The main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange suffered more declines on Wednesday, following losses on Tuesday and the All Jamaican Composite Index lost 724.91 points to close at 336,508.12 and the JSE Index declined 660.48 points to 306,596.88.
Trading in the main market ended with 2,665,607 units valued $71,318,160 compared to 2,832,561 units valued at over $81,949,830 on Tuesday.
Activities in the main market and US dollar market resulted in 26 securities trading including 2 from the US dollar market, compared to 30 securities trading on Tuesday. At the end of trading, the prices of 10 stocks advanced, 12 declined and 4 closed unchanged.
The day’s volume was led by, Caribbean Cement led with 37.64 percent of trading in an exchange of 1,003,349 shares, followed by Barita Investments with 500,653 units and Sagicor Group with 461,652 shares.
Stocks with major price changes are, Berger Paints lost $1.50 to close at $19.50 trading just 1,637 shares, Caribbean Cement lost $2.14 and finished at $39.01, exchanging 1,003,349 shares, Grace Kennedy rose $1.48 to $53, trading 1,000 shares, Jamaica Producers added 50 cents to $17.50 trading 116,704 units. Kingston Wharves dropped $3.12 and closed at $50.85 with 350 stock units, NCB Financial Grouprose $1.75 to $98, trading 14,980 shares, Pulse Investments rose 65 cents trading 25,000 shares to close at $2.95, Sterling Investments fell 51 cents to $10.50 with the trading of 2,700 units.
Trading resulted in an average of 111,067 units valued at an average of $2,971,590 for each security traded. 
In contrast to 108,945 units for an average of $3,151,917 on Tuesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts 152,906 units valued at $3,041,409 compared to 155,968 units valued at $3,046,939 on Tuesday. June closed with an average of 250,168 shares with a value of $5,895,281, for each security traded.
Trading in the US dollar market closed with 62,614 units valued at $7,800 as Proven Investments rose marginally to close at 15.01 US cents trading 22,614 shares and Sygnus Credit traded 40,000 units and inched up to 11.01 US cents. The JSE USD Equities Index rose 0.09 points up to 139.65.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 4 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 closing with lower offers.
Volume up prices down on JSE on Tuesday
Trading picked up on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Tuesday, compared to the very modest level on Monday. Trading ended with an exchange of 2,832,561 units valued at over $81,949,830 compared to a mere 1,455,806 units valued just $24,016,207 on Monday.
The pickup in trading did not result in the continuation of a rise in the indices that occurred on Monday and the All Jamaican Composite Index lost 865.50 points to close at 337,233.03 and the JSE Index declined 788.57 points to 307,257.36.
Activities in the main market and US dollar market resulted in 30 securities trading including 4 from the US dollar market, compared to 28 securities trading on Monday. At the end of trading, the prices of 7 stocks advanced, 14 declined and 9 closed unchanged.
The day’s volume was led by, Sagicor Group with 758,030 shares, settling at $38.75 followed by Wisynco Group trading 584,757 units and finished at $9.35.
Stocks with major price changes are, Caribbean Cement lost $1.35 and finished at $41.15, exchanging 933 shares, Grace Kennedy dropped $1.48 and ended at $51.52, trading 40,825 shares, Jamaica Broilers lost 55 cents to $23.95 trading 101,933 units. Kingston Wharves jumped $1.97 finished at a 52 weeks’ high of $53.97 with 9,631 stock units, NCB Financial Grouprose 25 cents to $96.25, trading 251,351 shares, PanJam Investment dropped $1.50 and closed at $53, as 14,820 stock units traded. Pulse Investments lost 70 cents as 27,498 shares traded down to $2.30, Sagicor Group fell $1.25 to $38.75 with the trading of 758,030 units, Sagicor Real Estate Fund jumped $1.05 and settled at $15.10, exchanging 8,443 shares, Seprod lost 49 cents to $34.01 in trading 3,092 units and Supreme Ventures lost 95 cents and ended at $15.05, as 134,214 shares traded and Sygnus Credit traded 6,998 units and rose 45 cents to close at $13.20.
