Stocks tumbled on Junior Market


Stocks mostly tumbled on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange in a low keyed trading session on Monday with Edufocal contributing of a quarter of the volume of shares traded following activities in 44 securities up from 41 on Friday and ending with prices of 10 rising, 26 declining and eight closing unchanged.

The market activity ended with trading of 2,977,846 shares for $5,466,817 from 4,970,864 units at $9,913,313 on Friday.
Trading averaged 67,678 shares at $124,246 down from 121,241 stocks valued at $241,788 on Friday with a month to date, average of 366,876 stock units at $712,836 compared to 409,480 stock units at $796,649 on the previous day and December with an average of 326,483 shares at $898,324.
EduFocal led trading with 757,417 shares for 25.4 percent of total volume followed by Dolla Financial which ended with 522,272 stock units for 17.5 percent of the day’s trade and Fosrich with 315,778 stocks for 10.6 percent of the volume traded.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index shed 39.03 points to finish at 3,659.25. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows eight stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.9, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for financial years ending around August 2025.
At the close of the market activity, Caribbean Assurance Brokers dropped 20 cents and ended at $2.60 with 23,692 stocks crossing the exchange, Caribbean Flavours increased by 21 cents to $1.42 with an exchange of 1,741 stock units, Consolidated Bakeries shed 7 cents to finish at $1.92 after 810 shares were traded. Dolphin Cove sank 10 cents to $19.50 in an exchange of 4,023 stock units, Elite Diagnostic slipped 24 cents to end at $1.65 with 55,424 shares crossing the market, Everything Fresh climbed 25 cents to close at $2.10 with investors dealing in 11,214 units. Express Catering fell 24 cents to $3.01 with investors trading 4,051 stocks, Fontana declined 16 cents to finish at $8.01 in an exchange of 35,713 stock units, Fosrich lost 12 cents and ended at $2.15 with investors trading 315,778 shares. GWest Corporation skidded 7 cents to end at 90 cents after an exchange of 2,730 stocks, Honey Bun popped 17 cents in closing at $8.42 with 5,795 units crossing the market, Knutsford Express sank 21 cents to close at $12.79 after a transfer of 4,613 stock units. Main Event dipped 20 cents to $11.80 with investors swapping a mere 671 shares, Regency Petroleum fell 9 cents and ended at $3.10 with a transfer of 191,749 stocks, Spur Tree Spices sank 22 cents in closing at $1.67 after 155,177 units passed through the market and tTech dropped 30 cents to end at $1.70 with an exchange of 25,829 stock units.

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

Big gains for Junior Market ICTOP10 stocks


Bulls cooled their heels this past week allowing for a fall in the Main and Junior Market with the former slipping 0.9 percent and the latter dipping half of a percent for the week, resulting in notable price changes in the Junior Market but modest changes in the Main Market.

Just two stocks fell and 8 rose in the Junior Market ICTOP10 during the week, reversing last week’s adverse movement of just two rising and 8 falling. The performance of the Main Market ICTOP10 resulted in three stocks gaining while four declined. The All JSE TOP10, compiled from all listed ordinary stocks on the JSE, had two changes. JMMB Group returns to the All JSETOP10 following a week’s absence along with Caribbean Producers, replacing the Junior Market, Access Financial and AMG Packaging.
Guardian Holdings with the potential to gain 436 percent continues to hold the number one spot in the market with 138 Student Living at number 2 in the All JSE ICTOP10 for a seventh week. Elite Diagnostics holds the number one spot in the Junior Market TOP10 followed by Caribbean Cream and Iron Rock Insurance.
In the Junior Market IC TOP10, Iron Rock Insurance fell 7 percent to $4 and was the only stock with a notable loss. The biggest winner is Lumber Depot recovering from the loss of the previous week in jumping 27 percent to $2.64, AMG Packaging riding a wave of positive news about expansion surged 22 percent to $3.42, Caribbean Assurance climbed 12 percent to end at $2.80, Access Financial rose 11 percent to $17.01, but continues to struggle under relatively heavy selling pressure and will require positive third quarter results to help alleviate it and Express Catering popped 8 percent to $3.25.
In Main Market ICTOP10 activity, Berger Paints shed 14 percent to close at $7.36, Key Insurance dropped 10 percent to $2.20, Caribbean Producers and Scotia Group lost 5 percent to $8.50 and $52 respectively.
JMMB Group returns to the Main Market ICTOP10, replacing Lasco Distributors and the Junior Market ICTOP10 list lost Lumber Depot with Jamaican Teas coming in as the replacement.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market ICTOP 10 stands at just 5.4, well below the market average of 15 and the Junior Market TOP10 sits at 8, more than half of the market, with an average of 13.
Based on the earnings projected for 2024, the Main Market ICTOP10 is projected to gain an average of 284 percent by May 2025, providing better values than the Junior Market, which has the potential to achieve a 163 percent increase over the same period.
In the Main Market ICTOP 10, there are 16 stocks with the highest values representing 31 percent of the Main Market, with PEs between 15 to 105, with an average of 30 and 21 excluding the highest PE ratios and a PE of 24 for the top half of the market with the highest values and 19 excluding the stocks with overweight values.
In the Junior Market IC TOP10 are 12 stocks, 25 percent of the market, with PEs ranging from 15 to 32 with an average of 21 and a PE of 18 for half of the market with the highest PEs.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market, but this is not always so. 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 will likely deliver the best returns on or around May 2025 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, resulting 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.

