The Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market regained some of the grounds lost on Monday with the market index rising after an exchange of 33 percent more shares than on Monday, despite more stocks falling than rising and values down marginally.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index climbed 1,991.05 points to 429,520.28, the Main Index advanced by 1,803.16 points to 391,895.69 and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.90 points to settle at 102.67.
Trading ended with 46 securities changing hands similar to that on Monday and closed with the prices of 16 stocks rising, 21 declining and nine remaining unchanged. The average PE Ratio ended at 16.2 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Investors traded 28,767,472 shares for $57,416,333 compared to 21,659,826 units at $60,805,085 on Monday. QWI Investments led trading with 70.7 percent of total volume, after exchanging 20.33 million shares followed by Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 8.7 percent for 2.51 million units. Transjamaican Highway with 6.7 percent market share for 1.93 million units changing hands and JMMB Group 7.5% with 4 percent for 1.07 million units.
Trading for the day averaged 625,380 units at $1,248,181 for each security, compared to an average of 470,866 shares at $1,321,850 on Monday. 
The average month to date trade is 380,065 units at $5,624,586 , in contrast to 327,822 units at $6,556,598. November averaged 623,120 units at $6,686,047.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has seven stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Barita Investments shed $1.10 to end at $86.90, with investors switching ownership of 17,820 shares, Berger Paints advanced $1 to $14 after exchanging 374 units, Caribbean Cement declined by $3.01 to $53.99, in trading 18,651 stock units. Eppley rose $1 to close at $21, with 1,530 units passing through the market, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund fell by $3.50 to $40.50, in exchanging 2,385 shares, First Rock Capital rose $1 to end at $12, after exchanging 30,794 stock units. Grace Kennedy gained 99 cents to settle at $63.99, in clearing the market with 47,206 stocks, Jamaica Broilers closed 50 cents higher at $28.50, with an exchange of 190,927 units, Jamaica Producers rose $1.24 in closing at $21.74, after trading 43,847 shares. Jamaica Stock Exchange lost 50 cents to finish at $19.50 after 4,456 stock units passed through the market, JMMB Group dropped $2 to close at $33.01, in exchanging 46,056 shares, Kingston Wharves fell $1.45 to $46.55, with 4,744 units changing hands.
Palace Amusement declined by $105 to $1,300 after trading 12 units, Pan Jam Investment advanced $6 to $68, with 19,919 stock units crossing the exchange, Portland JSX fell by $2 to $7, in exchanging 6,606 shares. Sagicor Group rose $2.98 to $49.50 after owners switched 8,268 units, Sagicor Real Estate Fund shed $1.48 to settle at $6.01 trading 22,100 stock units, Salada Foods ended at $27.01, with a loss of $1.97 exchanging 200 shares. Scotia Group declined $4.37 to $43.12, in clearing the market with 19,042 stock units, Supreme Ventures gained 40 cents to settle at $18, with 55,133 shares crossing the market and Sygnus Credit Investments closed 57 cents higher at $16.57, in exchanging 28,814 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
JSE Main Market tumbles
Prices tumbled on Monday and sent the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market indices diving sharply lower after the value of shares trading tumbled 94 percent below Friday’s out-turn.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index dived 6,819.00 points to 427,529.23, the Main Index dropped 6,331.19 points to 390,092.53 and the JSE Financial Index shed 2.36 points to settle at 101.77.
Trading ended with 46 securities changing hands compared to 41 on Friday and closed with the prices of 15 stocks rising, 24 declining and seven remaining unchanged. The average PE Ratio ended at 16.6 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Investors traded 21,659,826 shares for $60,805,085 compared to 26,035,964 units at $1,185,955,996 on Friday. Transjamaican Highway led trading with 73.7 percent of total volume, after exchanging 15.96 million shares, followed by Wigton Windfarm with 7.1 percent for 1.53 million units and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 3.7 percent market share for 794,869 units.