Trading resulted in an average of 108,945 units valued at over $3,151,917, in contrast to 60,659 shares valued at $1,000,675 on Monday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts 155,968 units valued at $3,046,939 compared to 160,016 units valued at $3,037,085 on Monday. 
June closed with an average of 250,168 shares with a value of $5,895,281, for each security traded.
Trading in the US dollar market closed with 207,453 units valued at $17,742 as JMMB Group 5.75% preference share completed trading at $1.03 with 20,000 stock units, Sterling Investments lost 0.5 cents and finished at a 52 weeks’ low of 8.5 US cents with 190,000 shares changing hands, Proven Investments closed at 15 US cents trading 346 shares, an attempted trade at 9 cents was cancelled as it would have exceeded 30 percent move in a day and Sygnus Credit traded 14,000 units at 11 US cents. The JSE USD Equities Index dropped 9.82 points up to 139.56.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 5 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 closing with lower offers.
Record run for IC TOP stocks
Kingsley Cooper Chairman of Pulse that gained 67% during the past week.
Pulse Investments, in the main market TOP 10, up to the week starting June 25, jumped 67 percent this past week, to close at $3. Current listings, Caribbean Cement traded at $45 and Grace Kennedy at $56 both at 52 weeks’ highs during the week.
Former listing, Derrimon Trading ordinary share traded at an all-time high of $20.50 during the week while, the preference share traded at $2.45 for at a new high. The week closed out with 138 Student Living, falling to a 52 weeks’ low of $4.40 but C2W Music climbed to a 52 weeks’ high of $1.30 as the main market moved within just 300 points of the record high reached on June 13, while the Junior Market traded at the highest level during the week, since December last year.
There is just one change to the TOP 10 listings at the end of the week, with Stationery and Office Supplies that just slipped off the Junior Market list at the end of the previous week returning after Caribbean Producers that dethroned it in the previous week was squeezed it out, as Carib Producers rose to $5.50 from $5.10 at the end of the previous week.
With the average PE ratio for Junior Market Top stocks at 6.2 compared to an average PE for the overall market of 11, based on 2018 estimated earnings and the main market PE at 7.9 for the top stocks, compared to a market average of 13, suggest that the rest of the year should deliver better returns than the first half. A look back on the markets shows that they made noticeable rise in August last year, a pattern that goes back several years and could well do so again.
The sharp reduction in Bank of Jamaica policy rate to an unprecedented 2 percent and Treasury bill interest rates to record lows of 2.5 percent, is set to push stocks values much higher unless profits for most of the listed companies decline. The shortage of supply of many listings continues and is set to result in a big rise in prices going forward before supplies will be able to satisfy what is likely to be a rising demand.
Last week prospectuses for Stanley Motta and Mayberry Jamaican Equities were published and this week Indies Pharma is released. The first two are not priced to bounce based on the underlying nature of these companies. Stanley Motta is a real estate play that will provide income that is better than most fixed interest securities with moderate capital appreciation going forward, while Mayberry Jamaican Equities is a closed end mutual fund, growth is going to depend of appreciation in the investments held or to be acquired. Indies Pharma, with IC Insider.com preliminary earnings estimate for 2018 of 16 cents per share, could get a bounce sometime after listing and could reach $2.40. The stock sits in the mid-range of IC Insider.com’s ranking of Junior Market stocks with a PE of 10 just a bit less than the average of 11 for the market but most IPOs have traded around 15 times the current year’s earnings.
IC Insider.com’s TOP 10 stocks now trade at an average discount of 45 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 39 percent to the market.
Stocks to Watch The stocks to watch this week include, NCB Financial. PanJam Investment could move higher again, as there continues to be buying but there is very limited supply of the stock on offer. Radio Jamaica that came for increased buying recently seems to be seeing supplies coming to market at $1.20 or higher and could get more attention with the network broadcasting the popular world cup matches as adverting revenues should climb from the coverage. Others worth watching include Caribbean Cement, Berger Paints with little selling, Grace Kennedy for which there is also limited supply and Pulse Investments. In the Junior market, Demand for Derrimon Trading should continue with a resolution to be voted on at the upcoming AGM to split each share into 10 units. Supplies for Stationery and Office continue to trade around the $8 mark with limited supply, the stock could move higher in coming days or weeks. Jamaican Teas pulled back in the past week from $5.50 to $5 this week, but with limited stocks being offered for sale, is worth watching.
