Trading closed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday, with more than 5,000 points jump in the market indices, after crossing a series of record highs during the trading session and closed at the highest level in the market’s history.
At the close of trading, the All Jamaican Composite Index surged 5,792.25 points to close at a record 335,742.09 points and the JSE Index jumped 5,277.40 points to a closing record high of 305,898.98.
A total of 26 securities changed hands, resulting in 11 advancing, 11 declining and 4 remaining firm.
Trading on the JSE main market ended with the overall volume and value returning to more normal levels of 4,749,951 units valued at $102,233,802 units.
In market activity, Barita Investments closed at $12.09, with an exchange of 200 shares, Berger Paints ended at $19.50, with 16,000 stock units traded, Carreras closed at $10.60, with 5,130 units, Caribbean Cement gained 20 cents and finished at $39, with 47,447 shares, Ciboney Group rose 1 cent to settle at 13 cents, with 12,000 shares trading. Grace Kennedy added just 1 cent and ended trading at $50, with 2,369 shares, Jamaica Broilers traded at 52 weeks’ high of $23.20, after rising 25 cents with 10,703 stock units, JMMB Group jumped $1 and ended trading at $28.50, with 230,317 shares, Jamaica Producers lost 5 cents and finished trading at $16.45, with 24,901 units changing hands, Jamaica Stock Exchange closed with a rise of 11 cents to $7.30, trading 370 shares. Kingston Properties ended at $6.50 after falling 10 cents, with 1,800 shares, Kingston Wharves jumped $4 and concluded trading at $46, with just 500 shares changing hands, Mayberry Investments rose 44 cents to end at $6.45, with 15,504 stock units, NCB Financial Group settled 9 cents lower at $95.26, with 51,713 units. 1834 Investments dropped 18 cents to $1.06, with 3,500 shares, PanJam Investment finished with a rise of 65 cents to $50.65, trading 6,300 shares, 
Pulse Investments ended at $1.79, exchanging 40,100 units, Radio Jamaica lost 12 and concluded trading at $1.08, with 1,800 shares. Sagicor Group lost 50 cents and ended at $39.50, trading 2,674,599 shares and Sagicor Real Estate Fund lost 50 cents and finished at $14.50, with 1,600 units. Scotia Group gained 1 cent and ended trading at $53, with 2,019,507 stock units trading, Supreme Ventures closed with 48,970 shares trading and fell 10 cents to $12.90, Victoria Mutual Investments ended at $3.90, with 442,461 shares. Wisynco Group concluded trading at $9.80, with 5,360,241 stock units but fell 5 cents in the process. In the main market preference segment, JMMB Group lost 1 cent and ended at $2, with 300 shares, JMMB Group settled at $1, with 642,856 units, changing hands.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place. For more details of market activities, see “Jamaica Broiler grabs 99% of trade – Tuesday.”
SOS back in, Lasco Financial out of TOP 10
Stationery & Office Supplies is back in the TOP 10 but could fall in prive this week before moving higher.
A number of companies reported results in the past week, with some in the TOP 10 not getting much help from the new information and some of the top stocks earnings being downgraded, based on new information conveyed by the latest results.
Lasco Financial posted a strong 37 percent rise in profit, from $162 million to $222 million, but with slightly lower March quarter profit of $55 million, from $62 million, based on sharply increased finance cost that rose from $2 million to $14 million, as revenues grew more than 41 percent in the quarter, from $288 million to $405 million. Based on the new numbers, IC Insider.com places earnings for the current fiscal year at 50 cents per share or just around $650 million. 
The forecast is not enough to keep it in the Top 10 but it remains a solid buy, just below. Replacing Lasco Financial is Stationery and Office Supplies with the price pulling back during the week to close at $8.06. The price looks as if it could fall to the $6.50 region which would make it an even better buy.
All main market stocks remained in the top spots, but earnings for JMMB Group was downgraded following the March results and so too was Berger Paints. 
Radio Jamaica reported a loss in the March quarter and a loss for the full year, with a portion of the losses coming from one off items. The charge for depreciation and amortization is $255 million for the March 2018 fiscal year, well in excess of the loss reported for the year, resulting in a positive cash flow operation.
