Trading opened with the market index surging to 2,799.27 points but failed to hold that position and drifted lower over the length of the trading session on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Monday and declined to close 12.44 points for the day to settle at 2,761.73 after trading 22 percent fewer shares than on Friday.
Trading ended with 36 securities changing hands, the same as on Friday and closed, with 18 stocks rising, 16 declining and two remaining unchanged.
The average PE Ratio ended at 14 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Traders exchanged 4,077,181 shares for $12,358,168 compared to 5,251,635 units at $13,479,012 on Friday.
Derrimon Trading led the market with 18.2 percent of the total volume, with 743,894 shares changing hands followed by Caribbean Flavours with 14.4 percent for 585,096 units and Lumber Depot with 12.4 percent for 504,964 units.
Trading averaged 113,255 units at $343,282 in contrast to 145,879 at $374,417 on Friday. January closed with an average of 239,526 units at $569,885.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows three stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close of trading, Access Financial declined by $1.50 to $22, in exchanging 120 shares, AMG Packaging gained 9 cents to end at $1.60, after 1,298 stock units cleared the market, Cargo Handlers finished 10 cents higher at $8 after trading 49,790 shares.
Caribbean Assurance Brokers gained 10 cents to close at $1.85, in transferring 1,777 units, Caribbean Cream rose 60 cents $5.10, after crossing the market with 92,827 stocks, Caribbean Flavours lost 7 cents to close at $1.98, in switching ownership of 585,096 shares. Caribbean Producers ended 10 cents higher at $2.80, with 173,336 stock units changing hands, Consolidated Bakeries rose 20 cents to $1.52, with 983 shares crossing the market, Dolphin Cove lost 50 cents to settle at $7.50 trading 703 stocks. Elite Diagnostic closed at $2.95, with gains of 20 cents after transferring 181 shares, Express Catering rose 9 cents to $3.74, with 6,857 units changing hands. General Accident lost 25 cents to end at $6 after exchanging 2,000 stocks. iCreate gained 6 cents to close at 62 cents, after clearing the market with 16,077 stock units, Indies Pharma slipped 22 cents to $2.57, with investors switching ownership of 102,450 units. Jamaican Teas gained 11 cents to settle at $2.99, in trading 398,882 shares, Knutsford Express dipped 5 cents to $6.70 in exchanging 221 units. Lasco Distributors picked up 9 cents to finish at $3.20, with 6,285 stock units changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing shed 23 cents to close at $3.67, with an exchange of 371,615 shares. 
Limners and Bards was down 18 cents to $2.57, in crossing the exchange with 2,850 stock units, Lumber Depot gained 8 cents ending at $1.97 trading 504,964 stock units, Medical Disposables rose 20 cents to $4.20 trading 40 stock units, Paramount Trading lost 16 cents in closing at $1.29 in exchanging a mere one unit. Stationery and Office Supplies rose 42 cents to $4.54, in trading 1,200 stocks and tTech finished at $4.85, with gains of 76 cents after 982 units crossed the market.
In the preference segment, CAC 2000 9.5% preference shares picked up 12 cents to close at $1.11, with 21 stock units clearing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Lasco Manufacturing hits IC TOP10
Lasco Manufacturing returns to IC TOP10 best performing stock in the past week, replacing Honey Bun closing at $6 in a week that the Junior Market climbed to a new eleven month high and posted a five percent gain for the year to date.
While the Junior Market had a new addition, the Main Market TOP10 continued with the same stocks as the week before but Grace Kennedy price rose from $68 to $73.45 with the stock moving from 5th spot to 7th.
The 2021 winner to date, Jamaican Teas lost a cent this past week after trading at a record high of $3.04 and moved down to the ninth spot this week with the price closing at $2.88 on Friday. Caribbean Cream price closed at $4.50 down from $4.95 at the end of the previous week to sit at 7th spot now. Lumber Depot one of the better Junior Market movers held at $1.95 after hitting $2.12 during the week to remain at eight position.
