NCB is back in ICTOP10


The damage done to NCB Financial Group’s stock price by last year’s ill-fated public share issue continued unabated during the past week with the price hitting a multiyear low of $47.70 even as the group posted a solid 114 percent rise in profit for the first quarter to December to $2.6 billion up from $1.2 billion in 2023. The drop in price puts the stock back into the Main Market ICTOP10 and the ALL JSE TOP10.

The week closed with the Main Market index losing 1,770.19 points or 0.54 percent or points while the all Jamaica composite index declined by 0.75 percent or 2,847.1 points and the Junior Market lost 2.2 percent for a fall of 82.14 points. Market movements resulted in prices of just three stocks rising and five declining in the Junior Market ICTOP10 while the Main Market ICTOP10 ended with two gains and four losses.
In the Junior Market ICTOP10, Caribbean Assurance Brokers was the only stock ending the week with a notable gain, up 7 percent to $2.76. Iron Rock Insurance fell by 7 percent to $3.61, Access Financial fell 5 percent to $17.07 and Elite Diagnostic fell 4 percent to $1.62.
In the Main Market ICTOP10, Key Insurance rose 9 percent to close at $2.40 and VM Investments rose 4 percent to $2.47 and Berger Paints declined 8 percent to $7.15.
The All JSE ICTOP10, compiled from all listed ordinary stocks on the Jamaica Stock Exchange ended the week with NCB Financial replacing Caribbean Producers.
Dolphin Cove after a long absence returns to the Junior Market ICTOP10, fallowing a big drop in price during the week, while Iron Rock Insurance returns after a week’s abscence. Dropping out ot the Junior Market Top 10 are Limners and Bards and Cargo Handlers. In the Main Market ICTOP10, VM Investments dropped out, replaced by NCB, with the price at an appealing level for long term investments.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market ICTOP 10 sits at just 5.6, well below the market average of 15.7 and the Junior Market TOP10 stands at 7.8, more than half of the market, with an average of 13.1.
Based on the earnings estimates for 2024, the Main Market ICTOP10 is projected to gain an average of 272 percent by May 2025, providing better values than the Junior Market, projected to achieve a 170 percent increase for the same period.
In the Main Market ICTOP 10, there are 16 stocks with the highest values representing 31 percent of the Main Market, with PEs between 15 to 105, with an average of 31 and 23 excluding the highest PE ratios and a PE of 25 for the top half of the market with the highest values and 19 excluding the stocks with overweight values.
In the Junior Market IC TOP10, 16 stocks or 33 percent of the market have PEs ranging from 15 to 31 with an average of 19 and a PE of 18 for half of the market with the highest PEs.
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, resulting 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.

Steady Junior Market as trading picks up


Trading activity closed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Friday, with a 7 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded, with the value surging by 69 percent over Thursday with trading in 46 securities up from 44 on Thursday and ending with prices of 16 rising, 18 declining and 12 closing unchanged.

The market closed with trading of 5,265,940 shares for $14,996,116 compared with 5,685,109 units at $8,860,389 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 114,477 shares at $326,003 compared to 129,207 stocks at $201,372 on Thursday with the month to date, averaging 183,473 units at $318,530 in line with 188,642 units at $317,970 on the previous day but well below trading in January with an average of 350,850 shares at $615,775.
Kintyre Holdings led trading with 1.0 million shares for 19 percent of total volume followed by Mailpac Group which ended with 860,250 units for 16.3 percent of the day’s trade and Regency Petroleum with 848,610 stocks for 16.1 percent of the volume traded.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index slipped 2.00 points to finish at 3,630.95. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.1, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2025.
At the close of moderate activities, Access Financial dropped by 95 cents and ended at $17.02 after a transfer of 240 shares, CAC 2000 rose 31 cents to $2.46 with traders dealing in 2,328 stocks, Cargo Handlers gained 80 cents to close at $11 in switching ownership of 588 shares. Caribbean Cream lost 14 cents to end at $3.05 with investors dealing in 60 stock units, Caribbean Flavours popped 7 cents in closing at $1.25 in an exchange of 127,652 shares, Dolphin Cove dipped $1.90 to finish at $14.50 with 385,017 units clearing the market. Future Energy fell 6 cents and ended at $3.31 in trading 36,014 stocks,  ISP Finance slipped 24 cents to $28.26 with just 263 stock units crossing the market, Jamaican Teas advanced 8 cents to close at $2.28 with a transfer of 46,576 shares. Knutsford Express rallied 84 cents to end at $12.84 with investors exchanging 4,117 stocks, Lasco Financial increased 10 cents to close at $1.61 with 2,165 units crossing the market, Limners and Bards climbed 8 cents to $1.27 with investors trading 141,424 stock units. Lumber Depot increased 13 cents and ended at $2.94 with a mere 6 shares crossing the exchange, Medical Disposables popped 31 cents to $1.96 with investors trading 100 stock units and tTech sank 8 cents to end at $1.82 after an exchange of 3,721 units.

Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

Trading surges on JSE Junior Market


Trading activity closed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Tuesday, with 68 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded, with 120 percent more value than Monday with trading in 45 securities compared with 46 on Monday and ending with prices of 14 rising, 19 declining and 12 closing unchanged. Trading closed with one stock closing at a 52 weeks’ high, two at a 52 weeks’ low and two traded at 52 weeks’ intraday low.

The market closed with trading of 12,238,191 shares for $26,027,175 up from 7,301,014 stock units at $11,842,518 on Monday.
Trading averaged 271,960 shares at $578,382 well above the 158,718 stocks at $257,446 on Monday with trading for the month to date, ended with an average of 188,254 units at $322,526 close to the 180,439 stock units at $298,639 on the previous day and well below January that ended with an average of 350,850 shares at $615,775.
Mailpac Group led trading with 4.31 million shares for 35.2 percent of total volume followed by Kintyre Holdings which ended with 3.75 million units for 30.6 percent of the day’s trade and Future Energy with only 459,723 stocks for 3.8 percent of the volume traded.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index lost 14.75 points to wrap up trading at 3,691.31. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows eight stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers a good indicator for a rise in the market on Wednesday.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.1, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for financial years ending around August 2025.
At the close of the market, AMG Packaging fell 8 cents in closing at $3.10 with investors trading 9,098 stock units, Cargo Handlers lost 84 cents to end at $10.20 after 1,406 shares passed through the market, Caribbean Assurance Brokers declined 29 cents to end at $2.50 with traders dealing in 53,076 stocks. Dolphin Cove shed $4.09 to finish at a 52 weeks’ low of $15.50 in an exchange of 299,623 units, Fontana sank 13 cents and ended at $9.10 with 39,717 shares crossing the market, GWest Corporation climbed 8 cents to close at 90 cents with a transfer of 412 stock units. Honey Bun slipped 17 cents to $7.95 with 7,611 units crossing the exchange, Image Plus lost 1 cent in closing at $1.35 after trading at an intraday 52 weeks’ low of $1.26, Iron Rock Insurance sank 30 cents to end at $3.60 after a transfer of 7,130 stocks, ISP Finance increased $6.25 in closing at a 52 weeks’ high of $43.25 with investors swapping 1,117 shares but only after trading at an intraday 52 weeks’ high of $49.42. Jetcon Corporation dipped 15 cents to finish at $1.02 in an exchange of 138,118 stock units, JFP Ltd fell 14 cents and ended at 69 cents with investors dealing in 403,400 units after trading at an 52 weeks’ intraday low of 58 cents, Knutsford Express popped $1 to close at $12 after an exchange of 2,170 stocks. Mailpac Group dropped 8 cents to $2.53 and closed after 4,309,861 units changed hands, Main Event advanced 20 cents to close at $11 with an exchange of 473 stocks, Medical Disposables fell 36 cents to finish at $1.63 with investors trading 14,532 shares and tTech slipped 8 cents and ended at $1.39 as investors exchanged 1,356 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

ICTOP10 stocks weathered a stormy week


The markets of the Jamaica Stock Exchange were steady in closing out last week with just marginal movements in the Main and Junior market indices, resulting in moderate moves in ICITOP10 stocks, with gains ranging from 4 percent to declines of 7 percent in the Junior Market TOP 10, with 4 percent being the biggest move in the Main Market ICTOP10.