At the close of Friday, the average PE ratio for Junior Market Top stocks ended at 6 compared to an average PE for the overall main market of 11, based on 2018 estimated earnings. The main market PE is 7.6 for the top stocks, compared to a market average of 13.
IC Insider.com’s TOP 10 stocks now trade at an average discount of 44 percent to the average for the Junior Market Top stocks but it’s a third of what the average PE for the year is likely to be of 20 times earnings and main market stocks traded at a discount of 41 percent to the market. Investors should keep an eye out for Scotia Group that should release half year results on Wednesday.
JSE main market indices jump sharply – Friday
Bulls may be lurching to pounce on Jamaican stocks.
Trading closed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday with, the All Jamaican Composite Index leaped 3,607.57 points to 329,083.46 and the JSE Index surged 3,286.90 points to close at 299,832.21.
A total of 23 securities changed hands, resulting in 6 advancing, 9 declining and 8 remaining firm.
Trading on the JSE main market ended with the overall volume and value returning to more normal levels of 4,603,241 units valued at $166,353,769, from the big surge on Thursday when Jamaica Broilers pushed trading 170,209,058 units valued at $3,113,335,699.
In market activity, Berger Paints ended at $19.50, with 1,562 stock units, Carreras gained 10 cents and concluded trading at $10.40, with 57,502 units, Caribbean Cement lost $1 and finished at $39, with 30,882 shares traded, 
Grace Kennedy fell 65 cents and ended trading at $49, with 1,462,365 shares, Jamaica Broilers recovered $2.81 to close at $21, with 19,907 stock units trading. Jamaica Producers lost 10 cents and finished trading at $16.50, with 80,429 units, Jamaica Stock Exchange closed down 39 cents to end at $7, with 25,500 shares, JMMB Group declined 80 cents and ended at $27, with 20,764 shares, Kingston Properties concluded trading at $6.60, with 200 shares. Kingston Wharves finished at $46 after falling 90 cents, with 3,395 stock units, Mayberry Investments settled at $6.45, with 10,756 units, NCB Financial Group gained $1 to end trading at $96, with 34,277 shares, 
138 Student Living settled at $4.68, with a loss of 31 cents trading 100 units, PanJam Investment closed at $45, with 69,332 stock units. Radio Jamaica finished at $1.25, after falling 3 cents with 25,100 shares, Sagicor Group added 20 cents and settled at $38.50, with 1,357,691 shares and Sagicor Real Estate Fund rose 30 cents and finished at $14.30, with 7,998 units. Scotia Group climbed $1.05 in trading 422,278 stock units to close at $51.05, Supreme Ventures closed at $13, exchanging 94,024 shares. Victoria Mutual Investments ended at $4, with 50,009 shares and Wisynco Group concluded trading with a rise of 5 cents to close at $10, in the exchange of 721,410 stock units. In the main market preference segment, JMMB Group 7.25% concluded trading at $1.50, with 1,000 shares and JMMB Group finished at $1, with 106,760 stock units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place. For more details of market activities, see “JSE back to normal – Friday.”
JSE main market in recovery mode – Thursday
Jamaica Broilers dropped $3.81 on Thursday.
Trading closed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday with, the All Jamaican Composite Index rising 1,297.53 points to 325,475.89 and the JSE Index gaining 1,182.20 points to close at 296,545.31.
A total of 24 securities changed hands, resulting in 10 advancing, 4 declining and 10 remaining firm.
Trading on the JSE main market ended with the overall volume and value surging normal levels with 170,209,058 units valued at $3,113,335,699 changed hands.
