The junior market surged 81.31 points, pushing the market index over the 2,700 mark for the first time, to end at a record 2,705.63 points at the close on Monday, with 5 securities trading at the close, at new all-time highs.
At the close of trading on Monday the prices of 13 stocks rose, 3 declined with 21 securities trading, compared to 13 trading on Friday. Volume of stocks traded rose 48 percent, from Friday’s low level, ending with a still low volume of just 728,143 units, including one stock in the preference sector changing hands, valued at $4,409,716, up by 65 percent from $2,672,851 on Friday.
An average of 34,673 units with an average value of $209,986 traded, compared to 37,841 units with an average value of $205,604 on the preceding trading day. The average for the month to date is 63,141 units with an average value of $315,280 versus 70,258 units with an average value of $341,603 on Friday. The average for December is 131,147 units, at an average of $672,488.
Securities that had bids above their last selling prices numbered just 4 on Monday and one ended with a lower offer. Since the start of last week there were a number of securities closing with large gaps between bids and last sale prices, with the exception of Eppley that has a bid of $8.01, compared to a last sale of $4.90, they have all traded higher to wipe out the major differences.
At the close of trading, Access Financial Services gained $3 in trading 1,889 units to close at an all-time high of $25, AMG Packaging jumped $1.50 to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $28.50 with 399 units changing hands, Blue Power jumped $3.50 and closed at a 52 weeks’ high of $34.50 with 3,500 units traded. CAC 2000 traded 7,000 units at $5.25 after gaining 30 cents, Cargo Handlers climbed to a new high of $19.70 after gaining $1.10 with 2,235 shares trading, Caribbean Cream dropped 55 cents with 143,035 units being exchanged to end at $8, Caribbean Flavours added 60 cents while trading 1,000 shares to close at $11.80. C2W Music had 3,334 units changing hands to close with a loss of 1 cent at 34 cents, Consolidated Bakeries ended trading with 5,925 units changing hands at $2.15. Dolphin Cove closed at $15 with 555 shares changing hands, General Accident closed trading with 75,504 units at $3, Honey Bun had 17,127 shares changing hands to close at $5.95 after losing 10 cents, Iron Rock Insurance traded 1,110 units and gained 5 cents to end at $4.05. Jamaican Teas ended at $4.85 with 8,640 shares being exchanged with a rise of 60 cents,
Jetcon Corporation rose 43 cents, to close at a new all-time high of $6.50, with 26,649 shares being exchanged by investors, Lasco Distributors ended with 58,900 units trading with a gain of 20 cents to close at $7.21, Lasco Financial rose 29 cents and closed with 10,912 shares changing hands at $3.94. Lasco Manufacturing rose 24 cents to end at $5.04, with 40,149 units trading, Medical Disposables traded 10,000, shares with a rise of 25 cents to close at $4.45, Paramount Trading ended with 26,700 shares changing hands at $3 and Eppley 8.25% preference share, ended with 283,500 units changing hands at $6.
Junior market first close above 2,600
The junior market pushed pass the 2,600 points mark at the close for the first time. The market index rose 33.35 points to end at 2,618.81 on much less volume than on Wednesday. Indication at the close, suggests that Friday could be explosive for the stocks in this market, with a large number of securities numbering 14,closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and none ending with lower offers.
Some of the securities with bids higher than their last selling prices have no offer and may not trade. At the close, the securities closing with large gaps between bids and last sale prices, include Access Financial with the $24.01 versus the last sale of $22, with no stocks on offer. Cargo Handlers had a bid at $19.10 with the last trade at $18.60 and an offer at $25.10. Eppley’s bid closed $8.01, compared to a last sale of $4.90 and Knutsford Express traded last at $22.50 and ended with the bid at $23 and an offer at $32.50.
The prices of 7 stocks rose, 5 declined with 16 securities trading, compared to 12 trading on Wednesday. Volume of stocks traded fell 71 percent, from Wednesday’s low level, ending with 786,999 units changing hands, valued at $3,954,032, down by 69 percent from $12,580,140 on Wednesday.
An average of 49,187 units with an average value of $247,127 traded, compared to 169,435 units with an average value of $786,259 on the preceding trading day. The average for the month to date is 81,063 units with an average value of $386,936 versus 97,001 units with an average value of $456,841 on Wednesday. The average for December is 131,147 units, at an average of $672,488.
