Trading started out with a promise for a meaningful rise on Wednesday, with the market climbing to 3,040.03 points within less than an hour of the market opening. In the end, the market index drifted back to close marginally higher at the conclusion of market activity on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange.
Investors traded 36 securities, down from 38 on Tuesday, resulting in the prices of 13 rising, 15 declining and eight remaining unchanged.
The Junior Market Index added a mere 1.43 points to finish at 3,012.88 and recorded a 14 percent rise for the year to date. The average PE Ratio ended at 12.2 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings.
Trading accounted for 5,748,389 shares at $19,205,192 compared to 5,875,378 units at $21,108,083 on Tuesday. Jamaican Teas led trading with 40 percent of total volume for 2.3 million shares, followed by Fontana with 12.8 percent for 735,864 units and Lasco Manufacturing with 10 percent market share for 574,001 units.
Trading averaged 159,677 units at $533,478, in line with 154,615 at $555,476 on Tuesday. The month to date averages 165,892 units at $574,829, compared to 169,232 units at $597,047 on Tuesday. March closed with an average of 252,633 units at $733,196.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial climbed $3.08 to $22.16 after clearing the market with 50 shares, AMG Packaging lost 30 cents to close at $1.70, with 28,000 stocks crossing the exchange, Blue Power rose 16 cents to $3.74 with 142 shares changing hands. Cargo Handlers advanced $1.20 to $8.70 in switching ownership of 45 stock units, Caribbean Cream gained 15 cents to end at $5.55 after clearing the market of 78,741 units, Caribbean Flavours picked up 8 cents in closing at $2.20 in an exchange of 7,711 stocks. Caribbean Producers lost 26 cents to end at $3.50 in trading 140,115 units, Consolidated Bakeries gained 20 cents to settle at $1.54 with an exchange of 204,519 shares, Dolphin Cove lost 13 cents to end at $7.90 trading 550 stock units, Everything Fresh closed 5 cents higher at 99 cents with 15,500 units crossing the market. Express Catering finished 12 cents lower at $4.78 after an exchange of 27,186 shares, Fontana shed 13 cents to close at $5.75 in transferring 735,864 units, 
Iron Rock Insurance lost 5 cents to end at $3.55 trading 2,311 stock units, Jetcon Corporation fell 5 cents to 71 cents with the swapping of 151,000 units. Lasco Manufacturing shed 22 cents to settle at $4.26 with 574,001 stock units changing hands. Mailpac Group rose 9 cents to $3.54 after 381,236 units crossed the market and tTech declined 19 cents to $4.41 with the swapping of 25,457 shares.
In the preference segment, CAC 2000 9.5% preference share gained 5 cents in closing at $1.20 in exchanging 7,932 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
The All Jamaican Composite Index shed 2,556.74 points to close at 433,516.90, the Main Index declined 2,363.72 points to 394,990.54 and the JSE Financial Index fell 0.60 points to settle at 99.50.
Month to date trading averaged 232,155 units at $1,113,065 in contrast to an average of 354,304 units at $2,543,232 for March.
Palace Amusement climbed $74.35 to end at $799 in exchanging 160 stocks. Salada Foods shed 48 cents to $5.32 with an exchange of 573,683 shares, Scotia Group advanced $1.40 to $42 after transferring 301,254 stock units and Seprod fell $2 in closing at $73 in trading 16,367 units.
The Junior Market Index rose 14.96 points to close at 3,011.45, the highest close since February 4 last year. Trading opened with the market index clocking 3,040.95 points and moved 3,046.56 points at 9.37 am, but back off thereafter to close at the lower level. The average PE Ratio ended at 12.1 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings.
Trading averaged 154,615 units at $555,476, in contrast to 188,384 at $651,520 on Thursday. The month to date average resulted from an exchange of 169,232 units at $597,047, compared to March with an average of 252,633 units at $733,196.
Indies Pharma rose 30 cents to $4, with 40,589 shares crossing the exchange, Knutsford Express advanced 83 cents to $6.34 in exchanging 250 units, Lasco Distributors shed 20 cents to close at $3.89 in trading 3,130,924 stocks. Lasco Financial gained 20 cents to end at $3.10 in an exchange of 245,470 stock units. Lasco Manufacturing lost 7 cents in closing at $4.48 with a transfer of 36,143 units, Mailpac Group fell 16 cents to $3.45, with 505,601 stocks crossing the market. Medical Disposables gained 49 cents in closing at $4.69 in trading 1,519 shares, SSL Venture gained 5 cents to end at 60 cents in switching ownership of 3,426 stock units and Stationery and Office Supplies climbed 72 cents to $5.50 with the swapping of 384 units.
Six securities traded, down from seven on Thursday, ending with prices of two rising, two declining and two remaining unchanged.
At the close, First Rock Capital rose 0.19 of a cent to end at 8.9 US cents trading 29,292 stock units, Margaritaville settled at 11 US cents, with 1,838 stocks crossing the market, Proven Investments gained 0.05 of one cent to end at 25.5 US cents after trading 5,295 shares. Sterling Investments closed at 2 US cents, with 134,493 units changing hands, Sygnus Credit Investments declined 0.98 of a cent to 14.01 US cents in switching ownership of 63,828 stocks and Transjamaican Highway shed 0.12 of a cent to end at 0.82 US cents after exchanging 500,069 stock units.