Trading plunged on the Junior Market


Trading plunged sharply on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Friday with a 94 percent drop in the volume, with a 93 percent lower value than Thursday, following trading in 41 securities down from 44 on Thursday and ending with prices of 15 rising, 19 declining and seven closing unchanged.

The market closed with trading of 4,970,864 shares for $9,913,313, down sharply from 79,247,636 units at $146,127,867 on Thursday.
Trading averaged
121,241 shares at $241,788 down from 1,801,083 stocks at $3,321,088 on Thursday with the month to date, averaging 409,480 stock units at $796,649 down from 453,576 stock units at $881,534 on the previous day and December that averaged 326,483 shares at $898,324.

Everything Fresh led trading with 1.11 million shares for 22.2 percent of total volume followed by Kintyre Holdings which ended with 781,787 stock units for 15.7 percent of the day’s trade and One Great Studio with 436,178 stocks for 8.8 percent of the volume traded.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index climbed 17.98 points to conclude trading at 3,698.28. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13, based on the last traded prices and with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for financial years ending around August 2025.
At the close on Friday, Access Financial slipped 96 cents to $17.01 in an exchange of 601 shares, AMG Packaging fell 8 cents and ended at $3.42 with 13,798 stocks being traded, Caribbean Cream rose 12 cents to close at $3.22 with a transfer of a mere 1,583 shares. Dolphin Cove rallied 20 cents to finish at $19.60 with 31,414 stock units crossing the exchange, Elite Diagnostic popped 10 cents to end at $1.89 with investors trading 10,925 shares, Everything Fresh skidded 30 cents to $1.85 with 1,105,000 units switching owners. Fosrich advanced 7 cents to $2.27 with 74,945 stocks changing hands, Honey Bun fell 23 cents to $8.25 with an exchange of 12,647 stock units, Indies Pharma increased 24 cents and ended at $3.74 after trading in 125,423 shares. Jamaican Teas shed 7 cents to finish at $2.07 as investors exchanged 43,737 units, Lasco Financial climbed 7 cents to end at $1.50 in trading 180,519 stocks, Main Event sank 84 cents to close at $12 after an exchange of 4,182 stock units. Medical Disposables declined 13 cents to $1.67 with investors dealing in 10,383 shares, ONE on ONE Educational gained 8 cents to finish at 97 cents after  exchanging 123,583 stock units, Stationery and Office Supplies lost 8 cents and ended at $1.50 with traders dealing in 21,224 stocks and tTech popped 25 cents to close at $2 after an exchange of only four units.

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

Big Paramount trade on JSE Junior Market


Trading swelled robustly on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Thursday, following six big trades that pushed the volume 576 percent sharply higher and the value 469 percent over Wednesday with trading in 44 securities similar to Wednesday, with prices of 14 rising, 24 declining and six closing unchanged.

