The junior market surged 81.31 points, pushing the market index over the 2,700 mark for the first time, to end at a record 2,705.63 points at the close on Monday, with 5 securities trading at the close, at new all-time highs.
At the close of trading on Monday the prices of 13 stocks rose, 3 declined with 21 securities trading, compared to 13 trading on Friday. Volume of stocks traded rose 48 percent, from Friday’s low level, ending with a still low volume of just 728,143 units, including one stock in the preference sector changing hands, valued at $4,409,716, up by 65 percent from $2,672,851 on Friday.
An average of 34,673 units with an average value of $209,986 traded, compared to 37,841 units with an average value of $205,604 on the preceding trading day. The average for the month to date is 63,141 units with an average value of $315,280 versus 70,258 units with an average value of $341,603 on Friday. The average for December is 131,147 units, at an average of $672,488.
Securities that had bids above their last selling prices numbered just 4 on Monday and one ended with a lower offer. Since the start of last week there were a number of securities closing with large gaps between bids and last sale prices, with the exception of Eppley that has a bid of $8.01, compared to a last sale of $4.90, they have all traded higher to wipe out the major differences.
At the close of trading, Access Financial Services gained $3 in trading 1,889 units to close at an all-time high of $25, AMG Packaging jumped $1.50 to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $28.50 with 399 units changing hands, Blue Power jumped $3.50 and closed at a 52 weeks’ high of $34.50 with 3,500 units traded. CAC 2000 traded 7,000 units at $5.25 after gaining 30 cents, Cargo Handlers climbed to a new high of $19.70 after gaining $1.10 with 2,235 shares trading, Caribbean Cream dropped 55 cents with 143,035 units being exchanged to end at $8, Caribbean Flavours added 60 cents while trading 1,000 shares to close at $11.80. C2W Music had 3,334 units changing hands to close with a loss of 1 cent at 34 cents, Consolidated Bakeries ended trading with 5,925 units changing hands at $2.15. Dolphin Cove closed at $15 with 555 shares changing hands, General Accident closed trading with 75,504 units at $3, Honey Bun had 17,127 shares changing hands to close at $5.95 after losing 10 cents, Iron Rock Insurance traded 1,110 units and gained 5 cents to end at $4.05. Jamaican Teas ended at $4.85 with 8,640 shares being exchanged with a rise of 60 cents,
Jetcon Corporation rose 43 cents, to close at a new all-time high of $6.50, with 26,649 shares being exchanged by investors, Lasco Distributors ended with 58,900 units trading with a gain of 20 cents to close at $7.21, Lasco Financial rose 29 cents and closed with 10,912 shares changing hands at $3.94. Lasco Manufacturing rose 24 cents to end at $5.04, with 40,149 units trading, Medical Disposables traded 10,000, shares with a rise of 25 cents to close at $4.45, Paramount Trading ended with 26,700 shares changing hands at $3 and Eppley 8.25% preference share, ended with 283,500 units changing hands at $6.
Junior market climbs to highest ever
Blue Power rose $1 to close at a new all-time high of $31.
At the close, a large number of securities, 13, ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and none ending with lower offers. Some of the securities with bids higher than their last selling prices have no offer and may not trade. At the close, the securities closing with large gaps between bids and last sale prices, include Access Financial with the $24.01 versus the last sale of $22, with no stocks on offer. Cargo Handlers had a bid at $19.11 with the last trade at $18.60 and an offer at $19.70 and Eppley that ended with a bid of $8.01, compared to a last sale of $4.90.
The prices of 9 stocks rose, 3 declined with 13 securities trading, compared to 16 trading on Thursday. Volume of stocks traded fell 37 percent, from Thursday’s low level, ending with just 491.934 units changing hands, valued at $2,672,851, down by 32 percent from $3,954,032 on Thursday.An average of 37,841 units with an average value of $205,604 traded, compared to 49,187 units with an average value of $247,127 on the preceding trading day. The average for the month to date is, 70,258 units with an average value of $$341,603 versus 81,063 units with an average value of $386,936 on Thursday. The average for December is 131,147 units, at an average of $672,488.
