Stocks mostly rose on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Friday, after trading in 45 securities compared with 40 on Thursday and ending with prices of 24 rising, 9 declining and 12 closing unchanged following a 37 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded, with 38 percent greater value than Thursday.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index rallied 20.64 points to end the day at 3,781.35.
Trading ended with 4,711,419 shares for $11,198,936 up from 3,441,451 units at $8,137,990 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 104,698 shares at $248,865, up from 86,036 units at $203,450 on Thursday with the month to date, averaging 189,955 units at $422,648 but slightly down from 194,892 stock units at $432,712 on the previous day and March ending with an average of 221,659 units at $464,382.
Fosrich led trading with 859,227 shares for 18.2 percent of total volume followed by ONE on ONE Educational with 662,171 units for 14.1 percent of the day’s trade and Spur Tree Spices with 534,967 units for 11.4 percent market share.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.9, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2025.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows none ended with a bid higher than the last selling price and three with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial gained $1.11 to end at $21.11, after just two stocks passed through the market, Cargo Handlers dipped 10 cents in closing at $13.20 with traders dealing in 596 units, Caribbean Assurance Brokers rose 6 cents to close at $2.26 with 1,975 shares clearing the market. Caribbean Flavours advanced 12 cents to end at $1.70 with investors swapping a mere 6 stock units, Dolphin Cove popped 97 cents to finish at $19.97 with an exchange of just 785 shares, EduFocal rallied 7 cents and ended at 89 cents, with 21 stocks crossing the market. 
Fontana increased 10 cents to $8.93 in an exchange of 70,158 units, Fosrich climbed 9 cents in closing at $2.20 with investors dealing in 859,227 stock units, Honey Bun popped 37 cents to finish at $7.80 in an exchange of 15,561 shares. Jamaican Teas lost 5 cents and ended at $2.40 with investors trading 320,994 stock units, KLE Group increased 20 cents to close at $2.17 after an exchange of 12 stocks, Lasco Financial slipped 33 cents to end at $1.52 with 111,286 units passing through the market. Lumber Depot climbed 20 cents to $2.70 after a transfer of 219,745 shares, ONE on ONE Educational rose 5 cents to finish at 90 cents as investors exchanged 662,171 units and Tropical Battery rallied 14 cents and ended at $2.29 and closed with an exchange of 118,056 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Rising Junior Market stocks beat losers
Rising Junior Market stock edged out those declining at the close of trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday, with trading in 41 securities compared with 43 on Tuesday and ending with prices of 15 rising, 12 declining and 14 closing unchanged after a 33 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded, with a modest rise in value over that on Tuesday.
The market closed with trading of 3,333,072 shares with a value of $7,971,094 compared with 4,944,789 units at $7,691,275 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 81,294 shares at $194,417 compared to 114,995 units at $178,867 on Tuesday with a month to date average of 200,800 units at $445,155 compared to 207,840 stock units at $459,926 on the previous day and March averaging 221,659 units at $464,382.
Dolla Financial led trading with 1.40 million shares for 42.1 percent of total volume followed by MFS Capital Partners with 605,087 units for 18.2 percent of the day’s trade and Tropical Battery with 449,373 units for 13.5 percent market share.
The Junior Market Index increased 11.36 points to end at 3,756.20 at the close of trading.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.4, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2025.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial fell $1.11 to finish at $20 after a transfer of 20,025 shares, CAC 2000 popped 40 cents to $4.24 in switching ownership of 12 stocks, Caribbean Assurance Brokers increased 6 cents in closing at $2.26 with investors dealing in 5,347 shares. Dolphin Cove declined 60 cents to close at $18.60 after an exchange of 5,864 stock units, Fontana climbed 26 cents and ended at $8.96 with an exchange of 11,738 shares, GWest Corporation rose 6 cents to end at $1.01 with investors transferring 2,955 units. Honey Bun shed 56 cents in closing at $7.43 with 4,471 stocks passing through the market, Indies Pharma advanced 23 cents to $2.68 after exchanging 4,638 stock units, 
Jamaican Teas gained 17 cents to close at $2.45 with 49,780 shares clearing the market. Knutsford Express sank 10 cents to end at $11.80 after investors ended trading 1,729 stock units, Lasco Financial rallied 37 cents to finish at $1.89, with just 800 units changing hands, Mailpac Group rose 7 cents and ended at $2.01 after an exchange of 3,766 stock units. Main Event dropped 88 cents to $13.01, with 13,670 units crossing the market, MFS Capital Partners advanced 17 cents after hitting an intraday 52 weeks’ low of $1.10 but ended at $1.47 with a transfer of 605,087 stocks and Tropical Battery popped 14 cents to close at $2.30 as investors exchanged 449,373 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading jumps on Junior Market
Trading jumped on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Monday, with rising a 372 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded, with 396 percent more value than Friday following trading in 45 securities compared with 44 on Friday and ending with prices of only eight stocks rising, 22 declining and 15 closing unchanged.