At the close of trading, AMG Packaging jumped $2.49 and closed at $27 with 2,115 units traded, Cargo Handlers closed at $18.60 with 4,900 units changing hands, Caribbean Cream lost 60 cents with 4,500 units being exchanged to end at $7.50. Caribbean Flavours recovered the 75 cents it lost on Wednesday while trading 1,621 shares to close at $12, Caribbean Producers fell 5 cents in trading 29,490 units at $3.25, Consolidated Bakeries lost 20 cents in trading 79,180 shares to close at $2.15. Derrimon Trading gained 25 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $5.75 with 154,000 shares changing hands, General Accident lost 1 cent and closed trading with 19,318 units at $2.99. 
Honey Bun had 31,416 shares changing hands to close at $6.05 after rising 55 cents. Jamaican Teas ended at $4.25 with 6,778 shares being exchanged. Jetcon Corporation fell 4 cents, to close at $6.01, with 112,099 shares, Key Insurance climbed 20 cents and closed with 54,033 shares trading at $3, after trading at an intraday all-time high of $3.20, Lasco Distributors ended with 84,557 units trading with a rise of 60 cents to $7.10. Lasco Financial closed with 47,322 shares changing hands, to end at $3.50 and Lasco Manufacturing gained 15 cents and ended at $5, with 1467,670 units trading.
820% jump in junior market trades – Wednesday
Jetcon closed at a new high on Wednesday.
The prices of 7 stocks rose, 5 declined with 16 securities trading, compared to 12 trading on Tuesday. Volume of stocks traded jumped 820 percent on Wednesday, from Tuesday’s low level, ending with 2,710,965 units changing hands, valued at $12,580,140, up 723 percent from $1,529,067 on Tuesday.
Market activities ended with 5 securities closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 ending with lower offers. At the close, Access Financial ended with a bid of $25 versus the last sale of $22, AMG Packaging bid is at $27.05 with and last traded at $24.51, Eppley bid is $8.50 compared to a last sale of $4.90, these stocks have no stock being offered for sale for some time.
An average of 169,435 units with an average value of $786,259 traded, compared to 24,567 units with an average value of $127,422 on the preceding trading day. The average for the month to date is 97,001 units with an average value of $456,841. The average for December is 131,147 units, at an average of $672,488.At the close of trading, Cargo Handlers closed at $18.60 with 3,121 units changing hands, Caribbean Cream gained 70 cents with 6,000 units being exchanged to end at $7.30. Caribbean Flavours fell 75 cent while trading 13,000 shares to close at $11.25, Consolidated Bakeries rose 9 cents in trading 15,000 shares to close at $2.35, Derrimon Trading ended at $5.50 with 176,694 shares changing hands, after rising by 40 cents, General Accident gained 20 cents and closed trading with 1,000 units at $3, Honey Bun had 17,005 shares changing hands to close at $5.50 after falling 18 cents. Iron Rock Insurance traded 31,614 shares to end at $4, Jamaican Teas ended at $4.25 with 102,572 shares being exchanged.
Jetcon Corporation gained 5 cents, to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $6.05, with 22,222 shares, KLE Group lost 5 cents and closed with 3,100 shares trading at $1.90, Knutsford Express traded 8,321 shares and gained $2.50 in closing at $22.50, Lasco Distributors ended with 36,725 units trading with a fall of 51 cents to $6.50. Lasco Financial rose 31 cents with 1,386,210 shares changing hands, to end at $3.50, Lasco Manufacturing fell 5 cents and ended at $4.85, after 67,645 units switched hands and Eppley 8.25% preference share traded 820,736 units at $6.
Juniors slip first trading day for 2017
The junior market index slipped at the close on the first trading day of the new year on very moderate volume. At the end of trading the market index declined by 12.29 points to end at 2,581.42.
At the close, the prices of 2 stocks rose, 5 declined with 12 securities trading, compared to 16 trading on Friday. Volume of stocks traded dropped on Friday by 82 percent, from Friday’s level, ending with 294,809 units changing hands, valued at $1,529,067, down by 82 percent from $8,675,126 on Friday.
Market activities ended with 5 securities closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and one ending with a lower offer.
An average of 24,567 units with an average value of $127,422 traded, compared to 102,038 units with an average value of $542,195 on the preceding trading day. The average for December is 131,147 units, at an average of $672,488.
