Declining stocks crush risers on TTSE

Declining stocks crushed those rising on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange on Friday, after a big jump in the volume of stocks traded and a near doubling in value compared to Wednesday. The total volume dropped 69 percent below trading on Wednesday as the value slipped a mere four percent, resulting in 21 securities trading compared with 20 on Wednesday, with five stocks rising, nine declining and seven remaining unchanged.
Trading climbed to 454,057 shares for $$7,929,953, compared with 1,467,927 stock units for $8,272,610 on Wednesday.
An average of 21,622 shares were traded at $377,617 compared with 72,896 shares at $413,630 on Wednesday, with trading month to date averaging 23,611 shares at $241,670 marginally more than 23,716 shares at $234,460 on the previous day. The average trade for February amounts to 51,996 shares at $458,520.
The Composite Index fell 8.81 points to 1,318.18, the All T&T Index dipped 9.84 points to 1,972.52, the SME Index ended at 61.52 and the Cross-Listed Index slipped 1.08 points to close at 86.49.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Angostura Holdings closed trading of 5,740 shares at $24.50, Ansa McAl traded three shares after the price popped $1.20 to $52, Calypso Macro Index Fund slipped 1 cent to end at $20.75 after investors traded 1,143 units. First Citizens Group dipped 1 cent in ending at $50 with an exchange of 6,295 stocks, FirstCaribbean International Bank fell by 10 cents in ending at $7.15, with 1,523 stock units clearing the market. Guardian Holdings had an exchange of 2,001 shares after dropping 94 cents to close at $25.05, Guardian Media ended with an exchange of 4,080 units after dropping 10 cents to close at $2.20, GraceKennedy popped 2 cents in ending at $4.48 after an exchange of 3,400 units, JMMB Group lost 3 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ low of $1.67 with a transfer of 40,686 shares, Massy Holdings ended at $4.50 after an exchange of 56,239 stock units. NCB Financial traded 12,505 shares and fell 25 cents to close at $3.50, National Enterprises had an exchange of 59,780 stocks in closing at $3.55 after a fall of 15 cents, National Flour rose 10 cents in trading 37 shares to $1.50. One Caribbean Media closed at $3.70, with 20 units changing hands, Prestige Holdings ended at $7.40 in switching ownership of 157 shares. Republic Financial closed at $138 after 23,150 shares crossed the market, Scotiabank ended at $77.95 while exchanging just six stock units, Trinidad and Tobago NGL had an exchange of 11,077 shares after slipping 1 cent to end at $$20, Trinidad Cement traded 500 stock units in closing at $3.52, Unilever Caribbean ended trading at $14.79 after rising 4 cents with an exchange of 218,012 stocks and West Indian Tobacco added 20 cents to end at $16.75 after trading 7,703 shares.

Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

Huge Main Market bounce as winners crush losers

Investors shifted gears and pushed stocks solidly higher on the penultimate day of the 2023 first quarter at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Thursday, with a 78 percent fall in the volume of stocks traded, after a 64 percent fall in value than on Wednesday, following trading in 60 securities compared to 56 on Wednesday, with prices of 30 rising, 13 declining and 17 ending unchanged.
A total of 13,390,755 shares were traded for $105,410,403 compared to 60,107,710 units at $290,707,932 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 223,179 shares at $1,756,840 versus 1,073,352 shares at $5,191,213 on Wednesday and month to date, an average of 353,545 units at $2,691,945, compared with 360,213 units at $2,739,777 on the previous day. February closed with an average of 183,599 units at $2,160,070.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 5.86 million shares for 43.8 percent of total volume followed by Wigton Windfarm with 1.92 million units for 14.3 percent of the day’s trade, Supreme Ventures with 1.15 million units for 8.6 percent share of the day’s trading and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 1.01 million units for 7.6 percent market share.
The market indices surged, with the All Jamaican Composite Index popping 8,472.58 points to 377,465.17, the JSE Main Index climbing 8,348.24 points to 335,070.77 and the JSE Financial Index rallying 1.45 points to close at 77.60.
The PE Ratio, a formula used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 13.6 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios incorporate ICInsider.com’s earnings forecasts for companies with the financial year ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 10 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments rose $1.17 to end at $81.20 with investors transferring 45,746 shares, Caribbean Cement climbed $5 to $56 as investors exchanged 15,391 units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund increased $1.50 to close at $44.50 after a transfer of 4,453 stock units. First Rock Real Estate dipped $1.25 in closing at $10.74 after an exchange of 7,125 stocks, GraceKennedy climbed $2 to $82 with the swapping of 33,004 stock units, Guardian Holdings rallied $4 to $494, with 76 units clearing the market. Jamaica Broilers popped $1 after ending at $38 after an exchange of 453,507 stocks, Jamaica Producers lost 74 cents to close at $21 in switching ownership of 7,618 shares, Kingston Wharves advanced $1.10 in closing at $34 with an exchange of 22,177 stock units. Massy Holdings increased $8.11 to end at $89.11 in trading 1,002 stocks, NCB Financial shed 48 cents to $74.50, with 10,681 units crossing the market, Proven Investments gained 50 cents to end at $27 and closed with 3,803 shares changing hands. Sagicor Group advanced $3 after ending at $50 in trading 109,283 stocks, Scotia Group dropped 94 cents in closing at $34, with 124,974 shares changing hands, Seprod popped $3 to close at $70 while exchanging 24,463 units. Supreme Ventures rose $3.18 to end at $31 as 1,148,754 stock units passed through the market and Sygnus Real Estate Finance climbed 66 cents in closing at $9.96 in an exchange of 465 stocks.
In the preference segmentJamaica Public Service 7% fell $43.39 in ending at $220, with 26 shares crossing the market, Jamaica Public Service 9.5% declined $98 to $2900 with a transfer of 2 stock units and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share dropped $16.05 to close at $90.95 in an exchange of 62 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

