The Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market slipped at the close on Tuesday, with the volume of stocks traded rising 26 percent, with a 17 percent fall in the value compared to trading on Monday as all 45 listed securities traded compared to 43 on Monday and ended with 13 rising, 26 declining and six closing unchanged.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index shed 27.63 points to settle at 4,171.59.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 12.9 for the 2022-23 fiscal year based on ICInsider.com earnings forecast for companies with financial years up to August 2023.
Overall, 10,881,450 shares traded for $41,038,700 compared to 8,658,067 units at $49,169,751 on Monday. Lumber Depot led trading with 2.70 million shares for 24.8 percent of total volume, followed by EduFocal, 1.54 million units for 14.2 percent of the day’s trade and JFP Limited, with 1.34 million units for 12.3 percent market share.
Trading averaged 241,810 shares at $911,971 in contrast to 201,350 shares at $1,143,483 on Monday with the month to date, averaging 313,476 units at $1,444,823 compared to 351,868 units at $1,730,280 on Monday the previous trading day. March closed with an average of 719,276 units at $2,636,802.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows one stock ended with the bid higher than the last selling price and two with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial lost $1.40 in ending at $19.50 with the swapping of 9,672 shares, Blue Power rose 16 cents to $3.90 after trading 6,233 stock units, CAC 2000 popped 30 cents in closing at $7.35, with 1,394 units changing hands. Cargo Handlers fell $1.10 to close at $11 after exchanging 1,269 stocks, Consolidated Bakeries shed 10 cents to end at $1.31 with an exchange of 188,959 units, Dolphin Cove declined 10 cents to $22.80 while exchanging 97,097 stock units. Fosrich climbed $1 to end at a 52 weeks’ closing high at $20 in trading 152,078 stocks, Honey Bun dropped 17 cents in closing at $9.89, with 56,244 shares changing hands, Iron Rock Insurance rallied 14 cents to $3.74, with 150 stock units clearing the market. KLE Group dropped 43 cents to close at $2.32 in switching ownership of 10,545 stocks, Knutsford Express declined 23 cents to end at $7.77 with 4,893 units changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing fell 24 cents to $5.45 as 44,626 shares were traded. 
Paramount Trading increased 15 cents in ending at $1.65, with 63,802 stocks crossing the market, Spur Tree Spices lost 16 cents to close at $3.52 in an exchange of 549,279 stock units, Stationery and Office Supplies shed 87 cents in closing at $7 in trading 900 units. Tropical Battery dropped 10 cents in closing at $2.60 after 997,759 shares crossed the exchange and tTech gained 49 cents to close at $4.25 after exchanging 9,241 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Nice Junior Market rally
Stocks mostly rose in trading on Thursday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market, with the Market Index jumping 40.52 points to 4,104.06 as the volume of stocks traded surged 217 percent more than on Wednesday as the value jumped by 226.00 percent.
A total of 40 securities traded down from 44 on Wednesday, with 21 rising, eight declining and 11 closing unchanged.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate values for stocks, averages 22.2 for the Junior Market. The PE ratio of stocks in the chart below is based on ICInsider.com’s forecasted earnings for companies with financial years to the end of August 2022.
Overall, 51,849,620 shares traded for $167,982,544 compared to 16,377,032 units at $51,552,856 on the Wednesday. Spur Tree Spices led trading with 37.14 million shares accounting for 71.6 percent of total volume, followed by Jetcon Corporation, 3.24 million units for 6.3 percent of the day’s trade, FP Limited with 2.98 million units for 5.7 percent market share. EduFocal chipped in with 2.53 million units for 4.9 percent market share, Future Energy Source traded 1.35 million units for 2.6 percent market share and Tropical Battery ended with 1.22 million units for 2.4 percent market share of the overall volume.