Massy Holdings ended at $64 in trading 2,061 stock units, National Enterprises stayed at $3, with 11,642 stocks crossing the market, NCB Financial Group ended at $8.50, trading 51,395 stock units. One Caribbean Media lost 1 cent to $4.89 in an exchange of 6,985 stock units, Republic Financial Holdings gained 18 cents in closing at $132.01 after an exchange of 37,871 stock units, Scotiabank ended at $54 trading 1,018 stocks. Trinidad & Tobago NGL closed at $14.75 in an exchange of 4,770 stocks, Unilever Caribbean settled at $16.10, with 164 shares crossed the exchange and West Indian Tobacco ended at $33 with an exchange of 1,000 stock units.
The top three stocks in the Junior Market are now SOS, followed by Elite Diagnostic Main Event and Jetcon Corporation. The top three Main Market stocks are Radio Jamaica, followed by PanJam and VM Investments. The top three junior Market stocks have the potential to gain between 295 to 318 percent and those in the main market with expected gains of 173 to 452 percent.
This week’s focus: Future Energy Source Company Initial Public Offer of 500 million shares, that ICInsider.com indicated last week should be snapped up quickly by investors, with the company having long-term prospects for strong growth, did just that. NCB Capital Markets, the brokers for the issue, reported on Thursday that the issue, priced at 80 cents per share and opened on Wednesday, closed on Thursday after another Junior Market IPO issue was oversubscribed. The successful closure of the issue will see the number of listed companies rising to 42 from the current 41.
The Junior and Main markets are currently trading well below the market average, indicating strong gains ahead. The JSE Main Market ended the week, with an overall PE of 14.7 and the Junior Market 9.8, based on ICInsider.com’s projected 2021-22 earnings. The PE ratio for the Junior Market Top 10 stocks average a mere 5.4 at just 55 percent of the market average. The Main Market TOP 10 trades at a PE of 7.4 or 50 percent of the PE of that market.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index jumped 3,214.49 points to 436,073.64, the JSE Main Index climbed 2,694.71 points to 397,354.26 and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.47 points to settle at 100.10.
Trading averaged 223,243 units at $734,494, compared to 358,011 shares at $2,776,372 on Wednesday. March closed with an average of 354,304 units at $2,543,232.
NCB Financial declined $1.50 to $137.50 with the swapping of 8,595 stock units, Palace Amusement jumped $84.65 to $724.65 after exchanging 61 shares, PanJam Investment fell $3 to $62.50 with the transfer of 21,432 stocks. Proven Investments shed $1.30 to close at $33.70 after 1,955 stock units crossed the exchange, Sagicor Group fell 88 cents to $51 in exchanging 59,338 stocks. Salada Foods ended 95 cents lower at $5.80 with 490,267 shares changing hands, Scotia Group slid 92 cents to $40.60 trading 11,420 stock units, Seprod climbed $5.30 to settle at $75 in exchanging 28,048 units and Supreme Ventures shed 51 cents to $14.89 in the swapping of 13,785 stocks.
Similar to Wednesday, 17 securities changing hands on Thursday, with prices of three stocks rising, one declining and 13 closing unchanged. the Composite Index lost 0.33 points to settle at 1,343.16, the All T&T Index declined 0.66 points to settle at 1,779.51, and the Cross-Listed Index closed unchanged at 122.68.
JMMB Group lost 1 cent to close at $1.80 trading 121,687 units, Massy Holdings rose 50 cents to $64, with 1,172 units Changing hands, National Enterprises increased 1 cent to $3 after exchanging 1,496 shares. NCB Financial Group settled at $8.50, with 5,652 stock units crossing the exchange, One Caribbean Media ended at $4.90 with the swapping of 1,000 shares, Point Lisas closed at $3 in exchanging 1,000 stocks. Republic Financial Holdings stayed at $131.83, with 200 stocks crossing the market, Scotiabank remained at $54 in trading 4,612 units and Trinidad & Tobago NGL remained at $14.75 with 6,987 shares changing hands.
Seven securities changing hands, compared to five on Wednesday, with prices of four rising, one declining and two remaining unchanged. The average PE Ratio ends at 13.8 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Sterling Investments rose 0.02 of a cent to 2 US cents in trading 81,196 shares, Sygnus Credit Investments carved out a gain of 0.98 of a cent in closing at 14.99 US cents and exchanging 25,100 units and Transjamaican Highway increased 0.06 of a cent in closing at 0.94 of a US cent, with 1,200 stock units changing hands.
Trading ended with 29 active securities, down from 30 on Wednesday, resulting in prices of 13 rising, seven declining and nine remaining unchanged. At the close, the Junior Market Index advanced 13.54 points to settle at 2,996.49.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
Paramount Trading ended 11 cents higher at $1.41 trading 19,000 stock units, SSL Venture closed 5 cents lower at 55 cents in switching ownership of 3,012 units, Stationery and Office Supplies fell 72 cents to $4.78 with the transfer of 5,000 stocks. Tropical Battery increased 4 cents to end at $1.15 with an exchange of 212,881 stock units and tTech shed 21 cents to end at $4.60 in trading 1,000 stock units.