Trading climbs on JSE Main Market

Trading activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended on Wednesday with a 252 percent jump in the volume of stocks traded, valued at 233 percent more than on Tuesday, with 56 securities trading compared to 55 on Tuesday, with 18 rising, 24 declining and 14 ending unchanged.
A total of 60,107,710 shares were traded for $290,707,932, up from 17,081,333 units at $87,212,275 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 1,073,352 shares at $5,191,213 compared with 310,570 shares at $1,585,678 on Tuesday and month to date, an average of 360,213 units at $2,739,813, compared with 324,461 units at $2,616,913 on the previous day. February closed with an average of 183,599 units at $2,160,070.
Key Insurance led trading with 44.75 million shares for 74.5 percent of total volume, followed by Transjamaican Highway with 7.36 million units for 12.2 percent of the day’s trade, Wigton Windfarm with 2.69 million units for 4.5 percent market share and Supreme Ventures with 1.19 million units for 2 percent of stocks traded.
The All Jamaican Composite Index surged 3,756.40 points to 368,992.59, the JSE Main Index popped 976.04 points to finish at 326,722.53 and the JSE Financial Index rallied 0.68 points to 76.15.
The PE Ratio, a formula used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 13.7 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios incorporate earnings forecasted by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows seven stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments lost $1.17 to end at $80.03 in switching ownership of 10,847 shares, Berger Paints shed 65 cents in closing at $8.50, with 1,081 stock units crossing the exchange, Caribbean Cement fell $7.49 to $51 after trading 9,596 stocks. GraceKennedy dipped $2.50 in ending at $80 as 270,948 units passed through the market, Guardian Holdings dropped $4 to close at $490 in an exchange of 25 units, JMMB Group gained 45 cents to close at $30 after trading 88,644 shares. Massy Holdings declined $8 to end at $81 after trading 500,481 stock units, Mayberry Jamaican Equities increased $1 in closing at $12.50 with the swapping of 7,309 stocks, NCB Financial popped 98 cents to close at $74.98 after exchanging 11,726 stock units. Proven Investments rallied 50 cents after ending at $26.50 with investors transferring 1,144 stocks, Seprod shed $2.88 after finishing at $67 with a transfer of 21,165 shares, Stanley Motta rose 54 cents to $5.34, with 190,246 units changing hands. Supreme Ventures advanced 82 cents to end at $27.82, with 1,194,866 stocks crossing the market, Sygnus Real Estate Finance declined 67 cents to close at $9.30, with 1,600 stock units clearing the market and Wisynco Group climbed 40 cents to $16.70 while exchanging 206,419 shares.
In the preference segmentJamaica Public Service 7% dropped $41.61 to end at $263.39 and closed with 649 units changing hands and Jamaica Public Service 9.5% rallied $98 to close at $2998 as investors exchanged just one stock.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