The market closed with trading of 79,247,636 shares with a value of $146,127,867 in contrast with 11,716,187 units at $25,697,210 on Wednesday. Trading averaged 1,801,083 shares at $3,321,088 compared with 266,277 stocks at $584,028 on Wednesday with the month to date, averaging 453,576 units at $881,534 compared to 188,888 stock units at $402,336 on the previous day and with an average of 326,483 shares at $898,324 in December.
Paramount Trading led trading with 21.68 million shares for 27.4 percent of total volume followed by Jetcon Corporation with 18.0 million stock units for 22.7 percent of the day’s trade, Future Energy ended with 17.37 million stocks for 21.9 percent market share, Medical Disposables closed with 10.62 million shares for 13.4 percent market share, Lumber Depot chipped in with 6.03 million stock units for 7.6 percent of stocks traded and EduFocal with 3.13 million shares for 3.9 percent of total volume.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index advanced a mere 0.85 points to close at 3,680.30. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows just one stock ended with a bid higher than the last selling price and five with lower offers.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.9, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings  that are projected by ICInsider.com for financial years ending around August 2025.
At the close of the Junior Market, Cargo Handlers popped $1.32 to finish at $12.72 with 1,120 shares crossing the market, Caribbean Flavours sank 21 cents and ended at $1.24 with traders dealing in 1,241 stocks, Derrimon Trading gained 8 cents to close at $1.92 with 79,466 shares passing through the market. Dolphin Cove dropped 10 cents to close at $19.40 after an exchange of 5,310 stock units, Elite Diagnostic shed 14 cents to end at $1.79 with 58,067 shares traded, Fosrich lost 10 cents to close at $2.20 in an exchange of 130,530 units. Future Energy rose 10 cents to $3.55 with investors swapping 17,367,183 stocks, Indies Pharma dipped 14 cents and ended at $3.50 after a transfer of 11,671 stock units, Iron Rock Insurance fell 30 cents in closing at $4 as investors exchanged 19,503 shares. Knutsford Express rallied 45 cents to end at $13 with 23,628 stock units switching owners, Lumber Depot skidded 9 cents to finish at $2.60 with 6,034,333 units crossing the market, Medical Disposables increased 10 cents to close at $1.80 in an exchange of 10,622,763 stocks. ONE on ONE Educational sank 9 cents to 89 cents with investors dealing in 15,349 units, Spur Tree Spices declined 10 cents to close at $1.84 with a transfer of 808 stocks and tTech climbed 17 cents to $1.75 with 6,000 shares clearing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

Lasco Financial corners 44% of Junior Market


Lasco Financial is the market volume leader accounting for nearly half of the volume of stocks traded on the Junior Market at the close of trading of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday, resulting in a 133 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded, with 203 percent greater value than Tuesday flowing from trading in 44 securities compared with 43 on Tuesday and ending with prices of 21 rising, 12 declining and 11 closing unchanged.

The market closed with trading of 11,716,187 shares for $25,697,210 up from 5,037,785 stock units at $8,485,415 on the previous day. Trading averaged 266,277 shares at $584,028 compared to 117,158 stocks for $197,335 on Tuesday with a month to date average of 188,888 units at $402,336, up from 169,970 stock units at $357,922 on the previous day and December with an average of 326,483 shares at $898,324.
Lasco Financial led trading with 5.16 million shares for 44 percent of total volume followed by Future Energy with 3.74 million units for 31.9 percent of the day’s trade and EduFocal with 452,639 stock units for 3.9 percent market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index slipped 8.21 points to end the day at 3,679.45. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 10 with lower offers.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for financial years ending around August 2025.
At the close of trading on the JSE Junior market, Access Financial gained $2.55 to close at $18 as investors exchanged a mere 1,207 shares, AMG Packaging popped 52 cents to $3.49 with 188,568 shares passing through the market, Blue Power declined 10 cents to finish at $5.49 in an exchange of 39,869 stocks. Cargo Handlers lost 80 cents and ended at $11.40 after investors ended trading 519 units, Dolphin Cove dipped 10 cents to end at $19.50 after an exchange of 16,932 stocks, Elite Diagnostic rallied 15 cents to close at $1.93 with a transfer of 630 units. Everything Fresh increased 10 cents to $2.16 after an exchange of 3,478 shares, Express Catering climbed 10 cents to close at $3.30 in trading 52,036 stock units, Future Energy sank 10 cents to close at $3.45 after a transfer of 3,740,965 shares. Honey Bun rose 20 cents and ended at $8.47 with traders dealing in 18,871 stock units, Jetcon Corporation advanced 12 cents to finish at $1.20 in an exchange of 46,221 stocks, KLE Group shed 20 cents to end at $1.10 to close at 5,181 units. Lumber Depot popped 32 cents to $2.69 with investors trading 2,630 shares, Mailpac Group increased 8 cents to close at $2.69 with an exchange of 60,325 units, Main Event climbed $1.99 to close at $12.80 with 962 stocks clearing the market. Regency Petroleum rose 9 cents and ended at $3.19 with investors trading 107,618 stock units, Spur Tree Spices gained 12 cents to end at $1.94 with 72,051 shares crossing the market and tTech dropped 19 cents to finish at $1.58 with investors swapping 6,004 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