Trading averaged 1,296,241 shares at $4,199,564 in contrast to 372,205 shares at $1,171,656 on Wednesday with the month to date, averaging 639,741 units at $2,373,786 compared to 600,606 units at $2,264,947 on the previous trading day. February closed with an average of 370,064 units at $1,402,517.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows one stock ended with the bid higher than the last selling price and two with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial lost $1 to $20 in switching ownership of 5,271 shares, Blue Power shed 19 cents to end at $4 in exchanging 3,127 stock units, Cargo Handlers rose 80 cents in closing at $11.40 with an exchange of 12,093 units. Caribbean Assurance Brokers gained 16 cents to close at $2.20 with 98,983 stocks changing hands, EduFocal popped 23 cents to $3.37 in exchanging 2,532,213 stocks, Everything Fresh increased 11 cents to $1.21, with 11,031 units changing hands. Future Energy Source advanced 10 cents to close at $6.30 after 1,350,570 stock units crossed the exchange, Jamaican Teas rallied 10 cents to end at $3.71 after exchanging 599,034 shares, Jetcon Corporation climbed 21 cents to $1.11 with the swapping of 3,243,403 stocks. Lasco Distributors popped 24 cents to $3.79, with 13,228 stock units crossing the market, Limners and Bards rallied 10 cents to close at $3.30 after an exchange of 442,861 shares Main Event declined 97 cents to $8, with 84,780 units clearing the market. 
Paramount Trading gained 13 cents in ending at $1.75 after trading 4,859 stock units, Spur Tree Spices advanced 25 cents to $3.60 with 37,136,928 units passing through the exchange, SSL Venture dropped 50 cents to end at $1.50 as 313,121 shares were traded and tTech increased 23 cents in closing at $4.29 after exchanging 207 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market inched higher on Wednesday
Trading activity declined on Wednesday, with the volume of stocks traded falling 41 percent and the value dropping 47 percent behind Tuesday’s trades on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market leaving the market index just above the close on Tuesday.
Overall, 44 securities trading compared to 45 on Tuesday and ended with 19 rising, 20 declining and five closing unchanged, leaving the Junior Market Index advancing just 6.87 points to settle at 4,063.54, after hitting just over 4,123 points shortly after the market opened.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 21.8. The PE ratio of each stock in the chart below is based on ICInsider.com earnings forecast for companies with financial years up to August 2022.
Overall, 16,377,032 shares traded for $51,552,856 compared to 27,861,205 units at $97,674,911 on Tuesday. JFP Limited led trading with 4.48 million shares for 27.4 percent of total volume followed by EduFocal, 3.41 million units for 20.8 percent of the day’s trade, Paramount Trading, 1.37 million units for 8.4 percent market share, Lasco Distributors chipped in with 1.01 million units with 6.2 percent market share, Consolidated Bakeries and General Accident each traded 1.0 million units for 6.1 percent market share each.
Trading averaged 372,205 shares at $1,171,656 versus 619,138 shares at $2,170,554 on Tuesday with month to date, averaging 600,606 units at $2,264,947 compared to 616,634 units at $2,341,670 on the previous trading day. February closed with an average of 370,064 units at $1,402,517.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging declined 10 cents in ending at $3 after exchanging 159,587 shares, Blue Power rose 18 cents to close at $4.19 in trading 3,153 units, Cargo Handlers shed 95 cents to $10.60, with 5,831 stocks changing hands. strong>Caribbean Cream rallied 51 cents in closing at $5.23 after exchanging 139 stock units, Derrimon Trading climbed 17 cents to end at $2.70 with the swapping of 30,411 stock units, Dolphin Cove gained $1 to close at $27 while exchanging 66,796 stocks. EduFocal lost 13 cents to end at $3.14, with 3,409,042 shares crossing the market, Elite Diagnostic increased 11 cents in ending at $3.02 after 41,526 units changed hands, Everything Fresh dropped 11 cents to $1.10 in exchanging 51,967 stock units. Express Catering rose 20 cents in closing at $5.23 in trading 44,755 units, Fosrich popped 35 cents to $16.35, with 44,152 shares crossing the market, Honey Bun rallied 88 cents to end at $10 trading 20,739 stocks. JFP Limited fell 10 cents to close at $1.25 in an exchange of 4,484,237 units, Knutsford Express fell 55 cents in closing at $7.45 with an exchange of 3,210 stocks, Lasco Manufacturing declined 35 cents to $4.55 in switching ownership of 238,630 shares. 