The Junior Market is up 4.9 percent for 2021 and is currently powered by a bullish golden cross, setting to take the market beyond 3,000 points. The release of company results in the next two weeks will play a big role in the next few weeks that will add fuel to the current rally. 
In this regard, based on 2020 release of results, interim financials are expected this week, from Access Financial, Barita Investments, Iron Rock Insurance, NCB Financial, the Lasco group of companies and Jamaican Teas.
The Main Market continues to slip in January, but technical indicator points to it heading towards the 460,000 points level on the All Jamaica Composite Index, in months.
The current TOP 10 report is based on earnings for 2020/21 as there are substantial gains ahead, for many stocks in the listings.
The top three stocks in the Junior Market with the potential to gain between 196 to 381 percent are Caribbean Producers followed by Elite Diagnostic and Lasco Financial. With expected gains of 135 to 315 percent, the top three Main Market stocks are, Berger Paints followed by Scotia Group and Carreras.
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 strong gains ahead. The JSE Main Market ended the week, with an overall PE of 18.9 and the Junior Market 14.8, based on ICInsider.com’s projected 2020-21 earnings. The PE ratio for the Junior Market Top 10 stocks average a mere 7.8 at just 53 percent of the market average. The Main Market TOP 10 stocks trade at a PE of 9.1 or 48 percent of the PE of that market.
The average projected gain for the Junior Market IC TOP 10 stocks is 181 percent and 132 percent for the JSE Main Market, based on 2020-21 earnings. 
IC TOP10 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.
Torrid early pace for Junior Market
Junior Market stocks are out of the blocks at a torrid pace in January with a rise of 5 percent in January at an annualized pace of 60 percent that could take the market to a record high by year-end of 4,200 points and would confirm the highly bullish technical signal for the market since late 2020.
Trading ended with 36 securities changing hands, down from 39 on Thursday with prices of 19 rising, 13 declining and four remaining unchanged.
The Market Index rose 38.63 points to close at 2,774.17 and is up 130.79 points for the month. The average PE Ratio ended at 14.2 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Traders exchanged 5,251,635 shares valued at $13,479,012, down from 5,759,973 units at $15,204,035 on Thursday.
Derrimon Trading remained the volume leader with 19.3 percent of total volume for 1.02 million shares followed by Tropical Battery with 17.1 percent for 900,187 units and Caribbean Flavours with 16.1 percent of the day’s trade for 847,955 units.
Trading averaged 145,879 units at $374,417 in contrast to 147,692 at $389,847 on Thursday. The month to date averaged 239,435 units at $569,885, compared to 244,500 units at $580,467 on Thursday. December closed with an average of 263,428 units at $638,694.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows four stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close of the market, Access Financial climbed $2.50 to $23.50, with 39,467 shares crossing the market, CAC 2000 gained 10 cents in ending at $10.60, with 13,672 stock units changing hands. Caribbean Assurance Brokers closed 11 cents lower at $1.75, after switching ownership of 10,200 units, Caribbean Cream lost 20 cents to finish at $4.50, after exchanging 56,249 shares, Caribbean Flavours gained 6 cents in ending at $2.05, in swapping of 847,955 stock units. Caribbean Producers rose 30 cents to finish at $2.70, with an exchange of 18,952 units, Dolphin Cove advanced by $1.20 to $8, after crossing the market with 950 stocks. Elite Diagnostic shed 24 cents to end at $2.75, after exchanging 200 shares, Express Catering slipped 10 cents to close at $3.65, with 4,510 stock units crossing the market, General Accident picked up 30 cents to close at $6.25, after owners switching 9,020 units. iCreate lost 5 cents in closing at 56 cents trading 2,262 stocks, Indies Pharma gained 19 cents ending at $2.79, with 20,370 shares changing hands, Iron Rock Insurance closed 20 cents lower at $3.10 after transferring 100 units. ISP Finance fell by 89 cents to $22, with the swapping of 110 stock units, Jamaican Teas gained 6 cents to finish at $2.88, in exchanging 704,077 shares, 
Knutsford Express ended 15 cents higher at $6.75, after trading 2,147 units, Lasco Distributors lost 8 cents in closing at $3.11, in crossing the market with 126,660 stocks. Lasco Manufacturing shed 5 cents to $3.90 trading 7,821 units. Limners and Bards gained 9 cents to close at $2.75, with a transfer of 635,373 shares, Lumber Depot lost 9 cents to settle at $1.89, with 383,034 stock units clearing the market. Mailpac Group gained 13 cents to end at $3.97 exchanging 359,576 stocks, Paramount Trading gained 5 cents in closing at $1.45, after transferring 54 stock units and Tropical Battery gained 5 cents in ending at $1.15, trading 900,187 shares.
