Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market ended on Tuesday, with the volume of stocks changing hands declining by 57 percent with a 14 percent lower value than on Thursday, and resulting from trading in eight securities, compared to nine on Thursday with four rising and four declining.
Overall, 299,535 shares were traded for US$25,772 compared with 694,591 units at US$29,863 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 37,442 shares at US$3,221, compared with 77,177 shares at US$3,318 on Thursday, with a month to date average of 66,592 shares at US$3,393, down from 74,634 units at US$3,440 on the previous day. March ended with an average of 172,829 units for US$12,793.
The US Denominated Equities Index increased by 0.04 points to close at 219.95.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 8.7. The PE ratio is computed based on the last traded price of each stock divided by projected earnings forecasts done by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with a lower offer.
At the close, Margaritaville popped 0.24 of a cent to close at 10 US cents after exchanging 2,300 shares, Productive Business Solutions rose 7.52 cents to US$1.7365 in switching ownership of 29 units, 
Proven Investments shed 2.5 cents in closing at 16.5 US cents with 132,027 stock units clearing the market, Sterling Investments fell 0.12 of a cent to 1.87 US cents after 11,563 stocks crossed the market, Sygnus Credit Investments declined 0.04 of a cent after ending at 9.4 US cents and trading 3,131 stocks and Transjamaican Highway dipped 0.01 of a cent to 1 US cent after a transfer of 150,000 shares.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 5.75% rallied 7.88 cents to close at US$2.20 with an exchange of 20 units and JMMB Group 6% gained 3 cents after ending at US$1.08 and closed with trading of 465 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Steady JSE USD Market
Nice gains for ICTOP10 stocks, Purity returns
The Main and Junior Markets did not maintain the sharp bounce of the previous week, but most ICTOP10 Junior Market stocks ended with gains. In contrast, the Main Market ended with mostly modest losses, with 138 Student Living rising 5 percent to $5.30 and JMMB Group declining by 5 percent to $31.49, all other changes in the Main Market were two percent or less.
Dr Karlene McDonnough – Chairman of Image Consultants Ltd. The stock came in for increased demand during the week ahead of the release of full-year results.
The Junior Market had one change in its TOP10 list as Iron Rock Insurance and Image Plus climbed 13 percent to $2.27 and $2.03, respectively, while Main Event and Honey Bun rose 5 percent to $12.26 and $6.75, respectively, with the only sizable decline being a 9 percent fall for Tropical Battery to $1.90.
Image Plus never benefitted from any serious IPO bounce seems to be finally finding buying interest and closed the past week with 159,904 shares on the bid at $2.02, 160,746 at $2 and just over 800,000 between $1.90 and $1.95, with 25,987 stocks on offer at $2.03, 81,709 at $2.05 with one big offer of 1.72 million units at S2.50 with smaller offers before the this. There has been healthy trading in the stock recently, with trading of 824,526 units on Thursday. Trading on Wednesday saw 1,153,255 shares changing hands in the stock, with 910,000 units on Tuesday and 1.75 million shares on Monday, which seems to have cleared out a great deal of overhang in the market.
Update on interest rate developments. A number of developments taking place in the economy are worth watching. Following last week’s $35 billion Bank of Jamaica CD auction that saw the average rate coming in at 8.49 percent, this week’s auction saw an offer of $34 billion, with the average rate remaining the same as the previous week with fewer funds chasing the offered amount. 
Another positive development is the average inflation rate running at 45 percent less than the same time last year and averaging 2.4 percent per annum since November last year. Foreign exchange inflows have been strong, with the NIR growing at $66 million in February and 220 million in March, putting it at a record end of month level as initial data suggest that tourism arrivals and foreign exchange generated by that industry exceed the similar period in 2019, the last year without the impact of covid-19 negatively affecting the sector. On top of those positive developments, corporate profits are expected to enjoy a good bounce for the majority of companies for the first quarter.
The Junior Market has a long term pattern, with the market starting to rise around a month before quarterly results are due and declining shortly after results are released. This is a pattern worth noting that can be built into investment decisions to improve returns.
Consolidated Bakeries Miss Birdie Easter bun. The stock is back in the ICTOP10
Dropping from the TOP10 Junior Market list this past week was Honey Bun, but investors should expect a big jump in revenues and profits for the first quarter, with the Easter coming at the beginning of April versus the 17th of April last year, as well as an improvement of gross profit margin that slipped up last year.
