Trading in the early Thursday morning session on the Jamaica Stock Exchange continues the moderate trend of recent day with volumes remaining below the 100,000 unit level except for Lasco Manufacturing with 672,739 units as the price rose 25 cents to $5 
and with the main market recording a decline overall and juniors having a minor loss.
Grace Kennedy traded 35,714 shares for a new high of $121 and Jamaica Producers traded 55,300 to hit a 52 weeks’ high of $44.10.
Trading resulted in activity in 31 securities, accounting for a volume of 1,075,717 units as 12 stocks gained and 9 declined. The average number of shares traded amounts to just 33,616 units compared to an average of 11,015 units on Tuesday
After 75 minutes of trading in the early morning session, on Thursday, the all Jamaica Composite Index dropped 259.92 points to 177,238.90, the JSE Market Index lost 232.41 points to 159,524.91, the JSE combined index dipped 39.32 to close at 170,733.18 points andthe junior market index inched up 5.15 points to 2,218.30.
Grace & JPG hit new highs – Thursday
JSE cuts sharp morning losses
Pan Jam rose to new 52 weeks’ closing high of $27 on Wednesday.
The Jamaica Stock Exchange lost ground at the end of trading on Wednesday, with the main market major indices declining and the junior market Index moving higher, while the volume of stocks traded, fell to low levels in a moderate day of trading activity.
The main market was recovering from big declines in the early morning session, with the all Jamaica Composite Index dropping 948.35 points, the JSE Market Index losing 847.97 points and the JSE combined index dipping 715.15 points.
A total of 38 securities changed hands on Wednesday, accounting for 1,894,110 units valued at $16,587,522, in all market segments. The junior market accounted for 1,190,538 shares, valued at $6,986,614 of the overall trades.
The price of 13 stocks in the overall market rose, 18 declined, including 5 stocks rising and 8 declining, from the junior market. 3 stocks in all markets hit new highs, 2 of which ended at new 52 weeks’ high.
The JSE Market Index dropped 76.61 points to end at 159,757.32. The all Jamaica Composite Index lost 85.68 points to close at 177,498.82 and the JSE combined index rose 69.03 points, to close at 170,895.65.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading showed 11 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 with lower offers.
At the end of market activities, Barita Investments traded 8,661 units at $3.08, Berger Paints traded 12,200 shares with the price falling 33 cents, to end at $4.47, Cable & Wireless rose 4 cents, in closing at $1.42 after trading 25,500 units, Caribbean Cement traded 90,330 shares and closed at $24. Carreras had 3,780 units trading, to close with a rise of 30 cents, at $65. Ciboney traded 111,000 units but lost 6 cents to end at 17 cents, the price of 1834 Investments traded at $1.40 with just 1,000 units changing hands, and rose by 17 cents. Grace Kennedy gained 50 cents in trading 1,000 units, to close at a 52 weeks high of $120.50, Jamaica Broilers ended with loss of 66 cents but with just 402 units changing hands at $13.84. Jamaica Producers traded 54,000 shares to end at $44.01, Jamaica Stock Exchange rose 20 cents trading 360 shares, to close at $21, JMMB Group traded 8,227 units as the price fell 10 cents to $9.90.
National Commercial Bank traded 25,010 shares, to close with a loss of 49 cents at $41.51, there was a $1 fall, in the price of 138 Student Living, to close with 12,685 shares changing hands at $4.50, Pan Jamaican Investment Trust traded 75,609 shares and ended at 52 week’s closing high of $27. Radio Jamaica closed trading with 105,416 shares with the price falling 30 cents to end at $1.70, Sagicor Group ended with 5,000 shares changing hands after falling 11 cents at $22.89, Sagicor Real Estate Fund closed at $10.12 with 21,861 shares changing hands. Scotia Group rose by $1 to close at $32 as 11,641 units changed hands, Seprod traded 10,000 units, gained 10 cents to end at $16.90, Supreme Ventures traded 22,570 units to close at $4.50 and JMMB 7.5% preference share lost 1 cent, to close at $1.03, while trading 95,300 shares.
9 junior stocks fall 4 rise – Wednesday
Honey Bun traded at a new high Wednesday.
The bids for 5 stocks closed higher than their last selling prices and 4 ended with lower offers.
At the end of trading, CAC 2000 rose by 5 cents and closed at $6.55 with 5,000 shares changing hands, Caribbean Cream gained 5 cents to end at $4.55, after trading 93,680 shares, Caribbean Producers traded 2,500 shares, to close at $4.50, Consolidated Bakeries traded 4,270 shares with a loss of 2 cents, to close at $2. C2W Music traded 18,000 shares and gained 3 cents, to end at 43 cents, Dolphin Cove traded 79,515 units and lost 20 cents to end at $11, Honey Bun fell by 5 cents in trading 183,042 units at $6.95 after trading at a new high of $7.51 earlier in the day. Jamaican Teas traded 12,500 shares and closed at $3.90.