In the preference segment, CAC 2000 9.5% preference share lost 12 cents to close at 99 cents, after clearing the market with 1,532 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market inches higher on Thursday
Trading on Thursday resulted in a close mix of rising and declining stocks that left the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closing with a marginal rise in the market index after an exchange 66 percent fewer shares than on Wednesday and 64 percent fall in value.
Trading ended with 39 securities changing hands, the same number as on Wednesday, and ended with 12 stocks rising, 13 declining and 14 remaining unchanged. The Market Index gained 0.84 points to finish at 2,735.54.
The average PE Ratio ended at 14 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Traders exchanged 5,759,973 shares valued at $15,204,035, down from 17,186,260 units at $42,228,070 on Wednesday.
Derrimon Trading was the volume leader with 18.9 percent of total trade after an exchange of 1.09 million shares, followed by Limners and Bards with 18.3 percent after transferring 1.05 million units and Jamaican Teas 13.6 percent with an exchange of 782,148 units.
Trading averaged 147,692 units at $389,847 in contrast to 440,673 at $1,082,771 on Wednesday. 
The month to date averaged 244,500 units at $580,467, compared to 250,531 units at $592,343 on Wednesday. December closed with an average of 263,428 units for $638,694 for each security that traded.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ended with bids higher than the last selling price and two with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging fell 12 cents to $1.50 with 27,762 shares traded, CAC 2000 jumped $1.30 to $10.50 with a transfer of 1,248 units, Caribbean Cream lost 11 cents to end at $4.70 with 26,317 stocks changing hands. Caribbean Flavours advanced 19 cents to $1.99 trading 280,685 stock units, Caribbean Producers dropped 27 cents to $2.40 with an exchange of 207,022 shares, Derrimon Trading exchanged 1,087,570 units and rose 12 cents to $2.50. Elite Diagnostic rose 14 cents to $2.99 with a transfer of 71,351 stocks, Fosrich advanced 28 cents to $4.48 with 9,258 units changing hands, Iron Rock Insurance shed 70 cents to $3.30 with a transfer of 651 stock units. Jamaican Teas traded 782,148 shares and lost 18 cents to end at $2.82, Jetcon Corporation gained 7 cents to finish at 68 cents with 274,727 units changing hands, Knutsford Express advanced 10 cents to $6.60 trading 100 stock units.
Limners and Bards traded 1,053,372 stock units and gained 8 cents in closing at $2.66, Lumber Depot lost 7 cents to close at $1.98 with 457,000 shares changing hands, Main Event dropped 14 cents to $3.10 with an exchange of 2,000 units. Paramount Trading fell 5 cents to $1.40 with 3,000 shares changing hands, Stationery and Office Supplies shed 42 cents to end at $4.12 with 6,000 stocks traded and tTech dropped 68 cents to $4.09 with 1,000 units crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Big trading day for Derrimon – Wednesday
Derrimon Trading dominated the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday accounting for just under 80 percent of the volume after investors exchange 13.74 million of the company’s stock.
Lumber Depot was second-largest volume trader with 5.6 percent of the day’s trade for 963,551 units and Jamaican Teas rounded out the top three with 5.3 percent market share and the trading of 918,783 shares as investors continue their appetite for these stocks.