The market closed with an exchange of 7,528,822 shares for $16,904,689, up from 1,594,451 units at $3,409,014 on Friday.
Trading averaged 167,307 shares at $375,660, compared with 36,238 units at $77,478 on Friday with a month to date, average of 213,954 units at $478,434 compared to 217,407 stock units at $486,040 on the previous day and March with an average of 221,659 units at $464,382.
Spur Tree Spices led trading with 4.60 million shares for 61.1 percent of total volume followed by KLE Group with 567,507 units for 7.5 percent of the day’s trade and Jamaican Teas with 363,876 units for 4.8 percent market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index sank 17.69 points to 3,776.45.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.6, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2025.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, CAC 2000 fell 5 cents to end at $4.40 after a transfer of 242 units, Dolla Financial lost 12 cents in closing at $2.67, with 187,664 stocks crossing the market, Dolphin Cove rallied 26 cents to $19.76 after investors exchanged 2,492 shares. Everything Fresh popped 14 cents and ended at $1.70 after trading 20,993 stock units, Express Catering declined 8 cents to close at $4.01, with 5,603 shares crossing the exchange, Image Plus shed 5 cents to finish at $1.88 with investors swapping 57,859 units.
Indies Pharma dipped 7 cents and ended at $2.65, with 42,640 stocks crossing the market, Jamaican Teas sank 32 cents to $2.18 with an exchange of 363,876 stock units, Knutsford Express gained 49 cents to end at $11.90 after 22,824 shares passed through the market. Lumber Depot dipped 10 cents in closing at $2.55 with investors dealing in 46,316 stock units, MFS Capital Partners slipped 21 cents to close at $1.53 with a transfer of 1,928 stocks and tTech rose 5 cents to finish at $2.25 and closed with an exchange of 996 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Robust gains for several ICTOP10 stocks
During the just-concluded trading week, the Main Market slipped from the previous week’s close, while the Junior Market closed with a marginal loss, with many notable price changes primarily in the Junior Market ICTOP10, but there was just one Main Market price change of note and one change to the TOP10 listing.
In market activity during the week, the only price movement of note in the Main Market is Margaritaville, up 10 percent to $15.53. On the other hand, the Junior Market ICTOP10 has 5 stocks with price changes of note. Iron Rock Insurance topped the list with a gain of 15 percent to $2.52 followed by AMG Packaging up 12 percent to $3.59. Caribbean Cream climbed 9 percent to $4.24, while Consolidated Bakeries popped 8 percent to $2.18 and Access Financial gained 6 percent to $21.12. Two declining Junior Market stocks suffered losses of 3 and 2 percent.
The price of Scotia Group closed the week at $44.88, with the stock returning to the Main Market TOP10 and pushed Jamaica Broilers out, with the price rising a mere one percent to $33.13.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market ICTOP 10 stands at 5.5, well below the market average of 13.2 and the Junior Market TOP10 sits at 7.4 over half of the market, with an average of 12.6.
The Main Market ICTOP10 is projected to gain an average of 271 percent by May 2025, based on 2024 forecasted earnings, providing better values than the Junior Market with the potential to gain 178 percent over the same period.
In the Main Market ICTOP 10, a total of 16 of the most highly valued stocks representing 31 percent of the Main Market are priced at a PE of 15 to 105, with an average of 31 and 23 excluding the highest PE ratios, and a PE of 24 for the top half and 19 excluding the stocks with overweight values.