Returning to the TOP10 is Consolidated Bakeries in the number 3 spot. The company is projected to report a solid first quarter profit, with the Easter holidays coming at the start of April compared with April 17 last year and ensuring that mostly all Easter bun sales will be reported in the March quarter unlike 2022. The company reported a profit in 2022 a big improvement over a loss in the previous three years. ICInsider.com projects earnings of 40 cents for 2023 and 75 cents for 2024 with the company benefitting from a full recovery of the local economy and increase efficiency and reduction in borrowings. At the end of the week, the average PE for the JSE
Main Market TOP 10 is 5.6, well below the market average of 13.5, while the Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 5.7 compared with the market at 11.1. The differences are important indicators of the likely gains for ICTOP10 stocks. The Junior Market is projected to rise by 256 percent and the Main Market TOP10, an average of 271 percent, to May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings.
The Junior Market has 10 stocks representing 21 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 29, averaging 19, well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 15, suggesting this may be a logical value for junior market stocks.
The 16 stocks with the highest value in the Main Market stocks are priced at a PE of 15 to 115, with an average of 30 and 19 excluding the highest PE stocks and 19 for the top half excluding the stocks with the highest valuation.
The above average shows the extent of potential gains for the TOP 10 stocks.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market, but not always. 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 up to the end of May 2023 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.
Gains for JSE USD Market
Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market ended on Thursday, with the volume of stocks changing hands rising 193 percent but valued 17 percent lower than on Wednesday and resulted in trading of nine securities, compared to six on Wednesday, with four rising, three declining and two ending unchanged.
A total of 694,591 shares were traded for US$29,863 compared with 236,678 units at US$35,767 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 77,177 units at US$3,318 compared with 39,446 shares at US$5,961 on Wednesday, with the month to date averaging 74,634 shares at US$3,440 compared to 73,490 units at US$3,495 on the previous day. trading in March averaged 172,829 units for US$12,793.
The US Denominated Equities Index rallied 9.57 points to 219.91.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 8.9. The PE ratio is computed based on the last traded price of each stock divided by projected earnings forecasts done by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices than the last selling prices and none with a lower offer.
At the close, First Rock Real Estate USD share advanced 0.01 of a cent to 6.38 US cents, with 431,901 shares crossing the market, Margaritaville lost 1.72 cents to close at 9.76 US cents as investors exchanged 2 units, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy remained at 69.77 US cents and closed trading with 140 stocks changing hands, 
Productive Business Solutions declined 6.87 cents to US$1.6613, with an exchange of 25 stock units, Proven Investments dipped 0.5 of a cent to 19 US cents after trading 61 units, Sygnus Credit Investments ended at 9.44 US cents in switching ownership of 161 shares, Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share gained 0.18 of one cent to close at 7.18 US cents with one unit passing through the market and Transjamaican Highway added 0.01 of a cent in closing at 1.01 US cents, with 262,275 stocks clearing the market.
In the preference segment, Productive Business 9.25% preference share climbed 50 cents to US$13 after an exchange of 25 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Gains for JSE USD Market
Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market ended on Wednesday, with the volume of stocks changing hands declining 22 percent valued 89 percent more than on Tuesday, resulting in trading of six securities, compared to six on Tuesday with four rising, no declining and two ending unchanged.
A total of 236,678 shares were exchanged for US$35,767 compared with 303,705 units at US$18,904 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 39,446 shares at US$5,961 compared with 50,618 units at US$3,151 on Tuesday, with a month to date average of 73,490 shares at US$3,495 compared with 88,080 units at US$2,438 on the previous day. March ended with an average of 172,829 units for US$12,793.
The JSE US Denominated Equities Index inched 0.44 points higher to close at 210.34.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 10.3. The PE ratio is computed based on the last traded price of each stock divided by projected earnings forecasts done by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices than last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Margaritaville gained 2.13 cents in closing at 11.48 US cents with investors exchanging 152 shares, Productive Business Solutions advanced 19.55 cents to close at US$1.73, with 2,202 units crossing the market, 
Proven Investments rose 1.5 cents to 19.5 US cents with an exchange of 167,094 stock units. Sygnus Credit Investments remained at 9.44 US cents with investors transferring 50 stocks and Transjamaican Highway ended at 1 US cent with a transfer of 67,070 units.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 5.75% climbed 27.67 cents in closing at US$2.1212 in an exchange of 110 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading drops on the JSE USD Market
The volume of stocks traded dropped 25 percent on Monday compared with Friday to start off the second quarter of the year on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market ended, with changing hands as funds passing through the market declined marginally and resulted in trading in eight securities, compared to five on Friday and ended with three rising, three declining and two ending unchanged.
A total of 929,408 shares were traded for US$15,231 compared with 1,234,958 units at US$16,361 on Friday.