At the close, 39 securities traded compared to 37 on Tuesday and ended with 14 rising 15 declining and 10 remaining unchanged.
At the close, the Junior Market Index fell for a second consecutive day, losing 9.21 points to 2,734.70. The average PE Ratio ended at 14.1 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Investors exchanged 17,186,260 shares, 78 percent more shares than on Tuesday, with a value of $42,228,070 compared to 9,674,314 units at $23,946,017 on Tuesday.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial fell $1 to $21 with 1,045 shares traded, CAC 2000 shed $1.40 to end at $9.20 with a transfer of 1,200 units, Caribbean Cream advanced 11 cents to $4.81 with an exchange of 9,124 shares. Caribbean Flavours declined by 7 cents to settle at $1.80 with 171,605 units crossing the exchange, Consolidated Bakeries dropped 35 cents to $1.29 with a transfer of 5,630 shares, Dolphin Cove shed $1.20 to finish at $6.80 with 3,335 units changing hands. Elite Diagnostic advanced 13 cents to $2.85 with 73 stock units traded. Fosrich fell 29 cents to $4.20 with a transfer of 5,721 shares. Indies Pharma declined by 9 cents to $2.60 with 116,021 stocks passing through the market, Jamaican Teas traded 918,783 units and added 5 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $3. Jetcon Corporation lost 5 cents to finish at 61 cents with 50,000 stock units traded, KLE Group dropped 20 cents to $1.20 with 785 shares changing hands, Knutsford Express lost 10 cents to close at $6.50 with a transfer of 39 stock units. Lasco Manufacturing lost 4 cents to end at $3.91 with 3,965 shares traded. 
Limners and Bards dropped 12 cents to $2.58 with 81,825 stocks changing hands, Lumber Depot exchanged 963,551 units and climbed 26 cents to settle at $2.05, Medical Disposables fell 20 cents to $4 with 8,000 shares passing through the market. Stationery and Office Supplies advanced 24 cents to $4.54 with 8,000 units traded and tTech jumped 63 cents to $4.77 and finished with 20,887 shares crossing the exchange.
In the preference segment, Derrimon Trading rose 6 cents to $2.10 with 16,682 stock units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market slips on Tuesday
The winning streak of the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange ended on Tuesday, with the market declining after more stocks fell than rose with stocks traded moderately less in volume and value than on Monday.
Trading ended with 37 securities changing hands compared to 32 on Monday and ended with the prices of 13 rising, 15 declining and nine remaining unchanged.
At the close, the Junior Market Index fell 19.23 points to settle at 2,743.91. The average PE Ratio ended at 14.4 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Investors exchanged 9,674,314 shares at $23,946,017, down from 10,405,305 units at $27,178,018 on Monday.
Derrimon Trading led trading with 39 percent of total volume with a transfer of 3.77 million shares, followed by Lumber Depot with 18.5 percent after trading 1.79 million units and Jamaican Teas with 16.5 percent with an exchange of 1.6 million units.
Trading averaged 261,468 units at $647,190 versus 325,166 at $849,313 on Monday. Trading month to date, averaged 237,898 units at $559,759, compared to 236,312 units at $553,877 on Monday. December closed with an average of 263,428 units at $638,694.
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 of the market, Blue Power rose 32 cents to $3.15 with 10 shares changing hands, Cargo Handlers fell 10 cents to $7.90 with 489 stocks traded, Caribbean Cream dropped 30 cents to $4.70 with a transfer of 699 units. Caribbean Flavours rose 10 cents to $1.87 with the exchange of 232,371 stock units, Caribbean Producers lost 12 cents to close at $2.66 with 6,660 shares passing through the market, Consolidated Bakeries gained 19 cents to end at $1.64 with 4,793 stocks changing hands. Dolphin Cove shed 50 cents to finish at $8 with 100 units traded, Elite Diagnostic dropped 23 cents to $2.72 with a transfer of 15,564 stock units, Fontana dipped 4 cents to $5.74 with 185,003 units changing hands. General Accident declined by 3 cents to $5.95 with a transfer of 102,859 stock units, iCreate rose 5 cents to 62 cents, trading 3,500 shares Indies Pharma gained 9 cents to end at $2.69 with 26,243 stocks traded, Jamaican Teas exchanged 1,595,981 units and rose 1 cent to finish at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $2.95. Lasco Distributors slipped 4 cents to $3.19 with 24,000 shares passing through the market, Lasco Financial rose 4 cents to $2.69 with 28,381 stock units changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing dropped 16 cents to $3.95 with 62,762 shares traded. 