In the Junior Market IC TOP10 are 10 stocks, or 22 percent of the market, with PEs ranging from 15 to 44, averaging 21, well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 17, possibly the lowest fair value for stocks, currently.
Of great import is that the averages of both markets are now converging around a PE of 20 for close to a third of the market, as the year is coming to a close and with more information available on the full year’s earnings.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market, but this is not always so. ICInsider.com ranks stocks based on projected earnings, allowing investors to focus on the most undervalued stocks and helping to remove emotions in selecting stocks for investments that often result in costly mistakes.
IC TOP10 stocks will likely deliver the best returns on or around May 2025 and are ranked in order of potential gains, computed using projected earnings for the current fiscal year. Expected values will change as stock prices fluctuate and result in weekly movements in and out of the lists. Revisions to earnings are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.
Persons who compiled this report may have an interest in securities commented on in this report.
Trading plunged as the Junior Market index jumps
Trading plunged on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Friday, with an 81 percent drop in the volume of stocks traded, with a 77 percent lower value than Thursday following trading in 44 securities as was the case on Thursday, with prices of 19 rising, 12 declining and 13 closing unchanged.
Trading closed with an exchange of 1,594,451 shares for $3,409,014 down sharply from 8,355,224 stock units at $15,074,942 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 36,238 shares at $77,478, compared with 189,891 units at $342,612 on Thursday with the month to date, averaging 217,407 units at $486,040 compared to 231,540 stock units at $517,914 on the previous day and March with an average of 221,659 units at $464,382.
Spur Tree Spices led trading with 344,879 shares for 21.6 percent of total volume followed by ONE on ONE Educational with 334,089 units for 21 percent of the day’s trade and Future Energy with 208,553 units for 13.1 percent market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index jumped 35.75 points, ending at 3,794.14.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.6, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2025.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows none ended with a bid higher than the last selling price and two with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial popped 12 cents to end at $21.12 after a transfer of 2,053 shares, AMG Packaging gained 18 cents to close at $3.59 with 199 units crossing the market, Cargo Handlers rose 98 cents in closing at $13.83 in an exchange of 103 stocks. Caribbean Flavours rallied 9 cents and ended at $1.68 with investors swapping 10,055 stock units, Dolphin Cove dropped 26 cents to close at $19.50 with a transfer of 6,983 shares, Everything Fresh fell 18 cents to finish at $1.56 with investors trading 1,016 stock units. Honey Bun shed 10 cents to end at $8 after an exchange of 1,344 units, Image Plus popped 6 cents to end at $1.93 with 4,867 stock units clearing the market, Jamaican Teas rose 6 cents to $2.50 in trading 3 shares. 
Jetcon Corporation increased 10 cents to end at 95 cents and closed after an exchange of 309 stocks, Knutsford Express sank 9 cents in closing at $11.41 after an exchange of 324 units. Lumber Depot popped 9 cents higher and ended at $2.65 with investors trading 45,776 stocks, Main Event dipped 9 cents to finish at $13.90 after an exchange of 5,640 shares. Spur Tree Spices advanced 8 cents to close at $2.50 in trading 344,879 stock units, Tropical Battery increased 5 cents to end at $2.20 with investors transferring 53,344 stocks and tTech shed 6 cents to close at $2.20 after trading 20 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Winning stocks barely moved Junior Market
Trading climbed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday, with a 133 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded, and a 137 percent rise in value over Wednesday with trading in 44 securities compared with 42 on Wednesday and ending with prices of 16 rising, 11 declining and 17 closing unchanged.
The market closed with trading of 8,355,224 shares for $15,074,942 up from just 3,592,810 units at $6,363,318 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 189,891 shares at $342,612, compared with 85,543 units at $151,508 on Wednesday with the month to date, averaging 231,540 units at $517,914 compared with 235,064 stock units at $532,747 on the previous day and March with an average of 221,659 units at $464,382.
