Trading levels climbed from Monday’s low level at 10:45 am with several stocks trading over 50,000 units with JJMB Group trading nearly 3 million units.
Stocks trading at a new 52 weeks’ high are Cargo Handlers at $72.02, ISP Finance Services at $5.22. Other noticeable trades include Cable & Wireless with 105,961 units at $1.15, Caribbean Producers with 50,000 units at $3.20, Honey Bun traded 75,372 shares at $5.53, JMMB Group traded 2,537,927 units at $9.87, JMMB Group 7.50% preference share traded 87,835 units at $1.10, Jetcon Corporation with 48,827 units at $3, Lasco Distributors with 217,361 shares at $6.55, Lasco Manufacturing with 665,561 units at $5, Sagicor Group had 170,700 units at $21.50.
The market indices all fell in the main and junior markets, with 11 stocks gaining versus 11 that fell.
At 10:45 am 34 securities traded, resulting in a volume of 4,210,256 shares changing hands. The average number of shares traded amounts to 123,831 units compared to 43,230 units on Monday.
The all Jamaica Composite Index dropped 703.50 points to 177,756.10, the Jamaica Stock Exchange Market Index fell 629.05 points to 159,987.33, the Jamaica Stock Exchange combined index climbed 256.95 points to close at 171,363.46 points and the junior market index gained 81.91 points to 2,238.13.
Juniors regain Monday’s losses
Juniors dropped sharply – Monday
The two big Lasco companies hit the junior market index hard on Monday.
Stocks trading at new highs are Blue Power, Cargo Handlers and Paramount Trading. At the end of trading 6 stocks closed with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 ended with lower offers.
At the close, Blue Power rose by 50 cents, to close with 765 units changing hands at an all-time high of $17, CAC 2000 traded 5,000 shares but fell 40 cents, to close at $6, Cargo Handlers jumped $4 and ended with 1,500 shares changing hands, at an all-time high of $72. Caribbean Cream lost 25 cents with 2,500 shares changing hands, to close at $7.05, Caribbean Producers fell 2 cents, in trading 11,065 units at $3.43, Consolidated Bakeries traded 26,500 units, to end at $2.55, General Accident had 88,928 shares changing hands to close 8 cents lower, at $2. Honey Bun had 115,709 shares changing hands with a loss of 17 cents, to close at $5.53, Iron Rock Insurance traded 4,768 units and fell 2 cents to close at $3.28, ISP Financial Services had 800 shares changing hands with a loss of 15 cents to end at $5. 
Jetcon Corporation traded 37,411 shares at $2.69, Key Insurance traded 75,413 units to close at $2.50, Knutsford Express closed with 19,324 units changing hands at $20 after rising by 75 cents. Lasco Distributors ended with a loss of 20 cents while 646,920 shares changed hands at $7, Lasco Financial traded 155,762 units and gained 4 cents to close at $3.30, Lasco Manufacturing closed at $4.52 with 330,420 shares trading, but lost 43 cents. Medical Disposables traded 2,700 shares to close at $3.50, Paramount Trading climbed 60 cents to end with 123 shares changing hands at a new high of $12.10 and tTech ended with 400 units changing hands at $4.50.
Another big quarter for Jetcon
Sanya Goffe addressing the audience at the listing of Jetcon’s shares in March.
The company accounted $4.7 million in tax, in the first quarter but none in the second quarter, with the shares listing on the junior market in March, this year. Earnings per share ended at 12 cents versus 8 cents for the June quarter and 21 cents for the six months to June compared with 12 cents for 2015.
Having been listed on the junior market our profit will be tax free for 5 years. With just half the year completed, profit is 9 percent off from the after-tax profit of $40.3 million reported for the full 2015 financial year and the company seems poised to surpass the 2015 earnings in the September quarter, if recent trend for 2016 to date continues.