Huge surge in JSE USD Market

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Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market ended on Wednesday, with the volume of stocks changing hands rising 205 percent with a 40 percent lower value than on Tuesday, resulting in seven securities being traded, compared to five on Tuesday with three rising, two declining and two ending unchanged.
A total of 1,034,911 shares were traded for US$21,566 compared with 339,743 units at US$36,245 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 147,844 shares at US$3,081 versus 67,949 shares at US$7,249 on Tuesday, with a month to date average of 170,037 shares at US$13,731 compared with 171,109 units at US$14,245 on the previous day. February ended with an average of 43,793 units for US$2,015.
The JSE USD Equities Index surged 36.77 points to end at 229.38.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 9.4. The PE ratio is computed based on the last traded price of each stock divided by projected earnings forecasts done by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than the last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, First Rock Real Estate USD share increased 0.39 of a cent in closing at 6.4 US cents after trading 460 shares, Productive Business Solutions rallied 55 cents to close at US$1.90 after closing with an exchange of one stock unit, Proven Investments lost 0.49 of a cent after ending at 17.5 US cents with 43,111 stocks changing hands. Sterling Investments ended at 2 US cents after trading 1,100 units, Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share fell 0.18 of a cent to 7 US cents with investors transferring 25 units and Transjamaican Highway popped 0.02 of a cent in closing at 0.97 of one US cent with an exchange of 988,002 stocks.
In the preference segmentJMMB Group 5.75% remained at US$2 as investors exchanged 2,212 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

Rising & declining stocks share spotlight in Trinidad & Tobago

Stocks rising and declining shared the spotlight equally on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange on Wednesday, after a big jump in the volume of stocks traded and a near doubling in Tuesday’s value. The total volume surged 466 percent over the miniscule amount on Tuesday as the value climbed 89 percent, resulting in 20 securities trading similar to Tuesday, with seven stocks rising, seven declining and six remaining unchanged.
Trading climbed to 1,467,927 shares for $8,272,610, up from 257,799 stock units at $4,379,273 on Tuesday.
An average of 80,996 shares were traded at $459,589 compared with 12,890 shares at $218,964 on Tuesday. Trading month to date averaged 23,837 shares at $235,651 marginally more than 21,100 units at $224,930 on the previous day. The average trade for February amounts to 51,996 shares at $458,520.
The Composite Index fell 8.81 points to 1,318.18, the All T&T Index dipped 9.84 points to 1,972.52, the SME Index remained at 61.52 and the Cross-Listed Index dipped 1.08 points to close at 86.49.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Angostura Holdings popped 40 cents to $24.50 after trading 10 shares, Ansa McAl traded 3,501 shares after the price dropped $3.70 to $50.80, Calypso Macro Index Fund ended $20.76 after investors traded 357 units. First Citizens Group slipped 1 cent to $50.01 with an exchange of 3,000 stocks, FirstCaribbean International Bank ended at $7.25, with 161 stock units clearing the market. Guardian Holdings had an exchange of 1,684 shares after gaining 49 cents to close at $25.99, Gracekennedy slipped 2 cents in ending at $4.46 after an exchange of 1,100 units, JMMB Group popped 1 cent to $1.70 with a transfer of 8,815 shares, Massy Holdings fell 1 cent to $4.50 after an exchange of 1,216,645 stock units. NCB Financial traded 1,110 shares and fell 14 cents to close at $3.75, National Enterprises had an exchange of 81,296 stocks in closing at $3.70, National Flour lost 10 cents in trading 3,401 shares at $1.40. One Caribbean Media gained 14 cents to end at $3.70, with 16,500 units changing hands, Prestige Holdings ended at $7.40 in switching ownership of 405 shares. Point Lisas traded 92,463 shares and gained 1 cent to close at $3.60, Republic Financial closed at $138 after 8,554 shares crossed the market, Scotiabank fell 5 cents to $77.95 while exchanging 1,504 stock units, investors in Trinidad and Tobago NGL swapped 13,424 after slipping 4 cents to end at $$20.01, Unilever Caribbean ended trading at $14.75 with an exchange of 1,050 stocks and West Indian Tobacco added 4 cents to end at $16.55 after trading 2,947 shares.

Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

Winning Main Market stocks beat out losers

Rising stocks had the upper hand over decliners in trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Tuesday, following an 80 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded valued 49 percent less than Monday, following trading in 55 securities down from 59 on Monday, with 24 rising, 18 declining and 13 ending unchanged.
A total of 17,081,333 shares were exchanged for $87,212,275 versus 83,621,528 units at $169,448,467 on Monday.
Trading on Tuesday averaged 310,570 shares at $1,585,678 compared to 1,417,314 shares at $2,872,008 on Monday and month to date, an average of 324,461 units at $2,616,876, compared with 325,180 units at $2,670,281 on the previous day. In contrast, February closed with an average of 183,599 units at $2,160,070.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 9.06 million shares for 53 percent of total volume followed by Wigton Windfarm with 2.16 million units for 12.6 percent of the day’s trade and Mayberry Jamaican Equities with 1.21 million units for 7.1 percent of market share.
The All Jamaican Composite Index popped 40.23 points to 365,236.19, the JSE Main Index rallied 2,546.17 points to 325,746.49 and the JSE Financial Index popped 0.16 points to close at 75.47.
The PE Ratio, a formula to ascertain appropriate stock values, averages 13.7 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios incorporate earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows seven stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
At the close, Berger Paints rallied 65 cents to $9.15 after a transfer of 150 shares, Caribbean Cement rallied $2.59 to $58.49 with the swapping of 5,002 stock units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund gained $1 to close at $43 after exchanging 203 stocks. GraceKennedy climbed 50 cents to end at $82.50 after 9,092 units passed through the market, Guardian Holdings advanced $24 to $494 after an exchange of 181 shares, Jamaica Broilers popped $4.03 after ending at $37 with investors transferring 411,918 stocks. JMMB Group dipped 46 cents to close at $29.55 as investors exchanged 501,919 stock units, Kingston Properties rose 69 cents to $7.04 in an exchange of 183,876 units, Massy Holdings gained $7 in closing at $89 in trading 1,531 stock units. Mayberry Jamaican Equities lost $1.05 to end at $11.50 with 1,209,652 shares crossing the exchange, NCB Financial shed 99 cents in closing at $74, with 30,174 stocks changing hands, PanJam Investment climbed $1 to end at $54 after 14,552 units passed through the market. Portland JSX increased $1.57 after ending at $11.27 with 103 units changing hands, Proven Investments lost 50 cents to $26 in an exchange of 24,024 stock units, Sagicor Group rallied 45 cents to close at $47 in trading 5,002 shares. Scotia Group popped 88 cents to $34.94 with 129,877 stocks clearing the market, Seprod rose $8.87 to end at $69.88 while exchanging 21,814 stock units and Supreme Ventures advanced $1.50 to close at $27 in trading 358,872 stocks.
In the preference segmentJamaica Public Service 7% declined by $94.99 after ending at $305 in switching ownership of 226 shares and Jamaica Public Service 9.5% increased by $200 in closing at $2,900 with an exchange of one unit.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

Falling stocks dominate Trinidad & Tobago Exchange

Stocks mostly slipped on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange on Tuesday, with the volume of stocks traded rising 99 percent at a 191 percent greater value than Monday, resulting in 20 securities trading compared with 16 on Monday, with six stocks rising, nine declining and five remaining unchanged.
Trading climbed to 257,799 shares for $4,379,273, up from 131,348 stock units at $1,504,412 on Monday. An average of 12,890 units were traded at $218,964 compared to 8,209 shares at $94,026 on Monday, with trading month to date averaging 21,100 shares at $224,930 marginally less than 21,561 units at $225,265 on the previous day. The average trade for February amounts to 51,996 shares at $458,520.
The Composite Index fell 2.66 points to 1,326.99, the All T&T Index dipped 6.76 points to 1,982.36, the SME Index remained at 61.52 and the Cross-Listed Index popped 0.24 points to close at 87.57.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Agostini’s dropped 98 cents to $58.51 after trading 100 shares, Ansa McAl traded 137 shares after the price slipped 25 cents to $54.50, Ansa merchant Bank traded 3,508 shares after falling $2.27 to close at $43.53, Calypso Macro Index Fund dropped $1.74 to close at $20.76 after investors traded 4,000 units. First Citizens Group ended at $50 with an exchange of 7,369 stocks, FirstCaribbean International Bank popped 5 cents to end at $7.25, with 303 stock units clearing the market. Guardian Holdings had an exchange of268 shares at $25.50, Guardian Media traded 525 shares and gained 10 cents to close at $2.30, Gracekennedy rose 2 cents in ending at $4.48 after an exchange of 1,100 units, JMMB Group slipped 1 cent to a 52 weeks’ low of $1.69 with a transfer of 26,208 shares, Massy Holdings fell 4 cents to $4.51 after an exchange of 100,652 stock units, National Enterprises had an exchange of 10,435 stocks in closing at $3.70 after slipping by 2 cents, National Flour traded 300 shares at $1.50. One Caribbean Media gained 1 cent to end at $3.56, with 19,789 units changing hands, Prestige Holdings shed 9 cents in ending at $7.40 in switching ownership of 321 shares. Republic Financial closed at $138 after 12,009 shares crossed the market, Scotiabank remained at $78 while exchanging just 2,043 stock units, investors in Trinidad and Tobago NGL swapped 53,774 with a rise of 4 cents to end at $$20.04, Unilever Caribbean rose 25 cents in ending at $14.75 while 4,255 stocks passed through the market and West Indian Tobacco fell 28 cents to end at $16.51 after trading 10,703 shares.

Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

Trading gains for JSE Main Market

Trading volume surged 765 percent after 157 percent more money entered the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Monday compared to Friday and resulted in 59 securities trading, up from 55 on Friday, with 27 rising, 20 declining and 12 ending unchanged.
A total of 83,621,528 shares were exchanged for $169,448,467 versus 9,662,580 units at $65,850,660 on Friday.
Trading averaged 1,417,314 shares at $2,872,008 versus 175,683 units at $1,197,285 on Friday and month to date, an average of 325,180 units at $2,670,281, up from 260,937 units at $2,658,456 on the prior day. February averaged 183,599 units at $2,160,070.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 75.63 million shares for 90.4 percent of total volume followed by Wigton Windfarm with 2.86 million units for 3.4 percent of the day’s trade and Sagicor Real Estate Fund with 905,709 units for 1.1 percent market share.
The All Jamaican Composite Index increased 2,102.98 points to 365,195.96, the JSE Main Index advanced 780.03 points to 323,200.32 and the JSE Financial Index fell 0.47 points to end at 75.31.
The PE Ratio, a formula used to ascertain appropriate stock values, averages 13.4 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios incorporate earnings forecasted by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 12 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Berger Paints fell 65 cents to $8.50 after trading 8,022 shares, Caribbean Cement dipped 60 cents in closing at a 52 weeks’ low of $55.90, with 14,091 units passing through the market, Caribbean Producers rose 53 cents to close at $9.60 after a transfer of 78,660 stock units. Eppley climbed $6.50 after ending at $37.50 as investors exchanged 299 stocks, First Rock Real Estate rallied 99 cents to end at $12 with a transfer of 625 units, GraceKennedy popped 50 cents after ending at $82, with 68,926 stock units changing hands. Guardian Holdings dropped $25 to close at a 52 weeks’ low of $470 with 1,890 stocks clearing the market, Jamaica Producers gained 75 cents to end at $21.75 after an exchange of 6,547 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange rallied 86 cents to $13.86, with 774 stock units crossing the exchange. JMMB Group advanced $1.01 in closing at $30.01 after 50,284 stocks changed hands, Kingston Wharves gained $1 after ending at $33, with 1,413 units crossing the market, Massy Holdings climbed $2 to end at $82 after an exchange of 1,950 shares. NCB Financial rose $3.99 to close at $74.99, with 29,173 stocks crossing the market, PanJam Investment rallied 51 cents to $53 in an exchange of 696 units, Proven Investments lost $1.35 in closing at $26.50 with the swapping of 3,354 shares. Sagicor Group declined 45 cents to $46.55 with investors transferring 3,778 stock units, Scotia Group shed 89 cents to end at $34.06 in an exchange of 7,082 stocks, Seprod declined $5.41 after ending at $61.01 while exchanging 196,078 shares and Supreme Ventures advanced $1.25 to close at $25.50 and closed with 57,785 units changing hands.
In the preference segmentEppley 7.50% preference share popped 47 cents in closing at $7.97 in switching ownership of 1,801 stock units, Jamaica Public Service 9.5% dropped $300 to close at $2700 in trading one stock and 138 Student Living preference share increased $7.43 in closing at $77.43 with investors transferring 30 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

