Rising stocks price were equal to declining stocks at the close of trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, with the market slipping for a second consecutive day and resulted in the Market Index falling 8.55 points to settle at 2,533.26.
Trading ended with 32 securities changing hands compared to 34 on Wednesday and concluded with the prices of 11 stocks rising, 11 declining and 10 remaining unchanged. At the close, the average PE Ratio ended at 12.7 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with 17 percent more shares trading than on Wednesday after 3,353,944 shares changed hands for $7,247,408, 21 percent higher than the $5,973,152 allowing for the trading of 2,855,958 units on Wednesday. Jetcon Corporation led trading with 38.9 percent of total volume with 1.31 million shares, followed by Tropical Battery with 17.5 percent of the day’s trade with a transfer of 588,526 units and Mailpac Group with 13.3 percent market share or 446,042 units.
Trading ended with an average of 104,811 units at $226,481 in contrast to 83,999 at $175,677 on Wednesday. For the month to date, the average trade resulted in an exchange of 202,892 units at $564,142, compared to 210,208 units at $589,328 on Wednesday. 
October averaged 230,868 units at $535,509 for each traded security.
At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Access Financial gained 10 cents to end at $22 with an exchange of 2,998 shares, AMG Packaging lost 6 cents to finish at $1.54 with the trading of 21,524 units, Blue Power fell 16 cents to $3.30 and swpped 504 shares. Caribbean Assurance Brokers rose 4 cents to close at $1.85 with investors switching ownership of 1,000 stocks, Caribbean Flavours gained 10 cents to end at $1.81 with 59,500 units changing hands, Caribbean Producers slipped 2 cents and exchanged 4,500 shares to finish at $2.34. Elite Diagnostic declined 1 cent to $3.10 with 15,000 stocks passing through the market, Everything Fresh increased by 3 cents to 73 cents trading 22,181 shares, Express Catering rose 2 cents to $3.76 with a transfer of 450 units. Fontana advanced 10 cents to finish at $5.30 with 65,496 stocks changing hands, Fosrich gained 6 cents to settle at $3.99 with an exchange of 17,225 units, Indies Pharma climbed 15 cents to close at $2.75 with 7,016 shares passing through the market. 
Jamaican Teas lost 20 cents to end at $6.15 with 275,731 units traded, Knutsford Express shed 67 cents to finish at $6.03 with investors switching ownership of 17,304 stocks, Lasco Distributors fell 14 cents to $3.15 with 5,000 units changing hands. Lasco Manufacturing lost 2 cents and traded 47,576 shares to close at $3.79, Limners and Bards advanced 11 cents to $2.59 with a transfer of 17,900 stocks, Lumber Depot gained 8 cents to finish at $1.25 with 4,477 shares changing hands. Mailpac Group exchanged 446,042 units and slipped 1 cent to settle at $2.17, Main Event jumped 50 cents to close at $3.49 with a mere 331 shares passing through the market and Medical Disposables lost 10 cents to end at $4.40 with 1,316 stocks crossing the exchange.
In the preference segment, CAC 2000 9.5% fell 15 cents to settle at 99 cents with 24,902 units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading ended with 34 securities changing hands compared to 30 on Tuesday and closed with the prices of 12 stocks rising, 16 declining and six remaining unchanged.
At the close of the market, Access Financial rose $1.88 to close at $21.90, with just 22 shares changing hands, Cargo Handlers gained 4 cents to settle at $6.34, after an exchange of 45,000 stocks, Caribbean Cream lost 6 cents to end at $4.07, switching ownership of 350 units. Caribbean Flavours closed at $1.71, after losing 11 with the trading of 413,643 shares, Caribbean Producers picked up 2 cents in closing at $2.36, in exchanging 2,785 stock units, Consolidated Bakeries lost 8 cents in ending at $1.38 and trading 1,082 units. Derrimon Trading lost 20 cents to close at $2.50, with an exchange of 1,903 stock units, Elite Diagnostic gained 1 cent to end at $3.11 after a transfer of 20,500 stocks, Everything Fresh lost 1 cent to settle at 70 cents, in trading 33,136 shares. Fontana closed 19 cents lower at $5.20, after 47,359 stock units crossed the exchange, Fosrich rose 23 cents to $3.93, in a transfer of 33,540 shares, Honey Bun gained 5 cents in closing at $4.85, after trading 51,403 stock units. Indies Pharma lost 22 cents to settle at $2.60, with 76,509 shares changing hands, Iron Rock Insurance shed 21 cents to end at $3, in exchanging 20,492 units. Jamaican Teas rose 35 cents $6.35, in switching ownership of 123,595 shares. Jetcon Corporation fell 15 cents to end at 70 cents, with 457,555 shares crossing the exchange, Knutsford Express carved out a loss of 10 cents in closing at $6.70 after 50,003 shares changed hands, Lasco Financial gained 1 cent to end at $2.65 trading 1,575 units. Lasco Manufacturing declined 18 cents to $3.81 and finishing with a transfer of 10,000 stock units, Limners and Bards picked up 2 cents to close at $2.48, with an exchange of 190,264 shares. Lumber Depot gained 2 cents to end at $1.17, in trading 196,219 stock units. 