At the close of trading, Blue Power jumped $1 and closed at a 52 weeks’ high of $31 with 10,979 units traded, Caribbean Cream jumped $1.15 with 21,100 units being exchanged to end at $8.55. Caribbean Flavours lost 80 cents while trading 2,900 shares to close at $11.20, Caribbean Producers gained 50 cents in trading 2,000 units at $3.75. Derrimon Trading gained 5 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $5.80 with 10,000 shares changing hands, General Accident rose 1 cent and closed trading with 3,200 units at $3,
Jamaican Teas ended at $4.25 with 54,784 shares being exchanged. Jetcon Corporation gained 6 cents, to close at a new all-time high of $6.07, with 141,959 shares being exchanged by investors, KLE Group climbed 30 cents and closed with 76,000 shares trading at $2.20, Knutsford Express traded just 200 shares and gained 50 cents in closing at $23. Lasco Distributors ended with 21,000 units trading with a loss of 9 cents to close at $7.01, Lasco Financial rose 15 cents and closed with 50,362 shares changing hands, at $3.65 and Lasco Manufacturing fell 20 cents to end at $4.80, with 97,450 units trading.
Junior market first close above 2,600
The junior market pushed pass the 2,600 points mark at the close for the first time. The market index rose 33.35 points to end at 2,618.81 on much less volume than on Wednesday. Indication at the close, suggests that Friday could be explosive for the stocks in this market, with a large number of securities numbering 14,closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and none ending with lower offers.
Some of the securities with bids higher than their last selling prices have no offer and may not trade. At the close, the securities closing with large gaps between bids and last sale prices, include Access Financial with the $24.01 versus the last sale of $22, with no stocks on offer. Cargo Handlers had a bid at $19.10 with the last trade at $18.60 and an offer at $25.10. Eppley’s bid closed $8.01, compared to a last sale of $4.90 and Knutsford Express traded last at $22.50 and ended with the bid at $23 and an offer at $32.50.
The prices of 7 stocks rose, 5 declined with 16 securities trading, compared to 12 trading on Wednesday. Volume of stocks traded fell 71 percent, from Wednesday’s low level, ending with 786,999 units changing hands, valued at $3,954,032, down by 69 percent from $12,580,140 on Wednesday.
An average of 49,187 units with an average value of $247,127 traded, compared to 169,435 units with an average value of $786,259 on the preceding trading day. The average for the month to date is 81,063 units with an average value of $386,936 versus 97,001 units with an average value of $456,841 on Wednesday. The average for December is 131,147 units, at an average of $672,488.
At the close of trading, AMG Packaging jumped $2.49 and closed at $27 with 2,115 units traded, Cargo Handlers closed at $18.60 with 4,900 units changing hands, Caribbean Cream lost 60 cents with 4,500 units being exchanged to end at $7.50. Caribbean Flavours recovered the 75 cents it lost on Wednesday while trading 1,621 shares to close at $12, Caribbean Producers fell 5 cents in trading 29,490 units at $3.25, Consolidated Bakeries lost 20 cents in trading 79,180 shares to close at $2.15. Derrimon Trading gained 25 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $5.75 with 154,000 shares changing hands, General Accident lost 1 cent and closed trading with 19,318 units at $2.99. 
Honey Bun had 31,416 shares changing hands to close at $6.05 after rising 55 cents. Jamaican Teas ended at $4.25 with 6,778 shares being exchanged. Jetcon Corporation fell 4 cents, to close at $6.01, with 112,099 shares, Key Insurance climbed 20 cents and closed with 54,033 shares trading at $3, after trading at an intraday all-time high of $3.20, Lasco Distributors ended with 84,557 units trading with a rise of 60 cents to $7.10. Lasco Financial closed with 47,322 shares changing hands, to end at $3.50 and Lasco Manufacturing gained 15 cents and ended at $5, with 1467,670 units trading.
820% jump in junior market trades – Wednesday
Jetcon closed at a new high on Wednesday.
The prices of 7 stocks rose, 5 declined with 16 securities trading, compared to 12 trading on Tuesday. Volume of stocks traded jumped 820 percent on Wednesday, from Tuesday’s low level, ending with 2,710,965 units changing hands, valued at $12,580,140, up 723 percent from $1,529,067 on Tuesday.
Market activities ended with 5 securities closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 ending with lower offers. At the close, Access Financial ended with a bid of $25 versus the last sale of $22, AMG Packaging bid is at $27.05 with and last traded at $24.51, Eppley bid is $8.50 compared to a last sale of $4.90, these stocks have no stock being offered for sale for some time.
