The average gains projected for the Junior Market fell from 225 percent last week to 218 percent as the prices of a number of the top 10 stocks rose during the past week, but with no new entrant to either Top 10 list. The average projected gains for the Main Market stocks move up from 162 to 169 percent helped in a big way by the fall of Guardian Holdings from $790 last week to $763.
Guardian Holdings hit a low of J$750 on Friday.
The price slippage for Guardian shares below $790 provides investors a better value proposition, with the PE at 8.3 times, rather than 8.6 that the NCB Global offer price for the 2 million shares they are offering to the public.
The markets continue to face resistance this past week, with the Junior Market is trading at the very top of its upward sloping channel while the JSE Main Market sits a few thousand points away and facing turbulence in getting to the peak. With the two Lasco companies releasing results after the market closed on Friday it will be interesting to see what investors do with their prices. If they rise appreciable the resistance is likely to be broken and clear the way to move to a new yearly high in the weeks ahead.
The Junior Market closed the week at 3,329.50, up slightly from 3,324 at the end of the previous week. The JSE 
All Jamaica Composite Index ended at 454,375.81 on Friday, marginally lower than 454,479.33 at the close of the previous week.
The top three stocks in the Junior Market, remain unchanged for this week, with Elite Diagnostic heading the list, followed by Caribbean Assurance Brokers and Caribbean Producers, with the potential to gain between 255 to 303 percent. The top three Main Market stocks are Radio Jamaica in the number one spot, followed by PanJam Investments and Wisynco, with expected gains of 149 to 371 percent.
This week’s focus: RJR suffered badly from the effects of the curtailment of business in 2020 after showing signs of recovering from the prior years’ slow growth and high cost of operations. In 2020 they moved to deal with the pressure the fallout had and showed marked improvement in the second half of the calendar year. Importantly, there was significant cost cutting with the third quarter showing the effects with vastly improved results.
The impression given in the group’s December quarterly report is that the sharp fall in direct operating, selling and marketing costs were directly related to the fall off in revenues. That of course is only part of the story. The fall in cost has been far greater than the reduction in revenues suggesting that actual cost cutting was effected. ICInsider.com confirmed that the group that made some staff redundant also made changes by discontinuing unprofitable programs and publications. “Regarding cost reductions, some changes in the distribution network and workflows are permanent,” this publication was informed but revenues for some of the newspapers continue to run below pre Covid-19 levels.
The targeted PE ratio for the market averages 20 based on profits of companies reporting full year’s results, up to the second quarter of 2022. 
Fiscal 2020-21 ended March 2021 with the average PE at 17 for Junior Market stocks and 19 times for the Main Market.
The Junior Market with an average PE 12.4 based on ICInsider.com’s 2021-22 earnings, is currently trading below the target, as well as the recent historical average of 17, this represents another 37 percent rise in the market that would equate to a rise of 61 percent to March 2022. The Junior Market Top 10 stocks average a mere 6.4 at just 52 percent of the market average, indicating substantial gains ahead. The JSE Main Market ended the week with an overall PE of 7.8, some distance from the 19 the market ended March, suggesting a 17 percent rise from now to March 2022. The Main Market TOP 10 
trades at a PE of 7.8 or 48 percent of the PE of that market and well off the potential of 20.
IC TOP10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns up to March 2022 and ranked in order of potential gains, based on likely increase for each company, taking into account the earnings and PE ratios for the current fiscal year. Expected values will change as stock prices fluctuate and result in movements in and out of the lists weekly. Revisions to earnings per share are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.
Persons who compiled this report may have an interest in securities commented on in this report.
Seven securities traded, compared to six on Thursday, with two rising, three declining and two closing unchanged.
Margaritaville traded 110,700 units at 9 US cents, Proven Investments slipped 0.4 of a cent to 25.9 US cents with 43,825 stocks traded. Sterling Investments dropped 0.21 of a cent to settle at 2 US cents with 200,000 shares passing through the market, Sygnus Credit Investments fell 0.89 of a cent to close at 15.01 US cents with a transfer of 4,758,333 stock units and Transjamaican Highway added 0.02 of a cent to close at 0.86 of a US cent with 275,000 stocks crossing the exchange.