Trading averaged 470,866 units at $1,321,850 for each security, compared to an average of 635,024 shares at $28,925,756 on Friday. The average trade for the month to date is 327,822 units at $6,556,598 for each security, in contrast to 289,116 units at $7,973,059 . November averaged 623,120 units at $6,686,047.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has seven stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and nine with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Barita Investments fell $2 in closing at $88, with investors switching ownership of 1,886 shares, Berger Paints shed 80 cents to end at $13, in trading 5,017 units. Eppley dropped $3 in closing at $20, with investors switching ownership of 9,536 units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund closed at $44, after losing 80 cents and trading 7,998 units, First Rock Capital slid $1.50 to $11, with 31,000 shares crossing the exchange. Grace Kennedy shed $1 to settle at $63, in trading 21,414 stock units, Jamaica Broilers gained 50 cents to settle at $28, in exchanging 29,230 stock units, Jamaica Producers shed $1.25 to close at $20.50, with a transfer of 15,667 stock units. Jamaica Stock Exchange gained 45 cents to end at $20, after investors swapped 2,252 units, Mayberry Investments advanced by $1.37 to $6.97, in an exchange of 7,557 units, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy declined by $4.50 to close at $145.50, in trading 117 units. NCB Financial Group shed 50 cents to end at $145, in transferring 92,444 shares, 138 Student Living gained 40 cents to end at $4.60 after exchanging 92 units, Palace Amusement climbed $105 to settle at $1,405, in crossing the exchange with 3 units, Pan Jam Investment declined by $6 to settle at $62, after clearing the market with 18,976 units. 
Proven Investments dropped $1 to close at $36, in trading 15,274 units, Sagicor Group declined by $5.48 to $46.52, in clearing the market with 2,593 units, Scotia Group climbed $2.99 in closing at $47.49, with an exchange of 33,426 shares. Seprod fell $1.99 to settle at $64, in transferring 13,119 stock units, Supreme Ventures gained 49 cents in closing at $17.60, with investors switching ownership of 62,688 shares and Sygnus Credit Investments lost 99 cents to settle at $16, with an exchange of 116,506 shares.
In the preference segment, Eppley 8.25% gained $1 to end at $7, in trading 2,214 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
IC TOP 10 buffeted by market consolidation
Both the Junior and Main Market continue to consolidate ahead of a bullish period to come, as trading activities were calmer during the past week on the Jamaican Stock Exchange after a surge in prices towards the end of November. There were no major price movements this past week, but the price of Grace Kennedy pulled back from $67 to close at $64 at the end of the week while JMMB Group moved up to $35 from $34 last week.
Wisynco squeezes back into ICInsider TOP 10.
Fontana closed trading $5.35 and that was enough to move it out of the IC TOP 10. Honey Bun, with its earnings now based on the fiscal year ending September 2021 replaced Fontana. Stanley Motta is out of the Main Market TOP 10, with the stock rising to $5.35 and replaced by Wisynco Group, in at tenth position.
Profit after tax at Honey Bun, rose a healthy 76 percent to $54 million from $31 million in the fourth quarter over the similar period in 2019, bettering the 21 percent rise in the June quarter, to $20.4 million from $16.7 million. For the year to September, profit increased just 6.6 percent to $167 million from $156 million in 2019, from sale revenues that rose 15.5 percent for the quarter, to $432 million from $374 million but rose 8.5 percent for the year, to $1.675 billion from $1.544 billion in 2019. Earnings projection for the 2021 fiscal year is 55 cents, up from 35 cents for 2020 giving the stock a PE of 10.
Wisynco Group’s performance was on a roll, with revenues up 27.5 percent in the nine months to March this year, and 24 percent in the March quarter, but gross profit margin slipped in the March quarter while rising Administration and other expenses squeezed profits even more. Sales dipped slightly in the June and September quarters, but the September 2019 quarter, includes sales of $503 million from a discontinued operation, leaving flat sales from ongoing operations. Net Profits Attributable to Stockholders from continuing operations was $851 million or 23 cents per stock unit compared to $932 million or 25 cents per stock unit for the corresponding period of the prior year. Revenues for the quarter from continuing operations of $8.1 billion fell 6.1 percent from $8.6 billion in the 2019 quarter. 
The company expects to have lower energy costs with the successfully commissioning of the Cogeneration plant in July 2020, with the company seeing a positive contribution from the implementation through reduced energy costs.
