Trading was more subdued on Monday than Friday and ended with more stocks declining than rising at the close of the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, nevertheless, the market index gained 20.53 points to settle at 3,264.46.
A total of 40 securities traded compared to 39 on Friday, with 13 stocks rising, 19 declining and eight remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings averaged 12.2.
Investors exchanged 77 percent fewer shares at 82 percent less value than on Friday. Trading amassed 7,657,019 shares for $14,785,764 compared to 33,684,414 units at $82,018,666 on Friday.
Future Energy Source led trading with 43 percent of total volume, after 3.28 million shares changed hands, followed by Paramount Trading 11.1 percent of the day’s trade with 852,642 units and Derrimon Trading with 10.7 percent with a transfer of 816,047 units.
Trading averaged 191,425 units at $369,644, down from 863,703 at $2,103,043 on Friday. Trading month to date averaged 328,355 units at $814,965, compared to 357,031 units at $908,226 on Friday. April ended with an average of 329,241 units at $854,716.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial fell 20 cents to $21.80 with 611 shares passing through the market, Blue Power dipped 30 cents to $3.60 with an exchange of 45,370 units, CAC 2000 jumped 50 cents to $10 with 2,947 stock units changing hands. Caribbean Cream gained 10 cents to close at $5.30 with a transfer of 642 shares Caribbean Producers slipped 5 cents to $3.75 with 53,048 stocks traded, Express Catering climbed 40 cents to a 52 weeks’ closing high of $5.20, with 16,905 units passing through the market. Fosrich shed 50 cents to end at $7.99 with an exchange of 83,942 stock units, Indies Pharma advanced 16 cents to $4.24 with 20,237 shares changing hands, Jamaican Teas slipped 11 cents to $4.08 with a transfer of 378,490 stocks. Jetcon Corporation slipped 5 cents to 85 cents with 17,580 units changing hands, Knutsford Express fell 5 cents to $8.45, with 16,147 stock units passing through the market, Lasco Financial climbed 25 cents to $3.35 with an exchange of 50,155 shares. 
Limners and Bards increased 8 cents to finish at $2.90 with 181,122 stock units changing hands, Mailpac Group rose 5 cents to $3.85 with a transfer of 309,136 units, Main Event advanced 22 cents to $4.87 with 1,323 stocks traded. Medical Disposables fell 9 cents to $5.19 with 102 units passing through the market, Stationery and Office Supplies dropped 93 cents to $5.52 with 5,139 stock units changing hands and tTech lost 28 cents to close at $4.60 with 17,551 shares crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Major shakeup in Junior Market ICTOP10
The Junior Market had some major shakeup in some of the listings this past week as investors keep their eyes solidly on opportunities in this market, having slowly eating away at the above-average gains available in the market and driving prices of many stocks up and pushing the market back to early January 2020 level.
During the past week, Main Event surged nearly 33 percent from $3.50 to $4.65, pushing it from second spot last week to 10th this week. 
Medical Disposables dropped from the third position with a gain of 19 percent to $5.28, Stationery & Office rose from $5.71 to $6.45 and taking it from 5th to 7th position, while Lasco Financial moved up to 6th position from 9th last week, with no price change, Caribbean Producers moved up from 8th last week to 3rd this week and Caribbean Cream shifted from 7th to 2nd this week.
Stationery & Office, General Accident, Medical Disposables and Main Event that are at the edge on the Junior Market TOP10 could well drop out at any time as they are all bunched together with potential gains of 188 to 210 percent. In the Main Market, VM Investments, with potential gains of 128 percent and Berger Paints with 122 percent, could drop out soon. Results of companies to come shortly could result in changes in the list, depending on how investors respond to each.
The bullish tone of the two markets continues, with technical indicators and fundamentals of many companies keep on powering prices higher with many investors looking to the future with the recovery of the economy in mind and the impact that it will have on stocks.