Trading on Monday averaged 116,176 shares at US$1,904 compared with 246,992 shares at US$3,272 on Friday. Trading averaged 172,829 units for US$12,793 in March
The JSEUSD Equities Index lost 2.23 points to end at 229.67. The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 9.1. The PE ratio is computed based on the last traded price of each stock divided by projected earnings forecasts done by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows one stock ended with a bid higher than the last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, First Rock Real Estate USD share ended at 6.37 US cents while exchanging 34 units, Productive Business Solutions dipped 38.49 cents to US$1.80 with investors transferring 113 stock shares, Proven Investments gained 0.5 of a cent after ending at 18 US cents in switching ownership of 2,360 units. 
Sygnus Credit Investments declined 0.05 of one cent to close at 9.44 US cents in trading 300 shares, Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share remained at 7 US cents after an exchange of 1,056 units and Transjamaican Highway increased 0.01 of a cent to 1.10 US cents crossing the exchange 925,181 stock units.
In the preference segment, Productive Business 9.25% fell 50 cents to end at US$12.50 with an exchange of 343 shares and JMMB Group 5.75% rose 17 cents in closing at US$2.17 after trading 21 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
ICTOP10 rides big weekly JSE rally
The JSE Main market surged sharply in the past week.
While the Main and Junior Markets rebounded sharply during last week, ICTOP10 stocks ended with varying movements, with gains and losses in both markets hitting 16 percent. It was an interesting week in which the main market gained over 18,000 points for the week with all days closing with gains including the Friday of the previous week, but it sits at a resistance level and is a signal worth watching.
The Junior Market put on 200 points since Thursday, March 23 and had one minor negative trading day during the period, however, the last day accounted for nearly half of the above gains.
While Bank of Jamaica held their overnight rates at 7 percent, their CD rate that fell 16 percent in the previous week to an average of 8.85 percent from over 10 percent where it stood for several months, BOJ offered a huge $35 billion this past week, but the average rate fell to 8.49 percent after $70 billion chased the amount offered. Importantly, the central bank cut the stock of CDS it holds from a peak of $109.5 billion on March 3, but at the latest auction, it amounted to $88.85 billion, marginally up from $82 billion on the 17th.
At the end of the past week, in the Junior Market TOP10 four stocks gained and five declined. KLE Group jumped 16 percent to $1.69 and Tropical Battery rose 7 percent to close at $2.08. General Accident dropped 16 percent to $5 and Everything Fresh fell 6 percent to close at $1.45.
The Main Market TOP10 JMMB Group climbed 15 percent to $33.25, Jamaica Broilers gained 12 percent to $37.10, Caribbean Producers popped 7 percent to $9.70 and NCB Financial with a rise of 6 percent to $75. Berger Paints fell 10 percent to $8.20 and 138 Student Living with a fall of 6 percent to $5.05.
The Junior Market has a long term pattern, with the market starting to rise around a month before quarterly results are due and declining shortly after results are released. This is a pattern worth noting that can be built into investment decisions that can improve returns.
At the end of the week, the average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP 10 is 5.6, well below the market average of 14.2, while the Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 5.8 compared with the market at 11.4. The differences are important indicators of the level of likely gains for ICTOP10 stocks. The Junior Market is projected to rise by 248 percent and the Main MarketTOP10 by an average of 267 percent, by May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings.
The Junior Market has 11 stocks representing 23 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 28, averaging 20.4, well above the average of the market. The top half of the market has an average PE of 16, suggesting that this may be a logical value for junior market stocks currently.
The Main Market 19 highest valued stocks are priced at a PE of 15 to 115, with an average of 29 and 21 excluding the most valued stocks and 20.5 for the top half excluding the stocks with the highest valuation.
The above average shows the extent of potential gains for the TOP 10 stocks.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market but not always. 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 are likely to deliver the best returns up to the end of May 2023 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 and result 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 slipped on the JSE USD Market
Trading slipped back from Thursday’s level as the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market ended on a positive note on Friday, after the volume of stocks changing hands declined 23 percent, valued 19 percent less than Thursday, 
resulting in trading in five securities, compared to nine on Thursday with two rising, two declining and one ending unchanged as the JSE USD Equities Index gained 0.86 points to close at 231.90.
Overall, 1,234,958 shares were traded for US$16,361 compared with 1,608,959 units at US$20,097 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 246,992 units at US$3,272 versus 178,773 shares at US$2,23 on Thursday, with a month to date average of 172,829 shares at US$12,793 compared with 170,526 units at US$13,088 on the previous day. February ended with an average of 43,793 units for US$2,015.
The PE Ratio, a measure in computing appropriate stock values, averages 9.3. The PE ratio is computed based on the last traded price of each stock divided by projected earnings forecasts done by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than the last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, First Rock Real Estate USD share remained at 6.37 US cents and closed with 47 shares changing hands, Productive Business Solutions gained 28.49 cents to close at US$2.1849 as investors exchanged 561 stocks, Proven Investments dropped 0.5 of a cent to end at 17.5 US cents in switching ownership of 14,348 units. Sygnus Credit Investments lost 0.01 of a cent in ending at 9.49 US cents with investors transferring one stock unit and Transjamaican Highway advanced 0.09 of a cent to 1.09 US cents in trading 1,220,001 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Huge surge in JSE USD Market
Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market ended on Wednesday, with the volume of stocks changing hands rising 205 percent with a 40 percent lower value than on Tuesday, resulting in seven securities being traded, compared to five on Tuesday with three rising, two declining and two ending unchanged.