An average of 169,435 units with an average value of $786,259 traded, compared to 24,567 units with an average value of $127,422 on the preceding trading day. The average for the month to date is 97,001 units with an average value of $456,841. The average for December is 131,147 units, at an average of $672,488.At the close of trading, Cargo Handlers closed at $18.60 with 3,121 units changing hands, Caribbean Cream gained 70 cents with 6,000 units being exchanged to end at $7.30. Caribbean Flavours fell 75 cent while trading 13,000 shares to close at $11.25, Consolidated Bakeries rose 9 cents in trading 15,000 shares to close at $2.35, Derrimon Trading ended at $5.50 with 176,694 shares changing hands, after rising by 40 cents, General Accident gained 20 cents and closed trading with 1,000 units at $3, Honey Bun had 17,005 shares changing hands to close at $5.50 after falling 18 cents. Iron Rock Insurance traded 31,614 shares to end at $4, Jamaican Teas ended at $4.25 with 102,572 shares being exchanged.
Jetcon Corporation gained 5 cents, to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $6.05, with 22,222 shares, KLE Group lost 5 cents and closed with 3,100 shares trading at $1.90, Knutsford Express traded 8,321 shares and gained $2.50 in closing at $22.50, Lasco Distributors ended with 36,725 units trading with a fall of 51 cents to $6.50. Lasco Financial rose 31 cents with 1,386,210 shares changing hands, to end at $3.50, Lasco Manufacturing fell 5 cents and ended at $4.85, after 67,645 units switched hands and Eppley 8.25% preference share traded 820,736 units at $6.
Juniors slip first trading day for 2017
The junior market index slipped at the close on the first trading day of the new year on very moderate volume. At the end of trading the market index declined by 12.29 points to end at 2,581.42.
At the close, the prices of 2 stocks rose, 5 declined with 12 securities trading, compared to 16 trading on Friday. Volume of stocks traded dropped on Friday by 82 percent, from Friday’s level, ending with 294,809 units changing hands, valued at $1,529,067, down by 82 percent from $8,675,126 on Friday.
Market activities ended with 5 securities closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and one ending with a lower offer.
An average of 24,567 units with an average value of $127,422 traded, compared to 102,038 units with an average value of $542,195 on the preceding trading day. The average for December is 131,147 units, at an average of $672,488.
At the close of trading, Cargo Handlers closed at $18.50 with 1,379 units changing hands, Caribbean Cream had 19,700 units exchanged for 20 cents less than on Friday to end at $7.30. Caribbean Producers traded 45,331 shares to close at $3.30, Honey Bun had 2,735 shares changing hands to close at $5.68 after falling 17 cents. Iron Rock Insurance climbed 40 cents in trading 564,394 shares to end at $4,
Jamaican Teas lost 60 cents to end at $4.25 with 2,500 shares being exchanged. Key Insurance gained 20 cents to end at $2.80 with 55,524 units changing hands, KLE Group closed with 7,000 shares trading at $1.95. Lasco Distributors ended with 96,756 units trading with a fall of 4 cents to $7.01, Lasco Financial rose 8 cents with 6,294 shares changing hands, to end at $3.19, Lasco Manufacturing fell 10 cents and ended at $4.90, after 20,440 units switched hands, tTech traded 20,150 units at $5.30 and Eppley 9.5% preference share traded 17,000 units at $6.18.
Junior market gains 45% for 2016
Blue Power closed at a new high of $30 on Friday.
At the close, the prices of 10 stocks rose, 3 declined with 16 securities trading, compared to 15 trading on Friday. Volume of stocks traded rose on Friday by 73 percent, from Friday’s level, ending with 1,632,612 units changing hands, valued at $8,675,126, up by 54 percent from $5,642,777 on Friday.
Market activities ended with 8 securities closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and none ending with a lower offer.
The year ended with thirteen stocks gaining more than the market average, including 3 gaining 325 percent or more,
2 more than 200 percent and 4 more than 100 percent.An average of 102,038 units with an average value of $542,195 traded, compared to 62,924 units with an average value of $376,185 on the preceding trading day. The average for December to date is 131,147 units, at an average of $672,488. The average for December to Thursday is 132,679 units, at an average of $679,346. November ended with an average of 109,679 units with an average value of $607,092.
At the close of trading, Blue Power jumped $3 to a new high of $30 with 10,000 shares changing hands, CAC 2000 gained 45 cents in trading 84,018 shares to close at $4.95, Cargo Handlers rose 50 cents to close at $18.50 with 7,986 units changing hands, Caribbean Cream had 33,000 units exchanged with a rise of 20 cents to end at $7.50. Caribbean Producers lost 20 cents in trading 430,299 shares to close at $3.30, Derrimon Trading ended at 52 weeks’ high of $5.50 with 126,306 shares changing hands, after rising by 10 cents, General Accident lost 20 cents with 23,682 units changing hands to close at $2.80.