Market movements resulted in prices of just three stocks rising and six declining in the Junior Market ICTOP10 while the Main Market ICTOP10 ended with three gains and two losses.
In the Junior Market ICTOP10, Caribbean Assurance Brokers and Limners and Bards gained 4 percent to close at $2.58 and $1.26 respectively. Elite Diagnostic and Iron Rock Insurance fell by 7 percent to $1.68 and $3.90 respectively and Cargo Handlers fell 4 percent to $11. In the Main Market ICTOP10, Key Insurance shed 4 percent to close at $2.20.
The JSE TOP10, compiled from all listed ordinary stocks on the Jamaica Stock Estate ended the week with JMMB Group dropping out with reduced earnings that were released for the nine months to December and is replaced by the Junior Market listed Kintyre Holdings (formerly iCreate).
Dolla Financial and Kintyre Holdings entered the Junior Market ICTOP10, with Jamaican Teas and Iron Rock Insurance dropping out. In the Main Market ICTOP10, Caribbean Producers returns, replacing JMMB Group following the downgrading of earnings for the current fiscal year ending in March. Dolla Financial earnings are based on 2025 projections. The forecast assumes more borrowed funds are taken on during the year to finance expansion. Kintyre Holdings reported earnings of 8 cents for 2024, the latest quarterly numbers suggest earnings should reach 25 cents per share during 2025, all things being equal. The historical performance of the company, suggests a high degree of risk is associated with an investment in the stock.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market ICTOP 10 sits at just 6, well below the market average of 14.9 and the Junior Market TOP10 stands at 8.1, more than half of the market, with an average of 13.2.
Based on the earnings estimates for 2024, the Main Market ICTOP10 is projected to gain an average of 270 percent by May 2025, providing better values than the Junior Market, projected to achieve a 164 percent increase for the same period.
In the Main Market ICTOP 10, there are 15 stocks with the highest values representing 29 percent of the Main Market, with PEs between 15 to 105, with an average of 31 and 23 excluding the highest PE ratios and a PE of 24 for the top half of the market with the highest values and 19 excluding the stocks with overweight values.
In the Junior Market IC TOP10, 16 stocks or 33 percent of the market have PEs ranging from 15 to 32 with an average of 19 and a PE of 18 for half of the market with the highest PEs.
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, resulting 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.

ICTOP10 stocks weathered stormy week


The markets of the Jamaica Stock Exchange were steady in closing out last week with just marginal movements in the Main and Junior market indices, resulting in moderate moves in ICITOP10 stocks, with gains ranging from 4 percent to declines of 7 percent in the Junior Market TOP 10, with 4 percent being the biggest move in the Main Market ICTOP10.

Market movements resulted in prices of just three stocks rising and six declining in the Junior Market ICTOP10 while the Main Market ICTOP10 ended with three gains and two losses.
In the Junior Market ICTOP10, Caribbean Assurance Brokers and Limners and Bards gained 4 percent to close at $2.58 and $1.26 respectively. Elite Diagnostic and Iron Rock Insurance fell by 7 percent to $1.68 and $3.90 respectively and Cargo Handlers fell 4 percent to $11. In the Main Market ICTOP10, Key Insurance shed 4 percent to close at $2.20.
The JSE TOP10, compiled from all listed ordinary stocks on the Jamaica Stock Estate ended the week with JMMB Group dropping out with reduced earnings that were released for the nine months to December and is replaced by the Junior Market listed Kintyre Holdings (formerly iCreate).
 Financial and Kintyre Holdings entered the Junior Market ICTOP10, with Jamaican Teas and Iron Rock Insurance dropping out.
In the Main Market ICTOP10, Caribbean Producers returns, replacing JMMB Group following the downgrading of earnings for the current fiscal year ending in March. Dolla Financial earnings are based on 2025 projections. The forecast assumes more borrowed funds are taken on during the year to finance expansion. Kintyre Holdings reported earnings of 8 cents for 2024, the latest quarterly numbers suggest earnings should reach 25 cents per share during 2025, all things being equal. The historical performance of the company, suggests a high degree of risk is associated with an investment in the stock.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market ICTOP 10 sits at just 6, well below the market average of 14.9 and the Junior Market TOP10 stands at 8.1, more than half of the market, with an average of 13.2.
Based on the earnings estimates for 2024, the Main Market ICTOP10 is projected to gain an average of 270 percent by May 2025, providing better values than the Junior Market, projected to achieve a 164 percent increase for the same period.
In the Main Market ICTOP 10, there are 15 stocks with the highest values representing 29 percent of the Main Market, with PEs between 15 to 105, with an average of 31 and 23 excluding the highest PE ratios and a PE of 24 for the top half of the market with the highest values and 19 excluding the stocks with overweight values.
In the Junior Market IC TOP10, 16 stocks or 33 percent of the market have PEs ranging from 15 to 32 with an average of 19 and a PE of 18 for half of the market with the highest PEs.
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, resulting in weekly movements in and out of the lists. Revisions to earnings are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.