Revenues climbed 39 percent for the quarter to $194.9 million and 45 percent for the six months to $342.9 million. Gross profit margin declined to 18.54 percent from 19.24 percent in the quarter and 19 percent for the six months versus 18.38 percent in 2015. Sales are usually greater in the second half of the year than in the first half.
In a release by directors accompanying the financials, the company stated that “Administrative and other costs rose by approximately $5.2 million due to listing on the market which accounted for $2.5 million while salaries adjustments accounted for $2.7 million of the increase. Part of the increase in salaries is directly tied to the increased sales that took place.”“Sales in June were the highest for the half year with sales for July is ahead of June in volume and sales revenues. Bookings which have been ahead of 2015 for each month this year continues to be positive.”
Inventories stood at $236 million at the end of June, compared to $125 million in June 2015 and $84 million at the end of December last year. Supplies peaked in June and is slated to start to decline by the end July onwards to the end of the year as deliveries to customers exceed new inflows of cars. Payables increased as a result of increased purchase of motor vehicles.
Eppley’s dominance – Friday
Big $79M trade for Eppley
Trading ended with 1,111,273 units traded, valued at $85,439,536, of which 4 stocks rose while 6 declined.
At the end of trading 6 stocks closed with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 ended with lower offers.
At the close of trading, Caribbean Cream lost 70 cents with 41,750 shares changing hands, to close at $7.30, Caribbean Flavours traded 3,993 units to close with a loss of 48 cents at $6.52. Caribbean Producers fell 5 cents, in trading 30,015 units at $3.45, Consolidated Bakeries traded 6,262 units, to end at $2.55, General Accident had 30,000 shares changing hands to close 1 cent lower, at $2.08. Honey Bun had 10,050 shares changing hands with a gain of 25 cents, to close at $5.70, Jamaican Teas traded 25,618 units and rose by 50 cents to end at $4. 
Jetcon Corporation traded 56,590 shares at $2.69, Knutsford Express closed with 6,700 units changing hands at $19.25 after rising by 25 cents. Lasco Distributors ended with 592,109 shares changing hands at $7, Lasco Financial traded 26,419 units and gained 1 cent to close at $3.26, Lasco Manufacturing closed at $4.95 with 61,972 shares trading, but lost 5 cents. Medical Disposables traded 83,038 shares to close at $3 and Derrimon Trading preference share, ended with 8,365 units changing hands at $2.10.
2 junior stocks up 25% – Wednesday
tTech jumped 27% in trading on Wednesday.
The junior market rose on Wednesday with 16 securities changing hands of which 7 stocks rose while 6 declined, the market index rose 21.20 points to close at 2,217.35, with only 496,276 units traded, valued at $3,940,720. The highlight of trading is a 25 percent jump in the price of Cargo Handlers to a new high and a climb of 27 percent in the price tTech.
At the end of trading 4 stocks closed with bids higher than their last selling prices and none ended with a lower offer. The junior market is showing that the lowest prices for stocks being offered, are moving away from the last traded prices for a number of the companies, with a few having no stocks being offered currently.
At the close, 
Access Financial lost $1.25 in trading 113,000 units at $16.25, Cargo Handlers jumped $14 and ended with 500 shares changing hands at an all-time high of $70, Caribbean Cream gained 5 cents with 4,500 shares changing hands at $7.30, Caribbean Flavours traded just 10,200 units to close with a gain of 20 cents at $6.30. Caribbean Producers lost 18 cents in trading 6,000 units at $3.30, Consolidated Bakeries traded 19,700 units to end at $2.55, there were just one offer posted at the close, to sell 5,000 units at $2.60. Dolphin Cove ended at $14 with 761 shares trading, 
Honey Bun had 105,259 shares changing hands at 5 cents lower to close at $5.45, Jamaican Teas traded 3,338 units and rose by 35 cents, to end at $3.50, Jetcon Corporation rose 4 cents, to end with 12,000 shares changing hands at $2.69. Key Insurance traded 9,713 units to close at $2.50 after shedding 10 cents, Knutsford Express closed with 6,865 units changing hands to end at $19, Lasco Distributors ended with 59,700 shares changing hands with a rise of 20 cents at $7. Lasco Manufacturing closed at $4.95 with 59,386 shares trading, but fell by 5 cents and tTech ended with 83,354 units changing hands at $4.75 after rising $1.