Stationery and Office Supplies led trading with 4.32 million shares for 51.7 percent of total volume followed by Spur Tree Spices with 1.13 million stocks for 13.5 percent of the day’s trade and EduFocal with 733,394 units for 8.8 percent market share as the stock traded at a 52 weeks’ intraday low of 85 cents and a closing low of 90 cents.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index popped 1.44 points to 3,758.39.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.5, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2025.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial dipped 13 cents to close at $21 after an exchange of 1,100 stock units, AMG Packaging lost 16 cents to end at $3.41, with 35,184 shares crossing the market, Cargo Handlers dropped $1.04 to finish at $12.85 with investors swapping 1,000 units. Caribbean Flavours sank 9 cents and ended at $1.59 after 2,145 stocks crossed the market, 
Express Catering rose 19 cents to end at $4.09 with investors transferring 250 units, Fontana climbed 30 cents in closing at $8.90 in an exchange of 5,101 shares. Honey Bun popped 65 cents to $8.10 with investors trading 48,537 stocks, Jetcon Corporation declined 10 cents to end at 85 cents in switching ownership of 150,026 stock units, Knutsford Express advanced 10 cents in closing at $11.50 after 11,920 shares passed through the exchange and MFS Capital Partners rallied 13 cents to close at $1.75 in trading 193,271 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior stocks drift lower
Stocks drifted lower in trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday, following a 16 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded, with an 8 percent higher value than Tuesday with trading in 42 securities the same as on Tuesday and ending with prices of 15 rising, 17 declining and 10 closing unchanged.
Trading netted 3,592,810 shares for $6,363,318 compared with 3,102,805 units at $5,901,970 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 85,543 shares at $151,508 compared with 73,876 units at $140,523 on Tuesday. Trading for the month to date averages 235,064 units at $532,747 compared to 248,202 stock units at $566,245 on the previous day and March with an average of 221,659 units at $464,382.
On a day of low trading volume, EduFocal led with 866,123 shares for 24.1 percent of total volume followed by ONE on ONE Educational with 661,048 units for 18.4 percent of the day’s trade and Dolla Financial with 459,774 units for 12.8 percent market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index declined 24.08 points to close at 3,756.95.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.5, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2025.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close of the market, AMG Packaging popped 13 cents to finish at $3.57 as 65,002 stock units passed through the market, Caribbean Assurance Brokers shed 8 cents in closing at $2.20 with investors exchanging 4,900 shares, Caribbean Cream increased 38 cents to end at $4.25 with 21,863 stocks clearing the market. Derrimon Trading lost 5 cents in closing at $1.95 in an exchange of 2,300 units, EduFocal dropped 5 cents to close at 90 cents with investors swapping 866,123 stocks, Elite Diagnostic sank 8 cents and ended at $1.51 with an exchange of 50,824 units. Everything Fresh climbed 7 cents to $1.75 with 7,955 shares crossing the market, Fontana skidded 30 cents to end at $8.60 as investors exchanged 55,829 stock units, Honey Bun fell 88 cents in closing at $7.45 with a transfer of 8,318 shares. 
Iron Rock Insurance rose 10 cents to close at $2.52 with 214 units passing through the exchange, Jamaican Teas slipped 22 cents to finish at $2.44 in trading 3,618 stocks, Jetcon Corporation rallied 5 cents and ended at 95 cents, with 27,645 stock units changing hands. Knutsford Express declined 10 cents to $11.40 with investors transferring 11,430 shares, Limners and Bards advanced 7 cents to close at $1.54 after 6,805 units were traded, MFS Capital Partners gained 12 cents and ended at $1.62 in switching ownership of 300 stocks. Stationery and Office Supplies popped 12 cents in closing at $1.68 with trading in 4,131 stock units, Tropical Battery advanced 6 cents to finish at $2.12 with investors dealing in 327 shares and tTech rose 23 cents to end at $2.27 with 1,899 stocks crossing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
More decline for Junior Market
Trading closed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Monday, with a 52 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded, with 82 percent more value than Friday, with trading in 45 securities compared with 44 on Friday and ending with prices of 14 rising, 20 declining and 11 closing unchanged as Honey Bun closed at a new 52 weeks’ high and EduFocal traded at an intraday 52 weeks’ low of 90 cents.
The market closed trading of 4,798,812 shares for $10,594,590 compared with 3,153,277 units at $5,829,829 on Friday.
