The Junior Market activity picked up sharply on Wednesday with both volume and values climbing strongly over Tuesday’s levels while the market index gained another day when trades Eppley ordinary share at $12 with a potential gain $7.10 and Jamaican Teas at $6.20 for a gain 65 percent were canceled at the close, having exceeded the daily price limits placed on trading by the Jamaica Stock Exchange.
The failure of trades in the two stocks between Tuesday and Wednesday being recorded as official trades is said by the JSE to be determined by a little know rule that the JSE instituted outside the circuit breaker. The circuit breaker rule was put in place in the 1990 in attempt to appease critics of the exchange who were concerned about big swings in stock prices back then. The initial price limit was set at 15 percent above or below the closing price in a day, but the stock could trade higher if the bids or offers exceeded the closing price by more than 15%. In 2014 the Exchange rewrote the rules allowing price movement up to 30 percent in a day from the previous day’s closing price, no limitation were placed on the level that the closing bids and offers could be. The stock exchange now states that a rule exist that limits the level of bids and offers that can be posted above the last closing price to 15 percent. That limitation was not in the original circuit breaker rule and not in the current one. It appears to this publication that the 2014 rules, having been completely rewritten, overrides all prior ones and therefore the exchange has been acting in breach of the rule by limiting bids and offers and canceling trades as a result.
On Wednesday,
the Junior Market index rose 17.73 points, to end at 3,016.21 with 5,257,482 units valued at over $20,969,571 passing through the market, compared to 541,499 units valued at $4,457,020 that were traded on Tuesday. At the close, with 20 securities changing hands, with 9 advancing and 5 declining compared to 20 on Tuesday.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average of 262,374 units for an average value of $1,048,479 traded, compared to 27,075 units for an average value of $222,851 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for the month to date are 216,806 units and $1,422,759. The average volume and value for the month to the previous trading day ended at 212,663 units and $1,456,784. The average volume and value for March was 137,459 units and $1,313,411.
Trading ended with 2 stocks having bids higher than their last sale prices and 2 ending with lower offers, than their last traded price.
At the close of the market on Wednesday, AMG Packaging lost 49 cents to close at $5 with 56,490 units changing hands, following six months results that continued to be lower than the prior year’s figures with $26.4 million reported after tax compared with $52.2 million for the similar period in 2016. Cargo Handlers lost 40 cents in trading just 1,995 shares at $20.10, Caribbean Cream traded 8,955 units to end at $7.80, Derrimon Trading ended at $8.50 with 2,000 shares trading, General Accident gained 15 cents and closed trading with 445,164 shares to end at $3.30, Honey Bun had 8,830 shares changing hands to close with a rise of 25 cents to end at $7.50, Iron Rock Insurance traded 78,275 shares to end at $3, ISP Finance rose 70 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $16.10 with 19,094 units.
Jetcon Corporation rose 10 cents to end at $12 with 87,622 shares traded, Key Insurance traded 954,445 units to close at $3, KLE Group ended at $2.50 with 80,000 shares changing hands after falling by 20 cents, Knutsford Express closed trading with 8,848 shares at $41, Lasco Distributors ended with 88,575 units trading at $6.80, Lasco Financial lost 5 cents and ended with 8,787 shares changing hands at $4, Lasco Manufacturing gained 15 cents to close with 1,076,495 units changing hands at $4.95, Main Event rose 25 cents trading 17,917 shares at $5.60, Medical Disposables closed trading with 1,367 shares to end at $6, Paramount Trading lost 5 cents and closed at $3.50 with 2,303,823 units trading, tTech rose 30 cents, trading 1,800 shares to end at $7.50 and Eppley 8.25% preference share closed trading with 12,000 units at a 52 weeks high of $6.10.
Upper hand for falling stocks on Tuesday

NCB hits a new high of $75 on Tuesday in trading on the JSE.
Declining stocks had the upper hand in trading in the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange at the close on Tuesday with 27 securities changing hands with 1 trading in the US dollar market. The markets closed with 7 stocks advancing and 12 declining.
Trading levels in main market ended at 4,459,136 units valued at $97,369,402 compared to 1,824,130 units valued at $21,197,848 at the close on Thursday, ahead of the Easter holiday break. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 56,525 units valued at US$16,658.
The All Jamaica Composite Index advanced 378.10 points to close at 248,706.47 the JSE Market Index gained 344.49 points to finish at 226,599.78 and the JSE US dollar market index lost 8.42 points to close at 215.62.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and US dollar markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 11 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and none closed with a lower offer.
