More junior stocks up Friday

Consolidated Bakeries closed at a new 52 weeks' high on Friday

Consolidated Bakeries closed at a new 52 weeks’ high on Friday

Trading on the Junior Market defied the negative indication that the bid offer ratio showed at the close of trading on Thursday as 10 securities trading and ended with 673,874 units changing hands valued at $2,280,199. The JSE Junior Market Index advanced 14.93 points to close at 878.07, close to mid-day the junior market index had gained 20.52 points. with the price of 4 stocks advancing and 3 declining. Consolidated Bakeries closed at a 52 weeks’ high in response to a 203 percent increase in profit in the March quarter from a 14.3 percent increase in sales.
At the close of the market, there were 4 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and only 4 with lower offers. The junior market ended with 3 securities closing with no bids to buy and 8 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
Stocks trading in the junior market are, Access Financial ending with 38,164 shares JM 22-5-15changing hands to close higher by 10 cents at $17.10, Cargo Handlers finished with 36,944 units to close at $22.28, Caribbean Cream had just 800 shares trading, lost 1 cent to end at $1.19, Caribbean Flavours ended trading in 8,000 shares with the price falling 10 cents to $2, Consolidated Bakeries closed with a 15 cents increase as 307,613 units traded to land at $1.15. General Accident Insurance concluded trading with 79,105 shares changing hands 7 cents higher at $2.17, Knutsford Express traded just 100 shares at $6, Lasco Distributors traded 5,500 shares, 5 cents higher, at $1.70. Lasco Financial Services finished trading with 184,648 units, the price slipped 1 cent to $1.30 and there was dealing in 13,000 Lasco Manufacturing’s shares to close at $1.30.

New record for junior market

Bottle heating machine at Lasco Manufacturing. The company's closed at a 52 weeks high.

Bottle heating machine at Lasco Manufacturing. The company’s closed at a 52 weeks high.

Lagging the performance of the main market for weeks, the junior market has quietly come into its own, posting new record highs on two consecutive days. Having surpassed the previous high on Monday, it went on to post a new high on Tuesday when it ended at 860.96 points up 16.66 points for the day.
Trading picked up on the Junior Market in the early hours of trading but slowed done considerable thereafter in the end it closed with 11 securities trading, and ended with 707,451 units changing hands valued at $2,017,008. The JSE Junior Market closed with the price of 5 stocks advancing and 3 declining including 4 that closed at 52 weeks’ highs.
At the close of the market, there were 2 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and only 1 with a lower offer. The junior market ended with 3 securities closing with no bids to buy and 7 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
Stocks trading in the junior market are, Access Financial trading 39,172 units at $15.10, AMG Packaging ending with 7,830 shares changing hands to close at $3.30, Cargo Handlers finished with 500 units to close at a new high of $22.08, after adding 8 cents. Caribbean Cream with just 100 shares trading, gained 9 cents to close at a new JM 12-5-1552 weeks high of $1.05, Caribbean Producers with 248,000 closed at $2.88 but traded the bulk of them at $3, General Accident Insurance concluded trading with 26,000 shares changing hands, to close 23 cents higher, at a new 52 weeks’ high of $2.05. Honey Bun closed trading with 1,200 shares to gain 60 cents and end at $2.70, Knutsford Express closed with 1,000 shares trading at $6. Lasco Distributors ended with 227,498 shares trading, 1 cent higher, at $1.50, Lasco Financial Services finished trading with 55,531 units, the price slipped 7 cents to $1.37 and Lasco Manufacturing closed with 100,620 units at $1.40 to gain 3 cents and closed at a new 52 weeks’ high.

Junior market inches up

Caribbean Cream traded at a 52 weeks high on Thursday of 95 cents.

Caribbean Cream traded at a 52 weeks high on Thursday of 95 cents in response to improved full year results.

Trading close on the Junior Market with 9 securities trading, with two ne 52 weeks’ high, and ended with 1,000,432 units changing hands valued at $1,495,579. The JSE Junior Market Index rose 0.06 points to close at 824.59, with the price of 6 stocks advancing including two closing at 52 weeks’ high and 1 declining.
At the close of the market, there were 5 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and only 1 with a lower offer. The junior market ended with 3 securities closing with no bids to buy and 6 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
JM cht 7-5-15Stocks trading in the junior market are, AMG Packaging ending with 30747 shares changing hands, 5 cents higher at $3.30, Cargo Handlers finished with 1,500 units with a gain of 25 cents to a new all-time high of $22, Caribbean Cream ended trading with 500,000 shares with an increase of 10 cents at a 52 weeks’ high of 95 cents. Consolidated Bakeries with 100,000 shares traded 6 cents higher at $1, Knutsford Express finished trading with 8,000 shares to closed unchanged at $6. Lasco Distributors traded 235,030 shares trading, 1 cent higher, at $1.47, Lasco Financial Services finished trading with 24,030 units as the price regained 7 cents to $1.30. There was dealing in 52,425 Lasco Manufacturing’s shares as the stock traded lower by 4 cents to $1.30 and Eppley 2019 preference share closed trading 48,700 units at $6.