Limners and Bards dropped 10 cents in closing at $3.20 after 91,413 stock units crossed the exchange, Lumber Depot climbed 13 cents to $3.50 with 133,403 stocks changing hands, Mailpac Group shed 21 cents to end at $3.08 after exchanging 359,901 shares. Spur Tree Spices lost 13 cents in ending at $3.35 after exchanging 244,406 units, Stationery and Office Supplies rose 45 cents to close at $7.49 after trading 16,100 stock units, Tropical Battery popped 17 cents ending at $2.35 in switching ownership of 644,617 shares and tTech increased 16 cents in closing at $4.06 with the swapping of 906 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market bounces back
Trading closed on Tuesday, with the volume of stocks traded declining 43 percent and the value down by 49 percent from Monday at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market with all 45 securities traded, up from 41 on Monday.
Trading ended with 20 stocks rising, 21 declining and four closing unchanged, leading to the Junior Market Index popping 43.25 points to settle at 4,056.67.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 21.9. The PE ratio for stocks in the chart below is based on ICInsider.com earnings forecast for companies with financial years up to August 2022.
Overall, 27,861,205 shares traded for $97,674,911 compared to 49,008,399 units at $190,021,639 on the Monday. EduFocal led trading with 14.24 million shares for 51.1 percent of total volume, followed by JFP Limited, 3.07 million units with 11 percent of the day’s trade, Mailpac Group with 58 million units for 5.7 percent market share, Lasco Manufacturing with 1.55 million units for 5.6 percent market share. Lumber Depot with 1.55 million units controlling 5.6 percent market share and Future Energy Source with 1.35 million units for 4.8 percent market share.
Trading averaged 619,138 shares at $2,170,554 in contrast to 1,195,327 shares at $4,634,674 on Monday with the month to date averaging 616,634 units at $2,341,670, compared to 616,440 units at $2,354,900 on the previous day. February closed with an average of 370,064 units at $1,402,517.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial rose 20 cents to end at $21 after trading 161 shares, AMG Packaging popped 15 cents in closing at $3.10 after exchanging 8,200 units, CAC 2000 lost 34 cents after ending at $7.55, with 1,363 stock units crossing the market. Cargo Handlers increased $3.05 to $11.55 and closed trading with 4,364 stocks, Caribbean Assurance Brokers declined 14 cents to close at $2.10 after 193,028 stocks crossed the market, Caribbean Cream shed 51 cents to end at $4.72 in exchanging 2,676 stock units. Caribbean Flavours gained 10 cents to close at $2.02 with 20,500 units changing hands, EduFocal rallied 12 cents to $3.27 after trading 14,239,618 shares, Fosrich fell 20 cents in closing at $16 in finishing trading with 3,350 shares. Future Energy Source advanced 16 cents to $6.15 in an exchange of 1,350,940 stock units, General Accident dropped 24 cents to $5.91 in exchanging 67,578 units, GWest Corporation declined 10 cents to 94 cents in switching ownership of 15,579 stocks. Iron Rock Insurance climbed 21 cents to $3.41 with the swapping of 96,745 units, ISP Finance shed $2.21 to close at $29.99 with an exchange of 160,889 stocks, Jamaican Teas climbed 12 cents in closing at $3.62 in trading 326,321 shares. 
