Trading rises for junior stocks – Wednesday
The movement in the junior market index lifted the gain for the year to date at 36 percent.
The volume of stocks traded rose on Wednesday by 50 percent from Tuesday’s level and ending with 1,318,905 units changing hands, valued at $5,853,384, 12 percent from $5,225,495 on Tuesday.
Market activities ended with 5 securities closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and just 1 ending with a lower offer.
An average of 81,289 units with an average value of $344,317 traded, compared to 61,261 units with an average value of $348,366 on the preceding day. The average for the month to date is 109,679 units for an average of $607,092 compared to 111,031 units valued at $619,605 on Tuesday and 129,138 units with an average value of $709,705 for October.
Eppley ordinary stock is yet to trade, after a split into 150 stock units for each one previously held.
In trading activity, AMG Packaging rose $1 to close with 971 units changing hands at $18.50, CAC 2000 added 99 cents in trading 100 shares and to close at $5.10, Cargo Handlers ended with 59,932 units and regained 50 cents to close at $12.50, Caribbean Cream closed with 125,000 shares changing hands and lost 29 cents to end at $7.10. Caribbean Flavours fell 6 cents, in trading 5,500 units at $8.55, Caribbean Producers fell 25 cents in trading 65,801 units to end at $3.20, Consolidated Bakeries lost 7 cents in trading 9,902 shares to close at $2.23, General Accident fell 5 cents and closed trading with 74,300 units at $2.60. Honey Bun gained 51 cents with 11,654 shares changing hands to close at $6.01, Jetcon Corporation ended with 138,521 units changing hands, 23 cents higher at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $5.25, Key Insurance traded 15,000 shares and ended at $2.50. Lasco Distributors closed with 20,700 shares changing hands, at $6.80, Lasco Financial lost 10 cents and ended with 750,000 shares changing hands at $3.10. Lasco Manufacturing rose 14 cents to end at $4.69 with 12,211 shares changing hands, Medical Disposables lost 25 cents in trading 76,942, shares to close at $4.05, Paramount Trading gained 20 cents with 10,000 units changing hands to close at $3.70 and tTech ended with 5,372 shares changing hands at $5.50.
Juniors volume surge – Monday
The junior market index lost 10.44 points to end at 2,416.30 on Monday as the prices of 5 stocks rose and 5 declined with 17 securities trading, compared with 14 on Friday. The movement in the junior market index left the gain for the year to date at 35 percent.
The volume of stocks traded jumped sharply on Monday by 1,865 percent from Friday’s level and ending with 3,446,347 units changing hands, valued at $15,863,525, up 1,928 percent from $782,192 on Friday.
Market activities ended with 4 securities closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 ending with lower offers.
An average of 202,726 units with an average value of $933,149 traded, compared to 11,694 units with an average value of $52,146 on the preceding trading day. The average for the month to date is 113,520 units for an average of $633,167 compared to 52,146 units valued at $108,825 on Friday and 129,138 units with an average value of $709,705 for October.
Eppley ordinary stock split into 150 stock units for each one previously held is reflected in the price one junior market on Monday with the ex-stock split date being November 28. There was no trading in the stock by the close.
In trading activity, AMG Packaging dropped $2.20 and closed with 11,433 units changing hands to close at $18.75, Cargo Handlers traded 2,400 units at $12.50, Caribbean Cream closed with 5,769 shares changing hands and gained 25 cents to end at $7.25, Caribbean Producers rose 5 cents in trading 4,000 units at $3.45. Consolidated Bakeries lost 10 cents in trading 10,000 shares to close at $2.30, General Accident dropped 35 cents and closed trading with 113,300 units at $2.65, Honey Bun with 358,200 shares changing hands, closed at $5.50 after falling 10 cents. ISP Finance traded 28,623 shares to end at $8, Jamaican Teas traded 16,966 shares to close at $4.10, Jetcon Corporation closed with 149,100 units changing hands, 1 cent higher at $5.01, Key Insurance traded 21,100 shares with a rise of 15 cents to end at $2.50, Knutsford Express traded 750 units at $20. Lasco Distributors gained 20 cents with 8,000 shares changing hands, to close at $6.80, Lasco Financial rose 5 cents and ended with 202,636 shares changing hands at $3.20. Lasco Manufacturing closed with a loss of 1 cent at $4.69 with 2,507,570 shares changing hands, Paramount Trading with 5,000 units changing hands closed at $3.50 and tTech traded 1,500 shares but rose 50 cents to $5.50.
Juniors rise on low volumes – Friday
The volume of stocks traded declined sharply on Friday by 83 percent from Thursday’s level and ending with 175,408 units changing hands, valued at $782,192, down 85 percent from $5,281,239 on Thursday.
Market activities ended with 5 securities closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and 1 ending with a lower offer.
An average of 11,694 units with an average value of $52,146 traded, compared to 72,603 units with an average value of $377,231 on the preceding trading day. The average for the month to date is 52,146 units for an average of $108,825 compared to 114,221 units valued at $648,781 on Thursday and 129,138 units with an average value of $709,705 for October.