In market activity Carreras rose 49 cents and concluded trading at $10.50, with 53,990 units, C
aribbean Cement jumped $1.95 to finish at $40, with 290,000 shares, Grace Kennedy ended trading at $49.65, with 615 shares, Jamaica Broilers dived $3.81 in trading 169,101,565 stock units to close at $18.19, Jamaica Producers gained 35 cents and finished trading at $16.60, with 55,264 units. JMMB Group ended at $27.80 after falling 20 cents, with 32,827 shares, Kingston Wharves climbed $1.90 to end at $46.90, with 8,237 stock units, Mayberry Investments added 35 cents to settle at $6.45, with 16,539 units, NCB Financial Group ended trading at $95 after rising $1, with 30,897 shares changing hands. 1834 Investments traded at $1.16, with 45,000 shares, 138 Student Living lost 10 cents to end at $4.99, with 229 units, PanJam Investment closed at $45, with 16,005 stock units, 
Portland JSX rose 25 cents and ended at $9.50, with 3,000 units, Radio Jamaica finished at $1.28, with 54,000 shares. Sagicor Group rallied $1.30 to settle at $38.30, with 113,627 shares changing hands, Sagicor Real Estate Fund settled at $14, with 16,082 shares, Salada Foods ended trading at $14, with 35,962 stock units, Scotia Group dropped $1.53 in closing trading at $50, with 102,271 units, Sterling Investments closed at $12.80, with 455 shares. Supreme Ventures ended with a gain of 20 to end at $13, with 30,505 shares, Victoria Mutual Investments concluded trading at $4, with 37,052 stock units, Wisynco Group finished at $9.95 having risen 25 cents, with 162,964 units. In the main market preference segment, Jamaica Money Market 7.5% traded at $2, with 972 stock units, Productivity Business 9.75% lost $2 in trading 1,000 shares at $103.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place. For more details of market activities, see “Jamaica Broiler grabs 99% of trade – Thursday.”
Trading drops for JSE main market – Monday
Trading on the JSE main market ended with the overall volume and value falling below normal levels on Monday as 2,736,291 units valued at over $44,287,155 changed hands.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index jumped 1,975.96 points to close at 325,401.15 and the JSE Index shot up 1,800.32 points to close at 296,477.22 as 28 securities changed hands, resulting in 12 advancing, 9 declining and 7 remaining firm.
In market activity, Barita Investments fell 55 cents and closed at $11.54, with 15,100 shares, Berger Paints ended at $20, with 22,128 stock units trading, Carreras fell 10 cents and concluded trading at $10.45, with 127,792 units, Caribbean Cement finished at $38, exchanging 307 shares, Ciboney Group rose 1 cent and settled at 13 cents, with 45,893 shares. 
Grace Kennedy ended trading at $48.60 after rising 10 cents, with 10,193 shares, Jamaica Broilers rose 25 cents in closing at $20.25, with 51,343 stock units, Jamaica Producers fell 45 cents to finish trading at $16.25, with 1,000 units, Jamaica Stock Exchange closed with a loss of 40 cents to $7.10, in trading 700 shares. JMMB Group rose 5 cents to end at $27.05, with 38,277 shares, Kingston Wharves dropped $1 and finished at $46, with 329,678 stock units trading, Mayberry Investments settled at $6.25, after rising 25 cents with 29,780 units trading, NCB Financial Group shed 19 cents and ended trading at $94.80, with 81,775 shares. 138 Student Living settled at $5.09, after slipping 1 cents with 10,000 units, PanJam Investment added 50 cents to trade at $45, with 55,613 shares, Portland JSX closed at $10, with 4,524 stock units, Radio Jamaica rose 29 cents and concluded trading at $1.29, with 22,024 shares, Sagicor Group finished 35 cents higher at $36.50, trading 70,113 shares, Salada Foods lost $1 in settling at $14, with 10,000 shares changing hands. 
Scotia Group ended trading at $50.63, with 4,964 stock units, Seprod ended trading at $35, with 77,744 units, Supreme Ventures rose 40 cents and closed at $13, with 44,500 shares, Victoria Mutual Investments lost 5 cents and ended at $4, with 1,373,388 shares and Wisynco Group rose 30 cents and concluded trading at $10, with 159,255 stock units changing hands. In the main market preference segment, Jamaica Money Market 7.5% traded at $2, with 500 stock units, JMMB Group 7% closed at $2.01, with 124,800 shares, JMMB Group 7.25% issued in 2019 ended at $2.05, with 24,800 shares and the older dated JMMB Group 7.25% concluded trading at $1.50, with 100 shares, changing hands.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place. For more details of market activities, see “JSE recovers some losses – Monday.”