Trading averaged 106,640 shares at $235,435, compared with 71,665 units at $132,496 on Friday with the month to date, averaging 264,995 units at $607,255 compared to 283,220 stock units at $650,048 on the previous day and March with an average of 221,659 units at $464,382.
Spur Tree Spices led trading with 1.47 million shares for 30.6 percent of total volume followed by EduFocal with 536,957 units for 11.2 percent of the day’s trade and Stationery and Office Supplies with 517,761 units for 10.8 percent market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index declined 20.07 points to lock up trading at 3,783.95, with indications that it could fall further on Tuesday.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.8, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2025.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and seven with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial increased $1.12 and ended at $21.13 with investors trading just one share, AMG Packaging climbed 17 cents to $3.37, with 126,389 units crossing the exchange, following the release of b six months results with profit up 79 percent, Caribbean Assurance Brokers dipped 12 cents to end at $2.20, in switching ownership of 9,954 shares. Caribbean Flavours popped 12 cents in closing at $1.70 with an exchange of 7 stock units, EduFocal rallied 7 cents to finish at $1 with traders dealing in 536,957 shares, but only after hitting an intraday 52 weeks’ low of 90 cents, Express Catering fell 55 cents to close at $3.90 after a transfer of 29,969 units, following release of increased earnings for the nine months. But with a slightly lower profit in the third quarter, Fontana shed 10 cents to $8.90 as investors exchanged 18,527 stocks, Honey Bun rose 48 cents to finish at a new 52 weeks’ high of $8.40 after 65,847 stock units passed through the market, Iron Rock Insurance gained 22 cents and ended at $2.42, with 3 shares changing hands. 
ISP Finance dropped 49 cents to close at $30.51 with investors swapping 4 stocks, Jamaican Teas advanced 24 cents to end at $2.67 with a transfer of 16,616 units, Jetcon Corporation lost 7 cents in closing at 88 cents, with 54 stock units crossing the market. KLE Group skidded 50 cents to $1.90 with investors transferring 10 shares, Limners and Bards sank 26 cents to close at $1.45 with 44,863 units clearing the market, Mailpac Group declined 19 cents in closing at $1.90 after trading 327,193 stocks. Main Event slipped 40 cents and ended at $13.60, with 8,274 stock units crossing the market, MFS Capital Partners sank 7 cents to finish at $1.80 with an exchange of 38,315 shares and tTech rose 7 cents to end at $2.27 in trading 2 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Scotia & Express Catering depart ICTOP10
In a week of the market ups and downs with Scotia Group and Express Catering dropping out of the ICTOP10 listing. Price movements in the TOP10 have been notable, with Express Catering at long last making a move higher in adding 10 percent, to close at $4.45, but the potential of the stock is held back by the company’s poor corporate governance practices highlighted by the fact that loan funding is used to on-lend to related group companies, with no benefit to the company’s to the company, with the company giving up more than US$1 million per year.
In a review of the ICTOP10, the earnings for the current year were confirmed at 45 cents for AMG Packaging, following the release of six months’ results on Friday, showing profit up 78 percent for the latest quarter and the half year while tTech earnings were projected for the current year at 30 cents per share pushing the stock in the TOP10.
In market activity during the week, Caribbean Cream climbed 9 percent to $3.90, but Iron Rock Insurance fell 12 percent to $2.20 followed by Edufocal, down 10 percent to an all time low of 93 cents while Consolidated Bakeries slipped 8 percent to $2.01. In the Main Market, Key Insurance rose 12 percent to $2.48 and 138 Student Living rose 6 percent to $4.18 while Margaritaville dropped 12 percent to $14.10.
tTech is a new addition to the Junior Market ICTOP10 with the increase in projected earnings for 2024, replacing Express Catering and in Main Market TOP10, Jamaica Broilers returns, edging out the undervalued Scotia Group. Jamaica Broilers another severely undervalued stock with good long term growth prospects returns to the TOP10.