KLE Group fell 20 cents to $2.65, with 41,960 stock units changing hands, Knutsford Express advanced 15 cents to end at $8 while exchanging 2,271 shares, Lasco Financial rose 22 cents to $3.42 in trading 4,276 stocks. Lasco Manufacturing popped 31 cents in closing at $4.90 while 1,554,527 units crossed the exchange, Limners and Bards gained 10 cents to close at $3.30 after exchanging 60,238 stock units, Lumber Depot lost 13 cents to close at $3.37 with 1,550,143 stock units switching owners. Mailpac Group rose 30 cents to $3.29 after 1,579,531 units changed hands, Main Event dropped 14 cents to $9 while exchanging 441,279 stocks and SSL Venture fell 20 cents to end at $2 after finishing trading of 333,461 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market trading jumps prices drop
Trading jumped sharply by the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market on Monday, with the volume of stocks traded surging 68 percent more than on Friday as the value of stocks trading jumped 131 percent higher than the previous trading day.
Market activity led to 41 securities trading compared to 42 on Friday, with 15 rising, 21 declining and five closing unchanged. At the close, the Junior Market Index fell 38.77 points to settle at 4,013.42.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 21.8. The PE ratio of each stock in the attacked chart is based on ICInsider.com earnings forecast for companies with financial years up to August 2022.
Overall, 49,008,399 shares traded for $190,021,639 up from 29,255,984 units at $82,401,537 on the Friday. EduFocal led trading with 29.64 million shares and controlled 60.5 percent of total volume after trading at a record high, followed by JFP Limited with 5.42 million units for 11.1 percent of the day’s trade, Future Energy Source contributed 3.98 million units for 8.1 percent market share, iCreate had 1.57 million units changing hands for 3.2 percent market share and Fosrich ended with 1.52 million units for 3.1 percent of the trades.
Trading averaged 1,195,327 shares at $4,634,674 in contrast to 696,571 shares at $1,961,941 on Friday with the month to date, averaging 616,440 units at $2,354,900, up from 572,569 units at $2,182,126 on the previous trading day. February closed with an average of 370,064 units at $1,402,517.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three, with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging dropped 20 cents to close at $2.95 after trading 111,476 shares, Cargo Handlers fell $3 to $8.50, with 4,059 stocks clearing the market, Caribbean Cream rallied 52 cents in closing at $5.23 after switching ownership of 33,000 stock units. Dolphin Cove increased $2 to $26, with 233,348 units crossing the market, Express Catering lost 19 cents to end at $5.06 trading 43,078 stock units, Fosrich shed 65 cents in closing at $16.20 while exchanging 1,519,918 shares. Jamaican Teas rose 13 cents to end at $3.50, with 486,088 stocks changing hands, KLE Group popped 65 cents to $2.85 with the swapping of 20,852 units, Knutsford Express declined 15 cents to close at $7.85 in trading 11,860 stocks. Lasco Distributors fell 22 cents in ending at $3.48 after 47,266 stock units crossed the market, Lasco Financial shed 24 cents in closing at $3.20 with an exchange of 40,868 units, Limners and Bards declined 15 cents to end at $3.20 in exchanging 294,766 shares. 
Lumber Depot dropped 13 cents to $3.50 in an exchange of 909,098 stocks, Main Event gained 81 cents ending at a 52 weeks’ high of $9.14 after an exchange of 460,045 units, Spur Tree Spices lost 14 cents to close at $3.46, with 497,787 shares changing hands. SSL Venture climbed 30 cents to close at $2.20 after exchanging 41,161 stock units, Tropical Battery advanced 16 cents after ending at $2.17 and trading 685,585 stocks and tTech lost 34 cents to end at 3.91 with 55,488 units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
JFP gain saves Junior Market on Monday
The price of JFP Limited stock that was a recent Initial Public Offer climbed 31 percent when trading in stock commenced at the start of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market on Monday and contributed over 53 percent in the overall market volume that jumped 106 percent over trading on Friday.
Market activity led to 42 securities trading compared to 40 on Friday and ended with nine rising, 27 declining and six, ending unchanged, but the Junior Market Index eked out a 1.59 points rise to close at 4,033.48. The PE Ratio, one of the most popular measures to value stocks, averages 19.1 as a multiple of earnings forecasted by ICInsider.com for companies with financial year ends, up to August 2022.
