Investors knocked 94.85 points off the Junior Market Index, down to 3,340.03 in trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Monday, as investors moved to differentiate stocks set to benefit from the reconstruction of the damage caused by the recent hurricane and those that will suffer. In the process, two stocks set to benefit hit 52 weeks high as investors aggressively bought into them.
By the close, the market ended with a 75 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded, with 83 percent lower value than Friday, following trading in 45 securities compared with 42 on Friday and ending with prices of 10 rising, 22 falling and 13 closing unchanged.
The market closed after trading of 9,594,798 shares at $14,095,727, down sharply from 38,833,920 units at $84,315,909 on Friday, boosted by a 16.25 million trade in shares of AMG Packaging. Trading averaged 213,218 shares at $313,238 compared with 924,617 stocks at $2,007,522 on Friday compared to an average of 191,865 shares at $349,252 for October.
One company likely to benefit from demand in rebuilding the damage sections of Jamaica is Atlantic Hardware led trading, with 3.13 million shares for 32.6 percent of total volume followed by Kintyre Holdings that is likely to suffer from damage to billboards ended with 2.07 million units for 21.6 percent of the day’s trade and Lumber Depot that should benefit from reconstruction demand ended with 928,959 stocks for 9.7 percent of the volume traded.
At the close of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 10 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.4, based on the last traded price, in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for financial years ending around August 2026.
At the close, Access Financial dropped $2.27 to end at $17.21 with trading of a mere 105 shares, AMG Packaging sank 24 cents to $2.16 in an exchange of 3,736 stocks, Atlantic Hardware climbed 19 cents to a record high of $1.15 after investors grabbed 3,128,475 shares. Cargo Handlers, one of the companies that could benefit from increased demand for goods for reconstruction, declined $1.85 and ended at $11.13, with 838 units crossing the market, Caribbean Flavours sank 8 cents to finish at $1.52 with a transfer of 899 stocks, Derrimon Trading slipped 8 cents to close at $1.85, with 427,175 units crossing the exchange. Dolla Financial fell 8 cents to $2.56 with investors trading 113,100 stocks, Dolphin Cove increased 50 cents to end at $13 after an exchange of 7,371 shares, Express Catering popped 10 cents in closing at $3, with 49,703 stock units changing hands after investors cut the price from $3.65 before the hurricane, last week, in expectation of a slippage in business as tourist traffic could decline for a few months. Future Energy dropped 6 cents and ended at $3.05 after an exchange of 178,074 shares, 
GWest Corporation lost 10 cents to close at a 52 weeks low of 60 cents, with 57,129 stocks crossing the market, Honey Bun shed 10 cents to finish at $7.20 in an exchange of 16,495 stock units. Image Plus skidded 5 cents to 94 cents and closed with an exchange of 75,000 stock units, Indies Pharma rallied 14 cents to finish at $2.98, with 175,041 shares clearing the market, Lumber Depot rose 41 cents and ended at a 52 weeks high of $3.33 as investors exchanged 928,959 units. Main Event, a company to be negatively affected by reduced entertainment activity, fell 27 cents in closing at $6.67, after hitting an intraday 52 weeks low of $5.89, in switching ownership of 7,570 stocks, Medical Disposables dropped 27 cents to end at $1.42 with investors swapping 16,183 stock units, Regency Petroleum, the stock could suffer from decreased demand for fuel in western Jamaica, shed a huge 75 cents to close at $3.55 with an exchange of 513,486 shares and Spur Tree Spices lost 5 cents to $1 after 170,706 stocks passed through the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.