The majority of stocks trading on Monday declined, vastly outnumbering those rising, leading the market index down with an exchange of 17 percent more shares, with 10 percent less value than on Friday at the close of the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange.
Trading accounted for 37 securities, up from 33 on Friday, with the prices of six rising, 22 declining and nine remaining unchanged. The Junior Market Index shed 12.29 points to settle at 2,972.41. The average PE Ratio ended at 16.7 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
At the close, 7,215,425 shares traded for $18,425,745 versus 6,154,149 units at $20,517,294 on Friday. Lumber Depot led trading with 22.1 percent of total volume after exchanging 1.60 million shares, followed by GWest Corporation with 18.1 percent for 1.31 million units and Mailpac Group 14.7 percent, with 1.06 million units.
Trading averaged 195,011 units at $497,993, in contrast to 186,489 at $621,736 on Friday. Month to date averaged 252,356 units at $740,275, compared to 255,365 units at $752,990 on Friday. February closed with an average of 365,365 units at $881,118.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging fell 18 cents to $1.90 in trading 2,555 units, Cargo Handlers shed 21 cents to close at $8.50, with 3,013 stock units crossing the market, Caribbean Assurance Brokers finished 13 cents lower at $1.91, after 4,029 stocks cleared the market. Caribbean Cream lost 6 cents in closing at $4.99 in exchanging 10,846 units, Caribbean Flavours rose 37 cents to close at $2.27 trading 133,707 stocks, Dolphin Cove shed 42 cents to close at $8.03 in a transfer of 700 units, Elite Diagnostic lost 9 cents to settle at $3 trading 32,100 stocks. Express Catering gained 7 cents in closing at $3.80, after exchanging 68,617 shares, Fosrich ended 6 cents lower at $5.19 in exchanging 15,486 units, General Accident lost 6 cents to end at $5.50 with 448,517 stocks changing hands, Honey Bun slipped 7 cents to $5.02 with the swapping of 13,811 shares. iCreate lost 5 cents to end at 77 cents and finished with a transfer of 252,717 stock units, Indies Pharma gained 20 cents to close at $4 in the swapping of 180,504 units, Iron Rock Insurance fell 80 cents to $2.80 in switching ownership of 100 stocks. 
KLE Group shed 24 cents to end at $1 after 134,900 stocks crossed the exchange, Lasco Manufacturing lost 8 cents to end at $4.38 with an exchange of 25,019 stock units. Limners and Bards gained 4 cents in closing at $2.79 after trading 849,093 units and Mailpac Group picked up 5 cents to close at $3.50 with 1,058,633 shares changing hands.
In the preference segment, CAC 2000 9.5% preference share shed 15 cents to end at $1.15, clearing the market of 286 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Similar to Friday, trading ended on Monday, with five securities and the price of one rising, two declining and two remaining unchanged.
At the close, Margaritaville rose 0.1 of a cent to end at 10 US cents in exchanging 950 shares, Proven Investments closed at 24.99 US cents with an exchange of 110,963 units, Sterling Investments ended at 1.98 US cents in trading 100 units. Sygnus Credit Investments lost 0.48 of a cent to end at 14.02 US cents with an exchange of 6,271 shares and Transjamaican Highway shed 0.1 of a cent to end at 0.86 US cents, with 377,347 stocks clearing the market.
L.J Williams B share gained 4 cents to close at $1.45 in exchanging 12,432 stocks, Massy Holdings rose 10 cents to $64 after trading 1,155 shares, National Enterprises settled at $2.95 and finished trading 16,940 stock units. National Flour Mills settled at $2.15 with the swapping of 837 stocks, One Caribbean Media advanced 15 cents to $4.75, with 111,688 units crossing the market, Prestige Holdings ended at $7.50 with an exchange of 699 stock units. Republic Financial Holdings traded 172 units at $131.83, Scotiabank lost 71 cents to close at $54 with 629 shares changing hands, Trinidad & Tobago NGL lost 23 cents to end at $14.76, trading 5,052 stock units. Unilever Caribbean rose 10 cents to $16.20 after an exchange of 81 stocks and West Indian Tobacco carved out a gain of 50 cents to end at $33, with 40,043 stocks crossing the exchange.
“We are currently examining a possible additional Public Offer (APO) in 2021,” managing director Cecil Foster stated in response to ICInsider.com enquiry as to why would they not take advantage of favourable market conditions currently to reduce the high debt load.
