Another record close for Junior Market Stocks

The JSE Junior Market Index at an all-time high.

Following a long run with the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market failing to take out the record 2019 high, the market ended for a second consecutive day at a new record closing high on Friday, with the Market Index gaining 26.21 points to finish the day at 3,695.94 after trading during the day at a high of 3,717.45 and ended with the volume of stocks traded, declining 31 percent and the value slipping 22 percent lower than on Thursday.
A total of 42 securities traded on Friday compared to 43 on Thursday and ended with 17 rising, 18 declining and seven closing unchanged. Five stocks hit 52 weeks highs during trading with four ended with a 52 weeks closing highs. The four ending with 52 weeks’ closing highs are Dolphin Cove, Fontana, Paramount Trading and Spur Tree Spices while Elite Diagnostic traded at an intraday high of $4.40 but closed much lower at the end.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 16.4. The PE ratio of each stock in the chart below is based on ICInsider.com earnings forecast for companies with financial years up to August 2022.
A total of 9,892,920 shares were traded for $34,889,559 compared to 14,330,907 units at $44,562,678 on Thursday, with Spur Tree Spices leading trading with 2.86 million shares for 28.9 percent of total volume followed by Tropical Battery, 1.29 million units with 13.1 percent of the day’s trade and Consolidated Bakeries with 835,948 units for 8.4 percent market share.
Trading averaged 235,546 shares at $830,704 in contrast to 333,277 shares at $1,036,341 on Thursday and month to date, an average of 319,265 units at $1,177,146, compared to 323,991 units at $1,196,703 on the previous day. December closed with an average of 409,209 units at $1,318,877.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three stocks with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial gained $1 to end at $25 after trading 15,121 shares, AMG Packaging rallied 27 cents to $3.59 in an exchange of 69,316 stocks, Cargo Handlers declined 15 cents in closing at $6.85, with 7,457 stock units changing hands. Caribbean Flavours popped 14 cents to $2.10, with 69,312 units crossing the market, Dolphin Cove advanced $3.39 to close at $25.99 after 320,349 stocks changed hands, Elite Diagnostic lost 27 cents to $3.73 in switching ownership of 109,106 stock units. Everything Fresh climbed 11 cents in ending at $1.10, with 323,809 units clearing the market, Fontana rose 25 cents to close at $8.10 after trading 144,018 shares, Fosrich increased 12 cents in closing at $14.95 with 40,024 units crossing the exchange. Honey Bun gained 34 cents to end at $9.59 in exchanging 14,708 shares, Iron Rock Insurance dropped 20 cents in closing at $3.10, trading 16,484 stock units, ISP Finance climbed $1.51 to close at $37 with an exchange of 231 stocks. Lasco Financial fell 18 cents to end at $3.07 while exchanging 9,377 stock units, Medical Disposables shed 57 cents after ending at $6.72 with the swapping of 109,016 shares, Spur Tree Spices increased 33 cents to $2.76 in an exchange of 2,862,464 stocks. SSL Venture lost 17 cents to close at $1.73 after exchanging 156,015 units, Stationery and Office Supplies shed 10 cents to end at $5.90 exchanging 21,937 stock units and tTech dropped 20 cents after ending at $4 in trading 800 units.

Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.