The junior market index dropped 10.57 points on Wednesday, to end at 3,044.98 with 21 securities changing hands, down from 22 on Tuesday with 6 advancing and 10 declining.
Trading fell back on Wednesday from Tuesday’s levels, with a volume of 1,676,664 units valued at $10,468,019 passing through the market, compared to 2,082,552 units valued at $21,125,705 that were traded on Tuesday.
The junior market ended trading with an average of 79,841 units for an average value of $498,477 traded, compared to 94,661 units for an average value of $960,259 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for the month to date is 133,197 units and $961,366. The average volume and value for the month to the previous trading day ended at 159,875 units and $1,237,810. The average volume and value for March was 137,459 units and $1,313,411.
Trading ended with 5 stocks having bids higher than their last sale prices and just 1 ending with a lower offer, than the last traded price.
At the close of the market on Wednesday, AMG Packaging shed 62 cents to close at $5.48 with 153,832 units changing hands, 
Blue Power traded 6,503 units to close at $35, CAC 2000 gained 15 cents and closed at $8 with 16,745 shares trading, Cargo Handlers traded 347 shares to end at $20.10, Caribbean Cream traded 3,000 units to end with a rise of 4 cents at $7.30, Caribbean Producers fell 25 cents in trading 158,064 units to end at $3.75, Derrimon Trading fell by 10 cents and ended at a new high of $8.50 with 1,800 shares changing hands, Dolphin Cove ended at $20 with 114,585 shares trading. General Accident traded 900 shares and gained 10 cents to end at $3.15, Honey Bun had 5,491 shares changing hands and lost 20 cents to close at $7.30, I$P Finance traded 10,000 shares to end with a rise of 75 cents at an all-time high of $13.50, 
Jamaican Teas lost 25 cents in trading 1,095 shares to close at $7.50, Jetcon Corporation fell 20 cents to end at $11.90 with 10,977 shares being exchanged, KLE Group traded 2,413 units at $3.50, Lasco Distributors ended with 3,290 units trading at $6.89 after losing by 1 cent, Lasco Manufacturing closed with 1,111,790 units changing hands with a rise of 8 cents to end at $5.08, Main Event jumped 74 cents and closed at an all-time high of $5.74 with 10,113 shares changing hands, Medical Disposables traded 25,015 shares to close at $6.50, Paramount Trading shed 15 cents with 25,075 shares changing hands, to close at $3.60 and tTech traded 10,629 units to fall 49 cents and closed at $7.
Juniors fall moderately – Wednesday
Juniors rise moderately – Tuesday
The junior market index rose 13.19 points on Tuesday, to end at 3,055.55 with 22 securities changing hands, up from 19 on Monday with 12 advancing and 5 declining.
Trading fell back on Tuesday from Monday’s levels, with a volume of 2,082,552 units valued at $21,125,705 passing through the market, compared to 4,276,697 units valued at $28,791,862 that were traded on Monday.
The junior market ended trading with an average of 94,661 units for an average value of $960,259 traded, compared to 225,089 units for an average value of $1,515,361 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for the month to date ended at 159,875 units and $1,237,810. The average volume and value for March was 137,459 units and $1,313,411.
Trading ended with 5 stocks having bids higher than their last sale prices and 3 ending with lower offers, than the last traded price.