Overall, 19,487,231 shares were traded for $50,742,595 compared to 9,481,171 units at $48,828,789 on the Friday. JFP Limited led trading with 10.19 million shares for 52.3 percent of total volume followed by Tropical Battery with 3.27 million units for 16.8 percent of the day’s trade and Future Energy Source with 2.29 million units for 11.7 percent market share and Spur Tree Spices ended trading 1.14 million units accounting for 5.8 percent market share.
Trading averaged 463,982 shares at $1,208,157 in contrast to 237,029 shares at $1,220,720 on Friday and month to date, an average of 510,146 units at $2,360,875, compared to 516,040 units at $2,508,031 on the prior trading day. February closed with an average of 370,064 units at $1,402,517.
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 dropped $1.74 in ending at $19.51 with 138 shares crossing the market, AMG Packaging lost 20 cents in ending at $3 in exchanging 36,497 stocks, Cargo Handlers shed $1.40 to $10.6 with an exchange of 28,043 units. Caribbean Cream declined 50 cents to close at $4.70, with 12,000 stock units crossing the exchange, Dolphin Cove fell 14 cents to end at $24 after 91,275 units changed hands, Everything Fresh lost 11 cents to end at $1.10 after exchanging 130,801 shares. Express Catering shed 10 cents to close at $5.17, with 23,119 stocks clearing the market, Fontana declined 29 cents to $9.51 in an exchange of 52,394 stock units, Fosrich climbed 97 cents to $17.48, with 21,632 stock units crossing the market. Future Energy Source fell 30 cents in closing at $6.20 in trading 2,288,325 shares, General Accident popped 19 cents to $6.10 while exchanging 23,555 stocks, Honey Bun dropped 13 cents to $9.10 in switching ownership of 85,019 units.
Iron Rock Insurance declined 20 cents in closing at $3.11 and trading 2,215 stocks, ISP Finance advanced $5.86 to close at $32.20 finishing at 119 units changing hands, newly listed JFP Limited gained 31 cents to end at a record high of $1.31 with the exchanging of 10,194,843 stock units. Lasco Manufacturing shed 15 cents in closing at $4.50 after trading 109,808 shares, Spur Tree Spices lost 16 cents to end at $3.75 and closed with an exchange of 1,138,242 units, Stationery and Office Supplies dropped 20 cents to $7 after trading 16,151 stocks and tTech fell 30 cents to $3.95 after 1,500 stock units were traded.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Big pullback for Junior Market
The Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market just a day after surging to a record high of 4,185.95 points during Friday’s trading, closed sharply down on Monday, with the Market Index falling 129.55 points to close at 4,038.61 after the volume of stocks trading jumped 57 percent more than in trading Friday with a 47.00 percent spike in the value and shares in Future Energy dropping $1.68.
All 43 securities traded up from 40 on Friday and ended with 21 rising, 20 declining and two, closing unchanged as three stocks closed at 52 weeks’ high.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 19. The PE ratio of each stock in the chart below is based on ICInsider.com earnings forecast for companies with financial years up to August 2022.
Overall, 23,386,245 shares traded amounting to $113,928,631 up from 14,875,591 units at $77,333,392 on Friday. Future Energy Source led trading with 9.12 million shares for 39 percent of total volume followed by Tropical Battery with 4.64 million units for 19.8 percent of the day’s trade, Lumber Depot had 2.74 million units trading and accounting for 11.7 percent market share and Spur Tree Spices traded 1.58 million units with 6.8 percent market share.