Trading plunges on the Junior Market


Trading activity dropped on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Tuesday with the volume of stocks traded sinking 39 percent, with the value falling 46 percent lower than Monday with trading in 43 securities compared with 47 on Monday and ending with prices of nine rising, 26 declining and eight closing unchanged.

The market closed with trading of 5,037,785 shares for $8,485,415 compared with 8,192,532 units at $15,623,869 on Monday. Trading ended with an average of 117,158 shares at $197,335 compared with 174,309 stocks at $332,423 on Monday with the month to date, averaging 169,970 units at $357,922 compared to 186,547 stock units at $408,326 on the previous day and December with an average of 326,483 shares at $898,324.
Lasco Financial led trading with 1.59 million shares for 31.7 percent of total volume followed by EduFocal with 747,303 stocks for 14.8 percent of the day’s trade and Fosrich with 635,978 stock units for 12.6 percent market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index dipped 27.73 points to 3,687.66. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.8, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings that are projected by ICInsider.com for financial years ending around August 2025.
At the close of trading activity, Access Financial shed $3.05 to close at $15.45 after investors ended trading 168 units, Cargo Handlers sank 75 cents to $12.20 with a transfer of 438 stocks, Consolidated Bakeries fell 15 cents to end at $1.93 with 17,424 shares changing hands. Everything Fresh advanced 21 cents and ended at $2.06 in an exchange of 6,947 stock units, Express Catering declined 10 cents to close at $3.20 with 6,948 shares traded at the close of the market, Future Energy rose 9 cents to finish at $3.55 after an exchange of 137,976 units. Honey Bun gained 27 cents to close at $8.27 with 714 stocks crossing the market, Indies Pharma lost 24 cents to close at $3.65 as investors exchanged 17,041 stock units, Jetcon Corporation dipped 16 cents and ended at $1.08 after a transfer of 1,411 shares. Knutsford Express sank $1.61 to end at $12.57 with 1,516 stock units crossing the exchange, Lumber Depot dropped 37 cents in closing at $2.37 with traders dealing in 23,601 stocks, Mailpac Group slipped 11 cents to finish at $2.61 after an exchange of 38,079 stock units. Regency Petroleum skidded 17 cents to $3.10 with investors swapping 27,734 shares, Spur Tree Spices lost 12 cents to end at $1.82 with 145,741 stock units switching owners, Stationery and Office Supplies popped 10 cents to $1.60 with investors trading 18,534 stocks and Tropical Battery climbed 7 cents to finish at $2.55 clearing the market with 191,569 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

Mixed fortunes for ICTOP10 stocks


Bulls displayed their power into the New Year, pushing the Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange higher for the year to date and 1.6 percent for the past week. The Junior Market slipped by a mere 10 points for the week and dipped 0.5 percent for the year to date.