Jetcon Corporation had 10,000 units changing hands at $2.65 after falling by 10 cents, Key Insurance traded 5,000 shares and lost 25 cents to close at $2.50, KLE Group closed with 1,500 units changing hands at $1.20, having lost 16 cents, Lasco Distributors fell 49 cents in trading 472,645 units to end at $7.50. Lasco Financial closed with a rise of 1 cent at $3.16 with 195,440 shares changing hands while Lasco Manufacturing traded 116,110 shares and dropped 15 cents to close at $4.75, tTech traded just 28,351 units at $4.05 after shedding 7 cents and Eppley 8.5% preference share traded 42,500 shares at $6 but lost 10 cents.
Moderate trading as JSE drops – Wednesday
Trading in the early Wednesday morning session on the Jamaica Stock Exchange was moderate in a lackluster market but Honey Bun traded at a new high of $7.50 with a 50 cents gain.
Trading resulted in activity in 23 securities, accounting for a volume of a mere 253,341 units as 8 stocks gained and 5 declined. The average number of shares traded amounts to just 11,015 units compared to an average of 714,361 units on Tuesday
After 75 minutes of trading in the early morning session, on Wednesday, the all Jamaica Composite Index dropped 948.35 points to 176,636.15, the JSE Market Index lost 847.97 points to 158,986.96, the JSE combined index dipped 715.15 to close at 170,111.47 points and the junior market index inched up 6.90 points to 2,206.44.
Grace hits $120 & stock split coming
Group Chief Executive Officer, Don Wehby announced a proposed 3 for 1 stock split for the company.
A total of 35 securities changed hands on Monday, accounting for 22,588,186 units valued at $114,452,207, in all market segments. The junior market accounted for 7,943,352 shares, valued at $36,689,714 of the overall trades.
The price of 13 stocks in the overall market rose, 15 declined, including 5 stocks rising and 8 declining, from the junior market as 4 stocks in all markets hit new highs, four of which ended at new 52 weeks’ high.
The JSE Market Index dropped 1,266.89 points to end at 159,833.93. The all Jamaica Composite Index lost 1,416.85 points to close at 177,584.50 and the JSE combined index slipped 1,126.86 points, to close at 170,826.62.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading showed 11 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 8 with lower offers.At the end of market activities, Berger Paints traded just 1,734 shares with the price rising 30 cents, to end at $4.80, Cable & Wireless lost 2 cents, in closing at $1.38 after trading 201,389 units, Caribbean Cement fell 25 cents, in trading 16,386 shares and closed at $24. Carreras had 101,167 units trading, to close with a loss of 98 cents, at $65.02. The price of 1834 Investments traded at $1.23 with 6,840,665 units changing hands, compared to 10,000,000 shares on Monday, Grace Kennedy jumped $10 in trading 247,831 units, to close at a 52 weeks high of $120, after it traded as high as $120.50, Jamaica Broilers ended with 260,971 units changing hands at $14.50, after adding 75 cents. Jamaica Producers traded 223,976 shares to end 1 cent higher at a 52 weeks’ high of $44.01, but traded as high as $45, Jamaica Stock Exchange rose 80 cents trading 41,900 shares, to close at $20.80, JMMB Group traded 2,200 units as the price gained 1 cent to $10, Kingston Wharves ended trading 9,975 stock units at $12. National Commercial Bank traded 26,750 shares, to close with a loss of $1 at $42,
Pan Jamaican Investment Trust traded 15,116 shares and ended at $26.50, Radio Jamaica closed trading with 6,485,157 shares down from 10,249,651 shares on Monday with the price falling 22 cents to end at $2, Sagicor Group ended with 15,200 shares changing hands with at $23. Sagicor Real Estate Fund gained 12 cents to close at $10.12 with 38,492 shares changing hands. Scotia Group slipped $1.49 to close at $31 as 13,594 units changed hands, Seprod traded 41,367 units, gained 30 cents to end at $16.80, Supreme Ventures traded 7,063 units to close at $4.50 and Proven Investments lost 1.49 US cents, to close at 18 US cents, while trading 54,081 shares.
Lascos’ big trades – Tuesday
Lasco Financial traded 1m shares on the junior market on Tuesday.
The market ended with 2 stocks closing at 52 weeks’ highs while the bids for 5 stocks closed higher than their last selling prices and 4 ending with lower offers.