At the close of the market on Tuesday, AMG Packaging gained 10 cents to close at $6.10 with 113,640 units changing hands, CAC 2000 closed at $7.85 with 6,890 shares trading, Cargo Handlers traded 8,000 shares but fell 90 cents to end at $20.10, Caribbean Cream traded 5,276 units to end with a rise of 1 cent at $7.26, Caribbean Producers climbed 25 cents in trading 2,029 units to end at $4, C2W lost 5 cents to end at 25 cents with 40,000 shares changing hands, Derrimon Trading rose by 10 cents and ended at a new high of $8.60 with 15,423 shares changing hands, Dolphin Cove ended at $20 with 2,370 shares trading to gain $2. General Accident traded 2,500 shares and fell 10 cents to end at $3.05, Honey Bun had 39,797 shares changing hands and gained 20 cents to close at $7.50, Jamaican Teas traded 11,971 shares to close at $7.75,
Jetcon Corporation rose 10 cents to end at $12.10 with 1,408,900 shares being exchanged, KLE Group traded 20,545 units and rose 20 cents to $3.50, Lasco Distributors ended with 22,400 units trading at $6.90 after losing by 10 cents, Lasco Financial rose 20 cents, with 115,225 shares changing hands, to end at $3.80, Lasco Manufacturing closed with 70,000 units changing hands at $5, Main Event slipped 10 cents and closed at $5 with 14,141 shares changing hands, Medical Disposables traded 29,766 shares to close at $6.50 after rising 50 cents, Paramount Trading gained 15 cents with 11,835 shares changing hands, to close at $3.75. tTech traded 22,487 units to gain 9 cents and closed at $7.49, Derrimon Trading preference share traded 117,687 units at $2.11 with a rise of 1 cents and Eppley 10% preference share traded a mere 1,670 units at $6.80.
Juniors make big gains – Monday
Lasco Distributors dominated trading on Monday.
Trading picked up on Monday over Friday, with Lasco Distributor dominating with 78 percent of the volume of 4,276,697 units valued at $28,791,862 passing through the market, compared to 1,607.606 units valued at $11,124,439 that were traded on Friday.
The junior market ended trading with an average of 225,089 units for an average value of $1,515,361 traded, compared to 107,174 units for an average value of $741,629 on the previous trading day.
The average volume and value for March was 137,459 units and $1,313,411.Trading ended with 10 stocks having bids higher than their last sale prices and 2 ending with lower offers, than the last sale price.
At the close of the market on Monday, AMG Packaging closed at $6 with 12,960 units changing hands, Blue Power closed at $35 with 288 shares trading, Caribbean Cream traded 16,799 units to end at $7.25, Caribbean Producers climbed 8 cents in trading 25,870 units to end at $3.75, Consolidated Bakeries gained 20 cents to end at $3.20 with 5,100 shares changing hands, Honey Bun had 11,854 shares changing hands and lost 20 cents to close at $7.30. I$P Finance traded 6,950 shares to end at an all-time high of $12.75, Jamaican Teas traded 2,738 shares to close with a fall of 24 cents at $7.75,
Jetcon Corporation rose $1 to end at $12 with 15,000 shares being exchanged, KLE Group traded 3,300 units and rose 25 cents to $3.30, Knutsford Express traded 530 shares to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $42, Lasco Distributors ended with 3,330,287 units trading at $7 after rising by 30 cents, Lasco Manufacturing closed with 692,870 units changing hands at $5, Main Event closed with a rise of 20 cents at $5.10 with 5,798 shares changing hands, Medical Disposables traded 103,417, shares to close at $6, Paramount Trading lost 20 cents with 21,000 shares changing hands, to close at $3.60. tTech traded just 2,660 units but fell 10 cents to close at $7.40, Eppley 9.5% preference share traded 17,881 units at $6.02 with a fall of 2 cents and Eppley 10% preference share traded a mere 1,395 units at $6.80.
Berger returns Access out of Top 10
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The top main market stocks now sells at a 50 percent discount to the average main market stocks and is lower than the 40 percent discount of stocks in the junior market. During the past week ISP Finance hit a new high of $12.50 up from $12.25 at the close of the previous week, the stock still sits high on the list at number 4.
Top 10 junior stocks are trading at a 40 percent discount to the average of the junior market, at the close of the week.