Trading averaged 543,866 shares at $2,649,503 in contrast to 371,890 shares at $1,933,335 on Friday and month to date, an average of 615,184 units at $3,254,557, compared to 640,116 units at $3,466,080 on the preceding trading day. February closed with an average of 370,064 units at $1,402,517.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows one stock ended with the bid higher than the last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial increased $1.25 in closing at $21.25 in exchanging 11 shares, Blue Power fell 10 cents to $3.90 after an exchange of 63,826 units, as low as $3, Cargo Handlers shed 21 cents to end at $8.78 with an exchange of 13,927 stock units. Derrimon Trading dropped 11 cents to close at $2.89 after 721,757 stocks crossed the market, Dolphin Cove declined $1.30 to $24.50 after exchanging 145,290 units, Everything Fresh lost 10 cents to end at $1.05, with 29,078 stock units crossing the market. Fontana fell $1.50 to close at $9.88 in trading 388,845 stocks, Fosrich popped $2.69 to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $17.10 after an exchange of 136,791 shares, Future Energy Source dropped $1.68 in closing at $6.50 trading 9,123,499 stocks, but still trades at a high PE ratio of 65 times this year’s earnings. General Accident rallied 31 cents to $6.20 in switching ownership of 47,213 stock units, Iron Rock Insurance rose 30 cents to $3.41, with 69 units changing hands, ISP Finance advanced $2.10 to $30 in an exchange of 8 shares. Knutsford Express gained 10 cents after ending at $8, with 2,284 stocks crossing the exchange, Lasco Financial climbed 19 cents in closing at $3.49 as 6,315 units changed hands, Lasco Manufacturing shed 10 cents to close at $4.45, with 118,398 stock units clearing the market. 
Limners and Bards increased 10 cents in closing at $3.70 with the swapping of 185,217 shares, Mailpac Group climbed 14 cents to close at $2.85 while exchanging 589,885 units, Main Event lost 40 cents to end at $7.20 as 75,519 shares crossed the market. Spur Tree Spices rallied 15 cents ending at a record close of $4.15 after 1,579,958 stock units crossed the market, Stationery and Office Supplies advanced 35 cents to $7.35 in exchanging 3,234 stocks and Tropical Battery popped 11 cents in closing at a record closing high of $2.41 in trading 4,635,278 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market record close of 4,168 points
Six Junior Market stocks traded at record highs on Friday helping to push the market Index up 95.60 points to a record close of 4,168.16, with the volume of stocks traded rising just 24 percent and the value jumping 43 percent higher than the close on Thursday and pushed the gains for the year to date to 21.8 percent.
New record high for the JSE Junior Market.
Market activity led to 40 securities trading, similar to Thursday and ended with 22 rising, 15 declining and three, closing unchanged. Stocks trading at 52 weeks’ highs are Future Energy Source, Derrimon Trading, Main Event, Lumber Depot, Spur Tree Spices and Tropical Battery but Mailpac ended at 52 weeks’ low.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 19.2, The PE ratio of each stock in the chart below is based on ICInsider.com earnings forecast for companies with financial years up to August 2022.
Overall, 14,875,591 shares traded for $77,333,392 compared to 12,011,698 units at $54,018,344 on the Thursday Future Energy Source led trading with 4.7 million shares for 31.6 percent of total volume followed by Derrimon Trading with 1.9 million units for 12.8 percent of the day’s trade, Tropical Battery with 1.72 million units for 11.6 percent market share and Lumber Depot ended with 1.48 million units changing hands for 9.9 percent market share.
Trading averaged 371,890 shares at $1,933,335 in contrast to 300,292 shares at $1,350,459 on Thursday with the month to date, averaging 640,116 units at $3,466,080, compared to 769,381 units at $4,204,753 on the previous day. February trading averaged 370,064 units at $1,402,517.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two stocks with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial shed 75 cents to close at $20 after trading 4,551 shares, AMG Packaging dropped 20 cents to end at $3.14, with 18,217 units changing hands, Blue Power rallied 31 cents in ending at $4 after 79,003 stock units cleared the market. Cargo Handlers increased 20 cents in closing at $8.99 trading 10,115 stocks, Dolphin Cove lost $2.18 to end at $25.80 in an exchange of 60,143 shares, Everything Fresh popped 10 cents to end at $1.15 in trading 245,162 stock units. Fontana advanced 48 cents in closing at $11.38, with 142,573 units crossing the exchange, Fosrich gained 11 cents to $14.41 after exchanging 530,796 stocks, Future Energy Source rose 99 cents to end at record closing high of $8.18 with 4,704,462 units changing owners. iCreate climbed 12 cents to close at 82 cents in switching ownership of 195,456 stock units, Iron Rock Insurance declined 30 cents to close at $3.11, with 316 shares crossing the market, Jamaican Teas fell 10 cents in closing at $3.42 with the swapping of 422,770 stocks. KLE Group rallied 14 cents to $2.82 while exchanging 40,051 stock units, Lasco Manufacturing rose 20 cents to $4.55, with 33,728 units crossing the market, Limners and Bards gained 10 cents to end at $3.60 after an exchange of 277,430 shares. 