Honey Bun had 13,936 shares changing hands to close at $5.85 after gaining 5 cents. Iron Rock Insurance climbed 40 cents in trading 564,394 shares to end at $4, Jamaican Teas gained 60 cents to end at $4.85 with 12,000 shares being exchanged. Jetcon Corporation closed at $6 with 42,800 shares trading, KLE Group recovered 3 cents and closed with 27,000 shares trading at $1.95, Knutsford Express rose 1 cent in trading 94,857 shares at $20. Lasco Distributors ended with 63,388 units trading with a fall of 10 cents to $7.05, Lasco Manufacturing ended at $5, after 12,795 units switched hands and Paramount Trading exchanged 86,151 units at $3.
Juniors close at new record – Wednesday
New high for Cargo Handlers on Wednesday.
At the close, the prices of 3 stocks rose, 4 declined with 16 securities trading, compared to 18 trading on Tuesday. Volume of stocks traded fell on Wednesday by 93 percent, from Tuesday’s level, ending with 332,445 units changing hands, valued at $1,568,652, down 95 percent from $32,819,600 on Tuesday.
Market activities ended with 7 securities closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and just 3 ending with lower offers.
An average of 20,778 units with an average value of $98,041 units traded, compared to 264,003 units with an average value of $1,823,311 on the preceding trading day.
The average for December to date is 138,249 units, at an average of $693,637. The average for December to Tuesday is 146,640 units, at an average of $736,180. November ended with an average of 109,679 units with an average value of $607,092.AMG Packaging jumped $3.01 to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $24.51 with 500 units changing hands, Blue Power climbed $1.70 in trading 1,000 shares to end at $25, Caribbean Cream closed with 29,189 shares changing hands to end at $8. Caribbean Flavours lost 50 cents with 19,950 units changing hands. Caribbean Producers traded 16,520 units at $3.50, C2W Music had 7,546 units changing hands to close at 35 cents, Derrimon Trading ended at $3.70 with 9,000 shares changing hands, Dolphin Cove exchanged 100 shares and closed at $15, Honey Bun had 17,850 shares changing hands to close at $6.05 after gaining 5 cents.
Iron Rock Insurance traded 65,544 shares at $3.60, Key Insurance closed trading with 30,346 units, to end at $2.60 after shedding 40 cents. Lasco Distributors lost 20 cents to end trading with 20,717 shares at $6.50. Lasco Financial ended with 40,000 shares changing hands, for a loss of 5 cents to $3.30, Lasco Manufacturing ended at $4.98 after 10,750 units switched hands, Medical Disposables had 17,334 units changing hands, to close at $4.20 and Paramount Trading ended with 46,099 shares being exchnaged to close at $3.
Juniors jump to new record close– Monday
Prices on the junior market mostly rose on Monday, and pushed the market index up by a strong 43.35 points to end at record close of 2,523.96, on increased trading activity from Friday’s levels, to be up a strong 41 percent for the year to date.
At the close, the prices of 9 stocks rose, 2 declined with just 17 securities trading, compared to 9 trading on Friday. The volume of stocks traded jumped on Monday by 71 percent, from Friday’s level, ending with 5,515,300 units changing hands, valued at $26,556,207, up 61 percent from $16,494,089 on Friday.
Market activities ended with 7 securities closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and just 5 ending with lower offers.
An average of 324,429 units with an average value of $1,562,130 units traded, compared to 357,770 units with an average value of $1,832,677 on the preceding trading day. The average for December to date is 137,612 units, at an average of $652,554. 
The average for December to Friday is 122,044 units, at an average of $576,756. November ended with an average of 109,679 units with an average value of $607,092.
Cargo Handlers climbed $2.99 to hit a new high of $16, with only 870 shares changing hands, Caribbean Cream closed with 7,297 shares changing hands and gained 25 cents to $8.20, Caribbean Flavours rose $2 to trade at a 52 weeks’ high of $13 with 5,000 units changing hands. Derrimon Trading exchanged 19,325 shares and closed at $3.70, after rising 15 cents, Honey Bun had 9,313 shares changing hands to close at $6.19 after gaining 19 cents. Iron Rock Insurance traded 516,500 shares at $4.65, Jamaican Teas ended at $4.25 with 8,350 shares being exchanged, Jetcon Corporation closed trading with 26,416 units, to end at $5.89, KLE Group ended at $1.95 with 1,355 shares changing hands, 
Knutsford Express traded just 200 shares but the price slipped 1 cent to $19.99. Lasco Distributors had 47,247 shares trading and rose 15 cents to close at $6.55. Lasco Financial ended with 200,502 shares changing hands for 5 cents more to $3.30, Lasco Manufacturing ended at $5 with a fall of 5 cents after 4,501,100 units switch hands, up from 2,898,885 shares changed hands, on Friday. Paramount Trading had 166,512 units changing hands to close at $3, Sweet River traded 3,300 shares with a rise of 3 cents to close at $3.85, tTech traded 513 shares but rose 25 cents to $5.25 and Eppley 9.5% preference share traded 1,500 units at $6.18.