JSE volume & prices rise – Tuesday
Caribbean Cement traded at a new high of $45 on Tuesday.
The volume traded on the Jamaica Stock Exchange declined sharply on Tuesday to 8,102,862 units valued $101,385,351 compared to 3,063,437 units valued at $29,501,732 on Monday.
Market activities in the main and US dollar markets resulted in 27 securities trading including just 1 from the US dollar market. At the close, the prices of 11 stocks advanced, 8 declined and 8 closed unchanged, compared to 30 securities trading on Monday.
At the close of the market, the All Jamaican Composite Index rose 408.61 points to close at 334,056.93 while the JSE Index gained 372.29 points to 304,363.58.
Tuesday’s volume was led by Supreme Ventures with 5,042,760 units accounting for 62 percent of the day’s volume, followed by 
Jamaica Broilers with 658,515 units representing 8 percent of the volume traded and JMMB Group 7.50% preference share with 633,457 units or 7.8 percent of the day’s volume.
Stocks with major price changes are, Caribbean Cement rising $2.50 to close at $43.50 but only after trading at an all-time high of $45, Carreras regained 45 cents and closed at $10, Jamaica Broilers rose $1 to end at $24, NCB Financial rallied $1.70 to $97, Pulse Investments dropped 50 cents to close at $2, Wisynco Group rose 58 cents and ended at $9.80 and JMMB Group 7.25% preference share rose 34 cents to close at an all-time high of $2.45.
In the US dollar market, 250,500 units traded valued at $29,060 with Sygnus Credit being the only stock trading in the segment, with the price slipping 0.05 cent to end at 11.5 US cents. 
The JSE USD Equities Index slipped 0.33 points to 154.71.
Trading resulted in an average of 311,649 units valued at $3,899,437 for each security traded, in contrast to 122,537 units valued at an average of $1,180,069 on Monday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 218,947 units valued at $2,566,413. June closed with an average of 250,168 shares with a value of $5,895,281, for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 5 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 closing with lower offers.
JSE Trading climbs sharply – Friday
Jamaica Broilers traded more half of Friday’s volume.
The volume traded on the Jamaica Stock Exchange rose sharply on Friday to 16,726,086 units valued at $358,993,001 from just 3,989,661 units valued at $65,937,392, Thursday.
The sharp increase in Friday’s volume was led by Jamaica Broilers Group with 8,778,922 units accounting for nearly 53.5 percent of the day’s volume followed by Radio Jamaica with 2,669,432 units and 15.96 percent of total volume and Carreras with 1,124,379 units and NCB Financial with 1,089,615 shares.
At the close on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday, the main market indices rose with All Jamaican Composite Index climbing 2,198.27 points at 335,563.64, while the JSE Index rose 2,002.87 points to 305,736.36. The market closed out the half year mark with an increase of just 6 percent. Palace Amusement led the stocks rising with an increase of 168% followed by Kingston Wharves with 40 percent, PanJam Investments up 29 percent with Jamaica Broilers and Caribbean Cement up 28 percent each.
Stocks with major price changes are, Caribbean Cement rose $1 to end at $41, Carreras rose 80 cents and closed at $10, Grace Kennedy rose 66 cents to $52.26, Jamaica Broilers lost 50 cents to end at $23, JMMB Group rose 60 cents to close at $29, NCB Financial jumped $1.50 to $98, Productive Business Solution preference share lost $2 in closing at $103 and Scotia Group rose 80 cents to end at $51.
Market activities in the main and US dollar markets resulted in 24 securities trading of which 12 advanced, 4 declined and 8 closing unchanged, compared to 27 securities trading on Thursday.
