Bulls pushing Jamaican stock to new highs.
Cargo Handlers surged with a gain of 393 percent in 2016 to be the top performing stock on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, ending the year at $18.50 after a 10 for 1 stock split earlier in the year. The stock which trades at a PE of 30 times IC Insider’s 2017 estimated earnings, is also one of the most highly priced on the market. Last year the company posted profits that rose from 25 cents per share in 2015 to 42 cents in 2016.
Honey Bun roared along with gains of 325% to close the year at $5.85 after hitting a high of $7.50 in response to a 5 for 1 stock split and rise in profits of 104.7 percent for 2016.
The 2016 listed ISP Finance, jumped 250 percent to close the year at $8.50 on the expectation of strong future profit growth. This is one of the few stocks that grew sharply without the benefit of a stock split.
AMG Packaging climbed to be fourth best performer, benefiting from expectation of profit to flow from their new tissue operation and latterly by an announcement of a 5 for 1 stock split. Interestingly, while AMG last price was $24.51, the bid has been at $26.50 for several days, an indication that it will trade above the last traded price for 2016. Paramount Trading gained a more moderate 233%, helped by its expansion of it lubricant manufacturing in a joint venture arrangement and a 10 for 1
Paramount
Jetcon Corporation that listed in March at $2.25 per share, jumped 167 percent by the end of the year to $6, propelled by a near doubling in profit over 2015.
Blue Power gained 129% to sit at 7 position then Palace Amusement ended with a gain of 122, tTech that listed in January 2016 ended at tenth spot with gains of 112% just edging out Margaritaville Turks with 111 percent at number 11. Knutsford Express with gains 108% was the only other stock in the overall market to rise by more than 100%.
Data by the Investor’s Choice going back several years to 1980, indicates that on average only 22 percent of stocks in the top 10 repeat in the subsequent year. AMG was the sole stock that was in the top 10 in 2015 to repeat in 2016. These are sobering data investors would do well to ponder.
The junior market index closed at a new all-time high on Wednesday, as advancing stocks were edged out by declining ones pushing the market index up by 20.38 points to end at 2,573.55 points with a 44 percent increase for the year to date. 
An average of 181,822 units with an average value of $1,192,249 traded, compared to 41,940 units with an average value of $180,950 on the preceding trading day. The average for December to date is 136,554 units, at an average of $696,188. The average for December to Friday is 133,892 units, at an average of $667,008. November ended with an average of 109,679 units with an average value of $607,092.
Jetcon Corporation rose 2 cents to close at $5.90 with 1,094,291 shares trading, KLE Group closed with 1,504 shares trading at $1.95, Knutsford Express traded 6,700 shares at $19.55, Lasco Distributors ended with 1,117,322 units trading with a gain of 25 cents at $7. Lasco Financial lost 5 cents with 21,345 shares changing hands, to end at $3.20, Lasco Manufacturing ended at $4.98, after 147,247 units switched hands, Paramount Trading exchanged 64,362 units at $3 and tTech traded 1,079 units with a rise of 5 cents to close at $5.30.
Prices on the junior market mostly rose on Monday, and pushed the market index up by a strong 43.35 points to end at record close of 2,523.96, on increased trading activity from Friday’s levels, to be up a strong 41 percent for the year to date. 
The average for December to Friday is 122,044 units, at an average of $576,756. November ended with an average of 109,679 units with an average value of $607,092.
Knutsford Express traded just 200 shares but the price slipped 1 cent to $19.99. Lasco Distributors had 47,247 shares trading and rose 15 cents to close at $6.55. Lasco Financial ended with 200,502 shares changing hands for 5 cents more to $3.30, Lasco Manufacturing ended at $5 with a fall of 5 cents after 4,501,100 units switch hands, up from 2,898,885 shares changed hands, on Friday. Paramount Trading had 166,512 units changing hands to close at $3, Sweet River traded 3,300 shares with a rise of 3 cents to close at $3.85, tTech traded 513 shares but rose 25 cents to $5.25 and Eppley 9.5% preference share traded 1,500 units at $6.18.