Trading ended with six securities changing hands, compared to seven on Wednesday, with one stock rising, four declining and one remaining unchanged.
At the close, First Rock Capital lost 0.01 of a cent to end at 8.49 US cents in exchanging 10,088 stocks, Margaritaville fell half a cent to close at 9 US cents after an exchange of 345,474 stock units, Productive Business Solutions closed unchanghed at US$1.01, with the trading of 54 stock units. Proven Investments rose 0.3 of a cent to end at 26.3 US cents with an exchange of 435,121 units, Sygnus Credit Investments declined 0.06 of a cent to close at 15.9 US cents after 43,172 stocks crossed the market and Transjamaican Highway fell 0.01 of a cent to 0.84 US cents while exchanging 200,000 units.
Seven securities changed hands, compared to eight on Tuesday, with one stock rising, five declining and one remaining unchanged.
Margaritaville lost 0.49 of a cent to end at 9.5 US cents while trading 2,000 stock units. MPC Caribbean Clean Energy declined 15 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ low of 95 US cents trading 307 units. Proven Investments declined half a cent to 26 US cents after exchanging 48,212 shares, Sygnus Credit Investments increased 0.96 of a cent to 15.96 US cents, with 3,415 shares changing hands and Transjamaican Highway dropped 0.1 of a cent to 0.85 of a US cent with an exchange of 300,009 shares.
The JSE USD Equity Index gained 1.95 points to end at 210.00. The average PE Ratio ends at 13.4 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings.
Margaritaville rose 0.099 to settle at 9.99 US cents trading 50,021 stocks, Proven Investment rose 0.05 of a cent in closing at 26.5 US cents, with 7,356 stock units changing hands. Sterling Investments gained 0.08 of a cent to end at 2.29 US cents in an exchange of 52,718 stock units, Sygnus Credit Investments gained 0.03 of a cent to close at 15 US cents after exchanging 51,507 shares and Transjamaican Highway closed at 0.95 US cents with the swapping of 107,644 units.
The Junior Market has to decidedly break through the upper limit of the trading channel, to free it to move on to the next area of resistance, just over 4,000 mark, but the Main Market has room to run for a few thousand points before it hits the channel top at 460,000 points.
The top three Main Market stocks are Radio Jamaica in the number one spot, followed by Wisynco and PanJam Investments, with expected gains of 151 to 344 percent.
Six securities changed hands, compared to four on Thursday with one stock rising, four declining and one closing unchanged.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows no stock ending trading with the bid higher than the last selling price and one with lower offers.
At the close, First Rock Capital fell 0.04 of a cent to 8.96 US cents with 3,565 shares traded, Proven Investments advanced 0.9 of a cent to finish at 26.9 US cents with 202,255 stock units changing hands, Sygnus Credit Investments fell 0.02 of a cent to settle at 15.93 US cents with a transfer of 9,001 units and Transjamaican Highway rose 0.07 of a cent to close at 0.93 US cents with 20 shares crossing the exchange.
Net profit attributable to shareholders grew US$1.02 million or 79.6 percent to a record US$2.29 million for the 2021 nine months period, from US$$1.28 million for the nine months to March 2020. For March 2021 quarter, net profit climbed to US$1.03 million from a loss of US$355,800 in 2020.
At the close, First Rock Capital fell 0.5 of a cent to 9 US cents with an exchange of 86,049 shares, Margaritaville finished at 9 US cents with 2,214 units passing through the market, Proven Investments lost 0.35 of a cent to 26.1 US cents with 3,931 stock units traded. Sterling Investments closed at 2.29 US cents with 4 shares changing hands, gained 0.87 of a cent to settle at 15.95 US cents with investors switching ownership of 1 unit and Transjamaican Highway climbed 0.01 of a cent to close 0.86 US cents with 24,032 shares crossing the exchange.