At the end of trading, AMG Packaging lost 5 cents at $12.40 with 4,050 units changing hands, Caribbean Cream lost 15 cents to end at $4.50, after trading 103,235 shares, Caribbean Producers traded 9,000 shares but lost 10 cents, to close at $4.50. Consolidated Bakeries traded 559,414 shares with a loss of 2 cents, to close at $2.02. C2W Music traded 1,000 shares and rose by 4 cents to end at 40 cents.
Dolphin Cove traded 79,515 units and lost 20 cents to end at $11, General Accident Insurance fell 18 cents in trading 6,650 units at $2.26. ISP Finance Services rose 45 cents in trading 10,000 shares and closed at a 52 weeks’ high of $3.45, Jetcon Corporation had 128,775 units changing hands at $2.75 after falling by 12 cents, Key Insurance traded 1,500 shares at $2.75, Knutsford Express closed with 500 units changing hands at $17.50. Lasco Distributors rose 39 cents in trading 550,886 units to end at $7.99, Lasco Financial closed with a fall of 15 cents at $3.15 with 1,108,325 shares changing hands while Lasco Manufacturing traded 5,063,868 shares and gained 15 cents to close at $4.90 and tTech traded 10,500 units at $4.12 after shedding 18 cents.
JSE stocks ride on up
RJR closed at a new 52 weeks high of $2.22 after trading 10m shares.
A total of 36 securities changed hands on Monday, accounting for 26,280,948 units valued at $158,936,391, in all market segments. The junior market accounted for 1,803,816 shares, valued at $8,745,258 of the overall trades.
The price of 14 stocks in the overall market rose, 12 declined, including 7 stocks rising and 2 declining, from the junior market as 4 stocks in all markets hit new highs, three of which ended at new 52 weeks’ high.
The JSE Market Index rose 438.15 points to end at 161,100.82. The all Jamaica Composite Index gained 490.02 points to close at 179,001.35 and the JSE combined index climbed 705.35 points, to close at 171,943.48.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading showed 9 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 6 with lower offers.
At the end of market activities, Berger Paints traded 10,259 shares with the price rising 1 cent, to end at $4.50, Cable & Wireless lost 7 cents, in closing at $1.40 after trading 46,675 units, Caribbean Cement fell 25 cents, in trading 34,161 shares and closed at $24.25. Carreras had 1,206,443 units trading, to close with a loss of 98 cents, at $65.02. The price of 1834 Investments rose 6 cents, to $1.23 with 10,000,000 shares changing hands, Grace Kennedy dropped $5 in trading 1,443 units, to close at $110, Jamaica Broilers ended with 33,115 units changing hands at $13.75, after shedding 25 cents, Jamaica Producers traded 51,610 shares to end at $44. Jamaica Stock Exchange lost 80 cents trading 25,000 shares to close at $20, JMMB Group traded 2,027,654 units as the price lost 1 cent to end at $9.99, Kingston Wharves rose by 20 cents in trading 23,106 stock units at $12,
National Commercial Bank traded 1,150 shares, to close with a gain of $1 at $43. Pan Jamaican Investment Trust traded 51,241 shares and ended at $26.50, Pulse Investments closed with 100,000 shares trading at $3, Radio Jamaica closed trading with 10,249,651 shares with the price rising 12 cents to a 52 weeks’ high of $2.22, Sagicor Group ended with 399,062 shares changing hands with a rise of 1 cent at $23. Scotia Group slipped 48 cents to close at $32.49 as 15,680 units changed hands, Seprod traded 62,258 units and declined 38 cents to end at $16.50, Supreme Ventures traded 101,443 units to close at $4.50 and Proven Investments closed at 19.5 US cents while trading 29,900 shares.
Juniors move higher on Monday
Honey Bun closed at a new high of $6.60 on Monday.
The market ended with bids for 7 stocks closing higher than their last selling prices and 3 ending with lower offers.
At the end of trading, Access Financial Services closed with a gain of 50 cents at $17 with 1,162 units changing hands, CAC 2000 close with 2,400 units trading at $6.50, Caribbean Cream gained 14 cents to end at $4.65, after trading 50,000 shares, Caribbean Producers traded 38,186 shares and gained 10 cents, to close at $4.60.
Consolidated Bakeries traded 20,000 shares with a gain of 4 cents, to close at $2.04. Dolphin Cove traded 38,920 units and gained 20 cents to end at $11.20, General Accident Insurance fell by 18 cents in trading 6,650 units at $2.26. KLE Group traded 100 units and fell 24 cents to close at $1.36, Knutsford Express closed with 20,120 units changing hands at $17.50, Lasco Distributors fell 30 cents with 105,688 units trading at $7.60. Lasco Financial closed with a rise of 16 cents at $3.30 with 257,296 shares changing hands while Lasco Manufacturing traded 1,200,628 shares and gained 15 cents to close at $4.75 and tTech traded just 100 units at $4.30.