The week’s movement resulted in just two stocks rising and 8 falling, with five suffering big losses in the Junior Market ICTOP10. The performance of the Main Market ICTOP10 was in sharp contrast to the Junior Market, as five stocks gained and only two declined. The All JSE TOP10, compiled from all listed ordinary stocks on the JSE, had two changes. Key Insurance returns to the All JSETOP10 following a week’s absence and Access Financial returns, replacing JMMB Group and Pulse Investments, with earnings for both revised downward, following the release of September results.
Guardian Holdings with the potential to gain 433 percent continues to hold the number one spot with 138 Student Living at number 2 in the All JSE ICTOP10 for a seventh week. Elite Diagnostics holds the number one spot in the Junior Market TOP10 followed by AMG Packaging and Caribbean Cream.
In the Junior Market IC TOP10, Iron Rock Insurance was the only stock with a noteable gain, with the price rising 19 percent to $4.29. Lumber Depot dropped 22 percent to $2.08, Caribbean Flavours dived 14 percent to end trading  at $1.20, Caribbean Assurance shed 13 percent to end at 2.51 and Express Catering fell 11 percent to $3.01.
JMMB Group and Pulse Investments both fell from the Main Market ICTOP10 and were replaced by Lasco Distributors and Caribbean Producers. There are no changes to the Junior Market ICTOP10 listing.
In Main Market ICTOP10 activity, Margaritaville rallied 14 percent to $14.20, Key Insurance gained 13 percent after ending at $2.44, Berger Paints gained 10 percent to close at $8.55 and could go higher in the coming weeks with limited supplies on offer under $12 and also has limited buying interest, QWI Investments rose 8 percent to 86 cents and seems poised to move higher this coming week, with stock on offer being limited below $1and Scotia Group rose 4 percent to $54.50. Pulse Investments dropped 8 percent to $1.08.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market ICTOP 10 stands at just 5.6, well below the market average of 14.9 and the Junior Market TOP10 sits at 7.5, more than half of the market, with an average of 13.
The Main Market ICTOP10 is projected to gain an average of 271 percent by May 2025 based on earnings forecast for 2024, providing better values than the Junior Market with the potential to gain 180 percent over the same period.
In the Main Market ICTOP 10, there are 18 stocks with the highest values representing 35 percent of the Main Market have PEs between 15 to 108, with an average of 28 and 22 excluding the highest PE ratios and a PE of 25 for the top half of the market with the highest values and 19 excluding the stocks with overweight values.
In the Junior Market IC TOP10 are 15 stocks, 31 percent of the market, with PEs ranging from 15 to 32 with an average of 20 and a PE of 18 for half of the market with the highest PEs.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market, but this is not always so. 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

Express Catering garnered 60% of Junior Market


Trading in Express Catering shares was the dominant development in Junior Market activity on Friday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, with the trade accounting for more than half of the total volume traded. Trading resulted in a 9 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded, but that did not hold down the value as 38 percent more money was exchanged than Thursday following trading in 43 securities down from 47 on Thursday and ending with prices of just 12 rising, 23 declining and eight closing unchanged.

The market closed with trading of 8,255,718 shares at $23,382,493 compared with 9,108,643 units at $16,934,260 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 191,993 shares at $543,779 from 193,801 stocks at $360,303 on Thursday with the month to date, averaging 192,937 units at $447,964 compared with December with an average of 326,483 shares at $898,324.
Express Catering led trading with 5.0 million shares for 60.6 percent of total volume followed by Dolla Financial with 1.13 million units for 13.7 percent of the day’s trade and AMG Packaging with 270,978 stock units for 3.3 percent market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index sank 24.74 points to end the day at 3,717.98. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.

The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by the ICInsider.com for financial years ending around August 2025.
At the close of trading, Access Financial shed $3.67 to close at $15.33 after a transfer of 1,849 stocks, CAC 2000 rallied 26 cents in closing at $2.36 with investors trading 760 units, Dolphin Cove climbed 47 cents to end at $18.97 after an exchange of 896 shares. Everything Fresh sank 7 cents to finish at $2.08 in trading 21,419 stock units, Image Plus dipped 8 cents and ended at $1.55 with 17,353 shares crossing the market, ISP Finance popped $1.29 to close at $24.99 after an exchange of 378 stocks. Jamaican Teas rallied 9 cents to $2.24 with investors swapping 52,345 units, after the price hit an intraday 52 weeks’ low of $1.92, Lasco Financial lost 16 cents and ended at $1.47 with 29,074 stock units changing hands, Lumber Depot skidded 72 cents to close at $2.08 after 12,694 shares were traded. Mailpac Group sank 10 cents to $2.65 with 257,362 units crossing the exchange, RA Williams declined 9 cents to end at 77 cents with 40,004 stocks switching owners and Regency Petroleum shed 17 cents to finish at $3.16 with 35,152 stock units crossing the market.

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

Junior Market bounces into a new year


Trading activity dipped to start the new year with the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closing moderately higher on Thursday, following an 81 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded, at an 88 percent lower value than Tuesday resulting from trading in 47 securities compared with 44 on Tuesday, ending with prices of 19 rising, 25 declining and three closing unchanged, with the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator flashing negative moves to start trading on Friday.