The top three stocks in the Junior Market with the potential to gain between 239 to 400 percent by March 2021 are Caribbean Producers, followed by Elite Diagnostic and Limber Depot. With expected gains of 147 to 252 percent, the top three Main Market stocks are, Berger Paints followed by Radio Jamaica, Carreras and Sygnus Credit Investments tied for the third position.
The local stock market’s targeted average PE ratio is 20 based on profits of companies reporting full year’s results, from now to the second quarter in 2021. The Junior and Main markets are currently trading well below the market average, indicating the potential gains ahead. The JSE Main Market ended the week, with an overall PE of 16.1 and the Junior Market 13.1, based on ICInsider.com’s projected 2020-21 earnings. 
The PE ratio for the Junior Market Top 10 stocks average a mere 6.9 at just 53 percent of the market average. The Main Market TOP 10 stocks trade at a PE of 9 or 56 percent of the PE of that market.
The average projected gain for the Junior Market IC TOP 10 stocks is 210 percent and 133 percent for the JSE Main Market, based on 2020-21 earnings. IC TOP 10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns up to March 2021 and ranked in order of potential gains, based on likely gain for each company, taking into account the earnings and PE ratios for the current fiscal year. Expected values will change as stock prices fluctuate and result in movements in and out of the lists weekly. Revisions to earnings per share are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.
Persons who compiled this report may have an interest in securities commented on in this report.
JSE Main Market rises again
Stocks bounced sharply in early trading on Friday on the Main Market Jamaica Stock Exchange with the All Jamaica Composite index rising to more than 437,454 points. just after 11:30 AM, but ended a bit lower at the close on Friday after an exchange of 300 percent more shares after 14 times more funds were exchanged than on Thursday.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index advanced 1,075.26 points to end at 434,348.23, the Main Index rose 973.03 points to 396,423.72 and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.50 points to settle at 104.13.
Trading involved 41 securities compared to 44 on Thursday and closed with the prices of 15 stocks rising, 18 declining and eight remaining unchanged. The average PE Ratio ended at 16.2 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Investors traded 26,035,964 shares for $1,185,955,996 compared to 8,368,235 units at $78,354,493 on Thursday. Barita Investments led trading with 46.5 percent of total volume, after exchanging 12.11 million shares followed by Transjamaican Highway with 33.7 percent for 8.78 million units and Sterling Investments with 5.5 percent market share for 1.44 million units.
Trading averaged 635,024 units at $28,925,756 for each security, compared to an average of 190,187 shares at $1,780,784 on Thursday. The average trade for the month to date is 289,116 units at $7,973,059 for each security, in contrast to 179,176 units at $1,313,675. November averaged 623,120 units at $6,686,047.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has five stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and seven with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Barita Investments climbed $4.42 to settle at $90 trading 12,109,602 shares, Berger Paints rose $1.31 to close at $13.80, with 10,312 units passing through the market, Caribbean Cement fell $3 to $57, after exchanging 67,835 shares. Eppley shed 65 cents to close at $23 trading 100 units, First Rock Capital declined by 70 cents to $12.50, with investors swapping 2,709 units, Grace Kennedy climbed $4 to end at $64, with an exchange of 27,186 stock units. Jamaica Broilers lost 80 cents to close at $27.50, in the transfer of 47,405 shares, Jamaica Producers shed 75 cents to finish at $21.75 after an exchange of 2,013 stock units, Jamaica Stock Exchange lost 45 cents in ending at $19.55 with 4,398 units crossing the market. JMMB Group advanced $2 to $35, with investors switching ownership of 565,948 shares, Key Insurance lost 49 cents to settle at $9.50 trading 47,411 stocks, Kingston Wharves rose $1 to $48, in exchanging 3,466 units. Mayberry Jamaican Equities advanced $1.08 to $8.23, with 6,518 units passing through the market, NCB Financial fell $1 to $145.50, after 24,142 stock units crossed the market, Pan Jam Investment advanced by $8 to $68 trading 2,114 units. Portland JSX rose $1 to close at $9 after transferring 4,218 stock units, Sagicor Group dropped $1.30 to $52, after exchanging 302,882 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund declined by $1.48 to $7.49, with investors swapping 52,140 units. 