It is worth noting that Honey Bun that was last in the TOP10 in the week ending March 8 and hit a 52 weeks’ high of $7.92 this week to be up 18 percent since it was added to the listing in mid-February at $6.69. The price should continue to increase throughout 2024.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market ICTOP 10 stands at 5.5, well below the market average of 13.2 and the Junior Market TOP10 sits at 7.4 over half of the market, with an average of 12.6.
The Main Market ICTOP10 is projected to gain an average of 273 percent by May 2025, based on 2024 forecasted earnings, providing better values than the Junior Market with the potential to gain 191 percent over the same period.
In the Main Market ICTOP 10, a total of 16 of the most highly valued stocks representing 31 percent of the Main Market are priced at a PE of 15 to 107, with an average of 32 and 23 excluding the highest PE ratios, and a PE of 25 for the top half and 19 excluding the stocks with overweight values.
In the Junior Market IC TOP10 are 9 stocks, or 20 percent of the market, with PEs ranging from 15 to 44, averaging 22, well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 17, possibly the lowest fair value for stocks, currently.
Of great import is that the averages of both markets are now converging around a PE of 20 for close to a third of the market, as the year is coming to a close and with more information available on the full year’s earnings.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market, but this is not always so. ICInsider.com ranks stocks based on projected earnings, allowing investors to focus on the most undervalued stocks and helping to remove emotions in selecting stocks for investments that often result in costly mistakes.
ICTOP10 stocks will likely deliver the best returns on or around May 2025 and are ranked in order of potential gains, computed using projected earnings for the current fiscal year. Expected values will change as stock prices fluctuate and result in weekly movements in and out of the lists. Revisions to earnings are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.
Persons who compiled this report may have an interest in securities commented on in this report.
Junior Market bounce
Stocks posted gains as trading closed sharply lower on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Friday, following heavy trading in Spur Tree spices on Thursday and ended on Friday with a 95 percent drop in the volume of stocks traded, worth 96 percent less than Thursday’s trades, with trading in 44 securities compared with 45 on Thursday and ending with prices of 17 rising, 14 falling and 13 closing firm.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index climbed 28.47 points to wrap-up trading at 3,804.02.
The market closed with trading of only 3,153,277 shares for just $5,829,829 well down from 67,112,668 units at $155,529,698 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 71,665 shares at $132,496, compared with 1,491,393 units at $3,456,216 on Thursday with a month to date average 283,220 units at $650,048 compared to 310,046 stock units at $715,674 on the previous day and March with an average of 221,659 units at $464,382.
Caribbean Assurance Brokers led trading with 864,573 shares for 27.4 percent of total volume followed by EduFocal with 851,715 units for 27 percent of the day’s trade and MFS Capital Partners with 497,347 units for 15.8 percent market share.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.6, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2025.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows no stock ending with a bid higher than the last selling price and two with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Access Financial declined $1.18 in closing at $20.01 in switching ownership of 1,009 stock units, AMG Packaging slipped 10 cents to $3.20 as investors exchanged 33,381 shares, Cargo Handlers popped $1.08 to end at $13.88, with 152 stocks being traded. Caribbean Assurance Brokers rallied 11 cents and ended at $2.32 with traders dealing in 864,573 units, Caribbean Flavours dipped 12 cents to close at $1.58 in an exchange of 1,002 shares, Consolidated Bakeries fell 18 cents to finish at $2.01 after trading 1,221 stock units. EduFocal slipped 9 cents and ended at a 52 weeks’ low of 93 cents with 851,715 units clearing the market, Everything Fresh increased 17 cents to $1.74 with investors transferring 26,955 stocks, Future Energy climbed 7 cents in closing at $3.49 after exchanging 42,409 shares. 
Honey Bun rose 5 cents and ended at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $7.92 after 21,824 shares were traded, Iron Rock Insurance lost 32 cents to finish at $2.20, with 1,770 units crossing the market, ISP Finance rose $4.65 to end at $31 after a transfer of a mere 3 stock units, Jetcon Corporation advanced 7 cents to close at 95 cents, with 6,731 stock units changing hands. Knutsford Express gained 30 cents to $11.50 in an exchange of 38 shares, Lumber Depot shed 12 cents to end at $2.55, after 14,656 stocks passed through the market and MFS Capital Partners popped 11 cents in closing at $1.87 after an exchange of 497,347 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