The main market ended trading with an average of 340,219 units valued at $3,606,274 per security traded compared to an average of 82,915 units at an average value of $963,539 on Thursday. The average volume for the month to date ended at 534,102 units with an average value of $5,367,204 versus 555,645 units valued at $5,562,862 per security traded on the prior trading day. The average volume and value for March ended at 549,909 units and $1,379,459.
In market activity, Barita Investm
ents gained 10 cents to close at $7, with 59,000 shares changing hands, Berger Paints closed at $14 with trades of 5,100 shares, Cable and Wireless closed at $1.30 with an exchange of 434,033 shares, Caribbean Cement closed $2 lower at $30 with 86,694 units changing hands. Carreras closed at $74, gaining $1 exchanging 4,308 shares, Grace Kennedy closed at $42.80, with a loss of $1.20 trading 23,192 units, Jamaica Broilers gained 10 cents to close at $17 with 31,773 shares changing hands, Jamaica Producers closed at $15, with a loss of 50 cents exchanging 100,177 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange closed 95 cents lower at $7, with a sale of 939,133 shares. JMMB Group closed 25 cents higher at $18.65, trading of 39,681 units, Kingston Properties traded at $15.95 with 200 shares changing hands, Kingston Wharves closed $1 lower to $30 trading 38,797 units, NCB Financial Group traded at a new intraday high of $75 but failed to hold on to the gain at the end of trading to end with 38,440 shares trading at $65, 1834 Investments gained 2 cents to close at $1.50, trading 10,000 shares, 138 Student Living closed at $4.49 with 63,500 units traded,
PanJam Investment closed at $34.66, after losing 34 cents with 39,662 shares changing hands. Pulse Investments traded 4,900 units at $8,Radio Jamaica lost 15 cents to close at $1.60, with an exchange of 52,330 shares, Sagicor Group closed at $33.05, gaining 3 cents with an exchange of 2,253,648 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund closed at $10.05, with a loss of 5 cents and 7,200 shares traded, Scotia Group jumped $2.75 to $41.50, with an exchange of 43,366 units, Seprod lost $4 to close at $35, trading 4,532 shares, Supreme Ventures closed at $6.38, with 78,390 shares changing hands. Proven Investments closed at 30 US cents, losing 1 US cent exchanging 56,625 ordinary shares, Jamaica Money Market 7.25% preference share lost 9 cents, closing at $2.41 with 500 units changing owners, Jamaica Money Market 7.5% preference share traded 100,000 units at $1.81, having lost 19 cents, JMMB Group 7.25% preference share closed at $1.50 with 430 units traded and JMMB Group 7.5% preference share traded 150 units at $1.10.
Drop in Junior Market volume – Tuesday
The Junior Market started another shortened week with a 31.66 points drop, to end at 2,998.48 and a sharp fall in trading levels, compared with Thursday’s levels.
The market closed with 541,499 units valued at $4,457,020 passing through the market, compared to 2,378,976 units valued at 9,310,238 that were traded on Thursday. At the close, with 20 securities changing hands, compared to 23 on Thursday with 7 advancing and 8 declining.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average of 27,075 units for an average value of $222,851 traded, compared to 103,434 units for an average value of $404,793 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for the month to date are 212,663 units and $1,456,784. The average volume and value for the month to the previous trading day ended at 256,913 units and $1,755,753. The average volume and value for March was 137,459 units and $1,313,411.
Trading ended with 4 stocks having bids higher than their last sale prices and only 1 ending with a lower offer, than the last traded price.
At the close of the market on Tuesday, AMG Packaging closed at $5.49 with 102,675 units changing hands, Blue Power traded 800 units to close at $35, CAC 2000 lost 18 cents and closed at $7.17 with 10,000 shares trading , Cargo Handlers lost 50 cents in trading just 100 shares at $20.50, Caribbean Cream gained 50 cents in trading 35,450 units to end at $7.80, Caribbean Producers closed trading with 1,000 units at $3.75, Consolidated Bakeries rose 20 cents with 18,437 shares changing hands, to close at $2.86, C2W Music closed trading with 10,200 shares while shedding 3 cents to end at 30 cents, Dolphin Cove ended at $20.06 with 544 shares trading, Honey Bun had 31,900 shares changing hands to close at $7.25, ISP Finance fell 10 cents to end at $15.40 with 13,045 units.