Mailpac Group lost 2 cents to close at $2.18, clearing the market with 466,426 units, Medical Disposables shed 17 cents to settle at $4.50, with 246 stocks changing hands, Paramount Trading lost 14 cents to close at $1.35, after an exchange of 49,855 shares. SSL Venture settled at 53 cents, with a loss of 2 cents trading 21,532 stock units, Tropical Battery lost 1 cent to end at $1.20, in crossing the exchange with 341,083 shares and tTech carved out a gain of 20 cents to settle at $5.65, after trading 4,234 units.
Trading concluded on Tuesday with the market rising after more stocks rose than fell as investors exchanged nine percent more shares than on Monday. The market closed with 30 securities changing hands down from 35 on Monday and ended with the prices of 14 stocks rising, eight declining and eight closed unchanged. The average PE Ratio ended at 12.9 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
Knutsford Express advanced 20 cents to $6.80 with an exchange of 100,825 shares, Lasco Distributors traded 641,535 stocks and gained 20 cents to finish at $3.29, Lasco Financial added 4 cents to close at $2.64 with 129,948 units changing hands. Lasco Manufacturing fell 6 cents to $3.99 with a transfer of 8,098 shares. Limners and Bards increased by 1 cent to $2.46 with 17,675 stock units changing hands, Lumber Depot lost 5 cents and exchanged 956,492 stocks to settle at $1.15, Mailpac Group traded 1,267,356 shares and rose 1 cent to close at $2.20 and Medical Disposables advanced 40 cents to finish at $4.67 with 2,000 shares crossing the exchange.
Trading ended with 35 securities changing hands compared to 32 on Friday and closed with 14 stocks rising, 10 declining and 11 remaining unchanged.
At the close of the market, Access Financial gained 91 cents in closing at $20.02, with an exchange of 1,910 shares, AMG Packaging lost 9 cents in ending at $1.54, with 152 units clearing the market, CAC 2000 gained 50 cents to settle at $9, with investors swapping 1,000 units. Cargo Handlers advanced $1.25 to $7.60 in crossing the exchange with seven units, Caribbean Assurance Brokers lost 3 cents to close at $1.82 trading 18 stock units, Caribbean Cream rose 6 cents to $4.13 with the swapping of 500 shares. Caribbean Flavours rose 2 cents to $1.77, with 236,001 stocks changing hands, Caribbean Producers picked up 1 cent to end at $2.35, in trading 1,474 units, Derrimon Trading lost 20 cents exchanging 6,205 stock units at $2.50. Express Catering declined 23 cents to $3.51 while trading 6,570 units, Fontana gained 46 cents to finish at $5.26, after an exchange of 578,470 shares, General Accident lost 25 cents with 118,066 shares passing through the market to end at $6.20. GWest Corporation shed 19 cents to end at 70 cents, with 78,077 stock units changing hands, Honey Bun gained 1 cent to close at $4.81, in trading 18,840 shares, iCreate dipped 5 cents to 65 cents, with an exchange of 13,213 stock units. Lasco Distributors closed at $3.09, after gaining 8 cents in crossing the market with 57,600 shares, Lasco Financial lost 12 cents to end at $2.60 trading 5,000 units, Lasco Manufacturing added 8 cents to end at $4.05, with 1,565,343 shares passing through the market.
Limners and Bards gained 3 cents to end at $2.45, trading 13,936 units, Mailpac Group lost 5 cents to close at $2.19, trading 452,407 shares, Medical Disposables rose 26 cents to $4.27, with 3,200 units changing hands. Paramount Trading gained 1 cent to end at $1.49, after trading 17,089 stock units, Stationery and Office Supplies lost 25 cents to settle at $4.30, in exchanging 29,000 stock units and Tropical Battery picked up 1 cent to end at $1.21, with 288,661 shares crossing the exchange.
The move in the Main Market continues the move gradually higher ahead of the year-end and is in keeping with bullish signs that points to more gains ahead.
The company is on target to earn 50 cents per share for the current financial year ending June 2021.
The PE ratio for the Junior Market Top 10 stocks average a mere 7.1 at just 54 percent to the Junior Market average. The Main Market TOP 10 stocks trade at a PE of 8.7 or 55 percent of the PE of that market.
Trading ended with an exchange of 32 securities compared to 30 on Thursday, with prices of 14 rising, 12 declining and six closing unchanged.
