The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed higher on Thursday, as the number of stocks rising and falling held even after 56 percent fewer shares changed hands than on Wednesday.
Trading concluded with 33 securities changing hands compared to 23 on Wednesday and ended, with the prices of 10 stocks rising, the prices of 10 declining and 13 with prices remaining unchanged.
At the close, the Junior Market Index gained 11.7 points to settle at 2,534.12. The average PE Ratio of the market ended at 10.9 based on IC Insider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with an exchange of 1,700,358 shares for $4,040,852 compared to 3,872,328 units at $9,887,155 on Wednesday. Mailpac Group led trading with 54.8 percent of the total volume, accounting for 931,763 shares, followed by Fontana with 10.7 percent for 182,377 units and Lumber Depot with 160,000 units, 9.4 percent market share.
Trading ended with an average of 51,526 units at $122,450 in contrast to 168,362 at $429,876 on Wednesday.
For the month to date, the average trade resulted in an exchange of 107,083 units at $232,850 compared to 110,542 units at $239,724 on Wednesday. Trading in August resulted in an average of 104,414 units at $321,996.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Access Financial lost $2.98 to finish at $22 with an exchange of 1,202 shares, Blue Power declined 16 cents to $3.15 with 3,397 stocks traded, Cargo Handlers fell 5 cents to settle at $7.95 with investors transferring just eight units. Caribbean Assurance Brokers closed 1 cent higher at $1.91 with 100 stocks changing hands, Caribbean Cream climbed 48 cents to finish at $4.34 with investors switching ownership of a mere 100 shares, Derrimon Trading dropped 10 cents to settle at $2.75 with an exchange of 20,209 shares. Elite Diagnostic lost 18 cents to end at $3.02 with 34,813 stocks passing through the market, Fontana rose 7 cents to close at $4.79 with 182,377 units changing hands, Fosrich shed 35 cents to $3.60 with 37,316 units traded. 
GWest Corporation slipped 2 cents to 95 cents with investors transferring 95 shares, iCreate gained 7 cents to finish at 75 cents with an exchange of 49,925 shares, ISP Finance climbed $3 to end at $15 with a mere 1 unit passing through the market. Jamaican Teas declined by 12 cents to settle at $4.27 with 5,525 stocks traded, Jetcon Corporation rose 7 cents to close at 93 cents with a transfer of 84,354 stock units, Lasco Manufacturing gained 10 cents to finish at $3.60 with 100 shares changing hands. Limners and Bards fell 6 cents to $2.69 with 85,599 units traded, Lumber Depot increased by 2 cents and exchanged 160,000 shares to settle at $1.09, Paramount Trading advanced 29 cents to end at $1.70 with investors trading 100 stocks and SSL Venture slipped 1 cent to 74 cents with 100 shares crossing the exchange.
In the preference segment, Derrimon Trading advanced 5 cents to close at $2.05, with 2,165 shares changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
Indies Pharma advanced 6 cents and traded 5,890 shares to settle at $2.83, Jamaican Teas closed 4 cents higher at $4.39 with 200,526 units traded, Jetcon Corporation climbed 3 cents to finish at 86 cents with 70,005 shares passing through the market. Limners and Bards gained 24 cents to end at $2.75 with investors switching ownership of 110,360 units, Lumber Depot exchanged 1,001,000 stock units and lost 3 cents to settle at $1.07, Mailpac Group fell 4 cents to $2.05 with 1,039,938 shares changing hands. Medical Disposables climbed 15 cents to close at $5 with a mere 5 units traded and Stationery and Office Supplies jumped 59 cents to finish at $5.60 with 299 shares crossing the exchange.
Trading concluded with 34 securities changing hands compared to 32 on Monday and ended with 14 stocks rising, the prices of 12 declining and eight stock prices remaining unchanged.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
Indies Pharma lost 6 cents to end at $2.77 with 9,596 stocks changing hands, Iron Rock Insurance declined 5 cents to close at $3.05 with 10,166 stock units traded, Jamaican Teas climbed 10 cents to end at $4.35 with investors switching ownership of 66,650 stock units. Jetcon Corporation slid 3 cents to 83 cents with 82,906 units passing through the market, Lasco Distributors dropped 10 cents to close at $3 in an exchange of 816 stock units, Lasco Financial rose 5 cents to finish at $2.13 with 28,738 stocks traded. Lasco Manufacturing slipped 2 cents to $3.50 with investors transferring 26,989 units, Limners and Bards shed 18 cents to end at $2.51 with 114,036 units passing through the market, Lumber Depot increased by 6 cents to finish at $1.10 with 5,514,662 stock units changing hands. Mailpac Group gained 4 cents to settle at $2.09 in an exchange of 446,478 stocks, Main Event lost 1 cent to close at $3.37 with investors switching ownership of 3,954 units, Medical Disposables climbed 30 cents to finish at $4.85 with 97 stock units changing hands. Stationery and Office Supplies rose 1 cent to end at $5.01 after trading 11,102 stock units and tTech advanced 20 cents to end at $6 with a mere seven stocks crossing the exchange.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows three stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
Indies Pharma slipped 1 cent to $2.83, in transferring 4,895 shares, Iron Rock Insurance closed at $3.10, after gaining 10 cents with 13,319 stock units crossing the market, Jamaican Teas lost 30 cents to settle at $4.25, with 37,304 shares changing hands. Lasco Distributors rose 10 cents to end at $3.10, in an exchange of 42,982 shares, Lasco Financial lost 2 cents to close at $2.08, with 59,055 shares clearing the market, Limners and Bards gained 12 cents to close at $2.69 after investors switched the ownership of 60,313 shares. Lumber Depot shed 5 cents to end at $1.04 with 824,663 shares crossing the market, Mailpac Group dipped 3 cents to $2.05, with 742,481 shares changing hands, Medical Disposables dropped 59 cents to settle at $4.55, in transferring 11,448 stock units. Paramount Trading gained 11 cents to close at $1.41, with investors swapping 1,000 units, SSL Venture rose 5 cents to 75 cents in trading 2,459 units and Stationery and Office Supplies fell 58 cents to $5 in exchanging 13,215 stock units.