Juniors gain with 5 stocks rising

Cargo Handlers closed at an all time high of $21

Cargo Handlers closed at an all time high of $21

Trading activity picked up on the Junior market on Monday, with the market closing with 11 securities trading and ending in 1,776,893 units changing hands valued at $2,970,218. The JSE Junior Market Index declined 6 points to close at 817, with the price of 5 stocks advancing and 1 declining.
An indicator of the state of the market at the close, can be seen by the number of stocks with bids versus offers, as well as the numbers that close with bids being higher or lower than the last sale price. AT the close there were 4 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and only 1 with a lower. The junior market ended with 5 securities closing with no bids to buy and 9 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
Stocks trading in the junior market are, Blue Power trading 6,000 units and gained $1.30 to end at $8.81. JM cht4-5-15Caribbean Cream had 11,000 units changing hands and ending 16 cents higher at 81 cents, Caribbean Producers had 80,935 shares trading at $2.99 with a loss of 11 cents. Cargo Handlers closing at an all-time high of $21, while trading 10,000 units, to gain 89 cents. Honey Bun gained 2 cents, in trading 1,500 shares to end at $1.90, up 8 cents, Jamaican Teas had 12,422 units changing hands at $2.55, Knutsford Express closed with 7,016 units changing hands at $6, Lasco Distributors had 523,076 shares trading to close at $1.45 with no stock on offer at the close. Lasco Financial Services had 3,500 units changing hands traded at the close at $1.30, Lasco Manufacturing traded 821,444 shares and closed at $1.35 and Medical Disposables ended with 300,000 trading at $1.70.

Juniors still not partying

jse_logo150x150 Activity on the Junior Market closed with 7 securities trading and ending with only 85,855 units changing hands, valued at $268,199. The JSE Junior Market Index declined 4.29 points to close at 739.38. At the close 2 stocks fell and none record a price increase, as investors shun the juniors in favour of the main market stocks.
At the close of the market, there were 6 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 with offers that were lower. The junior market ended with 4 securities closing with no bids to buy and 7 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
Jm 27-4-15Stocks trading in the junior market are, Consolidated Bakeries traded 3,234 shares at 82 cents, Dolphin Cove had 10,000 shares trading at $2.70, Eppley traded just 221 units unchanged at $380, Knutsford Express closed unchanged at $6 with just 300 shares changing hands. Lasco Distributors traded 31,100 shares to close at $1.37 after losing 3 cents, Lasco Financial Services had 40,000 units trading at $1.10 with a fall of 5 cents and Lasco Manufacturing with only 1,000 shares ended at $1.07, but had a bid at $1.15 at the close.

Juniors not partying yet

JSEDailyTrading280X150 Activity on the junior market was moderate, on a day when the main market recorded another session of strong gains, as investors’ focus seems to be more on the stocks of bigger companies. Based on the strong profit performance of many of the junior market companies, it’s only a matter of time that more interest will be paid to junior market companies as investors seek out profitable trades.
At the close of trading only 6 securities traded and ending with 476,829 units changing hands valued at $1,177,602. The JSE Junior Market Index declined 1.78 points to close at 743.67, with the price of 3 stocks advancing and 4 declining.
At the close of the market, there were 4 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 1 with a lower offer. JM 24-4-15The junior market ended with 5 securities closing with no bids to buy and 9 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
Stocks trading in the junior market are, Blue Power traded 295 units to end at $7.51, Caribbean Producers had 356,822 shares trading at $2.70, Knutsford Express traded 600 shares at $6, Lasco Distributors traded 6,973 shares to close with a gain of 2 cents at $1.40. Lasco Financial Services 3,454 units traded at the close at $1.15 and Medical Disposables traded 108,685 and closed unchanged at $1.80.