Investors should expect a host of company results to hit the market next week as the mid-month date approaches. Watch these stocks over the next few weeks, Grace Kennedy, Jamaica Producers, PanJam Investment, Sagior Group, MailPac, Access Financial, Lasco Financial, Lasco Distributors, Caribbean Cream, ISP Financial.
The top three stocks in the Junior Market are headed by Elite Diagnostic, followed by Caribbean Cream and Caribbean Producers, with the potential to gain between 242 to 282 percent. The top three Main Market stocks are Radio Jamaica in the number one spot, followed by PanJam Investment and Jamaica Broilers, with expected gains of 166 to 413 percent.
The targeted PE ratio for the market averages 20 based on profits of companies reporting full year’s results, up to the second quarter of 2022. Fiscal 2020-21 ended March 2021 with the average PE at 17 for Junior Stocks and 19 times for the Main Market. With interest rates on government paper below 5 percent and likely to remain there for a few years, the likelihood is for the average PE ratios to climb higher during the next twelve months.
The Junior Market, with an average PE 12.2 based on ICInsider.com’s 2021-22 earnings, is currently trading well below the target, as well as the recent historical average of 17. This represents another 40 percent rise in the market that would equate to a rise of 60 percent to March 2022. The Junior Market Top 10 stocks average a mere 6.1 at just 50 percent of the market average, indicating substantial gains ahead. 
The JSE Main Market ended the week with an overall PE of 16.5, some distance from the 19 the market ended March, suggesting a 15 percent rise from now to March 2022. The Main Market TOP 10 trades at a PE of 7.7 or 47 percent of the PE of that market and well off the potential of 20.
The average projected gain for the Junior Market IC TOP 10 stocks is 229 percent and 173 percent for the JSE Main Market, based on 2021-22 earnings. IC TOP10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns up to March 2022 and ranked in order of potential gains, based on likely increase for each company, taking into account the earnings and PE ratios for the current fiscal year. Expected values will change as stock prices fluctuate and result in movements in and out of the lists weekly. Revisions to earnings per share are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.
Persons who compiled this report may have an interest in securities commented on in this report.
Rising stocks push Junior Market north
Trading closed on Friday with the market regaining ground after volume traded climbed 445 percent, valued 269 percent more than on Thursday on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange.
Trading ended with 39 securities changing hands compared to 36 on Thursday and closed with prices of 18 stocks rising, 15 declining and six remaining unchanged.
Derrimon traded the most shares on Friday.
At the close, the Junior Market Index advanced 22.81 points to settle at 3,243.93. The PE Ratio, based on ICInsider.com forecast of 2021-22 earnings, averages 12.2.
The market closed with an exchange of 33,684,414 shares for $82,018,666, up sharply from 6,176,511 units at $22,209,393 on Thursday. Derrimon Trading dominated trading with 57 percent of total volume for an exchange of 19.2 million shares, followed by Future Energy Source with 23.3 percent for 7.86 million units and Lasco Distributors with 8 percent after trading 2.7 million shares.
Trading averaged 863,703 units at $2,103,043 in contrast to 171,570 at $616,928 on Thursday. Trading month to date averages 357,031 units at $908,226, compared to 227,030 units at $601,661 on Thursday. April closed with an average of 329,241 units at $854,716.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial lost 20 cents in closing at $22 in an exchange of 4 shares, Blue Power rose 15 cents to $3.90 with 14,430 stock units crossing the market, CAC 2000 shed 50 cents to close at $9.50 in switching ownership of 7,051 shares. Caribbean Cream dropped 85 cents to $5.20 with an exchange of 23,204 stock units, Caribbean Flavours shed 6 cents to finish at $2.23, with 218,530 units clearing the market, Consolidated Bakeries slipped 24 cents to $1.41 with a transfer of 150 units. Everything Fresh gained 6 cents to close at $1.19 with 414,779 shares changing hands. Express Catering picked up 25 cents ending at $4.80 after 137,584 units crossed the exchange, Fosrich rose 49 cents in closing at $8.49 in transferring 217,144 units. Future Energy Source gained 6 cents to close at a record close of $1.10 with 7,857,475 shares crossing the market, General Accident ended 32 cents higher at $5.84 in trading 780 shares, Honey Bun rose 41 cents to $6.41, after trading 68,966 stocks, iCreate gained 6 cents to settle at 80 cents with the swapping of 29,800 units, Indies Pharma fell 17 cents to close at $4.08 with an exchange of 101,308 shares. 