The market closed with 9,108,643 shares with a value of $16,934,260 trading compared with 48,623,882 units at $139,994,405 on Tuesday. Trading averaged 193,801 shares at $360,303 down from 1,105,088 stocks at $3,181,691 on Tuesday and compared to December with an average of 326,483 shares at $898,324. One Great Studio led trading with 1.13 million shares for 12.4 percent of the overall volume followed by Lasco Financial with 1.12 million stock units for 12.3 percent of Thursday’s trades, Derrimon Trading chipped in with 1.11 million units for 12.2 percent market share and Jamaican Teas with 1.08 million shares for 11.9 percent of the total volume. At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index popped 7.67 points to end the day at 3,742.72. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and seven with lower offers.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.2, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for financial years ending around August 2025.
At the close of trading, Access Financial rose 28 cents to finish at $19 with 207 stocks switching owners, Caribbean Assurance Brokers sank 38 cents and ended at $2.51 with 3,397 units crossing the market, Caribbean Flavours shed 18 cents to end at $1.20 with an exchange of 134,404 shares. Consolidated Bakeries advanced 15 cents to $2.08 with 20,622 stock units clearing the market, Dolla Financial lost 10 cents to close at $2.90 with 587,450 shares changing hands, Elite Diagnostic skidded 7 cents to close at $1.83 with investors dealing in just 2,093 stocks. Express Catering fell 38 cents to $3 with 359,584 units changing hands, Fosrich declined 24 cents and ended at $2.20 in trading 85,518 stock units, Future Energy sank 29 cents to finish at $3.70 with 612,690 shares crossing the market. Honey Bun popped 12 cents to close at $8.50 as investors exchanged 16,206 stocks, Image Plus dropped 7 cents to $1.63 with a transfer of 38,028 units, Indies Pharma increased 11 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $3.80 with investors swapping 18,141 stock units.

  Iron Rock Insurance climbed 28 cents to $4.28 after a transfer of 38 shares, ISP Finance gained 20 cents to close at $23.70 with investors trading a mere 5 units, Jamaican Teas slipped 9 cents to $2.15, after hitting a 52 weeks’ intraday low of $1.80, in an exchange of 1,084,335 stocks. KLE Group rallied 11 cents and ended at $1.25 with traders dealing in 39,964 stock units, Knutsford Express dipped 52 cents to end at $13.66 in an exchange of 2,546 shares, Lasco Financial popped 18 cents to finish at $1.63 with 1,124,171 stocks passing through the market. Lumber Depot climbed 11 cents and ended at $2.80 in trading 1,139 units, Main Event increased $2.19 to $12.99 with 402 stock units crossing the exchange, Medical Disposables rose 27 cents to finish at $1.90 with investors trading 8,204 shares. Regency Petroleum sank 13 cents to end at $3.33 after an exchange of 89,473 stocks, 

Spur Tree Spices skidded 8 cents to $1.95 after35,199 units changed hands, Stationery and Office Supplies lost 9 cents to close at $1.60 with investors trading 41,016 stock units and tTech advanced 10 cents to $2.10 with 2,157 shares crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

Blue Power 2024 best performing JSE stock


The Junior Market lost 2.9 percent in value in 2024, the second consecutive year of decline and one of the few years it underperformed the Main Market but turned out the stock with the greatest gain in the entire Jamaica Stock Exchange for 2024. Blue Power, a manufacturer of soaps was the best performer for the year by far, with a surge of  111 percent in the price, helped by a 23.5 percent growth in profit for the half year to October, the only stock gaining more than 100 percent for the year.

In a year when only 20 stocks gained and 28 declined, Iron Rock Insurance gained 59 percent with a big jump in profits for 2023 and the nine months in 2024, followed by Regency Petroleum, up by 40 percent, buoyed by continuation of expansion in service stations. Everything Fresh rose 36 percent following improved 2024 profit and Tropical Battery 32 percent, while Honey Bun and Caribbean Assurance gained 31 percent.
The worst performing stocks, mostly suffered from poor profit results and in some cases financial distress. Edufocal fell a whopping 78 percent and is the leading losing stock for the year, as the company struggles to turn around it’s loss making operation, placing severe pressure on its finances. MFS Partners followed with a drop of 76 percent, as it was still unable to be consistently profitable after having a third set of owners at the helm, CAC 2000 lost 56 percent, with results up to the third quarter still heavily in the red, despite reporting a profit in the third quarter, KLE Group fell 42 percent and Medical Disposables 40 percent.

The market continues to message investors, in a year when interest rates remained relatively high, careful stock selection is the best way of successfully investing as companies posting increased profit will usually increase in value, over those that have not.