At the close of trading, Cargo Handlers closed at $18.50 with 1,379 units changing hands, Caribbean Cream had 19,700 units exchanged for 20 cents less than on Friday to end at $7.30. Caribbean Producers traded 45,331 shares to close at $3.30, Honey Bun had 2,735 shares changing hands to close at $5.68 after falling 17 cents. Iron Rock Insurance climbed 40 cents in trading 564,394 shares to end at $4,
Jamaican Teas lost 60 cents to end at $4.25 with 2,500 shares being exchanged. Key Insurance gained 20 cents to end at $2.80 with 55,524 units changing hands, KLE Group closed with 7,000 shares trading at $1.95. Lasco Distributors ended with 96,756 units trading with a fall of 4 cents to $7.01, Lasco Financial rose 8 cents with 6,294 shares changing hands, to end at $3.19, Lasco Manufacturing fell 10 cents and ended at $4.90, after 20,440 units switched hands, tTech traded 20,150 units at $5.30 and Eppley 9.5% preference share traded 17,000 units at $6.18.
Cargo Handlers top Jamaican stock with 393% gain
Bulls pushing Jamaican stock to new highs.
Cargo Handlers surged with a gain of 393 percent in 2016 to be the top performing stock on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, ending the year at $18.50 after a 10 for 1 stock split earlier in the year. The stock which trades at a PE of 30 times IC Insider’s 2017 estimated earnings, is also one of the most highly priced on the market. Last year the company posted profits that rose from 25 cents per share in 2015 to 42 cents in 2016.
Honey Bun roared along with gains of 325% to close the year at $5.85 after hitting a high of $7.50 in response to a 5 for 1 stock split and rise in profits of 104.7 percent for 2016.
The 2016 listed ISP Finance, jumped 250 percent to close the year at $8.50 on the expectation of strong future profit growth. This is one of the few stocks that grew sharply without the benefit of a stock split.
AMG Packaging climbed to be fourth best performer, benefiting from expectation of profit to flow from their new tissue operation and latterly by an announcement of a 5 for 1 stock split. Interestingly, while AMG last price was $24.51, the bid has been at $26.50 for several days, an indication that it will trade above the last traded price for 2016. Paramount Trading gained a more moderate 233%, helped by its expansion of it lubricant manufacturing in a joint venture arrangement and a 10 for 1
Paramount
Jetcon Corporation that listed in March at $2.25 per share, jumped 167 percent by the end of the year to $6, propelled by a near doubling in profit over 2015.
Blue Power gained 129% to sit at 7 position then Palace Amusement ended with a gain of 122, tTech that listed in January 2016 ended at tenth spot with gains of 112% just edging out Margaritaville Turks with 111 percent at number 11. Knutsford Express with gains 108% was the only other stock in the overall market to rise by more than 100%.
Data by the Investor’s Choice going back several years to 1980, indicates that on average only 22 percent of stocks in the top 10 repeat in the subsequent year. AMG was the sole stock that was in the top 10 in 2015 to repeat in 2016. These are sobering data investors would do well to ponder.
Junior market gains 45% for 2016
Blue Power closed at a new high of $30 on Friday.
At the close, the prices of 10 stocks rose, 3 declined with 16 securities trading, compared to 15 trading on Friday. Volume of stocks traded rose on Friday by 73 percent, from Friday’s level, ending with 1,632,612 units changing hands, valued at $8,675,126, up by 54 percent from $5,642,777 on Friday.
Market activities ended with 8 securities closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and none ending with a lower offer.
The year ended with thirteen stocks gaining more than the market average, including 3 gaining 325 percent or more,
2 more than 200 percent and 4 more than 100 percent.An average of 102,038 units with an average value of $542,195 traded, compared to 62,924 units with an average value of $376,185 on the preceding trading day. The average for December to date is 131,147 units, at an average of $672,488. The average for December to Thursday is 132,679 units, at an average of $679,346. November ended with an average of 109,679 units with an average value of $607,092.