The average for December to date is 144,548 units at an average of $659,983. The average for December to Tuesday is 173,888 units at an average of $794,408. The average for November ended at 109,679 units with an average value of $607,092.
The junior market index inched up by the end of trading on Monday resulting in the market index gaining 9.79 points to end at 2,433.66. 
An average of 74,236 units with an average value of $356,931 traded, compared to 74,215 units with an average value of $238,965 on the preceding day. The average for December to date is 125,269 units at an average of $538,279. The average for December to Friday is 150,785 units at an average of $628,952. The average for November ended at 109,679 units with an average value of $607,092.
Jetcon Corporation traded with a loss of 10 cents, to close at $5.65, with moderate volume of 10,000 shares. Key Insurance traded 28,471 units to close at $2.50, Knutsford Express saw trading in 20,164 shares at $20, Lasco Distributors loss 20 cents after 145,442 shares changed hands at $6.60, Lasco Financial gained 5 cents and ended with 19,958 shares changing hands at $3.25. Lasco Manufacturing ended at $4.70 with a mere 770 shares changing hands Paramount Trading gained 10 cents while 5,979 shares traded, to close at $3.80 and tTech ended with 35,654 units changing hands at $5.50.
An average of 227,356 units with an average value of $1,018,940 traded, compared to 81,289 units with an average value of $344,317 on the preceding day. The average for November is 109,679 units with an average value of $607,092
Key Insurance rose by 5 cents in trading 3,000 shares and ended at $2.55. Lasco Distributors closed with 4,500 shares changing hands, at $6.65, after losing 15 cents, Lasco Financial gained 5 cents and ended with 1,000 shares changing hands at $3.15. Lasco Manufacturing fell 14 cents to end at $4.55 with 2,798,527 shares changing hands, Paramount Trading had 17,595 units changing hands to close at $3.70 and tTech ended with 8,628 shares changing hands at $5.50.
The average for the month to date is 109,679 units for an average of $607,092 compared to 111,031 units valued at $619,605 on Tuesday and 129,138 units with an average value of $709,705 for October.
The average for the month to date is 113,520 units for an average of $633,167 compared to 52,146 units valued at $108,825 on Friday and 129,138 units with an average value of $709,705 for October.
ISP Finance traded 28,623 shares to end at $8, Jamaican Teas traded 16,966 shares to close at $4.10, Jetcon Corporation closed with 149,100 units changing hands, 1 cent higher at $5.01, Key Insurance traded 21,100 shares with a rise of 15 cents to end at $2.50, Knutsford Express traded 750 units at $20. Lasco Distributors gained 20 cents with 8,000 shares changing hands, to close at $6.80, Lasco Financial rose 5 cents and ended with 202,636 shares changing hands at $3.20. Lasco Manufacturing closed with a loss of 1 cent at $4.69 with 2,507,570 shares changing hands, Paramount Trading with 5,000 units changing hands closed at $3.50 and tTech traded 1,500 shares but rose 50 cents to $5.50.
An average of 11,694 units with an average value of $52,146 traded, compared to 72,603 units with an average value of $377,231 on the preceding trading day. The average for the month to date is 52,146 units for an average of $108,825 compared to 114,221 units valued at $648,781 on Thursday and 129,138 units with an average value of $709,705 for October.
Jetcon Corporation closed with 1,900 units changing hands at $5, Key Insurance traded 6,783 shares with a gain of 20 cents to end at $2.35, Knutsford Express traded 934 units at $20, Lasco Distributors gained 20 cents with 2,200 shares changing hands, to close at $6.80, Lasco Financial rose 5 cents and ended with 6,860 shares changing hands at $3.20. Lasco Manufacturing closed at $4.70 with 105,000 shares changing hands, Paramount Trading gaine 40 cents with 8,894 units changing hands to close at $3.50 and tTech traded 5,698 shares but fell 75 cents to $5.
In trading activity, 
Lasco Financial gained 8 cents and ended with 18,751 shares changing hands at $3.08, 