Gains for Trinidad & Tobago Exchange

Trading popped on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange on Monday, with the volume of stocks traded rising 19 percent with a 48 percent greater value than Friday, resulting in 16 securities trading compared with 17 on Friday, with six stocks rising, five declining and five remaining unchanged.
Trading climbed to 131,348 shares for $1,504,412 up from 110,426 stock units at $1,177,661 on Friday.
An average of 8,209 shares were traded at $94,026 compared to 6,496 units at $69,274 on Friday, with trading month to date averaging 21,561 shares at $225,265 versus 22,190 units at $231,441 on the previous day. The average trade for February amounts to 51,996 shares at $458,520.
The Composite Index rose 7.75 points to 1,329.65, the All T&T Index jumped 17.55 points to 1,989.12, the SME Index remained at 61.52 and the Cross-Listed Index slipped 0.38 points to close at 87.33.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Angostura Holdings popped 98 cents to $59.75 after trading 12,605 shares, Ansa McAl traded 80 shares and jumped $3.92 to $54.75, First Citizens Group ended at $50 with an exchange of 3,979 stocks, FirstCaribbean International Bank popped 5 cents to $7.20, with 49.900 stock units clearing the market. GraceKennedy lost 14 cents in ending at $4.46 after an exchange of 3,100 units, JMMB Group slipped 5 cents in ending at $1.70 with a transfer of 17,555 shares, L.J. Williams B share rose 19 cents to close at $2.75 after investors traded 200 units. Massy Holdings ended market activity at $4.55 after an exchange of 29,148 stock units, National Enterprises had an exchange of 1,327 stocks in closing at $3.72 after slipping by a cent, NCB Financial fell 1 cent to $3.89, with 855 stock units crossing the market. One Caribbean Media gained 5 cents to end at $3.55, with 5,350 units changing hands, Prestige Holdings remained at $7.49 in switching ownership of 55 shares. Republic Financial closed at $138 after 3,021 shares crossed the market, Scotiabank remained at $78 while exchanging just 18 stock units and Trinidad Cement lost 3 cents in ending at $3.51 while 1,330 stocks passed through the market.

Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

Key Insurance highest ICTOP10 jumps 37%

Stocks dropped to their lowest levels this past week after falling even lower than they did to close of the previous week as investors continue to shun the market, but the time is not far off that Bank of Jamaica will begin lowering interest rates and fuel a market resurgence as they sent the clearest signal that interest rates have not only peaked but will be headed downwards this past week.

The first signs of an easing of rate came this past week with BOJ CDs rates plunging 16 percent to an average of 8.85 percent from over 10 percent where it stood for several months. Importantly, the central bank cut the stock of CDS it holds from a peak of $109.5 billion on March 3, down to $82 billion at the latest auction, far less than from mid-January to the end of February, as more than $58 billion chasing after the $18 billion that was offered last week. While this happened the foreign exchange market looks very liquid with the rate falling under $152 to one US dollar from $155 earlier in February.
Performance in the past week for the Junior Market TOP10 saw only two stocks rising and seven falling, the majority of the declining stocks registering fell by 3 percent or less. General Accident jumped 20 percent to $5.98, but the bids are not there at the close, to support the price, but selling has abated for this stock currently. Everything Fresh rose 9 percent to close at $1.55 and actually traded at $1.65 during the week. Iron Rock Insurance fell 13 percent to $2 and Caribbean Assurance Brokers lost 6 percent to $1.90.
The Main Market TOP10 saw the highest gaining stock rising just 34 percent, after Key Insurance jumped to $3.50 and was followed by 138 Student Living with an 8 percent rise to $5.40, but Caribbean Producers dropped 8 percent to $9.07. All other movements were 3 percent or less.
The Junior Market has a long term pattern, with the market starting to rise around a month before quarterly results are due and declining shortly after results are released. This is a pattern worth noting that can be built into investment decisions that can improve returns.
At the end of the week, the average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP 10 is 5.5, well below the market average of 13.2, while the Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 5.9 compared with the market at 10.6. The differences are important indicators of the level of likely gains for ICTOP10 stocks. The Junior Market is projected to rise by 248 percent and the Main Market TOP10 an average of 274 percent, to May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings.
The Junior Market has 9 stocks representing 19 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 24, averaging 19, well above the average of the market. The top half of the market has an average PE of 15, suggesting that this may be a logical value for junior market stocks currently.
The Main Market 16 most valued stocks are priced at a PE of 15 to 100, with an average of 29 and 19 excluding the highest valued stocks and 18 for the top half excluding the stocks with the highest valuation. The above average shows the extent of potential gains for the TOP 10 stocks.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market but not always. ICInsider.com ranks stocks based on projected earnings, allowing investors to focus on the most undervalued stocks and helping to remove emotions in selecting stocks for investments that often result in costly mistakes.
IC TOP10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns up to the end of May 2023 and are ranked in order of potential gains, computed using projected earnings for the current fiscal year. Expected values will change as stock prices fluctuate and result in weekly movements in and out of the lists. Revisions to earnings are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.

Persons who compiled this report may have an interest in securities commented on in this report.