Junior Market trading dives on Monday


Trading activity closed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Monday, with declining 41 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded, after 23 percent less funds passed through the market over Friday with trading in 46 securities up 41 on Friday and ending with prices of 14 rising, 20 declining and 12 closing unchanged.

The market closed with trading of 7,301,014 shares for $11,842,518 down from 12,380,784 stock units at $15,337,067 on Friday.
Trading averaged 158,718 shares at $257,446 well below the 301,970 stock units at $374,075 on Friday. Trading month to date, averaged 180,439 units at $298,639 that is line with 182,731 units at $302,986 on the previous day but well below an average of  350,850 shares at $615,775 in January.
Kintyre Holdings led trading with 2.01 million shares for 27.6 percent of total volume followed by Fosrich with 1.19 million units for 16.3 percent of the day’s trade and Future Energy with 820,520 stocks for 11.2 percent of the volume traded.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index shed 7.03 points to finish at 3,706.06. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.2, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for financial years ending around August 2025.
At the close of a trading session of low trading, CAC 2000 rallied 19 cents to end at $2.34 with 1,010 shares changing hands,  Caribbean Assurance Brokers rose 21 cents to $2.79 with an exchange of 5,612 stocks, Consolidated Bakeries fell 10 cents to $1.80 with 50 shares crossing the market. Everything Fresh sank 17 cents and ended at $1.81 in switching ownership of 39,071 stock units, GWest Corporation slipped 9 cents to finish at 82 cents after an exchange of 24,722 shares, ISP Finance climbed $7.50 to close at a 52 weeks; high of $37 and closed with 3,364 stocks changing hands, following the disclosure last week that they acquired a portfolio of loans. JFP Ltd rose 6 cents to 83 cents in an exchange of 287,907 units, KLE Group gained 9 cents in closing at $1.25 with traders dealing in 400 stocks, Knutsford Express sank $1.79 to end at $11 with 7,728 shares crossing the exchange. Lasco Financial dropped 9 cents to finish at $1.51 after a transfer of 14,880 stocks, Medical Disposables advanced 29 cents and ended at $1.99 with 6,426 units changing hands, Paramount Trading increased 9 cents to close at $1.12 with a transfer of 34,171 stock units and tTech ended with 2,204 shares being traded in closing at $1.47 after the price hit a 52 weeks’ intraday low of $1.16.

Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

Energy stocks lead Junior Market trades as ISP jumps $3.96 to $28


On a moderate day of trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange petroleum operator accounted for the biggest share of the trading, with Regency Petroleum, accounting for 18 percent of the day’s trade with Future Energy delivering another 11 percent on Thursday with trading activity ending with a 56 percent increase in the volume of stocks traded, with 48 percent higher value than on Wednesday following trading in 47 securities up from just 42 on Wednesday and ending with prices of 21 rising, that includes ISP Finance with a jump of $3.96 on news of the purchase of a loan portfolio from Jamaica National. A total of 17 stock units declined and nine closed unchanged.