A total of 1,034,911 shares were traded for US$21,566 compared with 339,743 units at US$36,245 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 147,844 shares at US$3,081 versus 67,949 shares at US$7,249 on Tuesday, with a month to date average of 170,037 shares at US$13,731 compared with 171,109 units at US$14,245 on the previous day. February ended with an average of 43,793 units for US$2,015.
The JSE USD Equities Index surged 36.77 points to end at 229.38.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 9.4. The PE ratio is computed based on the last traded price of each stock divided by projected earnings forecasts done by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than the last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, First Rock Real Estate USD share increased 0.39 of a cent in closing at 6.4 US cents after trading 460 shares, 
Productive Business Solutions rallied 55 cents to close at US$1.90 after closing with an exchange of one stock unit, Proven Investments lost 0.49 of a cent after ending at 17.5 US cents with 43,111 stocks changing hands. Sterling Investments ended at 2 US cents after trading 1,100 units, Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share fell 0.18 of a cent to 7 US cents with investors transferring 25 units and Transjamaican Highway popped 0.02 of a cent in closing at 0.97 of one US cent with an exchange of 988,002 stocks.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 5.75% remained at US$2 as investors exchanged 2,212 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Gains for JSE USD stocks
Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market ended on Tuesday, with the volume of stocks changing hands declining 45 percent and valued 41 percent lower than on Monday, resulting in five securities traded, compared to nine on Monday, with two rising, one declining and two ending unchanged.
Overall, 339,743 shares were traded for US$36,245 compared to 620,736 units at US$61,293 on Monday.
Trading averaged 67,949 shares at US$7,249 versus 68,971 shares at US$6,810 on Monday, with a month to date average of 171,109 shares at US$14,245, marginally lower than 174,793 units at US$14,495 on the previous day. February ended with an average of 43,793 units for US$2,015.
The JSE USD Equities Index gained 1.13 points to end at 192.61.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 9. The PE ratio is calculated based on the last traded price of each stock divided by projected earnings forecasts done by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ending with bids higher than the last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, First Rock Real Estate USD share declined 0.24 of a cent to close at 6.01 US cents after trading 65,888 shares, Margaritaville remained at 11 US cents after 12,000 units changed hands, Proven Investments rose 1.49 cents to 17.99 US cents in an exchange of 177,107 stock units. Sygnus Credit Investments ended at 9.5 US cents after 1,825 stocks crossed the exchange and Transjamaican Highway increased 0.01 of a cent to 0.95 of one US cent with 82,923 units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Big fall for JSE USD market
Trading jumped on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market on Monday, leading to a fall in the market with the volume of stocks changing hands rising 127 percent, valued 770 percent more than on Friday and resulting in nine securities traded, compared to seven on Friday with five rising, two declining and two ending unchanged.
Trading accounted for 620,736 shares for US$61,293, compared with 273,362 units at US$7,044 on Friday.
Trading on Monday averaged 68,971 shares at US$6,810, compared with 39,052 units at US$1,006 on Friday, with a month to date average of 174,793 shares at US$14,495 compared with 182,063 units at US$15,023 on the prior trading day. February ended with an average of 43,793 units for US$2,015.
The JSE USD Equities Index dived 24.22 points to end at 191.48. The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 8.9. The PE ratio is computed based on the last traded price of each stock divided by projected earnings forecasts done by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows one stock ending with a bid higher than the last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, First Rock Real Estate USD share gained 0.18 of a cent to end at 6.25 US cents, with 288,908 shares clearing the market, Margaritaville increased 0.05 of a cent after finishing at 11 US cents, while 37 stocks passed through the market, Productive Business Solutions declined 40 cents to close at US$1.35 trading 248 units. 
Proven Investments shed 0.5 of a cent to end at 16.5 US cents after 258,719 stock units passed through the market, Sygnus Credit Investments advanced 0.5 of a cent in closing at 9.5 US cents while exchanging 1,024 units. Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share remained at 7.18 US cents after an exchange of 1,375 shares and Transjamaican Highway rallied 0.06 of a cent to 0.94 of one US cent, with investors transferring 70,422 stock units.
In the preference segment, Eppley 6% preference share popped 8.88 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ high of US$1.40 as investors exchanged two stocks and Equityline Mortgage Investment preference share ended at US$1.64 after a transfer of 1 stock unit.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
