Investors shifted gears and pushed stocks solidly higher on the penultimate day of the 2023 first quarter at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Thursday, with a 78 percent fall in the volume of stocks traded, after a 64 percent fall in value than on Wednesday, following trading in 60 securities compared to 56 on Wednesday, with prices of 30 rising, 13 declining and 17 ending unchanged.
A total of 13,390,755 shares were traded for $105,410,403 compared to 60,107,710 units at $290,707,932 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 223,179 shares at $1,756,840 versus 1,073,352 shares at $5,191,213 on Wednesday and month to date, an average of 353,545 units at $2,691,945, compared with 360,213 units at $2,739,777 on the previous day. February closed with an average of 183,599 units at $2,160,070.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 5.86 million shares for 43.8 percent of total volume followed by Wigton Windfarm with 1.92 million units for 14.3 percent of the day’s trade, Supreme Ventures with 1.15 million units for 8.6 percent share of the day’s trading and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 1.01 million units for 7.6 percent market share.
The market indices surged, with the All Jamaican Composite Index popping 8,472.58 points to 377,465.17, the JSE Main Index climbing 8,348.24 points to 335,070.77 and the JSE Financial Index rallying 1.45 points to close at 77.60.
The PE Ratio, a formula used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 13.6 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios incorporate ICInsider.com’s earnings forecasts for companies with the financial year ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 10 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments rose $1.17 to end at $81.20 with investors transferring 45,746 shares, Caribbean Cement climbed $5 to $56 as investors exchanged 15,391 units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund increased $1.50 to close at $44.50 after a transfer of 4,453 stock units. First Rock Real Estate dipped $1.25 in closing at $10.74 after an exchange of 7,125 stocks, GraceKennedy climbed $2 to $82 with the swapping of 33,004 stock units, Guardian Holdings rallied $4 to $494, with 76 units clearing the market. Jamaica Broilers popped $1 after ending at $38 after an exchange of 453,507 stocks, Jamaica Producers lost 74 cents to close at $21 in switching ownership of 7,618 shares, Kingston Wharves advanced $1.10 in closing at $34 with an exchange of 22,177 stock units. Massy Holdings increased $8.11 to end at $89.11 in trading 1,002 stocks, NCB Financial shed 48 cents to $74.50, with 10,681 units crossing the market, Proven Investments gained 50 cents to end at $27 and closed with 3,803 shares changing hands. Sagicor Group advanced $3 after ending at $50 in trading 109,283 stocks, Scotia Group dropped 94 cents in closing at $34, with 124,974 shares changing hands, Seprod popped $3 to close at $70 while exchanging 24,463 units. Supreme Ventures rose $3.18 to end at $31 as 1,148,754 stock units passed through the market and Sygnus Real Estate Finance climbed 66 cents in closing at $9.96 in an exchange of 465 stocks.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% fell $43.39 in ending at $220, with 26 shares crossing the market, Jamaica Public Service 9.5% declined $98 to $2900 with a transfer of 2 stock units and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share dropped $16.05 to close at $90.95 in an exchange of 62 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Key Insurance highest ICTOP10 jumps 37%
Stocks dropped to their lowest levels this past week after falling even lower than they did to close of the previous week as investors continue to shun the market, but the time is not far off that Bank of Jamaica will begin lowering interest rates and fuel a market resurgence as they sent the clearest signal that interest rates have not only peaked but will be headed downwards this past week.
The first signs of an easing of rate came this past week with BOJ CDs rates plunging 16 percent to an average of 8.85 percent from over 10 percent where it stood for several months. Importantly, the central bank cut the stock of CDS it holds from a peak of $109.5 billion on March 3, down to $82 billion at the latest auction, far less than from mid-January to the end of February, as more than $58 billion chasing after the $18 billion that was offered last week. While this happened the foreign exchange market looks very liquid with the rate falling under $152 to one US dollar from $155 earlier in February.
Performance in the past week for the Junior Market TOP10 saw only two stocks rising and seven falling, the majority of the declining stocks registering fell by 3 percent or less. General Accident jumped 20 percent to $5.98, but the bids are not there at the close, to support the price, but selling has abated for this stock currently. Everything Fresh rose 9 percent to close at $1.55 and actually traded at $1.65 during the week. Iron Rock Insurance fell 13 percent to $2 and Caribbean Assurance Brokers lost 6 percent to $1.90.