TOP 10 stocks had a few changes during the past week, with Berger Paints back in the Main Market TOP10, replacing Sterling Investments that entered the list last week, while in the Junior Market, Caribbean Assurance Brokers returns to the TOP 10 as General Accident moved out.
Caribbean Producers is another that will definitely benefit from pick up in the tourist trade later in the year. Expect also companies such as Knutsford Express, Express Catering and Stationery and Office Supplies to be on that list.
This week’s focus: Future Energy Source Company Initial Public Offer of 500 million shares at 80 cents per share opens on Wednesday, with pretax earnings for the fiscal year to March this year around 7 cents per shares. The shares should be snapped up quickly by investors, with the company having long-term prospects for strong growth.
The PE ratio for the Junior Market Top 10 stocks average a mere 5.5 at just 55 percent of the market average. The Main Market TOP 10 stocks trade at a PE of 7.4 or 50 percent of the PE of that market.
Trading ended with 18 securities changing hands compared to 17 on Thursday, with the prices of five stocks, five falling and eight remaining unchanged.
JMMB Group ended at $1.82 with an exchange of 11,454 stocks, Massy Holdings rose 15 cents to end at $63.90, with 15,519 stocks crossing the market, NCB Financial Group closed at $8.50 after trading 49,830 units. Prestige Holdings settled at $7.50 after an exchange of 13 shares, Republic Financial Holdings rose 8 cents to $131.83, with 2,407 stock units changing hands, Scotiabank shed 29 cents in closing at $54.71 with the swapping of 1,790 shares. Trinidad & Tobago NGL closed at $14.99 in an exchange of 6,685 stock units, Trinidad Cement ended at $3, exchanging 2,500 units, Unilever dipped 10 cents in ending at $16.10 trading 3,980 shares and West Indian Tobacco dipped 1 cent to close at $32.50, with 20,373 units changing hands.
Overall, 33 securities traded, similar to Thursday and closed with 18 stocks rising, eight declining and seven remaining unchanged. The average PE Ratio ended at 16.9 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
Knutsford Express rose 80 cents to $6.35 after exchanging 500 units, Lasco Distributors rose 8 cents to $4.14, with 49,688 stock units changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing lost 13 cents to end at $4.46 in an exchange of 101,862 stocks. Limners and Bards gained 5 cents to close at $2.75 with the swapping of 2,276,465 shares, Main Event rose 32 cents to $3.47, with 50,000 stocks hands and tTech finished 8 cents higher at $4.50 after transferring 40 units.
The All Jamaican Composite Index advanced 2,733.33 points to 433,426.84, the Main Index rose 2,535.44 points to 395,153.87 and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.82 points to settle at 99.46.
Month to date trading averaged 341,423 units at $2,407,074, in contrast to 350,058 units at $2,478,082 on Thursday. February closed with an average of 419,015 units at $2,509,660. 
Palace Amusement fell $19 to $680, with 443 units crossing the exchange, Proven Investments shed 60 cents in ending at $34.90 with 19,845 stock units clearing the market, Sagicor Group gained 23 cents to finish at $49.98 in transferring 321,790 units. Salada Foods rose $1.50 to $44.50 with the swapping of 10,915 shares, Scotia Group closed 74 cents higher at $41.25 with an exchange of 8,767 stock, Seprod dropped $4 to $69 in trading 94,793 units and Supreme Ventures finished 20 cents higher at $15.30 in switching ownership of 37,927 stock units.
Trading ended with five securities changing hands, compared to seven on Thursday and ended with the prices of one stock rising, three declining and one remaining unchanged.
At the close, First Rock Capital fell 0.4 of a cent to 8.5 US cents trading 11,123 shares, Proven Investments dipped 0.11 of a cent to 24.99 US cents, with 247,644 stock units clearing the market, Sterling Investments lost 0.01 of a cent in ending at 1.98 US cents in an exchange of 308 stock units and Sygnus Credit Investments advanced 0.3 of one cent to 14.5 US cents with 22,859 stocks changing hands.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index shed 48.69 points to 430,693.51, the JSE Main Index declined 53.00 points to 392,618.43 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.09 points to settle at 98.64.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has thirteen stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
Scotia Group ended 74 cents lower at $40.51 with the swapping of 14,908 stock units, Seprod rose $1 to $73 with 45,709 units changing hands. Sterling Investments gained 21 cents to settle at $2.91in the transfer of 24,212 stocks and Wisynco Group shed 62 cents to close at $15.38, with 28,391 stocks changing hands.