After dropping out of the TOP 10 for the last week Lasco Distributors returned during the end of past week while Lasco Financial Services that entered the list for the start of the past week has been squeezed out with prices declining elsewhere and Access Finance ending the week with the bid of 1,500 shares at $39, to be out of the top listing and Blue Power closing the week at $35 is back in the list. Overall bid volumes for junior and main market stocks remain low with the only ones of the Top 10 with decent volumes on the bid for junior stocks being Caribbean Producers with 60,712 units on the bid at $3.75, General Accident with 53,426 units at $3 and Medical Disposables with 103,417 units with the bid price ending at $6. Offers that are well about the bid volumes include AMG Packaging with an offer to sell 99,723 units at $5.95, Jetcon Corporation with 435,207 units at $12.99 and Lasco Distributors with 973,036 units at $6.70.
In the Main market, Barita Investments has limited buying interest at the current price with just 447 units on the bid at $6.85 and 28,224 units on the offer at $7. Berger Paints ended with 237 units on the bid at $12 with 49,894 on offer at $12.01. Carreras currently, has 38,619 shares on offer at $74 and buying of 3,000 shares at $73.95. Caribbean Cement’s weak demand continues in the mid-thirty dollar range, with the stock closing with only 2,340 units on the bid to buy at $31.50 while offers are at $32 to sell 53,579 units. JMMB Group’s buying is at $16.30 for 50,000 units on the bid and only 100 units offered at $18.24, Pulse Investments has offers for 150,000 units at $8 and buying at $7 for 1,005 shares.Price movements continued be a bit volatile as buy and sell orders remain thin for several stocks. With little new news to come until a flood of first quarter results start to flow volatility in May, is likely to continue for a few weeks and this could provide patient investors with some good entry points.
Juniors up15.5% in Q1
Lasco Distributors dominated trading on Friday with 88% of the volume.
Trading picked up on Friday over Thursday with Lasco Distributor dominating with 88 percent of the volume of 1,607.606 units valued at $11,124,439 passing through the market, compared to 243,100 units valued at $4,441,436 on Thursday. Market activity ended with only 15 securities trading, similar to the total on Thursday with 4 advancing and 5 declining stocks. A total of 1,607.606 units valued at $11,124,439 passed through the market, compared to 243,100 units valued at $4,441,436 on Thursday.
The junior market ended trading with an average of 107,174 units for an average value of $741,629 traded,
compared to 16,207 units for an average value of $296,096 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for the month to date ended at 137,459 units and $1,313,411. On the immediate preceding trading day, the average volume and value for the month to date, were 138,835 units and $1,338,271 with the value of trading ending close to the level for February and well ahead of the averages in January of 165,547 units with an average value of $884,749. The average volume and value for February, ended at 223,938 units and $1,379,459.Trading ended with 7 stocks had bids higher than their last sale prices and 5 ended with lower offers, than the last sale.
At the close of the market on Friday, AMG Packaging closed at $6 with 30,554 units changing hands, Blue Power lost $1.50 and closed at $35 with 827 shares trading, Caribbean Cream dropped 65 cents in trading 19,770 units to end at $7.25, Caribbean Flavours climbed $1.80 in trading 3,950 units to end at $13.80,
Dolphin Cove lost $1 and ended at $18 with 40,000 shares changing hands, General Accident gained 35 cents and closed trading with 7,075 shares at $3.15, Honey Bun had 26,764 shares changing hands, rose 20 cents and closed at $7.50. I$P Finance traded 5,681 shares to end at $12.50, Jamaican Teas traded 27,505 shares to close with a fall of 24 cents at $7.75, Jetcon Corporation closed trading with 2,100 shares being exchanged, to end at $11, Lasco Distributors ended with 1,418,780 units trading at $6.70, Main Event closed with a loss of 10 cents at $4.90 with 3,400 shares changing hands, Paramount Trading had 20,100 shares changing hands, to close at $3.80. tTech traded just 1,000 units but rose $1.23 to close at $7.50 and Eppley 10% preference share traded a mere 100 units at $6.80.
Modest rise in junior market
Trading on the junior market fell off sharply on Thursday from Wednesday’s levels, as demand declined below the previous day leaving the market index inching up by just 1.16 points to end at 2,991.64.