Iron Rock Insurance lost 10 cents in closing at $3.40 in switching ownership of 14,906 stocks, Lasco Distributors gained 10 cents to end at $4 after exchanging 2,698,308 shares, Lasco Financial lost 10 cents to close at $3.10 in switching ownership of 4,983 stocks, Lasco Manufacturing advanced 40 cents to $5.15 with 50,086 shares changing hands. Limners and Bards picked up 7 cents to end at $2.82 in transferring 159,117 stock units, Mailpac Group rose 14 cents to close at $3.80 in an exchange of 915,184 shares, Main Event lost 14 cents to end at $4.65 with 55,160 shares crossing the exchange and Stationery and Office Supplies advanced 95 cents to $6.45 in trading 24,827 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market up 61% from 2020 low
The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Trading closed on Wednesday with the market advancing 38.21 points to settle at 3,264.91, the highest close since January 10, last year as the market recorded a 23.5 percent increase since the start of 2021 and is up 61 percent since the March 2020 low.
At the close, 40 securities traded compared to 37 on Tuesday with prices of 16 stocks rising, 16 declining and eight remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings averages 12.2.
Trading ended with 10,633,571 shares for $23,363,737 compared to 10,360,923 units at $25,835,350 on Tuesday.
Future Energy Source accounted for 54.2 percent of total volume, with 5.76 million shares, followed by Lumber Depot 10.1 percent with 1.08 million units and Lasco Distributors with 5.8 percent after an exchange of 616,284 units.
Trading averaged 265,839 units at $584,093 in contrast to 280,025 at $698,253 on Tuesday. Month to date trading averaged 244,242 units at $596,923, compared to 232,875 units at $603,675 on Tuesday. April closed with an average of 329,241 units at $854,716.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Access Financial climbed $2.14 to $22.20 with 200 shares changing hands, Caribbean Assurance Brokers lost 10 cents to end at $1.98 with an exchange of 47,143 stocks, Caribbean Cream fell 19 cents to $5.91 with a transfer of 1,400 units. Caribbean Producers rose 5 cents to $3.95 with 124,730 stock units traded, Dolphin Cove climbed 50 cents to $8 with 28,750 shares passing through the market, Everything Fresh rose 12 cents to $1.15 with 13,953 stocks changing hands. Express Catering slipped 8 cents to $4.45 with an exchange of 7,300 stock units, Fontana gained 23 cents to end at $6 with a transfer of 155,493 units, Fosrich jumped 71 cents to a record close of $8.79 with a transfer of 343,226 shares, after the price rose to a record high during trading of $9.20. In the process that stock has gained 120 percent for the year to date, to be the best performing Junior Market stock for the year so far. General Accident dropped 32 cents to $5.52 with 13,915 stocks traded, Honey Bun advanced 20 cents to $5.95 with 1,718 units passing through the market, iCreate rose 8 cents to 80 cents with 97,532 shares changing hands. Iron Rock Insurance shed 65 cents to end at $3.05 with an exchange of 101,250 stocks, 
ISP Finance jumped $3.99 to $23.99 with a transfer of 80 units, Knutsford Express declined by 20 cents to $8.40 with 9,545 stock units passing through the market. Lasco Financial advanced 40 cents to finish at a 52 weeks’ high of $3.39, with 103,425 shares changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing slipped 5 cents to $5.10 with an exchange of 101,483 stocks, Lumber Depot lost 6 cents to close at $2.66 with a transfer of 1,075,496 units. Main Event jumped 73 cents to $4.77 with 17,125 shares traded, Medical Disposables fell 13 cents to $5.35 with 2,778 stocks passing through the market, SSL Venture declined by 7 cents to 58 cents with 1 unit changing hands. Stationery and Office Supplies dropped 69 cents to $5.61 with 200 stock units traded and Tropical Battery lost 5 cents to close at $1.15 with 87,376 shares crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market loses morning momentum
The Junior Market Index hit 3,265.18 after just 18 minutes after the market opened on Tuesday, but the market failed to hang on to those early gains and eventually settled at 3,226.70, after dropping 38.48 points off the morning’s high and 12.70 points below Monday’s close.
