The Junior Market is expected to blast pass the 2,800 the index mark, this coming week, following positive results just released by Lasco Manufacturing, Lasco Distributors and Jamaican Teas, to help the market to continue the 2021 rise after reaching a new eleven-month high, on Friday.
The market index closed just under 2,800 points, on Friday with a 5.8 percent gain for the year to date.
The market should continue to benefit from strong interest in Caribbean Flavours, Mailpac that traded at a record high on Friday at $4.43 before closing at $3.99 and from Lumber Depot.
Lasco Manufacturing and Honey Bun keep changing places in IC TOP10 best performing Junior Market stocks. At the close of the previous week, Lasco Manufacturing replaced Honey Bun, but this past week, the roles are reversed with both companies seeing a reversal of fortune in prices.
Lasco Manufacturing closed at $4.32 up from $3.90 last week, while Honey Bun price fell from $6 to $5.88. In addition, Lasco earnings per share were adjusted down to 35 cents from 37 cents, with the company reporting nine months results showing revenues rising 6 percent but being up 3.5 percent for the December quarter and earnings per share moving to 25 cents from 19 cents in 2019.
Lasco Distributors earnings were also adjusted down, with the release of the nine months results showing earnings per share of 21 cents and 7 cents for the December quarter, putting the full-year numbers at 30 cents per share.
The Main Market TOP10 stocks continue with the same stocks as the week before, but Grace Kennedy price continues upward as interest in the stock remains strong.
The Junior Market is up 5.8 percent for 2021 and is currently powered by a bullish golden cross, setting to take the market beyond 3,000 points and likely beyond 4,000. The release of company results in the next week will play a big role in the next few weeks that will add fuel to the current rally. In this regard, based on 2020 release of results, interim financials are expected this week, from Access Financial, Barita Investments, General Accident, Iron Rock Insurance, Lasco Financial, Fontana, Elite Diagnostics, Honey Bun, JMMB Group and RJR.
The current TOP 10 report is based on earnings for 2020/21 as there are substantial gains ahead, for many stocks in the listings.
The top three Junior Market stocks with the potential to gain between 208 and 373 percent are Caribbean Producers followed by Elite Diagnostic and Lasco Financial. With expected gains of 132 to 324 percent, the top three Main Market stocks are, Berger Paints followed by Scotia Group and Sygnus Credit Investments.
The local stock market’s targeted average PE ratio is 20 based on profits of companies reporting full year’s results, from now to the second quarter in 2021. The Junior and Main markets are currently trading well below the market average, indicating strong gains ahead. The JSE Main Market ended the week, with an overall PE of 18.8 and the Junior Market 15, based on ICInsider.com’s projected 2020-21 earnings. The PE ratio for the Junior Market Top 10 stocks average a mere 8.3 at just 55 percent of the market average. 
Main Market TOP 10 stocks trade at a PE of 9.1 or 48 percent of the PE of that market.
The average projected gain for the Junior Market IC TOP 10 stocks is 169 percent and 133 percent for the JSE Main Market, based on 2020-21 earnings. IC TOP10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns up to March 2021 and ranked in order of potential gains, based on likely gain 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.
Trading ended with five securities changing hands, up from three on Thursday, ending with three stocks rising, one declining and one remaining unchanged.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
Market activity dropped with 73 percent fewer shares trading on Thursday than on Wednesday as just three securities changed hands, compared to six on Wednesday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market. 
By comparison, January ended with an average of 121,154 units for US$15,408.
The evidence can be seen in an exchange rate that was US$1.10 to the Jamaican dollar to nearly $150 to one US dollar now. Interest rates rose from 5.5 percent in 1970 for governments Local Registered Stock, by the dark years in 1990s rates on government paper were as high as 52 percent in 1994. The average 
Three companies went to the market to raise funds in January and all were successful with the latest 
Trading ended with six securities changing hands at the close, compared to five on Monday and ended with two stocks rising, two declining and two remaining unchanged.
At the close of the market, First Rock Capital lost 0.02 cents to close at 8.77 US cents exchanging 57 stock units, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy settled at US$1.14 after trading 718 shares, Proven Investments shed 0.02 cents in ending at 26.95 US cents, with 57,127 units crossing the market. Sygnus Credit Investments rose 0.97 of a cent to end at 16 US cents after exchanging 101 stocks and Transjamaican Highway increased by 0.09 of a cent to end at 0.99 of a US cent crossing the market 485,869 shares.
Trading ended with five securities changing hands at the close, compared to four on Friday and ended with one rising, three declining and one remaining unchanged.
Proven Investments lost 0.02 of a cent to end at 26.97 US cents in trading 95,772 shares, Sygnus Credit Investments shares denominated in Jamaican dollars ended at 12.8 US cents, with 961 units changing hands. Sygnus Credit Investments US dollar-denominated stock climbed 0.03 of a cent to end at 15.03 US cents with an exchange of 11,617 stock units and Transjamaican Highway declined 0.06 of a cent to close at 0.9 US cents, with 59,062 stock units crossing the market.
While the Junior Market had a new addition, the Main Market TOP10 continued with the same stocks as the week before but Grace Kennedy price rose from $68 to $73.45 with the stock moving from 5th spot to 7th.
In this regard, based on 2020 release of results, interim financials are expected this week, from Access Financial, Barita Investments, Iron Rock Insurance, NCB Financial, the Lasco group of companies and Jamaican Teas.
The local stock market’s targeted average PE ratio is 20 based on profits of companies reporting full year’s results, from now to the second quarter in 2021. The Junior and Main markets are currently trading well below the market average, indicating strong gains ahead. The JSE Main Market ended the week, with an overall PE of 18.9 and the Junior Market 14.8, based on ICInsider.com’s projected 2020-21 earnings. The PE ratio for the Junior Market Top 10 stocks average a mere 7.8 at just 53 percent of the market average. The Main Market TOP 10 stocks trade at a PE of 9.1 or 48 percent of the PE of that market.
IC TOP10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns up to March 2021 and ranked in order of potential gains, based on likely gain 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.
At the close four securities changed hands, similar to Thursday and ended with the price of one stock rising, one declining and two remaining unchanged.
At the close of trading, First Rock Capital Holdings gained 0.05 of a cent to close at 8.8 US cents with 14,966 shares changing hands, Productive Business Solutions closed at 79 US cents trading 855 shares, Proven Investments remained at 26.99 US cents with 922 stock units crossing the market and Sygnus Credit Investments lost 1.2 cents to close at 15 US cents after 7,900 units changed hands.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows one stock ended with the bid higher than the last selling price and none with a lower offer. At the close of the market, First Rock Capital Investments gained 0.05 of a cent to close at 8.75 US cents after switching ownership of 227 units, Proven Investments lost 0.01 of a cent to close at 26.99 US cents in trading 39,479 units. Sygnus Credit Investments declined 0.05 of a cent to close at 16.2 US cents, with 24,700 units crossing the exchange and Transjamaican Highway fell 0.03 of a cent to close at 0.96 of a US cent with 17,097 units clearing the market.
At the close of the market, First Rock Capital Investment climbed 0.7 of a cent to close at 8.7 US cents with 14,000 shares changing hands, Proven Investments ended at 27 US cents while exchanging 6,095 stock units, Sygnus Credit Investments shed 0.24 of a cent to close at 16.25 US cents in switching ownership of 83,316 units. Transjamaican Highway climbed 0.08 of a cent to end at 0.99 US cents 811,111 stock units crossed the market and in the preference segment, Equityline Mortgage Investment preference share remained at US$1.96 in trading 100 shares.