Five for one stock split for AMG
AMG Packaging to split stock by 5.
The move by AMG continues a trend that has been seen since Lasco companies split their stocks 10 units for each one issued in 2013, continuing with Jamaican Teas early in 2016 and a string of others since, which have all helped in increasing the value of the shares. Investors are betting that the same will happen here as they responded to the announcement on Thursday, driving the price up by $3 in exchanging 7,999 shares at $21.50. The announcement confirms an earlier report by IC Insiders’ that the company was set to split the stock.
For investors to benefit fully from a rising stock price, the company will need to improve on its 2016 results of $83 million or 81 cents per share, with the start-up of the tissue operation, dragging profits down by $41 million as a result of start-up and operating cost and sales of tissue paper of only $2.3 million.
If approved at the Annual General Meeting, the issued capital of the company will move from 102,378,857 shares to 511,894,285 with the authorised capital jumping from 140,000,000 shares to 700,000,000. The split is to allow for greater liquidity in the shares as the stock has been trading infrequently.
The 2016 results saw a major improvement in cost of sales which fell from $483 million to $451 million and includes cost of inventories expensed of $320 million and $380 million in 2015. The cost of inventories recognized as an expense includes $33 million and in 2015, $54 million in respect of write -downs of inventories to net realisable value.
Record close for junior stocks – Thursday
The junior market surged sharply on Thursday, by 79.65 points end at a record closing high of 2,505.83, to be up a strong 40 percent, for the year to date, on increased trading activity from Wednesday’s levels.
At the close, the prices of 10 stocks rose and 3 declined with 19 securities trading, compared to 13 trading on Wednesday. The volume of stocks traded jumped on Thursday by 365 percent, from Wednesday’s level, ending with 1,222,548 units changing hands, valued at $5,774,823, up 368 percent from $1,233,984 on Wednesday.
Market activities ended with 9 securities closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and just 5 ending with lower offers.
An average of 20,207 units with an average value of $94,922 units with an average value of $303,938 traded, compared to 20,207 units with an average value of $94,922 on the preceding trading day. The average for December to date is 100,614 units, at an average of $462,581. The average for December to Wednesday is 104,241 units, at an average of $478,446. November ended with an average of 109,679 units with an average value of $607,092.
In trading activity, AMG Packaging jumped $3 in exchanging 7,999 shares at $21.50 as investors responded to an announcement by the company, of an approval by the Directors, for each ordinary share of the company be subdivided into five units. If approved at the Annual General Meeting to be held in January, the issued capital of the company will move from 102,378,857 shares to 511,894,285.
Caribbean Producers closed with 68,285 shares changing hands at $3.20, Consolidated Bakeries rose 16 cents in trading 60,000 shares to close at $1.85, C2W Music inched up 5 cents with 2,000 units changing hands to close at 35 cents, Derrimon Trading exchanged 5,000 shares and closed at $3.70. Dolphin Cove with 200 units changing hands closed at $15. General Accident traded 16,492 shares but fell 15 cents to close at $3, Honey Bun had 12,300 shares changing hands to close at $6 after rising 40 cents. Iron Rock Insurance traded 1,000 shares at $4.15, Jamaican Teas gained 14 cents to end at $4.25 with 16,000 shares.
Jetcon Corporation closed trading with 2,290 units, with a loss of 1 cent to end at $5.88, Key Insurance traded 4,193 units to close at $3, KLE Group ended at $1.95 with 500 shares changing hands after rising by 10 cents, Lasco Distributors had 10,000 shares trading with a rise of 30 cents to close at $6.80. Lasco Financial ended with 15,000 shares changing hands at $3.25, Lasco Manufacturing ended at $4.99 with a rise of 29 cents after 964,839 shares changed hands, Medical Disposables traded 700, shares with a rise of 50 cents to close at $4.20. Paramount Trading lost 20 cents with 34,283 units changing hands to close at $3 and Eppley 10% preference share traded 667 units with a rise of 65 cents to a new high of $6.75.