I$P Finance hits a new high of $35 on Wednesday up 1,650% since listing last year March.
The Jamaica Stock Exchange, two main markets hit new highs on several days over the past two weeks, with new records created during this past week as well. Both markets are trading close to recent resistance levels which could act as a short term restraint on upward movement.
With the average PE ratio of the markets trading around 13 based on 2017 estimated earnings and several stocks trading below, it just a matter of time for prices and the markets to move higher.
Recent market activity has been characterized by some sizable swings in prices for a number of stocks, these movements have pushed some stocks in and out of the top list. Most companies released results for the 2017 first quarter, in some cases IC Insider.com has revised the earnings based on the latest information contained in the results.
Earnings have been up graded for Caribbean Producers to 60 cents, for the 2018 fiscal year, based on the nine months’ performance to March, with the March quarter results pointing the way forward with an 8 percent increase in revenues and lower selling and administrative cost. 
In the main market, Berger Paints’ 2018 fiscal year earnings per share was up graded to $2, based on a strong finish to the 2017 results. Pulse Investments announcement of a 2 for 1 stock split to be considered by the board subject to approval at a meeting of shareholders, helped push the price up to $14.40 from $8.05 and out of the Top list after entering in November last year at $4. Jetcon Corporation entered at $6.09 on January 6 and is now at $15 and out of the top listing. Main Event entered at $2 and is now at $7.25 and ISP Finance entered at $8.50 and last traded at $28.
Recent TOP 10 listings remain just below the top spots with Access Financial, Jetcon, AMG Packaging, Dolphin Cove, Caribbean Cream and Blue Power sitting just below, with potential gains of more than 100 percent and in the main market, Grace Kennedy and Sagicor Group are just below the
Top spots with good potential gains ahead.
At the close of the week, IC Insider.com’s TOP 10 Junior Market stocks continue to trade at an average discount of 43 percent to the Junior Market average, those in the main market are trading at a 49 percent discount, to the average of the market, leaving several stocks with room for growth for the rest of the year.
The history of the performance of the TOP STOCKS indicates that in most cases, it takes a few months for the stocks to reach potential targeted prices unless there are extraordinary developments such as stock splits.
Trading was light on the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Friday with stocks worth less than $12 million trading. The main and US dollar markets closed with just 20 securities changing hands down from 29 on Thursday with one trading in the US dollar market. At the close, 9 stocks advanced and 5 declined. 
The average volume and value for April ended at 382,748 units with an average value of $5,254,387.
NCB Financial Group closed at $71.99 with a loss of 1 cent, after trading 9,368 shares, 138 Student Living traded 21,500 shares at $4.49, Portland JSX Fund closed at $10.10 with 31,275 shares changing hands, Radio Jamaica closed at $1.70 after gaining 1 cent, trading 68,244 shares, Sagicor Group closed at $33.50 with trades of 97,466 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund gained 1 cents and closed at $11, while exchanging 75,128 units, Sterling Investments gained 15 cents in closing at $16.90 with 1,000 shares being swapped, Scotia Group closed at $42 after rising 49 cents with 30,044 units changing hands, Supreme Ventures rose 10 cents to close at $7.50 trading of 167,409 shares and Proven Investments closed at 29 US cents trading 32,400 ordinary shares.
The main market ended trading with an average of 540,034 units valued at $5,668,669 per security traded, compared to an average of 86,187 units valued at $1,067,570 on Wednesday. The average volume and value for the month to date ended at 557,915 units with an average value of $7,436,562 compared with an average of 559,541 units with an average value of $7,597,279 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for April ended at 382,748 units with an average value of $5,254,387.
Portland JSX traded 20 cents lower to close at $10.10 with 725 shares changing hands, Pulse Investments closed at $14.40 exchanging 1,000 shares, Radio Jamaica closed at $1.69 after gaining 3 cents and trading 193,574 shares, Sagicor Group closed at $33.50 after recovering from $30.01 earlier in the day with trades of 2,292,158 shares, Sagicor Real Estate fund closed at $10.99, losing 6 cents while exchanging 13,883 units, Salada Foods lost 15 cents in closing at $7.85 with 9,000 shares being exchanged, Scotia Group closed at $41.51, losing 49 cents with 28,375 units changing hands, Scotia Investments traded 1,500 shares at $37.85, Seprod closed at $34.50, with a loss of 50 cents exchanging 5,630 shares, Supreme Ventures lost 9 cents to close at $7.40 trading of 64,251 shares. Margaritaville Turks closed at 37 US cents, gaining 3 US cents with 730 units traded, Proven Investments closed at 29 US cents trading 12,150 ordinary shares, JMMB 7.5% preference share gained 23 cents and closed at $2.05, while exchanging 2,000 units and JMMB Group 7.25% preference share gained 1 cent to close at $1.31 with trades of 35,000 units.