Palace & Lasco Financial back in TOP 10
Palace Amusement, Lasco Financial and Caribbean Flavours are back in the TOP 10 for this week, out goes Salada Foods, ForsRich and Caribbean Producers.
Salada Foods rose to $15 from $13.10 at the close of the previous week, as investors continued to react good half year results. Caribbean Flavours stock price dropped to $10 by the end of the week and that was enough to make its return to the top list. Lasco Financial just reentered the list as the price fell to $.20 by week end. 
IC Insider.com upgraded 2019 earnings for Palace based on sensitivity that the company’s patronage and revenues have to employment data. Economic growth and increasing employment that Jamaica is enjoying bode well for continuation of an elevated level of profitability, even after totally discounting the exceptional increase for the current year that ends in June, based substantially on the success of the Black Panther movie.
Radio Jamaica, stock price fell from $1.35 to $1.02 on Friday with the stock moving back up in the list.
At the close of Friday, the average PE ratio for Junior Market Top stocks ended at 6 compared to an average 
PE for the overall main market of 10, based on 2018 estimated earnings. The main market PE is 7 for the top stocks, compared to a market average of 13.
IC Insider.com’s TOP 10 stocks now trade at an average discount of 40 percent to the average for the Junior Market Top stocks but it’s a third of what the average PE for the year is likely to be of 20 times earnings and main market stocks traded at a discount of 46 percent to the market.
More normality for JSE main market – Friday
The JSE main market activity returned to more normal levels on Friday with 7,330,113 units valued at $68,164,850 changed hands, down from 28,791,979 units valued at $527,232,319 trading on Thursday.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 2,231.98 points to close at 323,425.19 and the JSE Index dived 2,033.58 points to close at 294,676.90 as 26 securities changed hands, resulting in 5 advancing, 14 declining and 7 remaining firm.
In market activity Barita Investments fell 11 cents and closed at $12.09, with 207,825 shares, changing hands, Berger Paints shed 50 cents and ended at $20, with 3,015 stock units, Carreras lost 5 cents and concluded trading at $10.55, with 177,994 units, 
Caribbean Cement finished 50 cents higher at $38, with 18,005 shares, Grace Kennedy climbed 75 cents to $48.50 with 18,357 shares changing hands. Jamaica Broilers rose 74 cents to end at $20 trading 802,930 stock units, Jamaica Producers added 14 cents and finished trading at $16.70, with 105,932 units, Jamaica Stock Exchange closed at $7.50, with 45,050 shares traded, JMMB Group lost 50 cents to end at $27, with 68,700 shares changing hands. Kingston Properties concluded trading at $6.64, with 2,172 shares, Kingston Wharves fell $1.70 and finished at $47, with 3,250 stock units, Mayberry Investments settled 1 cents down at $6, with 104,485 units trading, NCB Financial Group ended trading 1 cents lower at $94.99, with 157,533 shares. 1834 Investments traded at $1.08, with 2,253,420 shares, PanJam Investment closed at $44.50, with a loss of 70 cents trading 79,749 stock units, Pulse Investments concluded trading at $1.78, with 27,348 shares, Radio Jamaica fell 31 cents to $1, with 2,329,526 shares.
Sagicor Group settled with a fall of 35 cents at $36.15, with 68,110 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund lost 85 cents to end at $13.90, exchanging 27,665 shares, Scotia Group added $1.38 to close at $50.63, in trading 197,361 units, Seprod finished trading at $35, with 3,348 shares, Supreme Ventures ended at $12.60, with 119,389 shares. Victoria Mutual Investments shed by 5 cents and concluded trading at $4.05, with 281,461 stock units traded Wisynco Group finished 10 cents lower at $9.70, with 227,149 units changing hands.
In the main market preference segment, Jamaica Money Market 7.5% traded at $2, with 139 stock units, JMMB Group 7% finished trading at $2, with 1,000 units and JMMB Group 7.25% closed at $2, after 200 shares changed hands.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place. For more details of market activities, see “Big JSE main market fall – Friday.”