Trading resulted in an exchange of 41.2 percent more shares than on Monday, with 29 percent greater value than on Monday.
Overall, 37 securities traded versus 39 on Monday, with prices of 10 stocks rising, 20 declining and seven remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings averages 12.2.
Investors exchanged 10,360,923 shares for $25,835,350 compared to 7,337,555 units at $20,043,954 on Monday. Derrimon Trading led the day’s volume with 44.4 percent after an exchange of 4.6 million shares, followed by Future Energy Source with 18.3 percent in trading 1.9 million units and Lumber Depot with 9 percent or 930,413 units.
Trading averaged 280,025 units at $698,253 in contrast to 188,142 at $513,948 on Monday. The month to date averaged 232,875 units at $603,675. Trading in April closed with an average of 329,241 units at $854,716.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows one stock ended with the bid higher than the last selling price and two with lower offers.
At the close, Blue Power gained 9 cents to end at $4.44 with an exchange of 11,084 shares, Cargo Handlers fell $1.19 to $7.51 with 100 stocks crossing the market, Caribbean Cream slipped 5 cents to finish at $6.10 with 8,601 units changing hands. Caribbean Flavours rose 7 cents to end at $2.30 with 22,374 shares traded, Caribbean Producers lost 5 cents to close at $3.90 with a transfer of 18,448 stocks. Dolphin Cove dropped 40 cents to $7.50 with an exchange of 17,771 units, Everything Fresh declined by 12 cents to end at $1.03, with 6,948 shares crossing the exchange. Fosrich jumped $1.08 to close at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $8.08 with 259,572 stocks changing hands. Honey Bun lost 30 cents to close at $5.75 with 22,700 units traded, Iron Rock Insurance climbed 35 cents to $3.70 in transferring 14,925 shares. ISP Finance shed $4 to settle at $20 in trading just one share, Jetcon Corporation gained 10 cents to finish at 95 cents with an exchange of 333,996 stocks. KLE Group slid 5 cents to $1.02 with 319,074 shares changing hands, Lasco Distributors declined by 5 cents to finish at $3.85 with 159,829 units changing hands. Lasco Financial dropped 20 cents to $2.99 with 38,500 stocks traded after hitting a 52 weeks’ intraday high of $3.37.
Lasco Manufacturing advanced 14 cents to $5.15 with a transfer of 31,906 stock units, Limners and Bards fell 8 cents to $2.72, with 6,050 shares passing through the market. Lumber Depot declined 18 cents to $2.72 with 930,413 units traded, Main Event jumped 54 cents to $4.04 with a transfer of 12,000 stock units and Medical Disposables fell 7 cents to $5.48 with 6,740 units crossing the exchange.
In the preference segment, CAC 2000 9.5% lost 8 cents to close at $1 with 260,578 shares changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Big jump for Junior Market
Investors sent stocks flying 67.55 points after nearly two hours of trading on Monday, but prices retreated by the close, with the market holding on to a robust 57.04 points to end at 3,239.40 after more stocks advanced than declined after an exchange of 82 percent fewer shares valued 85 percent less than on Friday on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange.
Trading took place in 39 securities similar to Friday, with prices of 18 rising, 11 declining and 10 remaining unchanged.
At the close, the PE Ratio, based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings, averages 12.6.