In trading activity, Caribbean Cream closed with 6,000 shares changing hands and lost 14 cents to $7, Caribbean Producers lost 5 cents in trading 200 units at $3.40, C2W Music traded 4,047 units at 25 cents, General Accident gained 15 cents and closed trading with 16,852 units at $3, Honey Bun with 8,500 shares changing hands, closed at $5.60. ISP Finance traded just 200 shares to end at an all-time high of $8, Jamaican Teas traded 1,340 shares to close at $4.10, with a rise of 11 cents.Jetcon Corporation closed with 1,900 units changing hands at $5, Key Insurance traded 6,783 shares with a gain of 20 cents to end at $2.35, Knutsford Express traded 934 units at $20, Lasco Distributors gained 20 cents with 2,200 shares changing hands, to close at $6.80, Lasco Financial rose 5 cents and ended with 6,860 shares changing hands at $3.20. Lasco Manufacturing closed at $4.70 with 105,000 shares changing hands, Paramount Trading gaine 40 cents with 8,894 units changing hands to close at $3.50 and tTech traded 5,698 shares but fell 75 cents to $5.
Junior market falls on Monday
The junior market index fell 11.77 points to end at 2,452.33 on Monday as the prices of just 1 stock rose and 6 declined with 9 securities trading, down from 17 on Friday. The gain for the junior market index for the year to date ended at 37 percent.
The volume of stocks traded dropped sharply on Monday with the volume dropped sharply by 88 percent from Friday’s level and ending with just 185,535 units changing hands, valued at $7,836,091, up 84 percent from $1,256,517
on Friday.
Market activities ended with 6 securities closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and 6 ending with lower offers.
An average of 20,615 units with an average value of $139,613 traded, compared to 93,495 units with an average value of $460,947 on the preceding trading day. The average for the month to date is 122,319 units for an average of $715,032 compared to 129,584 units valued at $756,133 on Friday and 129,138 units with an average value of $709,705 for October.
In trading activity, AMG Packaging fell $1.59 and closed with 25,415 units changing hands at $18.51, Caribbean Cream with 62,000 shares changing hands, rose 5 cents to close at $7.25, Consolidated Bakeries lost 10 cents in trading 2,000 shares to close at $2.30, Honey Bun with 23,868 shares changing hands, but lost 40 cents to end at $5.60. Jamaican Teas traded 4,449 shares and fell 11 cents to close at $3.99, KLE Group declined 5 cents and ended with 21,460 shares trading at $1.55. Lasco Financial ended with 44,000 shares changing hands at $3, Lasco Manufacturing closed at $4.80 with 882 shares changing hands and tTech lost 55 cents and ended with 1,450 shares changing hands at $5.20.
Juniors market trading picks up – Friday
The junior market index fell 7.64 points to end at 2,464.10 on Friday as the prices of 10 stocks rose and 5 declined with 17 securities trading. The gain for the junior market index for the year to date remained at 38 percent.
The volume of stocks traded dropped sharply on Friday with the volume jumped sharply by 165 percent from Thursday’s level and ending with just 1,589,420 units changing hands, valued at $7,836,091, up 239 percent from $2,314,012 on Thursday.
Market activities ended with 9 securities closing with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 ending with lower offers.
An average of 93,495 units with an average value of $460,947 traded, compared to 50,000 units with an average value of $192,834 on the preceding trading day. The average for the month to date is 129,584 units for an average of $756,133 compared to 132,360 units valued at $778,840 on Thursday and 129,138 units with an average value of $709,705 for October.
In trading activity, AMG Packaging rose $1.10 and closed with 25,000 units changing hands at $20.10, CAC2000 traded 1,600 shares at $4.11 after gaining 11 cents, Cargo Handlers gained 20 cents and closed with 7,320 shares changing hands at $7.80, Caribbean Cream with 225,000 shares changing hands, lost 10 cents to close at $7.20. Caribbean Producers traded 476,500 shares to end with a gain of 18 cents at $3.48, Consolidated Bakeries rose 20 cents in trading 3,055 shares to close at $2.40, General Accident rose 5 cents and closed trading with 32,073 units at $3.15, Honey Bun with 38,833 shares changing hands, added by 20 cents to end at $6. Jamaican Teas traded 4,000 shares and rose 20 cents to close at $4.10, Jetcon Corporation traded 46,554 shares to close at $5.20, Key Insurance traded 1,300 shares and closed at $2.15, Lasco Distributors declined 50 cents and ended with 30,761 shares trading at $6.50. Lasco Financial fell 20 cents and ended with 77,603 shares changing hands at $3, Lasco Manufacturing closed at $4.80 with 512,207 shares changing hands after falling 10 cents. Medical Disposables traded 50,000 shares to close with a loss of 53 cents at $4.25, Paramount Trading rose 10 cents to end at $3.95 with 27,614 shares changing hands and tTech climbed 65 cents and ended with 30,000 shares changing hands at $5.75.
Quick about turn at Key Insurance
The second quarter was negatively affected by an Insurance claims of $747 million compared to just $82 million in 2015 for the same period. In the September quarter the insurance company benefited from a positive turn around for claims.
The claims experience in the second quarter forced the company’s management to review the insurance claims and reserves quarterly rather than annually in the past. The end result is that claims seem to be back to normal in the third quarter with a net recovery in claims of $228 million as opposed to an expense of $193 million expensed in 2015.
Nine months profit ended at $66 million compared to $68 million for the 2015 period and seems set to reach $120 million for the full year, for earnings per share of 35 cents. At this level of earnings, the stock has a PE of 6, the lowest in the junior market.
Key generated net premium income of $166 million up 25 percent over 2015 and $451 million for the nine months, an increase of 28.5 percent. Administrative expenses rose from $77 million in the 2015 third quarter to $100 million in 2016 and for the nine months to $281 million from $220 million.
The stock last traded at $2 on the junior market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange.