Data going back 30 years show that on only very rare occasions more than 2 stocks appear in the TOP for two consecutive years. 2017 is one such exception with 3 stocks doing so.
Pulse Investments retains the number 1 best performing main market stock position in 2017 with a gain of 256 percent, the stock also was also in the TOP 10 in 2016 at number 1 position for local stocks with gains, then of 350 percent. Berger Paints ended at the number 6 best performing stock in 2016 with gains of 200 percent and repeated in the 2017 TOP 10 with a rise of 196 percent, for the 2017 number 2 spot. Palace Amusement ended at 7 position in 2016 with a rise of 134 percent and rose 187 percent in 2017 to hold down the number 3 spot and is followed by Supreme Ventures at number 4.
The stocks from the 2017 top 10 that could repeat in 2018 include Berger Paints, Palace and Pulse, with JMMB Group looking to have a chance.
Pulse no 1 stock in 2016 & 2017
3 new junior stocks in 2017 best 10
The Junior Market ended 2017 with 3 new listings in the Top 10 best performing stocks in 2017. The 3 are, Express Catering up 167 percent, Main Event with a rise of 164 percent and Stationery and Office Supplies with a gain of 148 percent.
Knutsford Express with an increase of 275 percent, is the winning Junior Market stock for 2017, after ending at ninth position on the Junior Market in 2016, with a rise of 108 percent in 2016. Jetcon Corporation, the no 6 best performing stock in 2016 gained 199 percent in 2017 to land the number 2 spot. Eppley gained 145 percent for 2017 to hold down spot number 6 spot, number 7, is Blue Power rising 104 percent, followed by C2W Music after gaining 104 percent, with the number 9 spot being held down by Access Financial with gains of 76 percent and KLE Group rising 67 percent at 10.
Investor’s Choice research covering more than 30 years’ data shows that only an average of 2 stocks out of the top 10 performers each year repeat that performance in the following year, with the rest falling outside the top 10.
IC Insider.com data is showing that only Access and Stationery and Office Supplies are likely to end in the TOP 15 Junior Stocks in 2018.
JSE Main Market gains 50% for 2017
Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange ended with the All Jamaican Composite Index jumping 4,310.37 points to close at 316,516.11 for a gain of 50.6 percent for the year and the JSE Index advancing by 3,927.24 points to 288,381.97 ending 2017 with a rise of 50 percent.
Trading on the Main Market ended on Friday with 26 securities changing hands, 11 advanced, 4 declined and 11 traded firm resulting in 10,210,190 units valued at $125,309,363 trading, compared to 4,648,646 units valued at $69,664,482 from 22 securities changing hands on Thursday.
The exchange latest listing, Victoria Mutual Investments, traded on the main market on Friday and closed at $3.24 for a gain of 32 percent from its IPO price of $2.45, after trading as high as $4. Previously listed Wisynco traded 5 million shares and closed at $11.99 after hitting an all-time high of $13.80 during the day.
Trading ended with an average of 392,700 units for an average of $4,819,591 in contrast to 211,302 units for an average of $3,166,567 on Thursday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 686,156 units valued at an average of $8,654,832 and previously 701,126 units valued at an average of $8,851,977. In contrast, November closed with average of 349,084 units at an average of $5,801,440 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and the US dollar markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 15 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 with lower offers.
Traded in the US dollar market ended with Productivity Business Solutions trading 65,374 shares and closed 57.5 US cents after rising 0.50 cent and Proven Investments US ordinary share gained 2 US cents with 3,400 units changing hands to end at 21 US cents, the total value of trading amounted to US$38,138 with the JSE USD Equities Index closing 6.84 points higher at 166.17.
The major movers at the close of the market are, JMMB Group traded 1.26 million shares and rose by $2 to $25, NCB Financial climbed $1.50 to $100, Sagicor Group jumping by $2.24 to $37.99, Scotia Group surged $3.75 to $53.85 and Wisynco traded 5 million shares and rose $1.90 to $11.99. Cable & Wireless traded with a gain of 15 cents to end at $1.25 before news officially broke that the majority owners were making an offer of $1.45 for each minority share.
For more details of market activities see – “VM Investments up 32% on first trading day.”
Trinidad stocks down for second year
A lackluster year came to an end for Trinidad & Tobago Stock Exchange on Friday with trading in 14 securities against 11 on Thursday, with 4 stocks advancing, 3 declining with 7 closing unchanged.
The year closed with Composite Index rising 0.92 points on Friday to 1,266.35 with a rise of 4.7 percent for the year. The All T&T Index declined 1.16 points to 1,728.75, increasing the year’s fall to 5.75 percent while the Cross Listed Index inched 0.41 points higher to close at 108.38 for a gain of 38.12 percent for the full year. In 2016 Trinidad stocks lost 5.86 percent after ending 2015 with no change.
Market activity ended with a mere 109,529 shares with a value of $2,139,960 traded, rising above the 95,251 units changing hands on Thursday, valued at $1,845,641.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 5 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 with lower offers.
Gains| JMMB Group ended trading increase by 10 cents with 20,860 stock units and closed at $1.65 Massy ended rose 2 cents to $48.02 with 681 stock units changing hands, National Flour finished 1 cent higher at $1.91 with 1,154 shares and Point Lisas traded 2,000 units with the price rising 4 cents to $3.94.
Losses| Angostura Holdings ended with a loss of 15 cents with 75 stock units, to close at $15.05, Guardian Holdings finished with a loss of 22 cents to end at $17.03 with 16,076 shares changing hands and Republic Financial ended with a loss of 7 cents at $101.51 with 178 stock units.
Firm Traded| First Citizens closed with 861 shares at $32, Grace Kennedy concluded trading with 350 units at $3, National Enterprises concluded trading with 399 units at $9.80, Sagicor Financial concluded trading with 1,600 units to close at $7.83. Trinidad & Tobago NGL ended at $26.50, trading 65,000 stock units valued at $1,722,500, Trinidad Cement traded 250 units and closed at $3.75 and Unilever Caribbean finished trading just 45 shares at $29.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
VM Investments up 32% first trading day
VM Investments gained 32% to end at $3.24 on Friday
The latest listing on the Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, Victoria Mutual Investments, traded after listing on Friday and closed at $3.24 for a gain of 32 percent from its IPO price, after trading as high as $4 while trading 782,853 shares.
Wisynco that listed on Thursday, closed at $11.99 on heavy trading to gain 52 percent since the public issue in December.
The Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange concluded trading on Friday with 26 securities changing hands, 11 advanced, 4 declined and 11 traded firm with 10,210,190 units valued at $125,309,363.
Trading ended with the All Jamaican Composite Index surging 4,310.37 points to 316,516.11 for a gain of 50.6 percent for the year and the JSE Index jumping by 3,927.24 points to 288,381.97, ending 2017 with a rise of 50 percent versus 22 securities trading on Thursday.
In main market activity, Barita Investments concluded trading with a loss of 45 cents at $7.50, with 11,075 units, Berger Paints finished 4 cents higher at $16.55, with 12,000 shares, Cable & Wireless settled 15 cents higher at $1.25, with 918,469 shares, Caribbean Cement ended trading at $32.50, with 12,000 stock units, Carreras traded at $11.40, with 82,669 units. Grace Kennedy closed 75 cents higher at $43.75, with 118,915 shares, Jamaica Broilers ended with a loss of 30 cents at $17.70, with 13,300 stock units, JMMB Group ended trading $2 higher at $25, with 1,255,076 stock units, Jamaica Producers concluded trading at $16.70, with 104,033 units, Jamaica Stock Exchange finished 5 cents higher at $7.05, with 49,297 shares. Kingston Wharves ended trading at $32.50, with 9,204 stock units, Mayberry Investments traded at $6, with 89,353 units, NCB Financial finished trading $1.50 higher at $100, with 38,507 shares, PanJam Investment ended with a loss of 5 cents at $44.75, with 15,429 stock units. 