The main market ended trading with an average of 86,187 units valued at $1,067,570 per security traded, compared to an average of 4,295,095 units valued at $50,020,709 on Tuesday. The average volume and value for the month to date ended at 559,541 units with an average value of $7,597,279, compare with an average of 606,876 units and $8,250,250 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for April ended at 382,748 units with an average value of $5,254,387.
NCB Financial Group closed at $72, with a 1 cent gain after trading 130,222 shares, 1834 Investments traded 4 cents lower to close at $1.80, with an exchange of 2,089 shares, 138 Student Living traded 15,685 shares at $4.49, PanJam Investment closed at $35.55, with trades of 5,346 shares. Pulse Investments closed at $14.40, with gains of 40 cents as 11,463 shares were exchanged, Radio Jamaica closed at $1.66, losing 4 cents trading 132,912 shares, Sagicor Group gained 50 cents to close at $33.50, with trades of 17,041 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund closed at $11.05 and lost 14 cents exchanging 6,683 units, Scotia Group closed at $42, with 14,663 units changing hands, Seprod traded 25,000 shares at $35, Sterling Investments lost 15 cents to close at $16.75 with an exchange of 1,000 shares, Supreme Ventures lost 1 cent to close at $7.49, with trades of 151,466 shares. Margaritaville Turks closed at 34 US cents with 10,821 units traded, Proven Investments closed at 29 US cents trading 8,084 ordinary shares, JMMB Group 6% US preference share closed at US$1.10 with trades of 3,800 units and JMMB Group 7.5% preference share closed at $1.10, with 244,205 units changing hands.
The main market ended trading with an average of 4,295,095 units valued at an average of $50,020,709 compared to an average of 166,816 units with an average value of $2,795,160 on Monday. The average volume for the month to date ended at 538,261 units carrying an average value of $7,554,509 versus 196,730 units an average value $3,693,945 on the prior trading day. The average volume and value for April ended at 382,748 units and $5,254,387.
Radio Jamaica closed at $1.70, gaining 5 cents trading 27,400 shares, Sagicor Group traded 90 cents lower to close at $33, with trades of 953,208 shares, Sagicor Real Estate fund closed at $11.19, with gains of 19 cents exchanging 112,260,515 units, Scotia Group was down $2 to close at $42, with 987,439 units changing hands, Scotia Investments closed at $37.85, trading 200 shares, Seprod traded 3,300 shares at $35, Sterling Investments closed at $16.90 with an exchange of 22,584 shares, Supreme Ventures jumped 65 cents and closed at a record high of $7.50 exchanging 25,353 shares. Proven Investments 8.25% preference share gained 3 cents to close at $5.20 with trades of 19,200 units, Margaritaville Turks closed at 34 US cents with 1,845 units traded, Proven Investments closed at 29 US cents trading 17,800 ordinary shares, JMMB 7.5% preference share closed at $1.82, losing 8 cents with an exchange of 178,125 units and JMMB Group 7.5% preference share closed at $1.10, with 100,000 units changing hands, Proven Investments preference share jumped $1 to hit a 52 weeks high of $6.17 while trading 34,200 shares.
The average volume and value for April ended at 382,748 units with an average value of $5,254,387.
Radio Jamaica closed at $1.65, losing 10 cents trading 78,685 shares, Sagicor Group gained 20 cents to close at $33.90, trading of 658,471 shares, Sagicor Real Estate fund closed at $11 exchanging 36,714 units, Scotia Group gained $1 to close at $44, with 357,959 units changing hands, Scotia Investments closed at $37.85, with trades of 801 shares, Seprod traded 23,218 shares at $35, Sterling Investments lost 11 cents to close at $16.90 with an exchange of 9,236 shares, Supreme Ventures closed at a record high of $7.50, with gains of $1.11 exchanging 71,624 shares. Proven Investments closed at 28.1 US cents trading 8,755 ordinary shares, Margaritaville Turks closed at 34 US cents with 1,100 units traded, JMMB Group 6% US preference share closed at US$1.11 with trades of 1,000 units, JMMB 7.5% preference share closed at $1.90, with an exchange of 8,046 units and JMMB Group 7.5% preference share closed at $1.10, gaining 3 cents with 74,855 units changing hands.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and US dollar markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 9 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 with lower offers.
NCB Financial Group closed at $71.25, with a loss of 75 cents after trading 95,793 shares, 1834 Investments lost 1 cent to close at $1.74, with an exchange of 1,141,499 shares, PanJam Investment closed 59 cents lower at $35.01, with 545,610 shares changing hands. Pulse Investments gained $1.80 to close at an all-time high of $13.80, exchanging 47,819 shares, Radio Jamaica closed at $1.75, gaining 5 cents trading 2,100 shares, Sagicor Group closed at $33.70, gaining 30 cents with 337,874 shares trading, Sagicor Real Estate Fund closed at $11 exchanging 60,209 units, Scotia Group lost 50 cents to close at $43, with 377,024 units changing hands, Scotia Investments closed at $37.85, losing 60 cents with trades of 2,257 shares, Supreme Ventures closed at $6.39 exchanging 149,641 shares, Proven Investments traded 16,100 ordinary shares at 29 US cents, Margaritaville Turks gained 0.08 US cents to close at 34 US cents with 272 units traded, JPS 9.5% preference share closed at $1,325, with gains of $78 exchanging 4,954 units and JMMB Group 7.5% preference share closed at $1.07, losing 3 cents with 204,000 units changing hands.
The main market ended trading with an average of 288,464 units valued at an average of $3,733,346 compared to an average of 192,632 units and $4,626,660 on Tuesday. The average volume for the month to date ended at 201,622 units with an average value of $3,939,782 versus 204,192 units and $4,136,602 on the prior trading. The average volume and value for April ended at 382,748 units and $5,254,387.
Trading in the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Monday with 26 securities changing hands with 1 trading in the US dollar market. At the close, 10 stocks advanced and 8 declined with the main market ending in 2,884,030 units valued at $64,356,186 trading compared to 4,838,789 units valued at $105,278,278 at the close on Wednesday. 
In market activity, Berger Paints lost 5 cents to close at $16.85, in trading of 17,380 shares, Cable and Wireless closed at $1.34, with 353,181 shares changing hands, Caribbean Cement traded $1 higher to close at $29 with an exchange of 13,220 units, Carreras closed at $77 exchanging 57,323 shares, Grace Kennedy closed at $42.50, after gaining 25 cents and trading 800,378 units. Jamaica Broilers closed at $17.50, with gains of 50 cents trading 64,249 shares, Jamaica Producers closed $1 lower to $17.60 exchanging 223,675 shares and Jamaica Stock Exchange closed at $7.75, with a loss of 25 cents, trading 12,138 shares, JMMB Group closed at $21.25, losing 25 cents with trades of 11,790 units, Kingston Wharves traded 90 cents lower to close at $30, with 11,511 shares changing hands. Mayberry Investments gained 5 cents to close at $4.55 with an exchange of 78,234 shares, NCB Financial Group closed at $71, after exchanging 143,410 shares, 1834 Investments gained 6 cents to close at $1.50, trading 4,300 shares, 138 Student Living traded 100 units at $4.50,
PanJam Investment closed 19 cents higher to $35.20, in exchanging 7,317 shares, Portland JSX Fund closed at $10.60 trading 800 units. Pulse Investments closed trading at $9.10 in gaining $1.05 with 113,536 shares swapping owners, Radio Jamaica gained 2 cents and closed at $1.67, with 43,300 shares, Sagicor Group closed at $33.50, to record a gain of 45 cents in trading 29,153 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund gained 5 cents to close at $10.35 while exchanging 8,200 units, coffee processors, Salada Foods traded 2,700 units at $8, Scotia Group closed 50 cents lower at $43, with 29,579 units changing hands, Seprod shed $3.50 to close at $36, trading 15,860 shares Sterling Investments lost 1 cent to close at $17 with an exchange of 500 units, Supreme Ventures closed at $6.38, with trades of 678,489 shares and Proven Investments exchanged 1,502 ordinary shares at 30 US cents.