Investors gobbled up 5.6 million shares of Atlantic Hardware with nearly a third of the volume traded on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday. The volume of stocks exchanged jumped 77 percent, with 53 percent more value than Tuesday, following trading in 40 securities, up from 39 on Tuesday and ending, with prices of 15 rising, 13 declining and 12 closing unchanged.
The market closed with trading of 17,490,906 shares for $20,183,775, after jumping from 9,899,176 units at $13,191,044 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 437,273 shares at $504,594, after increasing from 253,825 stock units at $338,232 on Tuesday. Trading for the month to date averages 343,392 stock units at $414,115 after an increase from 312,612 stock units at $384,450 on the previous day and April, that ended with an average of 504,653 shares at $502,169.
On a day of increased trades a high number of stocks traded over one million units led by Atlantic Hardware with 5.63 million shares for 32.2 percent of total volume followed by Kintyre Holdings with 3.26 million stocks for 18.7 percent of the day’s trade, Paramount Trading closed with 1.87 million stocks for 10.7 percent of the volume traded, Caribbean Flavours ended with 1.51 million units for 8.6 percent of the total trades and Woodcats International with 1.21 million units for 6.9 percent of market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index lost 41.73 points to end at 3,146.74. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 15. ICInsider.com compiles the PE ratios, which are derived by dividing the last traded price of a stock by the earnings per share for companies with their fiscal year ending around August 2026.
At the close of trading, Access Financial advanced 38 cents to finish at $17.35 with a mere 120 shares crossing the exchange, AMG Packaging fell 10 cents to $2.05 with investors trading 439 stocks, Atlantic Hardware shed 29 cents to end at $1.50 with 5,633,995 shares changing hands. Blue Power popped 27 cents to end at $3.97 after traders exchanged 6,468 stock units, CAC 2000 rallied 6 cents in closing at $1.70 with investors swapping 147 units, Cargo Handlers lost $1.50 to close at $17.50 with a transfer of 8,982 stocks. Caribbean Assurance Brokers rose 15 cents to $1.40 with a mere one unit passing through the market, Caribbean Flavours fell 10 cents in closing at $1.40 with investors trading 1,512,941 shares,
Dolphin Cove climbed 39 cents to close at $10.44 with an exchange of 11,530 stock units. Honey Bun increased 47 cents to $6.35 with 1,806 shares clearing the market, Indies Pharma sank 12 cents to finish at $2.78 in switching ownership of 135,849 stocks, Jetcon Corporation dipped 15 cents to end at $2.45 as investors exchanged 47,800 units. JFP sank 5 cents to 40 cents after a transfer of 210,236 stock units, Lasco Financial gained 10 cents to close at $1.65 with 5 shares crossing the market and Spur Tree Spices popped 8 cents and ended at $1.01 after an exchange of 624,715 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.