Salada Foods climbed $2.98 to $28.98, with 50 stocks crossing the exchange, Scotia Group lost 50 cents to finish at $44.50 trading 734,994 shares, Seprod rose $1.98 to end at $65.99, clearing the market with 20,865 stock units. Sterling Investments shed 35 cents to end at $2.85 trading 1,439,187 shares, Supreme Ventures lost 69 cents to close at $17.11, with investors swapping 4,059 units, Sygnus Credit Investments gained 99 cents to settle at $16.99 after investors switched ownership of 278,419 shares and Wisynco Group lost 40 cents to end at $16.10, in exchanging 62,549 shares.
In the preference segment, Eppley 8.25% shed $1 to close at $6 trading 1,140 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
JSE Main Market drops again
The volume and value of stocks trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market climbed 15 percent and resulting from a 66 percent jump in the funds expended above Wednesday levels with just one more security changing hands.
The market indices declined for a second consecutive day, with the All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 1,756.26 points to 433,272.97, the Main Index fell by 1,431.23 points to 395,450.69 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.44 points to settle at 103.63.
Trading ended with 44 securities changing hands compared to 43 on Wednesday and closed with the prices of 14 stocks rising, 17 declining and 13 remaining unchanged. The average PE Ratio ended at 16.1 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Investors traded 8,368,235 shares for $78,354,493 compared to 7,285,081 units at $47,227,362 on Wednesday. Wigton Windfarm led trading with 49.2 percent of total volume, after exchanging 4.12 million shares, followed by JMMB Group 7.5% with 14.2 percent for 1.19 million units and Transjamaican Highway with 13.7 percent market share for 1.15 million units.
Trading averaged 190,187 units at $1,780,784 for each security, compared to an average of 169,420 shares at $1,098,311 on Wednesday. The average trade for the month to date is 179,176 units at $1,313,675 for each security, in contrast to 173,476 units at $1,071,877. November averaged 623,120 units at $6,686,047.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows five stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Barita Investments climbed $1.24 in closing at $85.58, after 25,416 shares crossed the market, Caribbean Cement shed 70 cents to end at $60, with an exchange of 27,111 stock units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund advanced by $3.80 to $44.80, in trading 100 units. First Rock Capital closed $1.10 higher at $13.20, after transferring 23,915 stock units, Grace Kennedy declined by $5 to $60, with 124,554 shares passing through the market, JMMB Group shed $2 to end at $33, in crossing the market with 48,888 shares. Kingston Wharves fell $1.20 to $47 after trading 3,650 units, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy advanced $4.50 to settle at $150, in clearing the market with 30 units, NCB Financial climbed $1.50 in exchanging 250,354 shares to settle at $146.50. Palace Amusement gained $100 to close at $1,300, in trading 7 units, PanJam Investment declined by $2.01 to $60, with an exchange of 64,658 shares, Sagicor Group gained $1.15 in closing at $53.30, with investors swapping 69,265 shares. 
Sagicor Real Estate Fund climbed $1.22 to $8.97 after exchanging 19,020 units, Seprod shed 99 cents to finish at $64.01, with 5,814 units changing hands, Sterling Investments lost 40 cents in closing at $3.20 after trading 11,775 units. Supreme Ventures gained 30 cents to end at $17.80, trading 33,788 stock units, Sygnus Credit Investments shed $1 to end at $16, after 550,563 shares crossed the exchange and Wisynco Group settled at $16.50, with gains of 47 cents as investors swapped 67,571 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Rising Main Market stocks clobber decliners
Advancing stocks outnumbered declining ones in Wednesday activity on the Jamaica Stock exchange Main Market, but that was inadequate to prevent declines in the main indices, with the value and value of shares trading remaining below the norm and marginally close to Tuesday’s levels.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index declined by 1,097.37 points to 435,029.23, the Main Index shed 989.18 points to 396,881.92 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.31 points to settle at 104.07.
Trading ended with 43 securities changing hands compared to 42 on Tuesday and ended with the prices of 18 stocks rising, the prices of 13 declining and 12 remaining unchanged. The average PE Ratio ended at 15.9 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Investors exchanged 7,285,081 shares for $47,227,362 compared to 7,460,379 units at $43,882,188 on Tuesday. Wigton Windfarm led trading with 40.2 percent of total volume, after exchanging 2.93 million shares, followed by Transjamaican Highway with 24.9 percent for 1.81 million units and Key Insurance with 7.8 percent market share for 570,244 units.