5 junior stocks fell – Tuesday
Consolidated Bakeries (Purity) closed at a new high on Tuesday
At the end of trading 4 stocks closed with bids higher than their last selling prices and none ended with a lower offer. The junior market is showing that the lowest prices for stocks being offered are moving far away from the last traded prices for a number of the companies, with a few having no stocks being offered currently.At the close, Caribbean Cream gained 22 cents with 197,697 shares changing hands at $7.25, leaving 19,533 units on offer. Caribbean Flavours traded just 2,000 units to close with a loss of 40 cents at $6.10, the bid closed at $6.50, to buy 1,804 shares. Caribbean Producers lost 2 cents in trading 700 units at $3.48, Consolidated Bakeries traded 300 units with the price jumping 42 cents to a new all-time high of $2.55,
there were just two offers posted at the close, to sell 14,700 units. General Accident traded 7,722 shares and lost 6 cents to end at $2.10, Honey Bun had 4,810 shares changing hands at 10 cents lower to close at $5.50, Iron Rock Insurance traded 358,746 units to close at $3.28, Jamaican Teas traded 7,902 units at $3.15, Jetcon Corporation fell 5 cents lower to end with 9,055 shares changing hands at $2.65. Lasco Distributors ended with 243,560 shares changing hands at $6.80, Lasco Manufacturing closed at $5 with 61,690 shares trading and Medical Disposables ended with 62,239 units changing hands at $3.55 after rising 40 cents.
5 rising stocks steady juniors – Monday
The junior market rose moderately on Monday with 12 active securities. 5 stocks rose and 1 declined including a jump of $2.30 in the price of Knutsford Express. The market index rose 2.66 points to close at 2,193.86, with only 257,522 units trading, valued at $1,655,683.
At the end of trading 4 stocks closed with bids higher than their last selling prices and none ended with a lower offer.
At the close, Caribbean Cream gained 3 cents with 1,000 shares changing hands at $7.03, Consolidated Bakeries did not trade, but the bid for the stock climbed to $2.44, there were just two offers posted at the close, to sell 15,000 units. The stock last traded to close at $2.13, Dolphin Cove traded 300 shares to close at $14. General Accident traded 42,019 shares and gained 1 cent to end at $2.16, Honey Bun had 26,357 shares changing hands, to close at $5.60, ISP Finance traded 4,000 shares at $5.15,
Jetcon Corporation ended with 3,700 shares changing hands at $2.70, KLE Group ended at $1.30 with 918 shares changing hands. Knutsford Express closed with 23,977 units changing hands at $19, after climbing $2.30, Lasco Distributors lost 20 cents and ended with 77,580 shares changing hands at $6.80, Lasco Financial ended with 2,860 shares changing hands at $3.49, for a gain of 24 cents. Lasco Manufacturing closed at $5 with 74,311 shares trading and Derrimon Trading preference share ended with 500 units changing hands at $2.10.
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Juniors end lower on Wednesday
The junior market closed down on Wednesday with as an equal number of 6 stocks rising and declining. The market closed with 13 securities being active. The index declined 28.52 points to close at 2,184.50.
One stock closed at a new high as a total of 2,802,872 units traded, valued at $13,180,124.
A total of 10 stocks closed with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 ended with a lower offer.
At the close, Cargo Handlers had 1,000 units changing hands to close at $56, Caribbean Flavours with 4,440 shares changing hands, closed at $3.25, Caribbean Producers traded 17,425 units with a rise of 1 cent at $3.26, Consolidated Bakeries gained 10 cents in trading 37,000 shares to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $2.20,. General Accident traded 1,157,300 units at $2.15, after falling by 25 cents, Honey Bun had 2,882 shares changing hands, to close with a gain of 5 cents, at $5.45. 