The market closed with an exchange of 7,337,555 shares for $20,043,954 versus to 41,104,139 units at $134,379,491 on Friday. Future Energy Source led trading with 25.6 percent of total volume after trading 1.88 million shares, followed by Jamaican Teas with 16 percent for 1.17 million units and Mailpac Group with 14.3 percent, with 1.05 million units.
Trading averaged 188,142 units at $513,948, in contrast to 1,053,952 at $3,445,628 on Friday. April closed with an average of 329,241 units at $854,716.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial fell $2.29 to $20.06 after trading 210 stocks, Caribbean Cream rose 53 cents to $6.15 with 3,178 shares crossing the exchange, Consolidated Bakeries climbed 13 cents to $1.65 in trading 800 units, Elite Diagnostic rose 6 cents to $3.12 in exchanging 2,100 stocks. Everything Fresh gained 5 cents to finish at $1.15 in switching ownership of 9,398 shares, Express Catering rose 4 cents to $4.54 in the swapping of 400 stocks, Fontana lost 15 cents to settle at $5.80 with an exchange of 122,883 shares. Fosrich shed 45 cents to close at $7 in a transfer of 140,661 stock units, Honey Bun ended 10 cents higher at $6.05 in switching ownership of 315,886 units. Iron Rock Insurance gained 33 cents to close at $3.35 in an exchange of 6,850 stock units, Jamaican Teas lost 9 cents in ending at $4.10 in transferring 1,174,452 shares. Lasco Distributors ended 7 cents lower at $3.90 after 34,210 shares cleared the market. Lasco Financial gained 9 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $3.19 in trading 184,496 stock units, Lasco Manufacturing lost 19 cents to finish at $5.01 with 10,348 stocks changing hands, Lumber Depot fell 4 cents to end at $2.90 in the swapping of 387,689 units. 
Mailpac Group rose 16 cents to $3.76 with an exchange of 1,049,783 shares, Medical Disposables advanced $1.12 to $5.55 with the transfer of 92,026 units, Paramount Trading advanced 4 cents to close at $1.35 after exchanging 1,540 stocks. SSL Venture advanced 4 cents to 69 cents after 1,200 stock units changed hands, Stationery and Office Supplies rose 59 cents to $6.30 in exchange of 174 units and tTech advanced 32 cents to $4.90 with the swapping of 120,000 stock units.
In the preference segment, CAC 2000 9.5% preference share lost 32 cents to end at $1.08 with the swapping of 22,812 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
JamTeas gains 111% to top ICTOP10 picks
Six Main Market ICTOP15 stocks raked between 23 and 37 percent year to date and seven of the Junior Market picks produced gains from 22 percent to 111 percent for the first four months of 2021.
Jamaican Teas stock price is up 1115 for 2021 and up 234% in just under a year.
The only top performing Main Market stocks for the period not captured by the TOP15 are Ciboney, up a stunning 121 percent at 53 cents, even after the price move up to just over $2 earlier this year, followed by Salada Foods with an incredible rise of 147 percent, Eppley Property Fund with an increase of 46 percent and Proven Investments gaining 28 percent.
The top performing Junior Market stocks to date that were not in the ICTOP15 are Fosrich with a gain of 86 percent, Blue Power 56 percent, Express Catering up 29 percent, Caribbean Flavours at 33 percent and Lasco Manufacturing with a 35 percent increase.
The highlight of the stock market this past week was the 216 percent surge in Carib Cement’s profit, from record revenues that jumped 31 percent for the 2020 first quarter. As expected, the stock jumped to a 52 weeks’ high of $95.50. The company was one of ICTOP 15 listings at the start of the year and is up 40 percent so far and still has much more gains ahead of it. The other notable development is the Main Market recording of gains for 14 days unbroken.