Jetcon Corporation rose 10 cents to end at $11.90 with 10,710 shares traded, Knutsford Express rose 5 cents in trading 34,659 shares to close at $41, after the company reported the decision of the directors to recommend a 5 for 1 stock split as well as increased profits for the nine months to February. Lasco Distributors added 10 cents and ended with 73,693 units trading at $6.80, Lasco Financial lost 25 cents and ended with 28,500 shares changing hands at $4.05, Lasco Manufacturing fell 20 cents to close with 108,785 units changing hands at $4.80, Main Event lost 38 cents trading 36,141 shares at $5.35, Medical Disposables closed trading with 19,560 shares and rose 15 cents to end at $6, Paramount Trading closed at $3.55 with 1,000 units trading and tTech rose 5 cents, trading 4,300 shares to end at $7.20.
Big gains for Grace & Seprod on Tuesday

Grace jumped $3.65 to $44.65 on the JSE on Tuesday.
The Market closed with 22 securities changing hands with 1 trading in the US dollar market. At the close, 10 stocks advanced and 6 declined in both markets. The main market ended with 2,043,993 units valued at $24,956,131 compared to 13,790,971 units valued at $428,274,635 on Monday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 72,850 units valued at US$22,258.
The All Jamaica Composite Index advanced 769.18 points to close at 247,670.02 the JSE Market Index gained 700.81 points to finish at 225,655.45 and the JSE US dollar market index rose 3.76 points to close at 222.44.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and US dollar markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 11 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 with lower offers.
The main market ended trading with an average of 92,909 units valued at $1,134,370 for each security traded compared to an average of 599,607 units valued at $18,620,636 for each security traded on Monday. The average volume for the month to date ended at 694,259 units with a value of $16,325,671 per security traded, versus at 794,485 units valued at $18,495,857 per security on the prior trading day.
The average volume and value for March ended at 549,909 units and $1,379,459.In market activity, Berger Paints advanced $1.22 to close at $13.52, with 22,986 shares changing hands, Cable and Wireless closed at $1.30 trading 846,412 shares, Caribbean Cement closed $1 lower to $30.60 with an exchange of 33,031 units. Carreras closed at $74 with trades of 570 shares, Grace Kennedy jumped $3.65 to end at $44.65, trading 4,030 units, Jamaica Broilers gained 46 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $17 with trades of 46,542 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange closed at $7, losing 95 cents with 286,012 shares changing hands. JMMB Group closed at $18.65 trading 300,125 units, Kingston Properties gained 2 cents to close at $16 with 100 shares changing hands, Kingston Wharves closed at $32, with an exchange of 14,100 units, Mayberry Investments closed at $4.70, losing 10 cents trading 9,123 shares,
NCB Financial Group gained $1.60 to close at $64, after exchanging 19,712 shares, 1834 Investments traded 4 cents lower to close at $1.50, while exchanging 7,900 units, 138 Student Living closed at $4.49, gaining 3 cents with an exchange of 12,400 units, Pan Jamaican closed 14 cents lower at $35.46 with 20,250 shares changing hands. Radio Jamaica gained 20 cents to close at $1.80, trading 37,000 shares, Sagicor Group closed with a loss of 97 cents to $32.54 exchanging 225,742 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund closed at $10.05, with 4,600 shares traded, Scotia Group closed at $38.60, with trades of 62,464 units, Seprod advanced $3.70 to close at $39.70, with 2,000 shares changing hands, Sterling Investments gained 25 cents, closing at $17 with an exchange of 67,394 units, Supreme Ventures closed at $6.38 trading 21,500 shares and Proven Investments gained 2 US cents to close at 31 US cents with trades of 72,850 ordinary shares.
Sagicor’s big 11M share trade on Monday

Sagicor Group Kingston head quarters.
Trading ended with 12 stocks advancing and 8 declining in the main market as 13,790,971 units valued at $428,274,635 traded in the main market compared to 9,512,849 units valued at $220,101,365 at the close on Friday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 3,670 units valued at US$1,100.
