 937.75 points to 356,733.97, the JSE Main Index advanced 139.64 points to 318,222.11. The Junior Market Index jumped 60.76 points to 3,740.69 and the JSE USD Market Index rose 0.42 points to 219.10.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to value stocks, ended at 20.4 on 2023-24 earnings and 13.7 times those for 2024-25 at the close of trading. The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and detailed daily charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
The net asset value of each company is reported as a guide for investors to quickly assess the value of stocks based on this measure. The chart also shows daily changes in stock prices and the percentage year to date price movement based on the last traded prices.
Trading ended with an exchange of 60 securities up from 58 on Friday, with prices of 24 stocks rising, 21 declining and 15 ending unchanged.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 12 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.