Limners and Bards lost 5 cents to end at $2.70 with a transfer of 194,451 stocks, Lumber Depot exchanged 1,789,149 units and fell 11 cents to close at $1.79,Mailpac Group gained 5 cents to end at $3.85 with 761,818 stock units passing through the market. Main Event rose 9 cents to $3.24 with 6,300 shares changing hands, Paramount Trading rose 4 cents to $1.44 with a transfer of 2,004 units, Stationery and Office Supplies dropped 20 cents to $4.30 with 4,800 stocks traded and Tropical Battery closed 1 cent higher at $1.10 with 675,081 shares crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Rising Junior Market keeps climbing
Trading ending on Monday with a fair bit of sideward price movements and a moderate rise in the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market index, after more stocks advanced than declined with the trading of 53 percent more shares valued 46 percent more than those trading on Friday.
Market activity ended with 32 securities changing hands, down from 35 on Friday and closed with 14 stocks rising, 11 declining and seven closing unchanged.
At the close, the Junior Market Index advanced by 13.48 points to 2,763.14. The average PE Ratio ended at 14.4 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Traders exchanged 10,405,305 shares for $27,178,018 up from 6,817,196 units at $18,600,145 on Friday. Derrimon Trading led trading with 65.4 percent of total volume for 6.81 million shares followed by Mailpac Group with 15.6 percent for 1.62 million units and Jamaican Teas with 4.7 percent for 489,560 units changing hands.
Trading averaged 325,166 units at $849,313, in contrast to 194,777 at $531,433 on Friday. The month to date averaged 236,312 units at $553,877, compared to 230,823 units at $535,626 on Friday. 
December closed with an average of 263,428 units at $638,694.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close of trading, AMG Packaging rose 12 cents in closing at $1.62 trading 1,250 shares, Cargo Handlers gained 10 cents to finish at $8, with the swapping of 1,778 stock units, Caribbean Flavours lost 8 cents to end at $1.77, in exchanging 118,040 shares. Consolidated Bakeries shed 19 cents to close at $1.45, with 250 stocks changing hands, Dolphin Cove climbed $1.70 to $8.50 trading 1,424 stock units, Express Catering gained 5 cents to settle at $3.74, after an exchange of 1,250 units, Honey Bun rose 40 cents to $6, with 63,500 shares crossing the exchange. iCreate lost 6 cents to finish at 57 cents trading 75,000 stock units, Indies Pharma declined by 9 cents to $2.60, in an exchange of 5,106 units, Jamaican Teas gained 5 cents to close at record closing high of $2.94 and finishing with 489,560 stocks crossing the market. 
Knutsford Express shed 15 cents to close at $6.60, with the swapping of 3,055 shares, Lasco Financial rose 5 cents to $2.65 after investors swapped 41,352 stocks, Limners and Bards shed 5 cents in closing at $2.75 trading 102,847 shares, Lumber Depot lost 5 cents to end at $1.90, in switching ownership of 402,876 stocks. Mailpac Group closed 10 cents higher at $3.80 after trading 1,619,301 stock units and Main Event slipped 9 cents to $3.15, with 2,333 shares changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Lumber Depot weekly IC TOP10 winner
Lumber Depot is IC TOP10 best performing stock in the past week with the price surging to $2 from $1.46 at the end of the previous week to close at $1.95 on Friday with a 32 percent rise. Jamaican Teas was next moving from $2.48, scaling a number of record highs to close with a gain of 16.5 percent for the week with the price closing at $2.89 on Friday.