The All Jamaica Composite Index declined 1,432.85 points to close at 246,900.84, the JSE Market Index lost 1,305.49 points to finish at 224,954.64 and the JSE US dollar market index gained 1.72 points to close at 218.68.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and US dollar markets, the Investor’s Choice
bid-offer indicator reading shows 12 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 with lower offers.The main market ended trading with an average of 599,607 units valued at $18,620,636 for each security traded compared to an average of 413,602 units valued at $9,170,890 per security. The average volume for the month to date ended at 794,485 units valued at $18,495,857 per security, versus 833,460 units and $5,623,143 on the prior trading day. The average volume and value for March ended at 549,909 units and $1,379,459.
In market activity, Berger Paints closed at $12.30, gaining 25 cents with trades of 4,243 shares, Cable and Wireless closed at $1.30, with gains of 2 cents while exchanging 64,088 shares, Caribbean Cement added $1.10 to close at $31.60 trading 24,639 units. Carreras closed at $74 with 30,000 shares changing hands, Grace Kennedy tumbled $3.70 to close at $41, with 1,070,424 units traded, Jamaica Broilers added 4 cents to close at $16.54 with trades of 17,574 shares, Jamaica Producers closed 50 cents lower to $14.50, with an exchange of 5,900 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange gained 75 cents to close at $7.95, with 37,105 shares changing hands. JMMB Group closed 10 cents higher to $18.65 trading 18,470 units, Kingston Properties gained 3 cents to close at $15.98 with 4,000 shares changing hands, Kingston Wharves closed at $32, after falling 36 cents with an exchange of 19,903 units,
Mayberry Investments closed at $4.80 with a 10 cents gain trading 41,016 shares, NCB Financial Group closed at $62.40, after exchanging 15,500 shares, 1834 Investments traded 2,874 units at $1.54, while 138 Student Living traded 30,700 units at $4.46, having lost 3 cents, Pan Jamaican closed 60 cents higher at $35.60 with 5,241 shares changing owners. Pulse Investments traded 2,000 units at $8, Sagicor Group closed with gains of 51 cents to $33.51, exchanging 11,135,988 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund lost 46 cents to close at $10.05, with 695 shares traded, Scotia Group dropped $1.40 and closed at $38.60, trading 10,154 units, Seprod fell $3.70 to close at $36, while trading 5,400 shares, Supreme Ventures closed at $6.38, gaining 3 cents with trades of 360,757 shares. Proven Investments lost 1 US cent to close at 29 US cents with trades of 3,670 ordinary shares and JMMB Group 7.5% preference share gained 5 cents to close at $1.10, with an exchange of 884,000 units.
NCB Financial at record high of $66.90 during trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday but closed lower by the close of the market. Trading ended with 22 securities changing hands with 2 trading in the US dollar market. In the main market, 4 stocks advanced and 12 declined in the main market.
The main market ended trading with an average of 82,915 units compared to an average of 58,075 units on Wednesday. The average volume for the month to date ended at 555,645 units versus 614,736 units on the prior trading day. The average volume and value for March ended at 549,909 units and $1,379,459.
Pan Jamaican closed at $35 with 11,900 shares changing hands. Radio Jamaica lost 4 cents to close at $1.75 with trades of 20,488 shares, Sagicor Group closed at $33.02, after losing 48 cents in exchanging 16,970 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund closed at $10.10, with a loss of 10 cents and 989 shares traded, Scotia Group closed $1.24 lower to $38.75, with an exchange of 17,697 units, Supreme Ventures closed at $6.38, gaining 28 cents with trades of 300,681 shares. Margaritaville Turks gained 0.03 US cents to close at just over 26 US cents with 1,600 units traded, Proven Investments closed at 31 US cents exchanging 88,180 ordinary shares, JMMB 7.25% preference share gained 9 cents, closing at a 52 weeks’ high of $2.50 with 2,667 units changing owners and JMMB Group 7.25% preference share traded 200 units at $1.50.
At the close of the market on Thursday, Access Financial Services rose 75 cents to $35 in trading traded 5,000 units AMG Packaging closed at $5.49 with 21,715 units changing hands, CAC 2000 lost 10 cents and closed at $7.35 with 3,500 shares trading Caribbean Cream traded 21,900 units to end at $7.30, Caribbean Flavours loss 50 cents in trading 11,640 units to end at $12.50 Caribbean Producers gained 5 cents and closed trading with 56,930 units at $3.75, Consolidated Bakeries dropped 34 cents with 756,918 shares changing hands, to close at $2.66, C2W Music closed trading with 15,000 shares at 33 cents, Derrimon Trading had 97,206 units changing hands to close with a loss of 20 cents at $8.50. Dolphin Cove ended at $20.06 with 2,473 shares trading, Honey Bun had 8,500 shares changing hands to close with a rise of 5 cents to end at $7.25, ISP Finance fell 15 cents to end at $15.50 with 10,000 units. Jamaican Teas price was adjusted to reflect the 2 for 1 split approved at the Annual General Meeting on Thursday, but no trading took place as bids were well ahead of the closing prices on Thursday.