In the US dollar market, 156,168 units traded valued at $17,178 with Sygnus Credit being the sole stock trading in the segment with the price ending at 11 US cents. The JSE USD Equities Index closed unchanged at 155.
Trading resulted in an average of 727,221 shares valued at $15,608,391, compared to 166,236 units valued at an average of $2,747,391 for each security traded on Thursday. For the month to date, 250,168 units traded with an average value of $5,895,281 and on the previous day, 229,774 units traded with an average value of $5,182,608. May closed with an average of 589,414 shares with a value of $16,532.367, for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 9 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 closing with lower offers.
NCB & JMMB back in TOP 10
JMMB Group, NCB Financial and Pulse Investments moved into the IC Insider.com TOP 10 at the close of the past week as Berger Paints and Palace Amusement exited the main market TOP 10.
There was no new entry to the Junior Market listing but Jamaican Teas climbed to a new high of $6 during the week and closed just below, at $5.95 and Stationery and Office traded down to $6.85 as an investor moved more than 400,000 shares at that price, the stock rebounded to $8 on low volumes as active supply has declined below this price level. Grace Kennedy rose to a new all-time high and Berger Paints rose to $22 during the week and were eased out of the top list. Earnings for Palace for 2018 and 2019 were revised lower even with the report that the company plans on opening a new cinema in the fast growing Portmore area, in 2019 and just eased out of the listing. 
Barita Investments fell by 25 percent during the week from $12 down to $9 as demand at the higher price evaporated.
Recent TOP 10 member PanJam Investment traded at a new high during the week and remains a buy with very limited supply of stock for sale while former TOP 10 listings jumped sharply during the week from $28.50 to $42.18 after the company announced that the directors will meet to discuss a dividend and stock split.
During the week Sygnus Credit was listed on the main and US dollar markets and Everything Fresh became fresh new listing on the Junior market. 
The shares of both, traded higher than the Initial Public Issue price. Sygnus US dollar listing remains above the IPO price while the Jamaican dollar denominated stock is trading below the IPO price.
At the close of Friday, the average PE ratio for Junior Market Top stocks ended at 6.3 compared to an average PE for the overall main market of 11, based on 2018 estimated earnings. The main market PE is 7.7 for the top stocks, compared to a market average of 12.7.
IC Insider.com’s TOP 10 stocks now trade at an average discount of 42 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 39 percent to the market.
Stocks to Watch The stock closed without an offer at the close of the week. NCB has good growth prospects for patient investors, the stock continues to trade around $100 where there is some selling but that level could be taken out soon and pave the way for more gains. 
PanJam Investment could move higher this week as there continue to be very limited supply of the stock on offer. Radio Jamaica could come in for increased attention with the network broadcasting the popular world cup matches as adverting revenues should climb as a result from the coverage. Others worth watching include Caribbean Cement, Berger Paints with little selling and Grace Kennedy for which there is also limited supply. In the Junior market, Demand for Derrimon Trading has been increasing recently and pushing the stock to new high during the past week. Stationery and Office Supplies settle down during the week before rebounding. Jamaican Teas came in for more buying in the week but with limited stocks being offered for sale is worth watching.
CAC & Broilers back in TOP 10
Jamaica Broilers returns to the main market TOP 10 list with a fall in the price to $22.10 by the end of the week from $26.30 last week and CAC 2000 returns after last been on the list, in December.
CAC replaced Medical Disposables while JMMB Group moved up to $29.45 to be replaced by Jamaica Broilers.
During the week the main market traded at a record close on two days but closed the week below the record high. The main market saw new buying interest coming in for a number of stocks, at the same time that supply for them have dried up. Interest rates on Treasury bills fell in the June auction and inflation remains negative for the year to May. With those developments the main market seems poised to move to more records in the weeks ahead. Strong upward movement is also being signaled by the fact that, the market is breaking out of a wedge formation.
The junior market broke through a declining resistance line during the early part of the week but retreated by week end. Technical indicators are pointing to a strong upward movement, with a golden cross approaching, with the long term moving average line set to cross over the medium and short term lines not too far away.