Market activity ended with only 15 securities trading, similar to the total on Wednesday with advancing and declining stocks ending at a 5 each. A total of 243,100 units valued at $4,441,436 passed through the market, compared to 699,545 units valued at $3,810,910 on Wednesday.
The junior market ended trading with an average of 16,207 units for an average value of $296,096 traded, compared to 46,636 units for an average value of $254,061 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for the month to date ended at 138,835 units and $1,338,271.
On the immediate preceding trading day, the average volume and value for the month to date, were 144,675 units and $1,385,643. The average volume and value for February, ended at 223,938 units and $1,379,459.
Trading ended with 10 stocks had bids higher than their last sale prices and 4 ended with lower offers, than the last sale.
At the close of the market on Thursday, AMG Packaging climbed $1 and closed at $6 with 27,916 units changing hands, CAC 2000 lost 5 cents and closed at $7.80 with 31,239 shares trading, Caribbean Cream dropped 8 cents in trading 1,733 units to end at $7.90, Derrimon Trading ended at $8.50 with 3,994 shares changing hands, Honey Bun had 3,952 shares changing hands, rose 70 cents and closed at $7.30. Iron Rock Insurance traded 7,256 shares to end at $3.84, Jamaican Teas traded just 320 shares to close at $7.99, 
Jetcon Corporation dropped $1 and closed trading with 21,970 shares being exchanged, to end at $11, Knutsford Express lost 11 cents to end at $42 with 80,146 shares changing hands, Lasco Distributors ended with 22,522 units trading at $6.70, Lasco Financial fell 40 cents, with 20,000 shares changing hands, to end at $3.60, Lasco Manufacturing closed with 2,420 units changing hands at $5, after falling 5 cents, Main Event closed at $5 with 11,724 shares changing hands, Medical Disposables climbed 75 cents to $6 with 4,808 units trading and Paramount Trading had 3,100 shares changing hands, to close with a rise of 20 cents at $3.80.
Another big junior market fall
Caribbean Flavours dropped $2 to end at $12.
Market activity ended with only 15 securities trading, down from 25 on Tuesday as 7 stocks rose and 4 declined. A total of 699,545 units valued at $3,810,910 passed through the market, compared to 4,031,077 units valued at $23,768,156 on Tuesday.
The junior market ended trading with an average of 46,636 units for an average value of $254,061 traded, compared to 161,243 units for an average value of $950,726 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for the month to date ended at 144,675 units and $1,385,643. The average volume and value for the month to date ended at 149,577 units and $1,439,528. On the immediate preceding trading day, the average volume and value for the month to date, were 149,577 units and $1,439,528.
The average volume and value for February, ended at 223,938 units and $1,379,459.Trading ended with 10 stocks had bids higher than their last sale prices and 3 ended with lower offers, than the last sale.
At the close of the market on Wednesday, AMG Packaging fell 80 cents to close at $5 with 4,331 units changing hands, CAC 2000 lost 5 cents and closed at $7.80 with 1,200 shares trading, Cargo Handlers ended trading with 800 shares at $21, Caribbean Flavours dropped $2 in trading 3,350 units to end at $12, Consolidated Bakeries ended with 22,500 shares changing hands, to close at $3. Derrimon Trading rose 28 cents and ended at $8.50 with 7,000 shares changing hands,
Jamaican Teas rose 74 cents in trading 9,259 shares to close at $7.99, Jetcon Corporation gained 15 cents and closed trading with 27,870 shares being exchanged, to end at $12, Knutsford Express rose 11 cents to end at $42.11 with 424 shares changing hands, Lasco Distributors added 10 cents and ended with 50,572 units trading at $6.70, Lasco Financial regained the 50 cents lost on Tuesday, with 18,201 shares changing hands, to end at $4, Lasco Manufacturing closed with 146,851 units changing hands at $5.05, after rising 26 cents, Main Event closed at $5 with 385,051 shares changing hands, Paramount Trading had 15,136 shares changing hands, to close with a loss of 5 cents at $3.60 and tTech ended with 7,000 units changing hands at $6.27.