The market closed with trading of 4,996,614 shares for $10,823,492 up from 3,211,827 units at $7,290,865 on Wednesday. Trading averaged 106,311 shares at $230,287 much better than the 76,472 stocks at $173,592 on Wednesday with the month to date, averaging 170,354 units at $295,607 but below the 179,004 stock units at $304,429 on the previous day and well below that for January with an average of 350,850 shares at $615,775.
Regency Petroleum led trading with 881,108 shares for 17.6 percent of total volume followed by Future Energy which ended with 566,301 stock units for 11.3 percent of the day’s trade and RA Williams with 560,000 stocks for 11.2 percent of the volume traded.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index fell 5.64 points to end at 3,697.68. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.2, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for financial years ending around August 2025.
At the close of a day of improved trading, with many of the stocks traded involved small quantities, AMG Packaging rallied 19 cents to $3.20 with investors trading 1,937 stock units, Blue Power increased 26 cents in closing at $5.54 with 41,121 shares changing hands, CAC 2000 sank 30 cents to close at $2.15 with a transfer of 84 units. Cargo Handlers dipped 10 cents to finish at $11 with 11 stocks crossing the market, Consolidated Bakeries sank 20 cents and ended at $1.90 with traders dealing in 611 units, Dolphin Cove declined 10 cents to end at $19.60 with 15,573 shares crossing the market. Express Catering shed 14 cents in closing at $3.06 with investors trading 15,265 stock units, Fontana popped 13 cents to $9.23 with 62,148 stocks clearing the market, Future Energy dropped 12 cents to close at $3.38 after a transfer of 566,301 shares. GWest Corporation advanced 6 cents to end at 91 cents with 551 units passing through the market, Honey Bun rose 7 cents and ended at $8.10 with 2,285 stocks being traded, Indies Pharma fell 28 cents to finish at $3.31 after an exchange of 1,115 stock units. Iron Rock Insurance slipped 29 cents to $3.90 with investors dealing in just 4 shares, ISP Finance gained $3.96 to close at $28 in an exchange of 3,652 stock units, following a release form the company that they acquired a loan portfolio, KLE Group lost 9 cents and ended at $1.16 with investors swapping 138 units. Paramount Trading climbed 12 cents in closing at $1.14 with 18,813 stocks crossing the exchange, Regency Petroleum rose 12 cents to end at $3.30 with 881,108 stock units switching owners, Spur Tree Spices rallied 8 cents to finish at $1.78 after an exchange of 46,816 stocks and tTech skidded 27 cents and ended at $1.73 in trading 300 shares.

Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

Trading falls on Junior Market



Trading fell on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Tuesday, with the volume and value of stocks traded declining by 11 percent and 41 percent respectively compared to Monday, with the market Index slipping 17.76 points to 3,274.33, following trading in 46 securities, down from 47 on Monday and ending with prices of 14 rising, 21 declining and 11 closing unchanged.

The market closed with trading of 7,122,679 shares for $7,747,839, after sliding from 7,960,170 units at $13,236,337 on Monday.
Trading averaged 154,841 shares at $168,431, down from 169,365 stocks at $281,624 on Monday, with the month to date, averaging 226,965 units at $298,598, down from 239,162 shares at $320,611 on the previous day and January closing with an average of 469,885 shares at $594,149.
Kintyre Holdings ended as the leading trade with 3.15 million shares for 44.2 percent of total volume, followed by Atlantic Hardware with 1.07 million units for 15 percent of the day’s trade and ONE on ONE Educational with 710,969 stock units for 10 percent of the volume traded.
At the close of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows one stock ending with the bid higher than the last selling price and two with lower offers.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.3, derived by dividing the last traded price of a stock by the earnings per share. ICInsider.com compiles the PE ratios in this report for companies with their financial year ending around August 2026.
At the close of the market, AMG Packaging rose 30 cents to $2.40, with 141,470 shares clearing the market, Atlantic Hardware climbed 9 cents to $2.14, with investors trading 1,069,551 units, Blue Power increased 75 cents to finish at $3.75, with 2,497 shares crossing the market. Caribbean Assurance Brokers popped 26 cents and ended at $2 after an exchange of just 923 stock units, Consolidated Bakeries rallied 25 cents to end at $1.55 with 3,719 stocks passing through the market, Dolphin Cove gained $1.10 to close at $12 after trading of 10,601 units. Express Catering fell 17 cents to $2.33 with 4,582 shares crossing the exchange, Iron Rock Insurance sank 30 cents to end at $2.50 with a transfer of 126 stocks, Jamaican Teas slipped 12 cents to $2.18 after an exchange of 7,908 stock units. KLE Group sank 14 cents to finish at 90 cents with investors trading 34 shares, Knutsford Express dropped 70 cents and ended at $10.29 in an exchange of 1,616 stocks, Limners and Bards advanced 11 cents to close at $1.03 with traders dealing in 149,436 units. Mailpac Group lost 30 cents to $2.49 after a transfer of 28,552 stock units, Main Event declined 10 cents to finish at $7 as investors exchanged 3,743 shares, Medical Disposables popped 24 cents and ended at $1.34 with 203 stocks crossing the market. Paramount Trading shed 22 cents in closing at $1.06 with an exchange of 25,578 units and Regency Petroleum rallied 6 cents to close at $3.94 with 3,998 stock units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