Jetcon Corporation gained 10 cents while trading 500 shares to close at $2.70, Key Insurance traded 1,883 units as the price rose 10 cents to $2.60, Lasco Distributors ended with 1,234,719 shares changing hands, to end 20 cents lower at $7, Lasco Financial ended with 10,606 shares changing hands at $3.30, for a fall of 19 cents. Lasco Manufacturing rose 5 cents and closed at $5.05 with 253,217 shares trading, tTech traded with a loss of 25 cents at $3.75 with 1,900 shares changing hands and Eppley 10% preference share traded 80,000 units at $6.10.
Juniors end with 7 gains on Tuesday
The junior market closed on Tuesday higher with more stocks rising than declining. The market closed with 11 securities being active. The index closed 12.16 points higher at 2,213.02 as an equal number of 7 stocks advanced and 3 declined and with 1 closing at a new high. A total of 478,536 units traded, valued at $2,513,232.
A total of 5 stocks closed with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 ended with a lower offer.
At the close, Access Financial Services had 5,000 units changing hands while rising 40 cents to close at $17.50, AMG Packaging closed with 2,746 units changing hands at $12.50, Caribbean Cream rose 5 cents with 26,684 shares changing hands to close at $7, Caribbean Producers traded 88,848 units at $3.26, with a 1 cent rise. General Accident traded 4,000 units at $2.40, after rising by 35 cents,
Honey Bun had 37,260 shares changing hands, to close with a loss of 5 cents at $5.40, Jamaican Teas fell 15 cents and traded 6,000 shares to close at $3.15. Jetcon Corporation gained 5 cents while trading 6,247 shares to close at $2.60, KLE Group traded 2,300 units to close with a gain of 10 cents at $1.40. Knutsford Express closed with 316 units changing hands to end at $19 with a rise of $4, Lasco Distributors ended with 76,102 shares changing hands, to end 10 cents lower at $7.20 and Lasco Manufacturing rose 3 cents and closed at $5 with 223,349 shares trading.
Juniors suffers slight fall on Thursday
Junior market trading closed slightly down on Thursday with more stocks falling than the number rising, with 17 securities being active and the index closing 2.80 points lower at 2,190.19 as 5 stocks gained and 7 declined. The market ended with 1,137,261 units traded, valued at $6,066,776.
A total of 5 stocks closed with bids higher than their last selling prices and 1 ended with a lower offer.
At the close, AMG Packaging traded 16,612 shares to close at $12.50, Blue Power with a fall of $1.18 with just 100 shares changing hands, at $15, CAC 2000 traded 70,925 shares at $6.50, Caribbean Cream fell 3 cents in closing at $6.95, with 21,326 shares traded, Caribbean Producers traded 25,000 shares and gained 26 cents to end at $3.46. Consolidated Bakeries traded 52,000 shares to end at $2.10, General Accident lost 12 cents to close at $2.03 with 42,000 shares changing hands, Iron Rock Insurance gained 2 cents in trading 25,000 shares and closed at $3.20, Jamaican Teas lost 30 cents in trading at $3.20 with 1,519 shares changing hands. 
Jetcon Corporation fell 15 cents to close at $2.55 with 50,000 shares changing hands, Key Insurance gained 5 cents in trading 3,163 shares at $2.60, Knutsford Express had 22,732 units changing hands, to close at $15, Lasco Distributors ended with 192,726 shares changing hands, but rose 19 cents to $7.49, Lasco Financial ended with 48,628 shares changing hands at $3.40. Lasco Manufacturing closed at $4.90 with 554,582 shares trading a decline of 10 cents. Medical Disposables traded 1,885 shares and gained 1 cent to close at $3.50 and tTech ended with 9,063 shares changing hands to end at $3.80.