Trading averaged 169,420 units at $1,098,311 for each security, compared to an average of 177,628 shares at $1,044,814 on Tuesday. The average trade for the month to date is 173,476 units at $1,071,877 for each security. November averaged 623,120 units at $6,686,047.
At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows five stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close of the market, Barita Investments dropped $3.65 to settle at $84.34, in trading 2,563 shares, Berger Paints gained 45 cents to close at $12.50, with investors swapping 9,140 stock units, Eppley closed 35 cents higher at $23.50, after exchanging 1,189 units. Eppley Caribbean Property Fund climbed $1 in closing at $41, with just one stock unit changing hands, Grace Kennedy rose 90 cents to $65 with an exchange of 343,453 shares, Jamaica Producers lost 75 cents to close at $21 trading 75,816 shares. Jamaica Stock Exchange shed 75 cents to close at $20, with investors switching ownership of 696 units, JMMB Group advanced by $1.78 to $35, after crossing the market with 47,814 shares, Key Insurance lost 66 cents to close at $10, as 570,244 shares passed through the market. Kingston Wharves climbed $1.09 to $48.20, with investors swapping 121 units, Mayberry Jamaican Equities fell $1.05 to $7.15, in an exchange of 204 units, Palace Amusement declined by $100 to end at $1,200, with the trading of one share. 
Pan Jam Investment ended $1.49 lower at $62.01, after exchanging 9,913 stock units, Proven Investments gained $1 to close at $37, with 3,309 units changing hands, Stanley Motta gained 35 cents to finish at $5.35, in trading 2,180 stocks. Supreme Ventures rose 47 cents to $17.50 in an exchange of 13,504 stock units, Sygnus Credit Investments advanced $1 to $17, with a transfer of 37,765 shares and Victoria Mutual Investments gained 34 cents in closing at $6.10 after investors switched ownership of 113,575 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Fall for JSE Main market
Trading activity cooled from the month-end frenzy with the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended on Tuesday with only a handful of stocks posting gains and more than half those trading ending with losses after an exchange of 55 percent fewer shares than on Monday at a value that fell 289 percent.
The All Jamaican Composite Index shed 1,918.58 points to close at 436,126.60, the Main Index declined by 1,705.00 points to 397,871.10 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.47 points to settle at 104.38.
Trading ended with 42 securities changing hands compared to 49 on Monday and closed with the prices of just six stocks rising, 26 declining and 10 remaining unchanged. The average PE Ratio ended at 15.8 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Investors exchanged 7,460,379 shares for $43,882,188 compared to 16,714,722 units at $170,632,583 on Monday. Wigton Windfarm led trading with 56.4 percent of total volume, after exchanging 4.21 million shares, followed by Transjamaican Highway with 17.9 percent and 1.34 million units and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 5.9 percent of market share for 438,631 shares.
Trading averaged 177,628 units at $1,044,814 for each security compared to an average of 341,117 shares at $3,482,298 on Monday. In contrast, November averaged 623,120 units at $6,686,047.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Eppley fell $1.29 to $23.15, in exchanging 2,349 shares, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund declined $4.90 to $40, with the trading of 8,925 stock units, Grace Kennedy closed $2.40 lower at $64.10, in transferring 13,478 stock units. Jamaica Producers Group gained 75 cents to end at $21.75, with 1,470 units changing hands, JMMB Group fell $1.78 to $33.22, with an exchange of 163,274 shares, Key Insurance shed 32 cents to end at $10.66 after trading 50,126 shares. Kingston Wharves settled at $47.11, with a loss of $1.29 in transferring 799 units, NCB Financial shed $1.01 in closing at $145 trading 86,804 shares, Pan Jam Investment dropped $6.50 to $63.50, with 55,347 shares crossing the market. Proven Investments shed $3 to $36 in trading 19,127 stock units, Salada Foods lost $1 to settle at $26 in exchanging 1,366 units, Scotia Group fell $1 to $45, with 122,414 shares changing hands.