Honey Bun hits new high – Monday
Honey Bun traded at a new high of $6.15 in the early Monday morning session on the Jamaica Stock Exchange with 51,129 units changing hands and Radio Jamaica traded 241,870 units to hit a new high of $2.22 and traded after at $2.20.
The overall market started off on a positive note in confirming that the market hit a bottom in May.
Stocks trading over 100,000 units in the main market include Lasco Manufacturing trading 172,769 shares at $4.70 and Pulse Investments that traded 100,000 shares at $3.
Trading resulted in activity in 25 securities, accounting for a volume of 796,058 units as 11 stocks gained and 3 declined. The average number of shares traded amounts to 34,611 units compared to an average of 54,276 units on Friday.
After 75 minutes of trading in the early morning session, on Monday, the all Jamaica Composite Index rose 285.63 points to 178,796.96, the JSE Market Index climbed 255.40 points to 160,918.07, the JSE combined index gained 441.84 points, to 171,689.97 and the junior market index jumped 19.93 points to 2,185.76.
Buy Rated stocks set for growth
TTSE has declined almost 10% from peak and could fall another 9% from May to hit support around 1,600 points. (See orange trendline).
In Trinidad, the market drifted from a peak in the all T&T index at 1,956.55 on December 8, 2015 to a 2016 low of 1,758.40 on May 19. The movements the Jamaica’s junior market saw the index peaking at 2,357.20 on 12th of January and bottomed out on the 7th of April at 1,762.87 points, for a decline of 24.5 percent but have since recovered most of the decline.
Much have happened with companies releasing results since with a number of the results in Trinidad being flat to declining, while most in Jamaica show good increased profit, while interest rates have declined in Jamaica and been static in Trinidad. Added to the profit out turn, a few companies in Jamaica announced stocks splits which have driven the respective prices of all the companies up strongly. Grace Kennedy, one of IC Insider Buy Rated stocks that has been lagging in performance, came to life as the company reported strong increase in the March quarter results, with the price jumping to $115 and seems to have more room to grow, based on the improved results. Pan Jamaican Investment gained 42.5 percent since it was last reported on at the end of April, helped by a 5 for 1 stock split and is up 82 percent since selected to the BUY RATED list. The company has good long term growth prospect but may have plateaued at the current price, around $26.50.
Honey Bun one of IC Insider’s 2015 additions to the BUY RATED list is now placed on Market Watch
Honey Bun added to the BUY RATED list in November 2015, gained 112 percent since April and 387 percent since being added to the list. Strong growth in profits and a 5 for 1 stock split helped in moving the value of the stock. ISP Finance added in April, is up 20 percent but there is little supply to be obtained, a recipe for a strong rally in the price ahead. Knutsford Express was put on hold when last reported on and has slipped 20.5 percent, is now restored to a buy below $20 while Lasco Distributors placed on a Watch list last time, is up 52.6 percent and is now placed on watch list at current price at $7.60, supply seems to be drying up for this stock, following release of full year’s results. While investors have priced in a potential big inflows from their law suit claim with Pfizer, at a PE ratio around 20 times fiscal 2017 operating profit, investing at the levels could result in an investment that may underperform the market in the medium term.
Cable & Wireless is up 22.5 percent since April and 332 percent since it debuted on the list in February 2014. The company reported a small profit from operation, for this year to March, and seems headed for earnings around 20 cents per share for 2017. The price should be heading higher before too long, but demand is not electric currently.
General Accident and Honey Bun are placed on the watch list with the former unable to get profit to rise outside the range of 30 cents per share and the latter now being priced at a PE of 18, well ahead of the average for the junior market. Honey Bun supply notwithstanding the 5 for 1 stock split, is scarce but profit growth could continue to be strong thus lending support to the stock going forward.Companies in Trinidad are not doing well but their performance is not disastrous in the main with the price of a number of stocks have pulled back sharply and will offer good entry points when it is time to buy into that market. The time may not be right to enter that recession affected market just yet. Technical reading of this market shows it peaking at 2,032 points and have lost 13.5 percent since then and could fall another 9 percent from the May 2016 levels to reach 1,600 points before the decline is over. A look at the trading report shows that the prices of some major companies remain under pressure and is likely to fall as demand remains weak.
Technical and fundamental assessments suggest that Access Financial, Caribbean Cream, Medical Disposables and National Commercial Bank are due for a break out sooner than later, with Caribbean Cement to follow.