Other stocks in the TOP15 list that have gone on to do well are Carreras up 37 percent, Grace Kennedy with a rise of 35 percent, Jamaica Producers up 33 percent, QWI Investments up 25 and Seprod 23 percent in the Main Market. In the Junior Market, the winners are Caribbean Cream with a gain of 34 percent, Caribbean Producers up 41 percent, Stationery and Office Supplies with a gain of 25 percent. Now out of the top listings are Jamaican Teas with a 111 percent gain for the year to date, Lumber Depot up 88 percent, Lasco Distributors with a rise of 22 percent and MailPac up 25 percent. Future Energy Source that was added to ICTOP 10 earlier this year has a gain of 28 percent, but much more is expected for these stocks in the rest of the year.
There are no changes to companies on the ICTOP10 listings this week. The bullish tone of the Junior Market and the Main Market continues, with more gains expected in the coming week supported by strong technical signals and fundamentals of stocks and the overall market.
Watch these stocks over the next few weeks, Barita Investments, Caribbean Cement, Grace Kennedy, Jamaica Producers, PanJam Investment and Sagior Group, MailPac, Access Financial, Lasco Financial, Lasco Distributors, Caribbean Cream, ISP Financial.
The top three stocks in the Junior Market are headed by Elite Diagnostic, followed by Main Event and Medical Disposables, with the potential to gain between 261 to 293 percent. The top three Main Market stocks are Radio Jamaica in the number one spot, followed by PanJam Investment and Jamaica Broilers, with expected gains of 181 to 410 percent.
This week’s focus: Fosrich reported a 22 percent rise in revenues to $549 million, up from $449 million in the prior year with gross profit rising 13 percent to $192 million, from $170 million in 2020 with net profit surging 697 percent to $38.4 million, from only $4.8 million in the 2020 first quarter. Earnings per share jumped to 8 cents from one cent in 2020. Administrative expenses fell slightly to $144 million, from $146 million in 2020 and finance cost slipped to $24.8 million compared to $26.2 million in the 2020 quarter.
The targeted PE ratio for the market averages 20 based on profits of companies reporting full year’s results, up to the second quarter of 2022. Fiscal 2020-21 ended March 2021 with the average PE at 17 for Junior Stocks and 19 times for the Main Market. With interest rates on government paper below 5 percent and likely to remain there for a few years, the likelihood is for the average PE ratios to climb higher during the next twelve months.
The Junior Market, with an average PE 13 based on ICInsider.com’s 2021-22 earnings, is currently trading well below the target, as well as the recent historical average of 17; this represents another 31 percent rise in the market that would equate to a rise of 50 percent to March 2022. The Junior Market Top 10 stocks average a mere 5.8 at just 44 percent of the market average, indicating substantial gains ahead. The JSE Main Market ended the week with an overall PE of 16.5, some distance from the 19 the market ended March, suggesting a 20 percent rise from now to March 2022.
The Main Market TOP 10 trades at a PE of 7.7 or 46 percent of the PE of that market and well off the potential of 20.
The average projected gain for the Junior Market IC TOP 10 stocks is 248 percent and 175 percent for the JSE Main Market, based on 2021-22 earnings. IC TOP10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns up to March 2022 and ranked in order of potential gains, based on likely increase for each company, taking into account the earnings and PE ratios for the current fiscal year. Expected values will change as stock prices fluctuate and result in movements in and out of the lists weekly. Revisions to earnings per share are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.
Persons who compiled this report may have an interest in securities commented on in this report.
One day pull back for Junior Market
The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange pulled back from the 3,200 index mark that it closed on Thursday to end trading on Friday, with a loss of 20.09 points to end at 3,182.36 after Main Event took over the lead trade from Future Energy that dominated trading for the previous five days.
Main Event ended with the largest trade on Friday,
Trading ended with 39 securities changing hands compared to 34 on Thursday and closed with the prices of 19 stocks rising, 15 declining and five remaining unchanged, in addition, three stocks closed trading at record highs.
At the close, the Junior Market Index dropped 20.09 points to settle at 3,182.36. The PE Ratio, based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings, averages 13.
