
Medical Disposables in TOP 10
Lasco Financial rose to $5.99 by the end of the week, while IC Insider.com downgraded earnings for Caribbean Flavours to $1.22 for the 2019 fiscal year, with both moving out of the Junior Market TOP 10.
Medical Disposables that suffered a fall in price to $4.50 and Caribbean Producers moved into the TOP stocks listing for the Junior Market. There were no new addition to the TOP 10 main market stocks at the close of the past week. There were some changes in the rankings, most noticeable was Radio Jamaica, with a rise in price to $1.35 from $1.25 at the close of the previous week, as the stock moved closer to exit the top list. Salada Foods rose in sympathy to good half year results, to close at $13.10 from $11.26 at the start of the week, but it pulled back after trading at an all-time high of $15.
Caribbean Cement moved down to $37.50 from $40.05 and Barita Investments rose to $12.53 from $11.50 while Berger Paints saw increased selling in light of the company’s posting increased sales but lower profits in the March quarter due to a number of factors, some of which are not likely to be repeated, in the other quarters of the year.
The past week was characterized by some sharp price fluctuations and index movements in both markets, with the ending to the release of most first quarter results. Interest rates fell to their lowest levels on Treasury bills and the central bank cut the overnight rate by 25 basis points during the past week, seem to have little effect on the market so far.
That will change as the weeks roll on, it may be that investors are now taking a break for May, this coming week could have the answer.
Former TOP 10 Junior Market stock Stationery and Office Supplies, closed at a new record high of $9 last week after positing good first quarter results with earnings per share up 70 percent to 17 cents and looking as if $1 is possible for the full year, with the commencement of the production of plain paper books.
At the close of Friday, the average PE ratio for Junior Market Top stocks ended at 6.2 compared to an average PE for the overall main market of 10, based on 2018 estimated earnings. The main market PE is 7.3 for the top stocks, compared to a market average of 13.

IC Insider.com’s TOP 10 stocks now trade at an average discount of 38 percent to the average for the Junior Market Top stocks but it’s a third of what the average PE for the year is likely to be of 20 times earnings and main market stocks traded at a discount of 45 percent to the market.
Stocks to Watch this week include, Barita, Grace Kennedy, PanJam Investment, Radio Jamaica, Salada, Jamaica Stock Exchange ordinary share, Stationery and Office Supplies. Although not yet listed, investors should keep an eye open for Sygnus Credit that saw its IPO more than twice oversubscribed.

Trading resulted in an average of 87,342 units valued at an average of $2,131,859 for each security traded. In contrast to 137,284 units for an average of $1,083,320 on Thursday. The average for the month to date is 279,765 shares with a value of $13,009,983, previously 292,000 shares with a value of $13,757,854. In contrast, April closed with an average of 708,206 shares with a value of $6,395,518 for each security traded.
Stocks declined again in trading on the main market on Friday, with the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index declining 1,070.06 points to close at 327,520.83 and the JSE Index fell 974.94 points to 298,408.49.
Radio Jamaica finished 14 cents higher at $1.35, with 22,682 shares, Sagicor Group lost 2 cents to settle at $38, with 141,760 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund settled at $13.99, after falling $1.01 with 36,401 shares, Scotia Group dropped $1.90 to $49.10, with 315,705 units. Seprod finished trading at $36, with 7,000 shares, Supreme Ventures dived $2.75 and ended at $12.25, with 167,126 shares, Victoria Mutual Investments slipped 3 cents and concluded trading at $4.17, with 77,262 stock units and Wisynco Group finished at $10, with a rose of 30 cents and 141,428 units changing hands.
Trading on the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange ended on Thursday with JSE All Jamaican Composite Index jumped 1,822.14 points to 328,590.89 and the JSE Index climbed 1,660.18 points to 299,383.43.
Stocks with major price changes are,
Trading resulted in an average of 366,143 units valued at an average of $10,483,610 for each security traded. In contrast to 51,209 units for an average of $466,870 on Tuesday. The average for the month to date is 303,017 shares with a value of $14,739,384, previously 298,627 shares with a value of $18,119,875. In contrast, April closed with an average of 708,206 shares with a value of $6,395,518 for each security traded.
Pulse Investments fell 21 cents and concluded trading at $1.60, with 5,414 units. Radio Jamaica lost 1 cents and finished trading at $1.19, with 30,000 shares, Sagicor Group settled at $38.50, after rising 31 cents with 22,610 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund gained 20 cents and finished at $14, with 1,535 units. Scotia Group dived $3.39 to $50.10, with 70,981 units, Supreme Ventures rose 20 cents and concluded trading at $12.70, with 1,012,460 shares, Victoria Mutual Investments ended at $4.18, with 262,618 shares and Wisynco Group concluded trading at $9.55, after falling 16 cents with 204,701 stock units.
Second quarter results may not be good enough to push the stock much higher but when the growth in other comprehensive income is factored in, the stocks is still extremely cheap.
At the close of Friday, the average PE ratio for Junior Market Top stocks ended at 6.2 compared to an average PE for the overall main market of 10 based on 2018 estimated earnings. The main market PE is 7.2 for the top stocks, compared to a market average of 13.


The major trades for the day are, 
PanJam Investment gained just 1 cent to trade at a 52 weeks’ high of $46.01, with 5,000 shares, Pulse Investments fell 3 cents and closed at $1.75, with 40,150 stock units, Radio Jamaica rose 11 cents and ended at $1.20, with 74,597 units, Sagicor Group lost 26 cents and concluded trading at $38.02, with 31,526 shares. Salada Foods rose 1 cents and finished at $11.26, with 5,000 shares, Scotia Group added just 1 cents to settle at $50.01, with 325,267 shares after dropping $3.98, Seprod rose just 1 cent and ended trading at $35.01, with 2,500 stock units, Supreme Ventures traded at an intraday record high of $13.50 but finished trading up 1 cent at $12.21, with 89,182 shares. Victoria Mutual Investments lost 9 cents to close at $4.30, with 723,173 shares and Wisynco Group fell 30 cents and ended at $10, with 1,214,450 shares. In the main market preference segment, JMMB Group 7.25%concluded trading at $2.10, with 324,200 shares.
compared to 4,614,305 units valued at $109,133,839 changing hands in the main market, on Wednesday.
In contrast, April closed with an average of 708,206 shares with a value of $6,395,518 for each security traded.