The past week was very eventful for the Jamaica Stock market as the main market surged to new all-time highs and the Junior Market surged more than 100 points in the early part of the week and broke through resistance before pulling back.
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 11, based on 2018 estimated earnings. The main market PE is 7.7 for the top stocks, compared to a market average of 12.7.
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.
Stocks to Watch CAC 2000 reported strong half year results during the past week, with the second quarter more than doubling even after accounting for cost associated with issuing new preference shares. NCB Financial sits just below the TOP 10 list and has good growth prospects for patient investors. During the week, the price moved to $100 where there is some selling but that level could be taken out during the coming week and pave the way for more gains. 
PanJam Investment could move higher this week as there is very limited supply of the stock on offer. Investors should also keep an eye out for Sygnus Credit shares that list on Monday and should see a slight bounce in the price. Others worth watching include Caribbean Cement, Berger Paints and Grace Kennedy for which there was increased demand by the end of the week. In the Junior Market, Stationery and Office Supplies could decline further during the week but could find support in the mid $6 to low $7 region before rebounding. Jamaican Teas came in for buying in the week but supply has been limited and could result in more gains for the stock that traded at a record close of $5.50 during the week.
Grace & Carib Producers back in TOP 10
the past week was very eventful for the Jamaica Stock market as the main market surged to a new all-time high and the Junior market surges more than 100 points in the early part of the week and broke through resistance before pulling back.
Importantly, although the results for the first quarter of 2018 for many companies did not show strong gains while some showed declines compare with 2017, both the junior and main markets are at points to break out of a wedge formation. The moves are bias to the upside.
Medical Disposables jumped to $5 from $4.30 last week and was eased out of the top stocks and replaced by Caribbean Producers. Stationery and Office Supplies fell by the end of the week to $7.80, moving up on the list in the process, 
the order book of the stock suggest further decline before it bottoms out. Jamaican Teas price moved to $5.25 during the latter part of the week as demands picks up and supplies appear to have been declining, but by the end of the week it closed at $5.
In the main market, Jamaica broilers jumped to a record close of $26.30 on Friday, up from $21 at the end of the prior week and moved well outside the top 10 list, replaced by Grace Kennedy that slipped 50 cents in price by week end.
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 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.
Stocks to watch. Scotia Group reported half year results during the past week, but there was nothing about them for investors to be excited about, as they showed lower profits in the April quarter than a year ago period. 
The stock price pulled back sharply on release of the results. The stock yields a dividend of 4 percent which is higher than treasuries and this could be an attraction for some investors while they await return to profit growth. NCB sits just below the TOP 10 list and has good growth prospects for patient investors. PanJam Investment that IC Insider.com reported on in a separate article last week caught the eyes of some investors who moved the price up to $51.98 and it could go higher this week has there is very limited supply for this one. Investors should also keep an eye out for Sygnus Credit that could have its shares listed by next week.
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.
New IPO set for mid-April
Investors in Jamaica will get another opportunity to vote come mid April, on the merits of a new public share offer.
IC Insider.com has confirmed that Everything Fresh is set to issue their prospectus around the middle of April. Brokers for the issue is stocks and Securities. The company imports and distributes products including diary, seafood and meats with the hotel sector a major customers. The business operates from 78 Marcus Garvey Drive, but he hopes to acquire additional premises, to be financed from the initial public offering (IPO) of shares, the chairman Gregory Pullen was quoted as saying in 2017.
“You have to expand the warehouse after a while, and I see us getting a bigger place for storage, but I don’t believe in these super-huge warehouses where you store goods forever,” he said,” Pullen was reported as saying last year.
The company has a large nine-member board chaired by Gregory Pullen, Courtney Pullen, Melene Pullen, Garret Gardener, Nesha Carby, financier Mark Croskery, ex-banker Donovan Perkins, attorney-at-law Vivette Miller and Chartered Accountant Jennifer Lewis.
Everything Fresh seems set to be the second initial Public offer to hit the market in 2018, and is one of about nine that is expected to go public this year. Sygnus Credit is expected to come to market within weeks having sent the prospectus to the authorities for vetting in February.