The market closed with an exchange of 214 percent more shares than on Thursday, ending with 41,104,139 units traded, with a 603 percent increase in value of $134,379,491 compared to 13,061,149 units at $19,126,005 on Thursday. Main Event controlled 74.2 percent of total volume with an exchange of 30.50 million shares followed by Future Energy Source 10.7 percent with 4.4 million units, Jamaican Teas had 4.1 percent, with 1.68 million units, Lumber Depot chipped in with 2.8 percent for 1.16 million units and Lasco Manufacturing held on to 2.5 percent after trading 1.03 million.
Trading averaged 1,053,952 units at $3,445,628 in contrast to 384,151 at $562,530 on Thursday. Trading month to date averaged 329,241 units at $854,716, compared to 287,738 units at $706,338 on Thursday. March closed with an average of 252,633 units at $733,196.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows five stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial gained 35 cents to end at $22.35 after exchanging 45,213 shares, CAC 2000 rose 50 cents to $10 with 120 sock units crossing the exchange. Caribbean Assurance Brokers picked up 5 cents to close at $2.05 in the trading of 1,250 stocks, Caribbean Cream shed 57 cents to end at $5.62 with the swapping of 8,511 units. Caribbean Flavours lost 12 cents to finish at $2.25 after a transfer of 31,000 shares, Caribbean Producers gained 10 cents to close at $3.95 with the swapping of 63,740 units, Consolidated Bakeries fell 18 cents to $1.52 with 3,874 stocks clearing the market. Elite Diagnostic ended 6 cents lower at $3.06 after an exchange of 19,739 stock units, Express Catering gained 15 cents to close at $4.50 with 11,650 shares crossing the market, Fosrich rose 42 cents to a record close of $7.45 in the swapping of 92,908 units, Honey Bun rose 66 cents to $5.95 after clearing the market of 77,858 units. Jamaican Teas gained 29 cents to close at a record high of $4.19 in an exchange of 1,676,714 units. 
Jetcon Corporation lost 5 cents at 85 cents with a transfer of 1,000 shares, Knutsford Express shed 17 cents to end at $8.60 with investors switching ownership of 42,421 stocks, Limners and Bards ended 8 cents higher at $2.80 with an exchange of 153,020 shares, Lumber Depot gained 14 cents to close at a record high of $2.94 in trading 1,161,602 shares. Main Event declined 70 cents to end at $3.50 with 30,502,293 units changing hands, Medical Disposables rose 24 cents to close at $4.43 trading 2,123 units and tTech gained 8 cents to end at $4.58 in switching ownership of 200 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Fesco number one again
Future Energy Source (Fesco) continues to dominate headlines and trading on the Junior Market on Thursday as it commanded the lion’s share of the market for the fifth consecutive day after listing last week Friday, with buyers and sellers in the stock appear evenly matched.
Fesco led trading with 77.5 percent of total volume after an exchange of 10.12 million shares and was followed by Lumber Depot, exchanging 5.2 percent, with 674,611 units as the price ended at a 52 record closing high and Mailpac Group with 563,991 units for 4.3 percent.
The market index rose 23.98 points to close above the 3,200 points mark for the first time since January last year to end at 3,202.45 to be up 21 percent for 2021 to date. The PE Ratio based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings averaged 13.
The day ended with 34 securities changing hands compared to 37 on Wednesday and concluded with 15 stocks rising, 15 declining and four remaining unchanged.
The market closed with an exchange of 22 percent fewer shares and a 456 percent reduction in value than on Wednesday after the trading of 13,061,149 shares for $19,126,005, compared to 16,660,091 units at $35,210,071 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 384,151 units $562,530 compared to 450,273 at $951,624 on Wednesday. Trading month to date averaged 287,738 units at $706,338, compared to 282,671 units at $713,895 on Wednesday. March averaged 252,633 units at $733,196.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, CAC 2000 dropped 50 cents to end at $9.50 with a transfer of 1,000 shares, Caribbean Assurance Brokers slipped 5 cents to end at $2 with 43,820 units traded, Caribbean Cream jumped 58 cents to $6.19 with 3,489 stocks passing through the market. Express Catering lost 5 cents to close at $4.35 with an exchange of 7,838 stock units, General Accident rose 6 cents to $5.82 with 2,303 shares passing through the exchange, Honey Bun rose 19 cents to $5.29 with a transfer of 12,035 units. iCreate gained 6 cents to finish at 79 cents with investors swapping 10,800 stocks, Indies Pharma lost 6 cents to close at $4.25 with 121,558 stock units traded, Jamaican Teas advanced 5 cents to a record close of $3.90 with 228,466 shares passing through the market. Jetcon Corporation rose 5 cents to end at 90 cents with an exchange of 10,490 units, Lasco Financial gained 11 cents to end at $3.10 with 134,347 stocks changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing rose 39 cents to $5.19 with a transfer of 15,149 shares. 
