VM Investments press conference for launch its IPO. from left is Michael McMorris – Chairman of VMBS, Courtney Campbell Group CEO, Devon Barrett CEO of VMIL and Janice McKenley – Group Chief Financial Offer.
Initial Public offerings were all the rage in Jamaica Stock Market this past week, with three IPOS opening and closing during the week all being oversubscribed and one new one coming to market to open on Monday and expected to close on the same day.
The focus on IPOs negatively affected trading in the secondary market with the Junior Market giving up almost all of the gains make in the first half of the year. The week ended with no movement in and out of the TOP 10 Junior Market stocks but VM Investments is a new one in the Main Market list along Pulse Investments that returned with a fall in the stock price during the week, and out goes Wisynco and Sagicor Group.
As indicated last week, the bulk of Wisynco’s gain should come in the latter part of 2018, based on current operations 
that should deliver earnings of 70 cents for the current year and $1 for the next fiscal as the company continues to recover from the ravages of the fire back in 2016. Much is expected from VM Investments that is priced to bounce well. Investors ought to bear in mind that that has the year closely, they will be changes to the TOP list for 2018, quite a number on the current list are expected to repeat in 2018.
At the close of Friday, the average PE ratio for Junior Market Top stocks ended the week at 7.9 and a PE of 8 for the main market TOP 10. The average PE for 
the overall main market is 14.1 and 12.6 for the Junior Market, based on 2017 estimated earnings.
At the close of the week, discount for both the main and Junior markets have virtually merged, with the IC Insider.com’s TOP 10 stocks now trading at an average discount of 44 percent to the average of the market for Junior Market Top stocks and 46 percent for the main market.
Market Watch| The two markets retreated sharply over the past two weeks and broken through support levels with some individual stocks pulling back and pushing the market index down markedly, but the main market seems to have found a bottom and may be on the way up now 
that the major IPOs are closed. The junior market could be going through a consolidation phase for a while, at least that is what the market seems to be suggesting.
Investors should still keep a keen eye on Caribbean Cement for which supply seems to be declining fast, Cable & Wireless that appears scarce under $1, NCB Financial, Berger Paints, JMMB Group, Main Event, Lasco Financial, Paramount Trading and Stationery and Office.
