The Jamaica Stock Exchange saw new record highs for the main and Junior Market, with attention moving decisively in favour of the latter that lagged the main market for the greater part of the year.
Prices of Consolidated Bakeries and Caribbean Flavours rose, pushing them out of the Junior Market Top 10. They were replaced, by Caribbean Cream that closed the week, with the price down at $4.25 and Everything Fresh.
In the Main Market TOP 10, Victoria Mutual Investments jumped to a record high of $9, after the company reported 9 cents in earnings per share for the June quarter and 17 cents for the half-year, just below IC Insider.com forecast of 50 cents for the full year. The stock closed at a record high of $8.20 and exited the TOP 10. Pulse Investments climbed to close the week at $3.26 and fell from the top list. Earnings for Sterling Investments were revised downwards to 23 cents per share, resulting in it leaving the TOP 10. New entrants are Grace Kennedy, Proven Investments and Scotia Group.
In the past week, the main market continued its record-breaking run, closing the week at an all-time high on its way to over 800,000 points for the All Jamaica Index as momentum continues to move the market away from long-term resistance at 520,000 points. The Junior Market rose during the week and recovered all of the 2019 losses and surpassing the previous all-time high of 3,436 points in September last year. Technical indicators point to the record be taken out soon and could happen this week with more results due. The market closed over 3,500 points for the first time in the past week.
The three most attractive Junior Market stocks are Caribbean Producers with projected gains of 233 percent, followed by Iron Rock with projected gains of 196 percent and tTech with possible gains of 167 percent.
Berger Paints heads the main market with potential gains of 122 percent followed by Radio Jamaica with 122 percent and Palace Amusement in third spot and likely to gain 92 percent by March next year.
The main market closed the week with the overall PE at 16.4 and the Junior Market moved up from 11.4 last week to 12.3 as the market shifts from consolidation in the first half of the year to be bullish now. The PE ratio for Junior Market Top 10 stocks averages 8.3 versus 7.6 last week and the main market PE is now 10 4 compared to 9 at the start of last week. These levels, point to big gains for TOP 10 stocks over the next 12 months and Junior Market stocks in particular as they lag, the values of the main market by a third.
The TOP 10 stocks now trade at an average discount of 33 percent to the average for the Junior Market Top stocks and main market stocks trade at a discount of 37 percent to the overall market.
TOP 10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns within a 12 months period. Projected earnings, for each company’s current fiscal year, are used in determining, the selected stocks. The PE for and projected earnings for each stock are computed to show potential gains for the year, which are ranked in descending order. Potential values will change as stock prices fluctuate and will result in movements of the selection in and out of the lists for most weeks. Earnings per share are revised on an ongoing basis as new information is received that can result in changes in and out of the list.

This report is compiled by persons who may have an interest in the securities commented on.