Bulls take over JSE with 6 new highs

Seprod traded at 52 weeks " high on Thursday at $16

Seprod traded at 52 weeks’ high on Thursday at $16

The number of stocks participating in trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange widened to 27 on Thursday, from 23 on Wednesday. A total of 1,257,808 units changed hands, valued at just $10,579,864, resulting in the prices of 14 stocks rising, with 6 hitting 52 weeks’ highs. There were 7 declining stocks, in all market segments.
Stocks closing at 52 weeks’ high on Thursday are Carreras, Knutsford Express from the junior market, National Commercial Bank, Seprod, Supreme Ventures and Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference share.
Main Market| The JSE Market Index gained 346.41 points to 86,646.17, the JSE All Jamaican Composite index rose 387.31 points to close at 95,592.74 and the JSE combined index gained 412.97 points to 88,407.34.
JSE sum23-4-15 IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 11 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and just 2 with offers that were lower.
In market activity, Cable & Wireless traded 123,000 shares, in closing at 52 cents, after trading as high as 54 cents. Caribbean Cement had 46,061 units trading, to gain 25 cents in ending at $2.50, Carreras traded only 15,934 shares between $43 and the last traded price of $45.05, in posting a gain of $1.05. Grace Kennedy’s price fell 80 cents, while trading 5,801 shares at $62.20, Jamaica Producers had 173,904 units trading at $16.80 for a gain of 84 cents but had 1,569,027 shares on the bid at $16, at the close. National Commercial Bank put through only 25,149 units between $26.01 and the closing price of $26.70 with an increase of 20 cents. The banking group reported improved results in the quarter of $1.32 versus $1.24 per share in March 2014. Pan Jamaican Investment gained 37 cents in trading 9,054 shares at $55.50 but traded as low as $55.19. Radio Jamaica lost 25 cents in trading just 1,000 shares at $1.75,Sagicor Group posted 65,992 shares to end at $10.57 and gain just 2 cents. Scotia Group swapped JSE qts f 23-4-1548,477 shares to close at $22, after trading at $22.50, Scotia Investments had 10,000 shares changing hands at $23.80, for an increase of 20 cents. Seprod put on $1.93 but with a mere 200 shares to end at $16, Supreme Ventures had the ownership of 51,600 units changing to close with a gain of 11 cents at $2.95. Proven Investments had 77,330 shares trading to close at 17.5 US cents but traded as high as 17.99 US cents, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference share traded 227,950 units at $2.30 and gained 28 cents or 14 percent, which is indicative of what now happening to interest rates, that have been declining from April last year, and Jamaica Money Market Brokers 8.75% preference share traded 174,738 units at $3.20.

Junior standoff holds back trading

Knutsford Express closed at a new all time high of $6 on Thursday.

Knutsford Express closed at a new all time high of $6 on Thursday.

Activity on the Junior Market closed with only 5 securities trading as buyers and sellers are not seeing eye to eye on the values of stocks. Trading ended with 142,563 units changing hands valued at $360,028. The JSE Junior Market Index rose 9.37 points to close at 741.89, with the price of 3 stocks advancing and 4 declining.
At the close, there were 4 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 1 with offer that was lower. The junior market ended with 4 securities closing with no bids to buy and 10 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
Stocks trading in the junior market are, are Caribbean Producers with 117,000 units,JM trades  23-4-15
at $2.70 for a 38 cents gain Honey Bun ending with just 1,937 shares trading unchanged at $1.82. Knutsford Express traded at a new high of $6 by adding 20 cents with only 2,580 shares changing hands, Lasco Distributors traded 4,000 shares between $1.38 down 5 cents but closed with a bid at $1.40, to buy 50,000 shares, with offers at $1.43 for 110,736 unitsand Lasco Financial gained 7 cents to $1.15 while trading 17,046 shares.

Low junior market activity on Friday

JM ind 17-4-15 The Junior Market closed out the week with very low activity as just 3 securities traded compared to 9 on Thursday, ending with 226,263 units changing hands valued at $227,820. The JSE Junior Market Index is up 0.53 points to close at 741.27, with the price of none advancing, 1 declining and 1 remaining unchanged from the last traded prices on Thursday.
At the close of the market, there were 2 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 1 with the offer that was lower. The junior market ended with 5 securities closing with no bids to buy and 11 securities that had no stocks being offered for sale.
JM 17-4-15Some buyers have backed off their bids with the interested party in AMG Packaging dropping the bid that was at $2.50 up to Thursday. The bid is now back at $2.26 the last price the stock traded at Caribbean Cream closed with the bid for 73,530 shares at 68 cents 3 cents higher than the last price of 65 cents. Offers for the stock are over $1.
Stocks trading in the junior market are, Consolidated Bakeries trading 101,388 shares in closing at 82 cents, Knutsford Express had 896 shares trading at $5.80 and Lasco Manufacturing traded 123,979 units and lost 3 cents to $1.10.

Knutsford riding high

KnutsFordExpressJunior market Knutsford Express, enjoyed a very profitable 2014 with a 92 percent increase in pretax profit for the February quarter of $19 million and 45 percent increase for the nine months to $48.5 million.
Contributing to the big jump in profits is a 46.9 percent climb in revenues to $334 million for the nine months and $126.5 million for the quarter, for a 39.6 percent gain. Administrative and other cost rose 33.7 percent in the quarter and 46 percent for the nine months. The earnings translate to 19 cents per share for the quarter and 49 cents for the nine months.
Borrowed funds amount to $23 million with cash funds of $55 million. The company added to its fixed assets which moved from $126 million as of May last year, to $173 million as it expands the fleet of buses on the road and now covers Jamaica with land transportation from north to south and east to west.
The company’s stock traded at $5.60 with a gain of 40 cents after the results were released. the stock remains IC Insider Buy Rated, but it is not expected that there will be much more gains in the short term with a current PE of 8 times 2015 earnings.