The focus on all three is on the 2021 fiscal year results projected to show recovery from the 2020 financial year final numbers. The top three Main Market stocks, with expected gains of 204 to 228 percent, are Radio Jamaica, followed by Berger Paints, with the price rising 7 percent during the week and JMMB Group.
The targeted average PE ratio of the market is 20 based on the profits of companies reporting full year’s results, from now to the second quarter in 2021. Both the Junior and Main markets are currently trading well below this level, indicating the potential gains ahead. The JSE Main Market ended the week, with an overall PE of 15.3 and the Junior Market 11, based on IC Insider.com’s projected 2020-21 earnings. The average PE ratio of the Junior Market has been slowly rising, with better profit opportunities than the Main Market and narrowing the gap. The PE ratio for the Junior Market Top 10 stocks average a mere six at just 55 percent to the average of the overall Junior Market. The Main Market TOP 10 stocks trade at a PE of 8.2 or 54 percent of the PE of the overall market.
The average projected gain for the Junior Market IC TOP 10 stocks is 280 percent, and 151 percent for the JSE Main Market, based on 2020-21 earnings, indicates potentially more significant gains in the Junior Market than in the Main Market.
Trading resulted in the same number of securities on Thursday and Friday changing hands with 31 each day and closed with the prices of 13 stocks rising, 11 declining and seven remaining unchanged.
Iron Rock Insurance gained 12 cents to settle at $3, with an exchange of 6,681 units, ISP Finance dropped $3 to $12 with 100 shares clearing the market, Knutsford Express gained 5 cents to close at $6.90 with an exchange of 4,334 stock units. Lasco Distributors lost 7 cents, finishing at $3, exchanging 48,120 shares, Lasco Manufacturing shed 13 cents to settle at $3.52, in trading 49,975 stocks, Limners and Bards fell by 13 cents to end at $2.57, in exchanging 43,120 shares. Lumber Depot gained 5 cents to close at $1.09, in finishing with a transfer of 2,495,326 stock units, Mailpac Group rose 2 cents to settle at $2.08 trading 223,047 shares and Stationery and Office Supplies lost 2 cents in closing at $5.58, with investors switching ownership of 10 stocks.
Trading ended with 31 securities changing hands compared to 29 on Wednesday and ended with the prices of 17 stocks rising, the prices of 10 stocks declining and four, with remaining unchanged.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
Honey Bun gained 38 cents to settle at $5.09 with 200 shares changing hands, Jamaican Teas advanced 50 cents to close at $4.55 while exchanging 192 stocks, Knutsford Express lost 5 cents to finish at $6.85 with 1,100 stocks traded. Lasco Distributors increased 7 cents to end at $3.07 with 2,862 stock units passing through the market, Lasco Financial slipped 3 cents to $2.10 with investors transferring 22,581 shares Lasco Manufacturing advanced 12 cents to close at $3.65 with 123,555 stocks changing hands. Limners and Bards lost 17 cents to finish at $2.70 with an exchange of 7,432 stock units, Lumber Depot declined by 5 cents to settle at $1.04 with investors switching ownership 0f 58,541 shares, Mailpac Group traded 510,609 stock units and rose 1 cent to end at $2.06. Medical Disposables climbed 15 cents to $5.14 in an exchange of 50,000 shares, Stationery and Office Supplies climbed 2 cents to finish at $5.60 with investors transferring 1,200 stock units and tTech gained 5 cents to settle at $5.80 with 123 stocks crossing the exchange.
At the close of the market, Access Financial gained 7 cents to end at $21.58 in an exchange of 200 shares, Blue Power shed 31 cents to settle at $3.04 with 1,000 stock units traded, Caribbean Assurance Brokers declined by 14 cents to finish at $1.91 with 44,013 units changing hands. Caribbean Flavours fell 70 cents to close at $17.60 with investors transferring 28,500 shares, Caribbean Producers rose 4 cents to end at $2.35 with 7,015 stocks passing through the market, Derrimon Trading advanced 34 cents to finish at $2.90 in an exchange of 84,733 stocks. Elite Diagnostic lost 3 cents to close at $3.25, with investors switching ownership of 450 stocks, Express Catering climbed 35 cents to settle at $4.35 with 357,000 stock units traded, Fontana advanced 5 cents to end at $4.75 with 22,975 shares passing through the market. Fosrich dropped 35 cents to finish at $3.60 with 14,243 units changing hands, General Accident shed $1 to close at $6.30 in an exchange of 60,500 stocks, Honey Bun declined by 39 cents to settle at $4.71 with investors switching ownership of 2,153 stocks iCreate finished 2 cents lower at 68 cents with an exchange of 17,460 stock units, Indies Pharma fell 5 cents to end at $2.75 with 1,000 stock units passing through the market, Jamaican Teas declined by 55 cents, trading 210,090 units to close at $4.05. 
Jetcon Corporation gained 1 cent to settle at 86 cents with an exchange of 1,100 stocks, Lasco Financial rose 2 cents to end at $2.13 with 2,320 stocks changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing lost 17 cents to close at $3.53 with investors switching ownership of 21,700 shares. Limners and Bards climbed 22 cents to finish at $2.87 with 37,700 stock units passing through the market, Mailpac Group declined by 4 cents to end at $2.05 in an exchange of 169,935 shares, Main Event slipped 1 cent to $3.38 with investors transferring 884 stock units. Medical Disposables advanced 19 cents to close at $4.99 with 2,185 stocks passing through the market, SSL Venture fell 5 cents to settle at 70 cents with 10,000 stocks changing hands and Stationery and Office Supplies declined by 2 cents to finish at $5.58 with 1,000 shares crossing the exchange.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows four stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
Honey Bun gained 39 cents to end at $5.10, with 4,000 units crossing the exchange, Indies Pharma closed at $2.80, after gaining 18 cents in transferring 1,778 units. Iron Rock Insurance gained of 3 cents to close at $2.88, after 7,808 units crossed the market, Jamaican Teas shed 9 cents in closing at $4.60, after an exchange of 80,819 shares, Lasco Distributors lost 5 cents to end at $3, with 64,640 stock units changing hands. Lasco Financial lost 1 cent to settle at $2.11 and crossing the exchange with 75,065 stocks, Lasco Manufacturing was down 9 cents to $3.70 trading 524 units, Limners and Bards rose 17 cents to $2.65, in transferring 214,286 stock units. Lumber Depot lost 1 cent to close at $1.09, clearing the market with 3,062,441 shares, MailPac Group finished 9 cents higher at $2.09 after exchanging 99,853 stocks, Medical Disposables rose 9 cents to $4.80, with 20,170 stock units changing hands. Paramount Trading shed 20 cents in closing at a 52 weeks’ low of $1.30 after crossing the exchange with 50,157 stock units, SSL Venture gained 5 cents to end at 75 cents, with investors swapping 1,106 units and Stationery and Office Supplies settled at $5.60, with gains of 40 cents exchanging 153,622 shares.
Retail loan grew 5 percent year over year, driven by strong mortgage growth of 16 percent. Total revenues, excluding expected credit losses for the nine months, ended July at $32.1 billion, a reduction of $1.7 billion or 5.1 percent, compared to 2019. For the July 2020 quarter, gross revenues fell from $12.4 billion to $11 billion, with non-interest income contributing $1.1 billion to the decline. Administrative and other expenses were essentially flat at $5.8 billion year over year, a $2 billion increase in provision for expected loan loss helped push profit down in the quarter, to $1.55 billion from $4.2 billion in 2019. Notably, while loans amounting to $221 billion at the end of July grew 12 percent year over year, loans declined modestly from $223 billion at the end of April, the result of the increased credit loss provisioning.
The targeted average PE ratio of the market is 20 based on the profits of companies reporting full year’s results, from now to the second quarter in 2021. Both the Junior and Main markets are currently trading well below this level, an indication of the potential gains ahead. The JSE Main Market ended the week, with an overall PE of 15.1 and the Junior Market 10.9, based on IC Insider.com’s projected 2020-21 earnings. The average PE ratio of the Junior Market has been slowly rising, with better profit opportunities than the Main Market and narrowing the gap. The PE ratio for the Junior Market Top 10 stocks average a mere 6 at just 55 percent to the average of the overall Junior Market. The Main Market TOP 10 stocks trade at a PE of 8.2 or 54 percent of the PE of the overall market.
The average projected gain for the Junior Market IC TOP 10 stocks is 279 percent, and 153 percent for the JSE Main Market, based on 2020-21 earnings, an indication of potentially, greater gains in the Junior Market than in the Main Market.