Lumber Depot advanced 37 cents to close at a record high of $4.17 in exchanging 1,476,797 stocks, Mailpac Group shed 24 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ low of $2.71 with an exchange of 853,499 shares, Main Event climbed 13 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $7.60 trading 43,297 stock units. Medical Disposables dropped 35 cents after ending at $6.30 in an exchange of 58,873 stocks, Paramount Trading fell 23 cents in closing at $1.67 with 4,961 units changing hands, Spur Tree Spices popped 65 cents to end at a record $4 after exchanging 768,023 shares. SSL Venture increased 40 cents in closing at $1.80, with just 10 stock units crossing the market, Stationery and Office Supplies declined 35 cents to $7 after trading 5,898 stock units and Tropical Battery advanced 31 cents to close at a 52 week’s high of $2.30 in trading 1,719,238 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Tropical Battery tops ICTOP10
Tropical Battery surges to sit on top of the ICTOP10 Junior Market listing with the company seemingly poised to earn $280 million with earnings per share of 22 cents, more than five times 2021 full year earnings, with potential for the price to deliver gains of 153 percent as the stock helped in creating a complete overhaul of the TOP 3 stocks at the end of the week.
Tropical Battery heads the Junior Market ICTOP10.
In the past week, the Junior Market came back to life and clawed back much of the 226 points lost in the previous week while the Main Market continues to consolidate around the 440,000 points level, on the All Jamaica Composite Index.
The focus this past week was on the FJP Limited IPO that opened on Monday at $1 per share and closed on Tuesday, having been oversubscribed. As the FJP offer closed, up came the third new offer for the Junior Market in 2022, with the release of the EducFocal prospectus to raise $130 million at $1 per share, with the issue opening on March 3 and expected to close shortly thereafter.
In TOP10 developments this week, returning to the Junior Market are Tropical Battery with the price slipping from last week’s $1.79 to $1.74 and Medical Disposables after the price slipped from $7.27 to $6.60 this week. 
Leaving the TOP10 this week are iCreate and Cargo Handlers. The Main Market had one change, with Carreras moving out after hitting $8.90 and Jamaica Broilers coming in to replace it.
During the week, the Junior Market TOP10 listed Cargo Handlers surged 27 percent to $8.89, iCreate rose 28 percent to close at 77 cents, while Elite Diagnostic and Lasco Distributors both lost 9 percent to end at $3.30 and $3.63 respectively and Lasco Financial lost 8 percent to close at $3.30.
In the Main Market, Carreras rose 8 percent to close of $8.90 while Sagicor Group added 6 percent to end at $57, but 138 Student Living lost 5 percent to end at $5.20.
The Junior Market potential gain for the TOP 10 Junior Market stocks has moved up from 104 percent to 113 percent, much lower than the Main Market at 125 percent. The top three stocks in the Junior Market are Tropical Battery followed by Elite Diagnostic and Lasco Distributors to gain between 120 and 153 percent, compared to 109 and 129 percent, previously.
The potential gains for Main Market stocks moved from 122 percent last week to this weeks’ 125 percent, with the top three being Guardian Holdings followed by JMMB Group and Sygnus Credit Investments all projected to gain between 161 and 180 percent versus 165 and 185 percent last week.