At the close of trading, Blue Power jumped $3 to a new high of $30 with 10,000 shares changing hands, CAC 2000 gained 45 cents in trading 84,018 shares to close at $4.95, Cargo Handlers rose 50 cents to close at $18.50 with 7,986 units changing hands, Caribbean Cream had 33,000 units exchanged with a rise of 20 cents to end at $7.50. Caribbean Producers lost 20 cents in trading 430,299 shares to close at $3.30, Derrimon Trading ended at 52 weeks’ high of $5.50 with 126,306 shares changing hands, after rising by 10 cents, General Accident lost 20 cents with 23,682 units changing hands to close at $2.80.
Honey Bun had 13,936 shares changing hands to close at $5.85 after gaining 5 cents. Iron Rock Insurance climbed 40 cents in trading 564,394 shares to end at $4, Jamaican Teas gained 60 cents to end at $4.85 with 12,000 shares being exchanged. Jetcon Corporation closed at $6 with 42,800 shares trading, KLE Group recovered 3 cents and closed with 27,000 shares trading at $1.95, Knutsford Express rose 1 cent in trading 94,857 shares at $20. Lasco Distributors ended with 63,388 units trading with a fall of 10 cents to $7.05, Lasco Manufacturing ended at $5, after 12,795 units switched hands and Paramount Trading exchanged 86,151 units at $3.
Yet another junior record – Thursday
Bulls pushing Jamaican stock to new highs.
At the close, the prices of 8 stocks rose, 4 declined with 15 securities trading, compared to 14 trading on Wednesday. Volume of stocks traded declined on Thursday by 63 percent, from Wednesday’s level, ending with 943,860 units changing hands, valued at $5,642,777, down by 66 percent from $16,691,479 on Wednesday.
Market activities ended with 8 securities closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and 1 ending with a lower offer.
An average of 62,924 units with an average value of $376,185 traded, compared to 181,822 units
with an average value of $1,192,249 on the preceding trading day. The average for December to date is 132,679 units, at an average of $679,346. The average for December to Wednesday is 136,554 units, at an average of $696,188. November ended with an average of 109,679 units with an average value of $607,092.In trading Blue CAC 2000 traded 533 shares at $4.50, Cargo Handlers rose 50 cents to close at $18, with 105,768 units changing hands, Caribbean Cream had 23,786 units being exchanged with a loss of 70 cents to end at $7.30. Consolidated Bakeries rose 16 cents in trading 50,000 shares to close at $2.26, Derrimon Trading ended at $5.40 with 55,171 shares changing hands, after rising by 60 cents, Dolphin Cove rose $1 with 1,000 units changing hands and closed at $15,
General Accident had 200,000 units changing hands to close at $3. Honey Bun had 19,264 shares changing hands to close at $5.80 after shedding 15 cents. Jetcon Corporation rose 10 cents to close at $6 with 85,022 shares trading, KLE Group lost 3 cents and closed with 50,100 shares trading at $1.92, Knutsford Express rose 44 cents in trading 2,790 shares at $19.99, Lasco Distributors ended with 14,088 units trading with a gain of 15 cents at $7.15. Lasco Financial lost 9 cents with 16,000 shares changing hands, to end at $3.11, Lasco Manufacturing gained 2 cents and ended at $5, after 318,553 units switched hands and Medical Disposables exchanged 500 units at $4.20.
Another record close for juniors – Wednesday
The junior market index closed at a new all-time high on Wednesday, as advancing stocks were edged out by declining ones pushing the market index up by 20.38 points to end at 2,573.55 points with a 44 percent increase for the year to date.
At the close, the prices of 7 stocks rose, 3 declined with 14 securities trading, compared to 14 trading on Friday. Volume of stocks traded surged on Wednesday by 334 percent, from Friday’s level, ending with 2,545,501 units changing hands, valued at $16,691,479, up by 559 percent from $2,533,304 on Friday.
Market activities ended with 3 securities closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 ending with a lower offer.
An average of 181,822 units with an average value of $1,192,249 traded, compared to 41,940 units with an average value of $180,950 on the preceding trading day. The average for December to date is 136,554 units, at an average of $696,188. The average for December to Friday is 133,892 units, at an average of $667,008. November ended with an average of 109,679 units with an average value of $607,092.
In trading Blue Power rose $2 in trading 10,000 shares at $27, Cargo Handlers dropped $1.10 to close at $17.50, with 41,172 units changing hands, Caribbean Flavours had 20,000 units being exchanged at $12, C2W Music traded 11,939 units at 35 cents, General Accident had 7,976 units changing hands to close at $3. Honey Bun had 544 shares changing hands to close at $5.95 after shedding 5 cents. 