At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
Fosrich rose 2 cents to close at $3.70 with 67,870 stock units passing through the market, General Accident fell 5 cents to end at $6.45 in exchanging 42,379 stocks, Honey Bun lost 5 cents to finish at $4.80 with investors swapping 88,589 shares. Jamaican Teas shed 40 cents to settle at $5.50 with 128,722 stocks traded, Knutsford Express dipped 10 cents to $6.60 with 1,699 units changing hands, Lasco Financial rose 2 cents to end at $2.72 with 93,502 units passing through the market. Lasco Manufacturing climbed 12 cents to $3.97 with a transfer of 250 shares, Limners and Bards gained 2 cents to end at $2.42 with 57,677 stocks changing hands, Lumber Depot slipped 6 cents in an exchange of 177,201 units at $1.20. Mailpac Group traded 1,681,152 units and rose 4 cents to $2.24, Medical Disposables dropped 29 cents to settle at $4.01 with 123 shares passing through the market, Paramount Trading carved out a lost 2 cents to close at $1.48 with investors switching 10,900 stock units and tTech shed 30 cents to end at $5.45 with 7,315 stock units crossing the exchange.
At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows four stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with lower offers.
Honey Bun lost 1 cent in ending at $4.84, with 2,230 units changing hands, iCreate shed 2 cents to settle at 65 cents after 113,097 shares crossed the exchange, Iron Rock Insurance rose 1 cent to close at $3.21, with 10,501 stock units changing hands. Jamaican Teas gained 36 cents to close at $5.95, in crossing the market with 318,824 shares, Jetcon Corporation closed 7 cents higher at 85 cents, with 1,500 units crossing the exchange, Knutsford Express gained 20 cents in closing at $6.70, trading 8,731 units. Lasco Distributors lost 13 cents to finish at $3.01, with investors swapping 62,362 shares, Lasco Manufacturing rose 10 cents to $4 after exchanging 22,072,049 shares, Limners and Bards gained 2 cents to close at $2.55, with an exchange of 11,626 stock units. Lumber Depot lost 2 cents to settle at $1.25 after 316,007 shares crossed the market, Mailpac Group gained 7 cents to end at $2.21, with an exchange of 771,442 shares, Main Event rose 1 cent to $3 in trading 228,412 shares. Medical Disposables shed 37 cents to end at $4.30, transferring 2,000 units, Paramount Trading gained 7 cents in closing at $1.58, with an exchange of 52,014 shares and Stationery and Office Supplies picked up 5 cents to settle at $4.55, with 36,430 stock units changing hands.
At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
Knutsford Express dropped 19 cents to settle at $6.50 with 15,363 shares passing through the market, Lasco Financial declined by 8 cents to finish at $2.65 with 4,955 units changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing fell 8 cents to end at $3.90 with 80,403 shares traded. Limners and Bards rose 3 cents to close at $2.53 with 20,067 stock units changing hands, Lumber Depot slipped 2 cents to $1.27 with 45,351 units passing through the market, Mailpac Group exchanged 9,384,664 shares and advanced 14 cents to settle at $2.14. Medical Disposables climbed 39 cents to finish at $4.67 with a transfer of 7,738 stocks, Stationery and Office Supplies lost 4 cents to end at $4.50 trading 2,522 stocks and Tropical Battery slipped 1 cent to close at $1.24 with 285,848 stock units crossing the exchange.
Trading ended with 35 securities changing hands, the same as on Friday and closed with the prices of 13 rising, 15 declining and seven remained unchanged.
At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows two stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
Iron Rock Insurance gained 20 cents to close at $3.20 trading 20,000 units, ISP Finance declined by $1.45 to $21, after exchanging 50 stocks, Jamaican Teas fell 18 cents to $5.22, with the trading of 305,152 shares. Jetcon Corporation added 10 cents to end at 85 cents after trading 201 units, Lasco Distributors lost 1 cent to close at $3.14 with the trading of 112,895 shares, Lasco Financial rose 13 cents to $2.73, with an exchange of 224,994 stock units. Lasco Manufacturing closed 23 cents higher to $3.98 in trading 145,776 shares, Lumber Depot gained 2 cents to close at $1.29 after exchanging 485,198 stock units, Medical Disposables advanced 3 cents to $4.28 after trading 20,000 shares. Paramount Trading shed 9 cents to end at $1.51, in exchanging 1,500 units, Stationery and Office Supplies lost 1 cent in closing at $4.54, with 34,000 shares changing hands, Tropical Battery gained 4 cents to close at $1.25, in exchanging 749,717 shares and tTech dropped $1.70 to $5 trading 16,032 stock units.
This week’s focus: Grace Kennedy continues to enjoy a phenomenal year, with profit attributed to the company’s shareholders, rising 33 percent to $1.68 billion in the September quarter, from $1.26 billion for the third quarter in the previous year and grew 35 percent for the nine months to September, to just $4.4 billion from $3.27 billion the corresponding period in 2019. Taxation more than doubled in both periods, but profit before tax grew 49 percent in the third quarter to $2.79 billion and for the nine-months, it rose 51.5 percent to $7.3 billion. Earnings per share are $1.69 for the quarter and $4.47 for the nine months and should exceed $6 for the full year.
With expected gains of 150 to 238 percent, the top three Main Market stocks are now, Berger Paints followed by JMMB Group and Grace Kennedy in the third position.
The average projected gain for the Junior Market IC TOP 10 stocks is 247 percent, and 147 percent for the JSE Main Market, based on 2020-21 earnings, indicating potentially greater gains in the Junior Market than the Main Market.