Junior Market loses more ground


The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Monday, with a 77 percent fall in the volume of stocks traded, with 66 percent lower value than Friday following trading in 42 securities down from 47 on Friday and ending with prices of 10 rising, 18 declining and 14 closing unchanged and resulted in more slippage in the market following last weeks’ declines.
The market closed with trading of 5,281,187 shares for $8,580,323 down sharply from 22,554,448 units at $24,909,066 on Friday. Trading averaged 125,743 shares at $204,293 well off of the 479,882 stocks at $529,980 on Friday with the month to date, ending with an average of 202,642 stock units at $326,313 compared with 217,458 stocks at $349,822 on the previous day and January with an average of 350,850 shares at $615,775. RA Williams led trading with 1.31 million shares for 24.7 percent of total volume followed by One Great Studio which ended with 806,029 stock units for 15.3 percent of the day’s trade and Jamaican Teas with 655,503 stocks for 12.4 percent of the volume traded. At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index slipped 15.73 points to close at 3,701.64. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers. The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.1, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for financial years ending around August 2025. At the close of the market, CAC 2000 shed 36 cents to end at $2.09 after an exchange of 17,547 stock units, Cargo Handlers fell 40 cents to $11.10 with investors dealing in 100 shares, Elite Diagnostic lost 12 cents and ended at $1.68 after the trading of 48,045 stocks by investors. Everything Fresh sank 8 cents to end at $1.97 in an exchange of 19,512 units, Express Catering skidded 8 cents in closing at $3.22 with traders dealing in 2,792 shares, Fontana lost 6 cents to finish at $9.11 as investors exchanged 79,011 stocks. GWest Corporation climbed 8 cents and ended at 93 cents with 557 units crossing the market, Honey Bun rose 22 cents to $8.22 with investors trading 16,369 stock units, Jamaican Teas rallied 7 cents to close at $2.30 with 655,503 shares clearing the market, but ended with nearly 5.2 million shares on offer at $2.30. JFP Ltd popped 7 cents to end at 89 cents with 41,603 stocks switching owners, Main Event increased 55 cents in closing at $11.35 with 1,718 stock units crossing the exchange, Paramount Trading dipped 10 cents to finish at $1 in trading 85,581 stocks. Stationery and Office Supplies sank 8 cents and ended at $1.50 after an exchange of 580,722 shares, Tropical Battery declined 12 cents to $2.92 with 299,623 stocks passing through the market and tTech dropped 16 cents to end at 52 weeks’ low of $1.40 with an exchange of 40,894 units. Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

ICTOP10 stocks weather stormy week


Stocks sold off in the past week on the Jamaica Stock Exchange with Junior Market stocks that gained 4 percent during the prior week lost 1.8 percent and the Main Market slipped by nearly 3 percent by the end of the week, not a healthy sign for ICI Top 10 stocks.

Market movements resulted in prices of just two stocks rising and four declining in the Junior Market TOP10 stocks while the Main Market TOP10 ended with three gaining and five falling.
In the Junior Market ICTOP10, Express Catering gained 8 percent to close at $3.30, while Limners and Bards fell by 8 percent to $1.21. Caribbean Flavours followed with a 4 percent fall to $1.25 and Access Financial declined by 3 percent to close at $17.99.
In the Main Market ICTOP10, Key Insurance gained 4 percent to close at $2.29. Scotia Group and Berger Paints lost 5 percent in closing at $56.97 and $7.90 respectively and VM Investment lost 4 percent to close at $2.39.
The JSE TOP10, compiled from all listed ordinary stocks on the Jamaica Stock Estate ended with Lasco Distributors dropping out and replaced by JMMB Group.
JMMB Group returns to the Main Market ICTOP10 after a week’s absence, replacing Caribbean Producers. There is no change in the Junior Market ICTOP10 list.

The average PE for the JSE Main Market ICTOP 10 sits at just 5.4, well below the market average of 14.5 and the Junior Market TOP10 stands at 8.5, more than half of the market, with an average of 13.7.
Based on the earnings projected estimates for 2024, the Main Market ICTOP10 is projected to gain an average of 282 percent by May 2025, providing better values than the Junior Market, projected to achieve a 151 percent increase for the same period.
In the Main Market ICTOP 10, there are 14 stocks with the highest values representing 27 percent of the Main Market, with PEs between 15 to 107, with an average of 31 and 23 excluding the highest PE ratios and a PE of 24 for the top half of the market with the highest values and 18 excluding the stocks with overweight values.
In the Junior Market IC TOP10, 16 stocks or 33 percent of the market have PEs ranging from 15 to 32 with an average of 19 and a PE of 18 for half of the market with the highest PEs.
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, resulting 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.