Radio Jamaica settled at $1.05, with 185,174 shares, Sagicor Group ended trading 1 cent higher at $38, with 136,913 stock units, Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded at $15, with 8,817 units, Salada Foods finished trading with a loss of 25 cents at $11.25, with 32,049 shares. Scotia Group closed $3.75 higher at $53.85, with 76,440 shares, Sterling Investments gained $1 and closed at $13, with 7,470 shares, Supreme Ventures ended trading at $11.50, with 515,544 stock units and Wisynco Group traded $1.90 higher to end at a closing record high of $11.99, with 5,090,376 units. In the main market preference segment, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.5% traded 550,000 units at $1.90, JMMB Group 7.5% traded 94,000 units at $1.15 and Proven Investments 8.25% ended with 1,227 units trading at $5.90.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place. For more details of market activities, see “JSE Main Market gains 50% for 2017.”
Junior Market ends year up 5.3%
Knutsford Express is the Junior Market’s best performing stock for 2017
The Junior Market Index declined by 13.56 points on the final day of 2017 to close at 2,732.06 on Friday, ending the year with a gain of 5.3 percent, well off from the peak of 31 percent reached in late May.
Even as the market index barely rose, the top performing stock, Knutsford Express climbed 275 percent, followed by pre-owned car dealer, Jetcon Corporation with a gain of 199 percent, then the 2017 listings of Express Catering at third spot with 167 percent rise and Main Event with a gain of 164 percent.
The 2017 listed Main Event was the 4th best performing Junior Market stock for 2017.
5,420,352 units valued at $23,431,481 compared to 22,525,167 units valued at $250,208,093 from 23 securities changing hands on Thursday.
At the close of market activities, the prices of 6 securities advanced, 7 declined and 9 remained unchanged.
Trading ended with an average of 246,380 units for an average of $1,065,067 in contrast to 979,355 units for an average of $10,878,613 on Thursday. The average volume and value for the month to date, amounts to 568,732 units valued at $3,447,957 and previously 589,979 valued at $3,373,542. In contrast, November closed with average of 107,477 units valued at $545,989 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 8 stocks ending with bids higher than the last selling prices and 3 with lower offers.At the close of the market, AMG Packaging ended at $3, with 27,939 stock units trading, Cargo Handlers ended trading with a loss of 80 cents at $10, with 353 stock units changing hands, Caribbean Cream dropped $1.20 to $4.80, exchanging 2,001,000 units, Caribbean Flavours finished trading at $11, with 4,404 shares, Caribbean Producers closed with a loss of 25 cents at $4, with 1,055,167 shares. Consolidated Bakeries ended at $1.80, with 8,700 stock units, Eppley settled at $12, with 1,000 shares, Express Catering ended trading with a loss of 99 cents at $4.01, with 25,508 stock units, FosRich Group traded with a loss of 2 cents at $3.23, with 122,234 units. General Accident finished trading 5 cents higher at $2.80, with 4,000 shares, GWest Corporation closed 39 cents higher at $3.60, with 1,391,193 shares, Honey Bun ended at $4, with 30,200 stock units,
Jamaican Teas settled at $3.70, with 13,330 shares. Jetcon Corporation ended trading 20 cents higher at $5, with 24,329 stock units, Lasco Distributors ended with a loss of 8 cents at $3.90, with 92,966 stock units, Lasco Financial concluded trading 12 cents higher at $5.30, with 432,955 units, Lasco Manufacturing finished 20 cents higher at $3.90, with 6,180 shares. Main Event settled at $5.28, with 5,724 shares, Paramount Trading traded at $3, with 133,000 units, Stationery and Office finished trading 5 cents higher at $4.95, with 25,370 shares and tTech ended with a loss of 11 cents at $6.89, with 9,800 stock units. In the junior market preference segment, Eppley ended at $5.50, with 5,000 shares trading.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
VM Investments lists on Friday
VM Investments list on Friday
Investors who applied for shares in the public pool in VM Investments recent public issue of shares will get the first 30,000 units and 4.32 percent of the balance.