Jetcon Corporation rose 2 cents to close at $5.90 with 1,094,291 shares trading, KLE Group closed with 1,504 shares trading at $1.95, Knutsford Express traded 6,700 shares at $19.55, Lasco Distributors ended with 1,117,322 units trading with a gain of 25 cents at $7. Lasco Financial lost 5 cents with 21,345 shares changing hands, to end at $3.20, Lasco Manufacturing ended at $4.98, after 147,247 units switched hands, Paramount Trading exchanged 64,362 units at $3 and tTech traded 1,079 units with a rise of 5 cents to close at $5.30.
Juniors jump to all-time high – Friday
New high of $18.60 for Cargo Handlers on Friday.
At the close, the prices of 7 stocks rose, 3 declined with 14 securities trading, compared to 8 trading on Thursday. Volume of stocks traded fell on Friday by 54 percent, from Thursday’s level, ending with 587,155 units changing hands, valued at $2,533,304, slipped by 58 percent from $6,029,065 on Thursday.
Market activities ended with 5 securities closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and none ending with a lower offer.
An average of 41,940 units with an average value of $180,950 units traded, compared to 160,486 units with an average value of $753,633 on the preceding trading day.
The average for December to date is 133,892 units, at an average of $667,008. The average for December to Thursday is 139,639 units, at an average of $697,387. November ended with an average of 109,679 units with an average value of $607,092.CAC 2000 traded 1,706 shares at $4.30, Cargo Handlers jumped $2.60 to a new high of $18.60 to with 26,121 units changing hands, Caribbean Cream had 4,194 units being exchanged at $8, Caribbean Producers traded 271,466 units at $3.50, Consolidated Bakeries had 18,800 units changing hands to close with a rise of 24 cents at $2.10. Derrimon Trading gained 80 cents and ended at $4.80 with 87,710 shares changing hands, Dolphin Cove lost $1 with 185 units
changing hands closed at $14. Honey Bun had 805 shares changing hands to close at $6 after rising 30 cents. Jetcon Corporation lost 1 cent to close at $5.88 with 2,450 shares trading, Key Insurance closed with 2,980 shares trading at $2.60. Lasco Distributors ended with 6,500 units trading with a gain of 25 cents at $6.75, Lasco Financial rose 15 cents with 160,289 shares changing hands, to end at $3.25, Lasco Manufacturing gained 18 cents and ended at $4.98, after 700 units switched hands and Paramount Trading exchanged 3,249 units at $3.
Juniors retreat again on Thursday
The junior market index lost ground on Thursday, as advancing stock were edged out by declining ones pulling the market index down by 17.45 points to end at 2,511.85 points with a 40 percent increase for the year to date.
At the close, the prices of 3 stocks rose, 4 declined with 8 securities trading, compared to 16 trading on Wednesday. Volume of stocks traded rose on Thursday by 286 percent, from Wednesday’s level, ending with 1,283,884 units changing hands, valued at $6,029,065, up 284 percent from $1,568,652 on Wednesday.
Market activities ended with 8 securities closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and just 1 ending with a lower offer.
The recent issue of Eppley 8.25% preference share at $6 each was listed today without any units being traded but the bid closed at $5.55.
An average of 160,486 units with an average value of $753,633 units traded, compared to 20,778 units with an average value of $98,041 on the preceding trading day. The average for December to date is 139,639
units, at an average of $697,387. The average for December to Wednesday is 138,249 units, at an average of $693,637. November ended with an average of 109,679 units with an average value of $607,092.
Cargo Handlers lost 30 cents after rising to a new high of $18.50 to close at $16 with 46,199 units changing hands, 
Caribbean Producers traded 31,110 units at $3.50, C2W Music had 7,546 units changing hands to close at 35 cents. Derrimon Trading gained 30 cents and ended at $4 with 696,000 shares changing hands, General Accident exchanged 5,000 shares and closed at $3, Honey Bun had 281,550 shares changing hands to close at $5.70 after falling 35 cents. Lasco Financial ended with 208,325 shares changing hands, for a loss of 20 cents to $3.10, Lasco Manufacturing fell 18 cents and ended at $4.80, after 15,500 units switched hands and Eppley 9.5% preference share traded just 200 units at $6.18.