Jetcon Corporation rose 30 cents to end at $11.80 with 4,237 shares traded, KLE Group ended at $2.70 with 64,129 shares changing hands, Knutsford Express traded 261 shares to close at $40.95 after gaining 75 cents, Lasco Distributors added 45 cents and ended with 45,430 units trading at $6.70, Lasco Financial gained 30 cents and ended with 85,273 shares changing hands at $4, Lasco Manufacturing fell 38 cents to close with 60,000 units changing hands at $5, Main Event fell 7 cents trading 48,149 shares at $5.73, Medical Disposables closed trading with 8,039 shares and lost 15 cents to end at $5.85 and Paramount Trading lost 4 cents and closed at $3.55 with 1,012,987 units trading, this after the company reported lower profit for the third consecutive quarter than in the previous year and tTech traded 12,489 shares to end at $7.15.
Stock market reports showed Eppley ordinary share leaping $7.10 to a record high of $12. The stock could not officially trade there as it exceeded the 30 percent limit in a day.
The junior market ended trading with an average of 151,855 units for an average value of $742,022 traded, compared to 87,081 units for an average value of $473,283 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for the month to date is 276,098 units and $1,924,623. The average volume and value for the month to the previous trading day ended at 293,848 units and $2,093,565. The average volume and value for March was 137,459 units and $1,313,411.
Jamaican Teas fell 25 cents in trading 230,153 shares to close at $7.50, the stock trade ex-split on Thursday, to accommodate the 2 for 1 split approved at the Annual General Meeting on Wednesday. Jetcon Corporation dropped 40 cents to end at $11.50 with 13,403 shares traded, Lasco Distributors fell 55 cents and ended with 30,600 units trading, to close at $6.25, Lasco Financial ended with 6,000 shares changing hands at $4, Lasco Manufacturing fell 38 cents to close with 1,677,200 units changing hands at $4.60, Main Event rose 7 cents trading 42,410 shares at $5.80, Medical Disposables closed trading with 215 shares and rose 50 cents to end at $6 and Paramount Trading closed at $3.59 with 42,600 units trading and tTech traded 10,000 shares but fell 35 cents to end at $7.15.
The average volume and value for the month to date is 293,848 units and $2,093,565. The average volume and value for the month to the previous trading day ended at 328,309 units and $2,363,612. The average volume and value for March was 137,459 units and $1,313,411.
Jetcon Corporation rose 40 cents to end at $11.90 with 35,262 shares traded, KLE Group traded 3,000 shares and fell 30 cents in closing at $2.70, Knutsford Express traded just 1,266 shares but fell 80 cents to close at $40.20, Lasco Distributors fell 5 cents and ended with 23,461 units trading to close at $6.80, Lasco Financial added 20 cents and ended with a mere 242 shares changing hands at $4, Lasco Manufacturing fell 1 cent and closed with 1,264,833 units changing hands at $4.98, Main Event rose 50 cents trading 10,000 shares at $5.73, Medical Disposables closed trading with 55,000 shares and fell 50 cents to end at $5.50 and Paramount Trading closed with a loss of 1 cent to end a $3.59.
The average volume and value for the month to the previous trading day ended at 306,561 units and $2,229,811. The average volume and value for March was 137,459 units and $1,313,411.
Knutsford Express traded just 2,537 shares and gained $1 in closing at $41, Lasco Distributors gained 5 cents and ended with 8,934,455 units trading to close at $6.85, Lasco Financial shed 5 cents and ended with 83,990 shares changing hands at $3.80, Lasco Manufacturing closed with 10,755 units changing hands at $4.99, Main Event rose 3 cents trading 200 shares at $5.23, Medical Disposables closed trading with 10,500 shares at $6, Paramount Trading closed with a loss of 10 cents to end a $3.60 with 600 units trading, tTech trade 1,500 shares and gained 50 cents to end at $7.50 and Derrimon Trading preference share fell 6 cents and ended with 15,000 units changing hands to close at $2.05.