Employees and Members reserved groups were allocated the full amounts applied for. The offer closed with subscriptions in excess of $2 Billion for the $689,261,487 offered”
A total of 225,003,750 Ordinary Shares in the Offer were reserved for staff and customers of the VMBS Group at discounts from $2.08 to $2.33 each and 75 million for the general public at $2.45 each.
The company’s shares will list on the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Friday.
NCB Capital Markets Manager, Origination and Structuring Stanley Thompson (left) exchanges laughs with Wisynco Group Limited Chairman William Mahfood during a signing ceremony commemorating a partnership with the local manufacturing and distribution giants. Sharing in the moment, too, are Wisynco Chief Executive Officer Andrew Mahfood and PriceWaterhouseCoopers Director Fiona Hyman
Wisynco started trading on the main market on Thursdays with very strong demand for the shares that were sold to the public at $7.87, by the close of trading attempts were made to trade 3.46 million units as high as $13.50 but most were cancelled as the price exceeded the 30 percent price movement limit of for the day. At the close 2,925,359 units were traded up to $10.09, the maximum price limit for the day.
Wisynco ended with 7,382 new shareholders, with those applying for shares from the General Public pool receiving the first 25,000 units in full and approximately 18.81 percent of the balance.
Wisynco jumps 28% to $10.09
Producers of Wata -Wisynco listed on Thursday
Wisynco shares were listed on the Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday, with the price rising $2.22 to end at $10.09 while trading 2,925,359 shares, after it pulled in $18 billion from its IPO with 7,382 new shareholders.
At the close of trading on Thursday, the prices of 8 stocks advanced, 4 declined and 10 traded firm with 4,648,646 units valued at $69,664,482.
Trading ended with the All Jamaican Composite Index jumping 2,370.07 points to 312,205.74 and the JSE Index climbing 2,159.40 points to 284,454.73 with 22 securities changing hands versus 21 securities trading on Wednesday.
In the main market activity, Berger Paints finished 1 cent higher at $16.51, with 2,200 shares trading, Cable & Wireless settled 5 cents higher at $1.10, with 104,781 shares, 
Caribbean Cement ended trading 99 cents higher at $32.50, with 111,545 stock units, Carreras traded at $11.40, with 65,754 units, Grace Kennedy closed at $43, with 139,950 shares. Jamaica Broilers ended at $18, with 20,988 stock units, Jamaica Producers concluded trading at $16.70, with 19,010 units, Jamaica Stock Exchange finished at $7, with 64,203 shares, JMMB Group settled with a loss of 1 cent at $23, with 404,504 shares. JMMB Group ended trading with a loss of $1 at $23, with 404,504 stock units, Kingston Wharves finished trading at $32.50, with 215 shares, Mayberry Investments closed at $6, with 250,000 shares, NCB Financial ended with a loss of 50 cents at $98.50, with 122,721 stock units. PanJam Investment finished at $44.80, with 12,141 shares, Pulse Investments ended trading at $1.80, with 16,992 stock units, 
Sagicor Group finished trading $2.24 higher at $37.99, with 43,400 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund closed at $15, with 2,000 shares. Salada Foods ended $1 higher at a 52 weeks’ high of $11.50, with 102,000 stock units, Scotia Group concluded trading with a loss of $1.90 at $50.10, with 43,810 units and Supreme Ventures ended trading 80 cents higher at $11.50, with 15,000 stock units. In the main market preference segment, JMMB Group 7.5% traded 133,300 units at $1.15 and Proven Investments 8.25% ended with 48,773 units trading with a rise of 60 cents at $5.90.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place. For more details of market activities, see “JSE market indices in sharp upturn.”
JSE market indices in sharp upturn
Trading on the Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange ended with the All Jamaican Composite Index jumping 2,370.07 points to 312,205.74 and the JSE Index climbing 2,159.40 points to 284,454.73 with 22 securities changing hands, versus 21 Securities on Wednesday.
Wisynco shares were listed on the Exchange on Thursday with the price rising $2.22 to end at $10.09 while trading 2,925,359 shares.