Junior market index jumps – Tuesday
I$P Finance hits a new high on Tuesday.
Market activity ended with 25 securities trading, up from 23 on Monday as 9 stocks rose and 11 declined. A total of 4,031,077 units valued at $23,768,156 passed through the market, compared to 1,062,024 units valued at $5,541,349 on Monday.
The junior market ended trading with an average of 161,243 units for an average value of $950,726 traded, compared to 46,175 units for an average value of $240,928 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for the month to date, ended at 149,577 units and $1,439,528. On the immediate preceding trading day, the average volume and value for the month to date, were 148,963 units and $1,463,968. The average volume and value for February, ended at 223,938 units and $1,379,459.
Trading ended with 5 stocks had bids higher than their last sale prices and 2 ended with lower offers, than the last sale.At the close of the market on Tuesday, AMG Packaging rose by 40 cents and closed at $5.80 with 56,426 units changing hands, Blue Power traded 1,885 units to close at $36.50, CAC 2000 rose 25 cents and closed at $7.85 with 3,000 shares trading, Cargo Handlers ended trading with 1,600 shares at $21, Caribbean Flavours traded 30,000 units to end at $14, Caribbean Producers lost 28 cents in trading 10,000 units at $3.67, Consolidated Bakeries ended with 385,100 shares changing hands, to close at $3. Derrimon Trading lost 38 cents and ended at $8.22 with 138,796 shares changing hands, Dolphin Cove gained $1 and closed trading with 61,739 shares, at $19, General Accident price closed trading with 96,697 shares at $2.80, Honey Bun gained closed with 19,383 shares changing hands at $6.60, after rising by 10 cents, Iron Rock had 31,714 units changing hands to close at $3.84 with a rise of 54 cents, ISP Finance traded 8,000 shares and rose 25 cents to a new high at $12.50, Jamaican Teas fell 75 cents in trading 135,911 shares to close at $7.25,
Jetcon Corporation lost 15 cents and closed trading with 62,090 shares being exchanged, to end at $11.85, Key Insurance lost 51 cents to end at $2.99 with 1,000 shares changing hands, KLE Group ended at $3.05 with 145,856 shares changing hands after rising by 25 cents, Lasco Distributors lost 40 cents and ended with 1,014,970 units trading at $6.60, Lasco Financial lost 50 cents with 209,152 shares changing hands, to end at $3.50, Lasco Manufacturing closed with 1,403,493 units changing hands at $4.79, after losing 21 cents, Main Event gained 1 cents and closed at $5 with 31,565 shares changing hands, Medical Disposables lost 75 cents in trading 27,800 shares to close at $5.25, Paramount Trading had 17,000 shares changing hands, to close with a loss of 15 cents at $3.65 and tTech fell 48 cents and ended with 118,000 units changing hands at $6.27.
Junior market index chopped – Monday
Main Event climbed 48 cents to $4.99.
In other matters, the Jamaica Stock Exchange corrected the report for Friday that originally showed gains of just 7.21 points, to reflect the correct change of 29.39 points, after this publication reported the error.
Market activity ended with 23 securities trading, up from 19 on Friday as 7 stocks rose and 8 declined. A total of 1,062,024 units valued at $5,541,349 passed through the market, compared to 554,250 units valued at $3,004,928 on Friday.
The junior market ended trading with an average of 46,175 units for an average value of $240,928 traded, compared to 29,171 units for an average value of $158,154 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for the month to date ended at 148,963 units and $1,463,968.
On the immediate preceding trading day, the average volume and value for the month to date, were 163,591 units and $1,582,454. The average volume and value for February, ended at 223,938 units and $1,379,459.
Trading ended with 5 stocks had bids higher than their last sale prices and 2 ended with lower offers, than the last sale.