Limners and Bards slipped 8 cents to $2.72 with 114,579 units traded, Lumber Depot advanced 22 cents to a record close of $2.80 with an exchange of 674,611 stocks, Mailpac Group gained by 11 cents to settle at $3.61 with 563,991 shares passing through the market. Main Event fell 50 cents to finish at $4.20 with 21,073 units changing hands, Paramount Trading fell 9 cents to $1.31 with a transfer of 23,100 stock units and Stationery and Office Supplies shed 67 cents to close at $5.70 with 1,035 shares crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Fesco dominates Junior Market again
Future Energy Source (Fesco) continued to lead trading for a third day with 13.57 million shares amounted to 62.4 percent of the total volume, followed by Caribbean Flavours with 2.62 million units for 12.1 percent and Tropical Battery with 2.08 million units for 9.6 percent and Jamaican Teas ended with 1.20 million units changing hands and accounting for 5.5 percent at the close the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Tuesday.
Overall, 40 securities traded, up from 38 on Monday and ended with the prices of 18 rising, 14 declining and eight, with closing unchanged.
The Junior Market Index fell 23.83 points to 3,150.68. The PE Ratio based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings.
At the close, 21,735,274 shares changed hands for $33,358,438 compared to 23,395,893 units at $32,100,797 on Monday.
Trading averaged 543,382 units at $833,961 in contrast to 615,681 at $844,758 on Monday. The month to date, averaged 272,505 units at $699,475, compared to 253,496 units at $690,037 on Monday. March averaged 252,633 units at $733,196.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Caribbean Assurance Brokers advanced 21 cents to $2.15 with an exchange of 10,458 shares, Caribbean Cream shed 58 cents to finish at $5.61, with 675 units changing hands, Caribbean Flavours fell 21 cents to $2 with a transfer of 2,619,470 stocks. Consolidated Bakeries increased 25 cents to $1.80, with 3,700 stock units traded, Express Catering rose 5 cents to $4.50 with ownership of 35,909 shares changing, Fontana dropped 23 cents to $5.76 with 51,671 units passing through the market. Fosrich gained 20 cents to settle at $6.20 with an exchange of 16,079 stock units, Future Energy Source slipped 5 cents to $1.02 with 13,571,032 stocks changing hands, General Accident lost 8 cents to finish at $5.76 with a transfer of 500 shares. Iron Rock Insurance rose 15 cents to $3.10 with 11,000 units traded, Jamaican Teas climbed 18 cents to $3.69 with investors switching ownership of 1,202,096 stocks, Jetcon Corporation gained 15 cents to close at 98 cents, with 51,874 shares passing through the market. KLE Group declined by 34 cents to end at $1.05 with an exchange of 175 units, Knutsford Express shed $1.91 to settle at $7 with 425 stocks changing hands, Lasco Distributors rose 5 cents to $3.85 with a transfer of 219,103 shares.
Lasco Financial fell 15 cents to $2.90 with 1,596 units traded, Lasco Manufacturing lost 20 cents to finish at $5.25 with investors switching ownership of 122,158 stock units, Main Event dropped 60 cents to $4.10 with a transfer of 9,210 stocks and Stationery and Office Supplies gained 10 cents to close at $5.60 with 7,281 shares crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