At the close of trading, the prices of 8 stocks advanced, 3 declined and 11 traded firm with 4,648,646 units valued at $69,664,482 compared to 18,689,826 units valued at $192,233,164 on Wednesday.
Trading ended with an average of 211,302 units for an average of $3,166,567 in contrast to 50,618 units for an average of $856,086 on Wednesday.
The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 701,126 units valued at an average of $8,851,977 and previously 730,183 units valued at an average of $9,191,043. In contrast, November closed with average of 349,084 units at an average of $5,801,440 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and the US dollar markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 9 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 with lower offers.
Trading in the US dollar market, ended with Productivity Business Solutions exchanging 12,900 shares and rose 2 US cents to 57 US cents and Proven Investments US ordinary share losing 1 US cent with 3,653 units changing hands at 19 US cents, the total value of trading amounted to US$7,948 with the JSE USD Equities Index closing 6.11 points lower at 159.33.
The major movers at the close of the market are, Caribbean Cement that gained 99 cents to $32.50, JMMB Group falling by $1 to $23, Sagicor Group jumping by $2.24 to $37.99, Scotia Group that fell $1.90 to $50.10 and Salada Foods rising by $1 to a 52 weeks’ high of $11.50.
Recent initial Public Offering Victoria Mutual Investments will be listed on the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Friday.
For more details of market activities see – “Wisynco jumps 28% to $10.09.”
Eppley in another big trade
Eppley traded 20m shares on Thursday.
Having traded 10 million shares on Wednesday Eppley traded 20 million shares on Thursday driving Junior Market trading to 22,525,167 units valued at $250,208,093 compared to 12,129,589 units valued at $129,945,469.
Trading ended on Thursday with 23 securities changing hands up from 22 securities on Wednesday, resulting in the prices of 6 securities advancing, 6 declining and 11 remaining unchanged. The Junior Market Index declined by 8.15 points to close at 2,745.62.
Trading ended with an average of 979,355 units for an average of $10,878,613 in contrast to 551,345 units for an average of $5,906,612 on Wednesday. The average volume and value for the month to date, amounts to units 589,979 valued at $3,373,542 and previously 561,183 valued at $2,818,504. 
In contrast, November closed with average of 107,477 units valued at $545,989 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 7 stocks ending with bids higher than the last selling prices and 3 with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Access Financial closed at $36, with 4,200 shares, AMG Packaging ended at $3, with 40,000 stock units, C2W Music finished 6 cents higher at $0.51, with 26,245 shares, CAC 2000 settled at $1.22 higher at $6.50, with 10,000 shares, Cargo Handlers ended trading with a loss of 10 cents at $10.80, with 2,147 stock units. Caribbean Cream traded at $6, with 19,920 units, Caribbean Producers closed 25 cents higher at $4.25, with 351,376 shares, Consolidated Bakeries ended at $1.80, with 2,487 stock units, Dolphin Cove lost 99 cents to close at $16, with 26,000 shares trading. FosRich traded at an intraday high of $3.70 but ended with a loss of 20 cents at $3.25 in trading of 408,846 shares, 
Eppley settled at $12, with 20,000,400 shares, Express Catering ended trading 70 cents higher at $5, with 81,427 stock units, newly listed, GWest traded with a loss of 54 cents in trading 1,067,765 shares in closing price of $3.21, Honey Bun finished trading 9 cents higher at $4, with 500 shares, Iron Rock closed at $2.85, with 23,019 shares. Jetcon Corporation finished with a gain of 40 cents at $4.80, with 120,000 shares, Knutsford Express traded at $15, with 55,128 units, Lasco Distributors finished trading with a loss of 1 cent at $3.98, with 127,481 shares, Lasco Manufacturing ended with a loss of 23 cents at $3.70, with 130,028 stock units. Main Event concluded trading with a loss of 72 cents at $5.28, with 4,155 units, Paramount Trading settled at $3, with 22,885 shares and Stationery and Office ended trading at $4.90, with 828 stock units. In the junior market preference segment, Eppley 10% concluded trading at $7.20, with a mere 330 units trading.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.