JSE main market index slips again – Thursday
The JSE main market slipped slightly at the close of trading on Tuesday with advancing stocks being outnumbered by a wide margin with declining prices, for the second day.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index slipped 78.81 points to 325,657.17 and the JSE Index declined 71.81 points to close at 296,710.48. as 26 securities changed hands, resulting in 6 advancing, 13 declining and 7 remaining firm. Salada Foods closed trading at a new high of $15.
Market activity resulted in 28,791,979 units valued at $527,232,319 versus 13,526,719 units valued at $293,683,413 trading on Tuesday.
In market activity, Carreras rose 7 cents and finished at $10.60, with 202,080 shares, Caribbean Cement settled at $37.50, with 23,652 shares, 
Ciboney Group lost 1 cent and ended trading at 12 cents, with 425,941 shares, Grace Kennedy declined 75 cents to $47.75, with 32,133 stock units trading, Jamaica Broilers finished trading at $19.26, with 22,755,531 units changing hands but dropped $2.34 in the process. Jamaica Producers gave up 14 cents in closing at $16.56, with 4,000 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange inched up by 1 cent and ended at $7.50, with 25,570 shares, JMMB Group concluded trading at $27.50 after inching down 10 cents as 959 stock units changed hands, Kingston Wharves settled at $48.70, with 3,570 units. Mayberry Investments ended trading at $6.01, falling 9 cents with 95,320 shares, NCB Financial Group traded at $95, with 342,566 shares, 1834 Investments finished trading at $1.08, with 116,281 units trading, 138 Student Living ended trading at $5.10, with 10,000 shares, PanJam Investment ended at $45.20, with 35,105 units. 
Pulse Investments rose 18 cents and finished at $1.78, with 50,000 shares trading, Radio Jamaica rose 1 cents and settled at $1.31, with 150,000 shares, Sagicor Group dropped $1.50 and ended trading at $36.50, with 81,902 stock units and Sagicor Real Estate Fund finished trading 25 cents higher at $14.75, with 25,793 stock units. Salada Foods traded 10 cents higher to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $15, with 13,000 units. Scotia Group fell $138 to close at $49.25, trading only 763 shares, Seprod concluded trading with a loss of $1 to end at $35, with 7,688 stock units, Supreme Ventures settled for a 40 cents loss to close at $12.60, with 3,202,706 shares, Victoria Mutual Investments fell 7 cents, ending trading at $4.10, with 77,137 shares and Wisynco Group traded at $9.80, after falling by 20 cents with 360,903 shares. In the main market preference segment, JMMB Group 7.25% ended at $2, with 25,000 shares and JMMB Group 7.5% finished with a loss of 5 cents to end at $1, as 724,379 stock units changed hands.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place. For more details of market activities, see “Broilers pushes JSE volume again – Thursday.”
JSE main market index down again – Tuesday
Stocks declined again in trading on the main market on Tuesday, even as advancing stocks outnumbered declining ones by a wide margin.
At the close the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index declined 1,074.92 points to 325,735.98 and the JSE Index fell 979.37 points to 296,782.29 as 27 securities changed hands, resulting in 15 advancing, 4 declining and 8 remaining firm.
Market activity resulted in 13,526,719 units valued at over $293,683,413 compared with 6,884,784 units valued at $95,400,967 trading on Monday.