The Main Market TOP10 saw the highest gaining stock rising just 34 percent, after Key Insurance jumped to $3.50 and was followed by 138 Student Living with an 8 percent rise to $5.40, but Caribbean Producers dropped 8 percent to $9.07. All other movements were 3 percent or less.
The Junior Market has a long term pattern, with the market starting to rise around a month before quarterly results are due and declining shortly after results are released. This is a pattern worth noting that can be built into investment decisions that can improve returns.
At the end of the week, the average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP 10 is 5.5, well below the market average of 13.2, while the Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 5.9 compared with the market at 10.6. The differences are important indicators of the level of likely gains for ICTOP10 stocks. The Junior Market is projected to rise by 248 percent and the Main Market TOP10 an average of 274 percent, to May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings.
The Junior Market has 9 stocks representing 19 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 24, averaging 19, well above the average of the market. The top half of the market has an average PE of 15, suggesting that this may be a logical value for junior market stocks currently.
The Main Market 16 most valued stocks are priced at a PE of 15 to 100, with an average of 29 and 19 excluding the highest valued stocks and 18 for the top half excluding the stocks with the highest valuation. The above average shows the extent of potential gains for the TOP 10 stocks.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market but not always. 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 are likely to deliver the best returns up to the end of May 2023 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 and result 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.
KLE Group is Main Event in ICTOP10
Stocks continued to be battered in the past week sending the Junior Market back to January 2022 levels and the Main Market declined for a second week and as far back as September 2018 levels, but some stocks bucked the trend and posted gains.

Main Event
Earnings season delivered a few new results during the past week, with Main Event posting positive profit gains for the January first quarter and seeming poised to earn $1.80 for the year. Fosrich released full year results to December, with profit jumping to $325 million from $199 million in 2021 as revenues climbed a solid 43.4 percent, Dolla Financial posted increased profit of 18 cents per share and should go on to earn 40 cents in 2023, but it is not in ICInsider.com TOP10 reporting solid results that augur well for full year’s profit. Limners and Bards delivered disappointing first quarter results of a mere $7 million, down from $66 million in 2022, as revenues dropped sharply from $443 million to $248 million. Lumber Depot suffered a decline in revenues for the January quarter, with a decline in profit and Blue Power reported an increase in revenues year over year, with a profit rising for their third quarter to January, with profit slipping for the nine months.
Performance in the past week for the Junior Market TOP10 saw four stocks rising and three falling. AMG Packaging gained 16 percent to $2.90, followed by Everything Fresh with a 5 percent gain, Lasco Distributors gained 4 percent to $2.74. Tropical Battery lost 10 percent of its value to close at $2.02 and Image Plus lost 4 percent to end at $1.85.
Stationery and Office Supplies is said to continue to enjoy buoyant business into 2023, rose 3 percent to $15 and dropped out of the Junior Market ICTOP10 along with AMG Packaging as Main Event and KLE Group replaced those that fell out, with the former posting strong first quarter results that point to earnings of $1.80 for the year. KLE is now in, based on the fall in the stock price, but investment in the stock is not without above average risk. They are yet to release 2022 earnings, but they should benefit from pick up in business in their associated restaurant business in which they hold a 49 percent interest, with exposure in Montego Bay that will see added inflows from the considerable pick up in tourist patronage and should have income generated from managing the Bessa apartments in Oracabessa on the north coast of Jamaica.
The Main Market TOP10 saw the highest gaining stock rising just 3 percent while Jamaica Broilers dropped 12 percent to $33.50’ following some large trades in the week, Guardian Holdings followed with a fall of 6 percent to close at $480 and 138 Student Living being down by 4 percent to $5.01.
There have been no changes in the listing in the Main Market ICTOP10 this past week.
At the end of the week, the average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP 10 is 5.4, well below the market average of 13.3, while the Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 5.9 compared with the market at 11.3. The differences are important indicators of the likely gains for ICTOP10 stocks. The Junior Market is projected to rise by 245 percent and the Main Market TOP10 by an average of 282 percent, to May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings.
The Junior Market has 12 stocks representing 25 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 24, averaging 18.3, well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 15.
The Main Market 18 highest valued stocks are priced at a PE of 18 to 115, with an average of 30 and 21 excluding stocks with the highest valuations and 20 for the top half excluding the stocks with the highest valuation. The above average shows the extent of potential gains for the TOP 10 stocks.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market, but not always. 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 up to the end of May 2023 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.