Supreme Ventures gained 40 cents to close at $17.03, after the swapping of 21,899 stock units and Sygnus Credit Investments shed $1.31 in ending at $16, with a transfer of 53,907 shares.
In the preference segment, Eppley 8.25% dropped $1.46 to settle at $7 after crossing the exchange with 180 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
JSE Main Market gains 7% in November
Stocks put in a spirited run in November, rising 6.5 percent in the month to close at the highest level since April 14, at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Monday after more stocks advanced than declined, with an exchange of 93 percent fewer shares than on Friday.
JSE Main Market in a strong move since the start of November.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index jumped 2,322.50 points to 438,045.18, the Main Index climbed 2,101.69 points to 399,576.1 and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.60 points to settle at 104.85.
Trading ended with 49 securities changing hands compared to 41 on Friday and closed with the prices of 23 stocks rising, 18 declining and eight remaining unchanged. The average PE Ratio ended at 16.2 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Investors exchanged 16,714,722 shares for $170,632,583 compared to 229,254,233 units at $226,718,055 on Friday. Wigton Windfarm led trading with 29.4 percent of total volume, after exchanging 4.92 million shares, followed by Transjamaican Highway with 23.8 percent for 3.97 million units, QWI Investments with 14 percent share for 2.35 million units and Sagicor Group with 9.9 percent in trading 1.65 million units.
Trading averaged 341,117 units at $3,482,298 for each security, compared to 5,591,567 shares at $5,529,709 on Friday. Month to date, the average ended at 623,120 units at $6,686,047 for each security, in contrast to 639,789 units at $6,875,412. October averaged 398,200 units at $4,622,532.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 14 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Barita Investments climbed $3.50 in closing at $88, after trading 229,432 shares, Berger Paints shed 45 cents to settle at $12.05, with 12,811 units in crossing the changing hands. Eppley Caribbean Property Fund climbed $4.90 to $44.90, in exchanging 62,793 shares, Grace Kennedy closed at $66.50, with a loss of 50 cents after a transfer of 63,330 shares, Jamaica Broilers Group gained 56 cents exchanging 10,323 units to close at $28.50. Jamaica Producers finished at $21, after gaining $1, with the transferring of 75,409 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange rose $1.50 to $21 trading 39,878 units, Key Insurance gained 63 cents to end at $10.98, with 63,394 shares changing hands. Mayberry Investments lost 40 cents to end at $5.60 after 515 units passed through the market, NCB Financial Group dropped $2.49 to $146.01, in exchanging 14,630 units, Palace Amusement climbed $100 to $1,300 after clearing the market with 12 units. 
Pan Jam Investment advanced by $2.90 to close at $70, with 142,736 shares crossing the exchange, Sagicor Group rose $1 to $52 trading 1,647,769 shares, Salada Foods closed at $27, with a loss of $1 in trading 5,498 units. Scotia Group fell by $1.99 to $46 in exchanging 210,312 shares, Seprod gained $1.10 to end at $65.10, with a transfer of 18,206 units, Supreme Ventures shed 87 cents to finish at $16.63, with 23,840 stock units changing hands and Sygnus Credit Investments lost 69 cents trading 181,280 shares to end the day’s trade at $17.31.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Big gains for some IC TOP 10 stocks
During the past week, Grace Kennedy was the top 10 best performer rising 16 percent to 67 percent, followed by Caribbean Producers 12 percent gain to close the week at $2.63, during a period when stocks continue their climb higher to their highest level since early-April on the Jamaican Stock Exchange Main Market in the past week.
Grace Kennedy gained 16% for the week.
The Junior Market continues to fight in continuing to build on the gains in recent weeks, with moves in both markets confirming the bullish signal technical indicators been flashing.
The movement in the markets resulted in Stanley Motta coming into the Main Market IC TOP 10, replacing Jamaica Producers. The Junior Market Top 10 remained without any new movement in and out, but Jamaican Teas started trading ex split on Friday and closed at $2.05, down from last weeks’ adjusted closing price of $2.23.
This week’s focus: 2020 is now drawing to a close and should lead investors to start the focus on 2021 and some companies that could deliver superior returns. Many of the companies that suffered badly from reduced sales could be some that should be on the investors’ list. 