In market activity, Barita Investments closed at $12.20, with 3,600 shares, Berger Paints gained 50 cents and ended at $20.50, with 1,194 stock units, Carreras rose 3 cents and concluded trading at $10.53, with 46,980 units, 
Caribbean Cement finished trading at $37.50, with 4,490 shares, Ciboney Group settled at 13 cents trading 100,000 shares. Grace Kennedy fell 32 cents trading 9,823 shares at $48.50, Jamaica Broilers lost 40 cents to end at $21.60, with 11,507,048 stock units changing hands, Jamaica Producers rose 19 cents in trading 3,167 units at $16.70, Jamaica Stock Exchange closed at $7.49, with 1,260 shares. JMMB Group ended at $27.60, with 166,847 shares after rising by 60 cents, Mayberry Investments eased just 1 cents, settling at $6.10, with 14,104 units, NCB Financial Group rose by $1 and ended trading at $95, with 55,030 shares, 1834 Investments traded 100 shares, gaining 1 cent to end at $1.08. PanJam Investment closed with a rise of 95 cents at $45.20, exchanging 839,895 stock units, Portland JSX ended at $10, with 129 units, Radio Jamaica lost 5 cents and finished at $1.30, with 68,950 shares, Sagicor Group gained 49 cents to settle at $38, with 84,700 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund finished 60 cents higher at $14.50, with 6,700 units. 
Salada Foods jumped $1.49 to a record high of $14.90, with 1,250 stock units, Scotia Group jumped $2.63 traded 62,337 units to close at $50.63, Seprod finished trading at $36, with 200 shares, Supreme Ventures gained 32 cents and ended at $13, with 306,420 shares. Victoria Mutual Investments concluded trading at $4.17, exchanging 101,057 stock units and Wisynco Group concluded trading at $10, after rising by 5 cents with 76,787 shares traded. In the main market preference segment, Jamaica Money Market 7.25% rose 5 cents and ended trading at $2.55, with 1,613 shares, Jamaica Money Market 7.5% closed trading at $2, with 2,271 stock units and JMMB Group 7.5% rose 4 cents to finish at $1.05, with 55,767 stock units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place. For more details of market activities, see “JSE main market volume dives – Tuesday.”
Medical Disposables & CPJ back in TOP 10
Medical Disposables in TOP 10
Lasco Financial rose to $5.99 by the end of the week, while IC Insider.com downgraded earnings for Caribbean Flavours to $1.22 for the 2019 fiscal year, with both moving out of the Junior Market TOP 10.
Medical Disposables that suffered a fall in price to $4.50 and Caribbean Producers moved into the TOP stocks listing for the Junior Market. There were no new addition to the TOP 10 main market stocks at the close of the past week. There were some changes in the rankings, most noticeable was Radio Jamaica, with a rise in price to $1.35 from $1.25 at the close of the previous week, as the stock moved closer to exit the top list. Salada Foods rose in sympathy to good half year results, to close at $13.10 from $11.26 at the start of the week, but it pulled back after trading at an all-time high of $15.
Caribbean Cement moved down to $37.50 from $40.05 and Barita Investments rose to $12.53 from $11.50 while Berger Paints saw increased selling in light of the company’s posting increased sales but lower profits in the March quarter due to a number of factors, some of which are not likely to be repeated, in the other quarters of the year.
The past week was characterized by some sharp price fluctuations and index movements in both markets, with the ending to the release of most first quarter results. Interest rates fell to their lowest levels on Treasury bills and the central bank cut the overnight rate by 25 basis points during the past week, seem to have little effect on the market so far. 
That will change as the weeks roll on, it may be that investors are now taking a break for May, this coming week could have the answer.
Former TOP 10 Junior Market stock Stationery and Office Supplies, closed at a new record high of $9 last week after positing good first quarter results with earnings per share up 70 percent to 17 cents and looking as if $1 is possible for the full year, with the commencement of the production of plain paper books.
At the close of Friday, the average PE ratio for Junior Market Top stocks ended at 6.2 compared to an average PE for the overall main market of 10, based on 2018 estimated earnings. The main market PE is 7.3 for the top stocks, compared to a market average of 13.
IC Insider.com’s TOP 10 stocks now trade at an average discount of 38 percent to the average for the Junior Market Top stocks but it’s a third of what the average PE for the year is likely to be of 20 times earnings and main market stocks traded at a discount of 45 percent to the market.
Stocks to Watch this week include, Barita, Grace Kennedy, PanJam Investment, Radio Jamaica, Salada, Jamaica Stock Exchange ordinary share, Stationery and Office Supplies. Although not yet listed, investors should keep an eye open for Sygnus Credit that saw its IPO more than twice oversubscribed.