The average PE for Junior Market has moved to 19.4 based on ICInsider.com’s 2021-22 earnings and is ahead of the JSE Main Market at 16.7. In the process, the Junior Market has surpassed the average of 17 that was achieved at the end of March last year. The TOP 10 stocks trade at a PE of a mere 9.5, with a 41 percent discount to that market’s average.
All the stocks in the Junior Market can gain just 3 percent to the end of March this year, based on an average PE of 20. About a third of Junior Market stocks with positive earnings are trading at or above this level, averaging around 23.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market is 16.9 just 12 percent less than the PE of 19 at the end of March and 18 percent below the target of 20 to March this year. The Main Market TOP 10 average PE is 9.1 representing a 46 percent discount to the market, well below the potential of 20. Around 17 stocks or a third of the market trade at or above a PE of 19, with most over 20, for an average roundabout 25, suggesting that the accepted multiple is between 20 and 25 times current year’s earnings.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list may or may not include the best companies in the market. ICInsider.com ranks stocks based on projected earnings to highlight winners from the rest, allowing investors to focus on potential winning stocks and helping to remove emotional attachments to stocks that often result in costly mistakes.
IC TOP10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns up to March 2022 and ranked in order of potential gains, based on the possible increase for each company, considering the earnings and PE ratios 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 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.
Minor slippage for Junior Market
The Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market pulled back modestly in trading on Friday, with the volume and the value of stocks traded declining 32 percent land 27 percent respectively compared to Thursday.
Market activity led to 39 securities trading compared to 40 on Thursday and ended with 12 rising, 19 declining and eight, closing unchanged leading to the Junior Market Index dipping by just 2.14 points to settle at 3,963.43.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 19.3. The PE ratio of stocks in the chart below is based on ICInsider.com earnings forecast for companies with financial years up to August 2022.
Overall, 8,801,134 shares traded for $37,926,339 down sharply from 12,953,091 units at $51,920,823 on Thursday, with Future Energy Source leading trading with 2.02 million shares for 23 percent of total volume to end at a closing high of $5.05, followed by Tropical Battery with 1.39 million units for 15.8 percent of the day’s trade, Jamaican Teas, 1.15 million units for 13.1 percent market share, Lasco Financial ended with 1.02 million units changing hands for 11.5 percent market share.
Trading averaged 225,670 shares at $972,470 down from 323,827 shares at $1,298,021 on Thursday and month to date an average of 371,276 units at $1,412,254 compared to 378,787 units at $1,434,941 on the previous day. January closed with an average of 319,395 units at $1,181,136.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three stocks with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial shed 68 cents to close at $19.97 with an exchange of 6,907 shares, Blue Power fell 25 cents to $3.25 trading 10,919 stocks, Cargo Handlers climbed 79 cents to $8.89, with 27,589 stock units changing hands. Dolphin Cove advanced 71 cents to end at $27.71 while exchanging 169,845 units, Express Catering declined 24 cents in closing at $5.90, with 227,081 shares clearing the market, General Accident rose 17 cents to $6.27 after 10,000 stocks crossed the market. iCreate dropped 12 cents in closing at 77 cents, with 112,700 stock units changing hands, Knutsford Express lost $1.12 to end at $6.88 in an exchange of 38,831 units, Lasco Financial fell 20 cents to close at $3.30 in switching ownership of 1,016,019 units. Limners and Bards gained 16 cents to end at $3.67 with the swapping of 114,604 stocks, Mailpac Group declined 13 cents to end at $2.90, with 231,922 shares crossing the market, Medical Disposables dropped 40 cents to close at $6.60 after trading 8,935 stock units. 
SSL Venture lost 21 cents to $1.33 in trading 5,877 stocks, Stationery and Office Supplies shed 10 cents in closing at $7.40 after exchanging 5,131 stock units and tTech rallied 29 cents at $4.29 crossing the exchange 100 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.