Lumber Depot is the JSE stock gaining the most in the past week.
Caribbean Cream is the other Junior Market stock to post good gains for the week, with the price closing at $4.95 from $4.70 at the end of the previous week.
The Junior Market is up 4 percent since the 2020 close, that may not appear to be much, but if the gains continue at this pace for the rest of the year, the market will gain 67 percent get to more than 4,400 points. The market is currently powered by a bullish golden cross, setting to take the market beyond 3,000 points. The release of December results will play a big role in the next few weeks that will add fuel to the current gains.
The Main Market continues to slip in January, but technical indicator points to it heading towards the 460,000 points level on the All Jamaica Composite Index, in months.
The current TOP 10 report is based on earnings for 2020/21 as there are substantial gains ahead, for many stocks in the listings.
This week’s focus: Tropical Battery released audited accounts that saw profit dropping well below the $73 million 
initially reported by the company to just $29 million with the stock selling off to a low of 95 cents but bounced a bit thereafter.
Increase in taxation, depreciation and finance cost, were the main reasons for the decline in profit. ICInsider.com projects 8 cents per share earnings for the current year.
The audited accounts state that 1.3 billion shares are issued by the company, but further on in the note on share capital, it reports that a resolution was passed to increase the share capital by subdividing 250,000 the then issued shares by 4,550, resulting in 1.130 billion shares, instead of 1.1375 billion units that were issued. The note also suggests that the company issued 325 million shares to the public but omits to state that a portion was sold on behalf of existing shareholders.
The top three stocks in the Junior Market with the potential to gain between 208 to 363 percent are Caribbean Producers followed by Elite Diagnostic and Lasco Financial. With expected gains of 124 to 331 percent, the top three Main Market stocks are, Berger Paints followed by Scotia Group and Carreras.
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 strong gains ahead. The JSE Main Market ended the week, with an overall PE of 17.1 and the Junior Market 15, based on ICInsider.com’s projected 2020-21 earnings. The PE ratio for the Junior Market Top 10 stocks average a mere 7.9 at just 53 percent of the market average. The Main Market TOP 10 stocks trade at a PE of 9.3 or 55 percent of the PE of that market.
The average projected gain for the Junior Market IC TOP 10 stocks is 174 percent and 127 percent for the JSE Main Market, based on 2020-21 earnings. IC TOP10 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.
45% gains for ICTOP15 stock
Robust gains for some stocks after less than a month of trading in 2021 have shaken up ICTOP 15 stocks forcing a number of them out or at the edge of moving out of the 2021 TOP list. Jamaican Teas now the lead stock for the year, dropped out of the Junior Market list this week, with a rise of 45 percent since the start of the year.
Jamaican Teas is the leading JSE stock for 2021 to date with a 45% increase in price.
This brings to two, stocks that have migrated from the Junior Market TOP15 so far. Jamaica Producers fell out of the Top 15 Main Market list with the price dropping to $19.81, from $21 but Margaritaville suffered a greater fall to replace it.
Jamaican Teas one of the top 15 stocks for 2021 scaled record highs this past week as more and more investors piled into the stock since the three for one stock split in November last year. The gain also follows the directors’ report for the September quarter results that stated “Subsequent to the year-end, overall sales increased by 47 percent in October 2020, with export sales increasing 85 percent and a 10 percent increase in domestic sales. We have good orders in hand for November and these developments, along with booking of more real estate sales, hopefully, improvement in the investment portfolio should result in a good first quarter for the financial year 2021.”
Mailpac was the first to drop out of the list and now has gains of 29 percent so far in 2021. Lumber Depot surged to $2.10 on Friday but closed at $1.95 from $1.46 last week and now sits at 15th spot on the Junior Market TOP15 for 2021, with a 25 percent gain for the year to date. Reports in the newspapers indicate bullish sales expectations from Caribbean Cement and rising prices for some construction inputs.
MailPac is the Junior Market second-best performing stock for 2021.
The news pushed investors to snap up Lumber Depot stock and drove the price much higher, since. QWI Investments is up 17 percent since the end of last year to trade at 90 cents with the net asset value rising since the latter part of last year to sit at $1.18 as gains in both local and overseas stocks continue to add to the value of the company’s portfolio. The stock is now at 14th spot on the Main Market list. A large number of shares were overhanging the market and pressuring the stock price. Once they were bought out, the supply has shrunken leaving room for the price to recover.
Caribbean Cream posted eleven percent growth in sales for the November quarter and eight percent for the nine months, with profit rising 96 percent for the nine months and a 37.5 percent increase for the third quarter. The stock is up 18 percent for the year at the close on Friday and remains at the seventh position on the 2021/22 TOP15 list.
With interest rates at low levels on government bonds and expected to remain low for a protracted period, investors are becoming more comfortable with PE of 20 times earnings or more, according to the TOP 15 rankings the above stocks still have room to gain over 90 percent from the current price for the rest of the year.
It pays to read ICInsider.com.
More gains to end the week – Friday
Ten days up and five days down, landed the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market with a rise of four percent for the year to date, with the Market Index squeezing out a modest gain of 11.47 points, to close at 2,749.66 on Friday after rising stocks outnumbered declining ones as investors exchanged 65 percent more shares than on Thursday.
The rally for the year to date is not broad-based. It is driven by a small number of stocks, primarily, Express Catering, FoshRich, Jamaican Teas, Mailpac, Lumber Depot, Caribbean Cream and Lasco Manufacturing.
For a second consecutive trading day, the market closed with 35 securities changing hands and closed with the prices of 17 stocks rising, nine declining and nine remaining unchanged.
The average PE Ratio ends at 14.2 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Traders exchanged 6,817,196 shares for $18,600,145, up from 4,133,453 units at $10,720,333 on Thursday.
Derrimon Trading led trading with 25.2 percent of total volume with a transfer of 1.72 million shares, followed by Lumber Depot with 20.2 percent after trading 1.37 million units and Mailpac Group with 14.2 percent with an exchange of 965,182 units.
Trading averaged 194,777 units at $531,433 in contrast to 118,099 at $306,295 on Thursday. The month to date, averaged 230,823 units at $535,626, compared to 233,435 units at $535,930 on Thursday. December closed with an average of 263,428 units at $638,694.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close of trading, AMG Packaging dropped 15 cents to $1.50 in an exchange of 277,657 shares, Blue Power fell 12 cents to $2.83 with 4,295 stocks changing hands, Cargo Handlers advanced 11 cents to $7.90 with 9,631 units passing through the market. Caribbean Cream climbed 26 cents to $4.96 trading 71,982 stock units, Caribbean Flavours gained 15 cents to end at $1.85 with an exchange of 50,586 stocks. Caribbean Producers advanced 20 cents to $2.81 with 27,200 shares changing hands, Dolphin Cove shed $1.70 to close at $6.80 with 42,009 units passing through the exchange, Elite Diagnostic gained 22 cents to settle at $2.94 with the trading of 15,629 stock units. Fontana gained 8 cents to finish at $5.78 with 56,669 stock units changing hands. Fosrich increased 5 cents to $4.50 with 111,304 stocks passing through the market, Jetcon Corporation fell 5 cents to 66 cents with 44,683 stocks changing hands, Lasco Financial rose 9 cents to $2.60 with 68,751 stock units passing through the market. 
Lasco Manufacturing climbed 39 cents to $4.11 with 44,773 shares traded, Limners and Bards advanced 19 cents to $2.80 with a transfer of 92,336 stocks, Paramount Trading increased by 14 cents to $1.44 with a transfer of 5,086 stock units and Stationery and Office Supplies advanced 15 cents to $4.50 with 87,147 shares passing through the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.