Access Financial, Caribbean Producers, Express Catering, Elite Diagnostic, Lasco Financial, NCB Financial are some that could enjoy above-average recovery and then there are entities such as Grace Kennedy, Carib Cement, Berger Paints and Lumber Depot that should get added push from continued buoyancy in the construction sector.
The top three stocks in the Junior Market with the potential to gain between 231 to 394 percent by March 2021 are Caribbean Producers, followed by Elite Diagnostic and Limber Depot. With expected gains of 149 to 260 percent, the top three Main Market stocks are, Berger Paints followed by Radio Jamaica and Carreras in the third position.
The local stock market’s targeted average PE ratio is 20based on profits of companies reporting full year’s results, from now to the second quarter in 2021. The Junior and Main markets are currently trading well below the market average, indicating the potential gains ahead. The JSE Main Market ended the week, with an overall PE of 15.5, The Junior Market 13.3, based on ICInsider.com’s projected 2020-21 earnings. The PE ratio for the Junior Market Top 10 stocks average a mere 7.2 at just 54 percent to the average of the Junior Market. The Main Market TOP 10 stocks trade at a PE of 9 or 58 percent of the PE of that market.
The average projected gain for the Junior Market IC TOP 10 stocks is 201 percent and 132 percent down from140 percent last week for the JSE Main Market,
based on 2020-21 earnings, indicating greater likely gains for Junior Market stocks than the Main Market.
IC TOP 10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns up to March 2021 and ranked in order of potential gains, based on likely gain for each company, taking into account the earnings and PE ratios for the current fiscal year. Expected values will change as stock prices fluctuate and result in movements in and out of the lists weekly. Revisions to earnings per share are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.
Persons who compiled this report may have an interest in securities commented on in this report.
Gains piling up for JSE Main Market
Stocks mostly rose on the Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange at the close on Friday after an exchange of more than 19 times the number of shares and a 24 percent increase in the value than on Thursday as the bullish tone of the market continues.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index advanced 3,600.36 points to 435,722.68, the Main Index climbed 3,258.67 points to 397,474.41 and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.83 points to settle at 104.25.
Trading ended with stocks of 41 companies changing hands compared to 38 on Thursday with the prices of 17 stocks rising, 11 declining and 13 remaining unchanged.
The average PE Ratio closed at 15.9 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Investors exchanged 229,254,233 shares at $226,718,055 compared to 12,009,747 units at $182,824,365 on Thursday. Sagicor Select Financial Fund led trading with 95.3 percent of total volume, after exchanging 218.40 million shares followed by Wigton Windfarm with 2.1 percent of the day’s trade for 4.81 million units and Transjamaican Highway with 1.4 percent market share for 3.10 million units.
Trading averaged 5,591,567 units at $5,529,709 for each security, versus 316,046 shares at $4,811,167 on Thursday. Month to date average ended with 639,789 units at $6,875,412 for each security, compared to 382,145 units at $6,945,430. October averaged 398,200 units at $4,622,532.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close of trading, Barita Investments gained 45 cents to settle at $84.50, in exchanging 101,656 shares, Caribbean Cement advanced by $2 to $61, with investors swapping 3,296 units, Eppley rose $2.20 to $24.45, after 19,640 stock units passed through the market. Grace Kennedy ended $3.86 higher at $67, with 328,868 shares changing hands, Jamaica Stock Exchange rose 88 cents to $19.50 after exchanging a mere 100 units, JMMB Group advanced by $2 to $35, in trading 334,276 shares.
Key Insurance closed at $10.35 and rose to $1.75 after trading 287,658 shares, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy declined by $4.50 to $145.50, in crossing the market with 224 units, Pan Jam Investment fell $1.05 to $67.10 trading 25,670 stock units. Proven Investments climbed $2.22 to $39.02, with an exchange of 56 units, Scotia Group advanced $2.89 to $47.99, with investors swapping 45,993 stock units, Stanley Motta shed 80 cents to close at $4.70, in crossing the market with 5,500 units and Supreme Ventures loss of 50 cents to end at $17.50, after 145,808 shares passed through the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