At the close of the market on Monday, AMG Packaging closed at $5.40 with 72,300 units changing hands, CAC 2000 lost 20 cents and closed at $7.60 with 23,000 shares trading, Cargo Handlers ended trading with 1,150 shares at $21, Caribbean Flavours lost 31 cents in trading 900 units to end at $14, Caribbean Producers rose 15 cents in trading 5,243 units at $3.95, Consolidated Bakeries ended trading with 105,000 shares changing hands, to close at $3. Derrimon Trading ended at $8.60 with 5,599 shares changing hands, General Accident price declined by 20 cents to close trading with 91,700 shares at $3, Honey Bun closed with 105,677 shares changing hands at $6.50, Iron Rock had 14,000 units changing hands to close at $3.30 with a rise of 20 cents, Jamaican Teas rose 15 cents in trading 14,460 shares to close at $8, Jetcon Corporation rose $1 and closed trading with 19,797 shares being exchanged, to end at $12, Key Insurance lost 20 cents to end at $2.80 with 71,750 shares changing hands,
Lasco Distributors lost 30 cents and ended with 216,050 units trading at $7, Lasco Financial rose 30 cents with 16,016 shares changing hands, to end at $4, Lasco Manufacturing closed with 227,140 units changing hands at $5, after losing 8 cents, Main Event gained 48 cents and closed at $4.99 with 27,861 shares changing hands, Medical Disposables traded 4,229, shares to close at $6, Paramount Trading had 13,132 shares changing hands, to close with a rise of 10 cents at $3.80, tTech fell 26 cents and ended with 15,000 units changing hands at $6.75. Derrimon Trading preference share ended with 3,970 units changing hands at $2, Eppley 10% preference share closed trading with 150 units at $6 and Eppley 8.25% preference share closed trading with 7,900 units at $6.
Big Berger gain lets in Scotia
Scotia enters IC Insider.com’s TOP 10
A big 36 percent jump in the price of Berger Paints kicked it out of the main market TOP listing, allowing Scotia Group into the top list for the very first time. Berger returned to its 52 weeks high of $15 at the end of the week but had 103,511 units on offer at $15 with buying of 1,735 units at $13.01.
The top main market stocks now sell at a 50 percent discount to the average main market stocks and is lower than the discount of stocks in the junior market.
Pulse Investments gained 21 percent during the past week, to end at $8.50 and was the second largest mover in the top listing for main market stocks. Pulse has offers for 118,391 units at $8.50 and buying at $8 for 1,500 shares. Carreras earnings have been up graded with the increase in the price of cigarettes this month, following increased taxes on the product. Interest in the stock is not great currently, with 21,125 on offer at $69.50 and buying of 2,000 shares at $69.20.
Radio Jamaica closed the week with 990,792 units on offer at $1.90 and buying for 5,300 units at $1.80. Barita Investments has limited buying interest at the current price with just 447 units on the bid at $6.85 and 171,830 units on the offer at $6.90. With the increased level of construction activity currently taking place in Jamaica and plans for increase construction to meet growing demand for commercial and residential units in the sector, Caribbean Cement’s weak demand continues in the mid-thirty dollar range, with the stock closing with only 2,000 units on the bid to buy at $31.50 while offers are at $32.45 to sell 24,440 units. JMMB Group weakened in the week and now sits at $17.50 but buying is on the weak side, with 5,000 units on the bid at $16.60 and only 378 units offered at $17.50.
Top 10 junior market stocks are trading at a 40 percent discount to the average of the junior market, at the close of the week, this is after Lasco Distributors fell out of the top listing and is replaced
by Lasco Financial Services that suffered a reduction in price during the week to $3.70.
During the past week ISP Finance hit a new high of $12.25 up from $11.75 at the close of the previous week, the stock still sits high on the list at number 3. Access Financial and Jetcon had a bit of price movement during the week, with both closing lower than the week before.
Price movements remained volatile during the past week, as buy and sell orders remained thin for several stocks. With little new news to come until a flood of first quarter results start to flow volatility is likely to continue for a few weeks and this could provide patient investors with some good entry points, if bids and offers are strategically placed. The sharp one week move in Berger signals that supply may not last too long before demand kicks in.