Big drop for Junior market stocks

Trading closed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market Tuesday, with the volume of stocks traded surging 318 percent as 292 percent more funds were extracted from the market compared to Friday as investors eye the latest IPO to come to market and pushed five stocks to freeze in trading shortly after trading opened.
All 45 listed securities traded compared to 43 on Friday, with 36 declining. Only three gained and six closed unchanged, pushing the Junior Market Index down by a hefty 228.07 points or 5.52 percent to close at 4,129.74.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values averages 12.6. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks incorporate ICInsider.com projected earnings for companies with financial years closing up to the end of August 2023.
Overall, 24,253,233 shares traded for $99,156,469 up from 5,807,347 units at $25,315,609 on Friday. Trading averaged 538,961 shares at $2,203,477 up from 135,055 shares at $588,735 on Friday with month to date, averaging 430,189 units at $1,853,550 compared to 422,694 units at $1,829,436 on the previous trading day. April closed with an average of 449,923 units at $1,781,786.
Spur Tree Spices led trading with 2.80 million shares for 11.6 percent of total volume, followed by Lumber Depot, 2.44 million units for 10.1 percent of the day’s trade, EduFocal ended with 2.29 million units for 9.4 percent market share, Jamaican Teas chipped in with 1.88 million units for 7.8 percent of trading, JFP Ltd ended with 1.70 million units for 7 percent market share and Tropical Battery, 1.69 million units for 7 percent of the market.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows none ended with the bid higher than the last selling price and three with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial dropped $2.21 to end at $20.91 after exchanging 13,794 shares, Blue Power rose 25 cents to $4, trading 80 units, Cargo Handlers declined $1.30 in closing at $10.40, with 13,101 stocks crossing the market. Caribbean Cream lost 45 cents to close at $4.72, with 65,045 stock units clearing the market, Consolidated Bakeries shed 19 cents to $1.20 after 374,062 stocks crossed the exchange, Derrimon Trading fell 12 cents to close at $2.90 in an exchange of 1,291,861 shares. Dolphin Cove fell $1.62 in closing at $16.98 after exchanging 395,202 stock units, but it traded as low as $14 in early morning trading, EduFocal lost 42 cents to end at $2.75, with 2,290,798 units crossing the market, Elite Diagnostic declined 43 cents in ending at $3.51 with 870,148 units changing hands. Express Catering shed 26 cents to end at $5.54 in switching ownership of 687,522 shares, Fontana dropped 10 cents after ending at $9.90 while exchanging 776,176 stock units, Fosrich shed $3 to end at $25 in trading 469,131 stocks. Future Energy Source  lost 72 cents to close at $5.52 with the swapping of 1,391,166 stock units, Honey Bun fell $1.19 in closing at $8.01 after exchanging 111,904 units, iCreate declined 37 cents to $3.19, with 506,855 shares changing hands. Iron Rock Insurance dropped 20 cents to $3.10, trading 1,873 stocks, ISP Finance dropped $7 to close at $22.50 with an exchange of 23 stock units, Jamaican Teas fell 25 cents to end at $3.16, trading 1,881,644 stocks. Jetcon Corporation declined 26 cents in closing at $1.30 in exchanging 569,058 units, JFP Ltd lost 27 cents to end at $1.33 after 1,703,508 shares crossed the market, KLE Group popped 10 cents to close at $2.40 with 1,135 shares clearing the market. Knutsford Express shed 20 cents to $7.60 with the swapping of 11,987 stocks, Lasco Financial fell 22 cents in closing at $3.31 after trading 100,336 units,Lasco Manufacturing declined 11 cents in ending at $5, with 40,055 stock units changing hands. Lumber Depot lost 30 cents to end at $3.11 with an exchange of 2,444,142 stock units, Mailpac Group dropped 33 cents in closing at $2.61 after trading 905,286 units, Main Event shed 60 cents to $8.30 in switching ownership of 62,663 shares. Medical Disposables declined 45 cents in ending at $7.55 after 48,201 stocks crossed the exchange, Paramount Trading dropped 22 cents to end at $1.80 in trading 37,686 shares, Spur Tree Spices shed 35 cents to close at $3.50 after exchanging 2,804,435 stock units. Stationery and Office Supplies lost 15 cents to close at $12 in an exchange of 138,126 stocks, but the stock traded as low as $10 before rebounding, Tropical Battery fell 40 cents to end at $2.45, with 1,687,606 units crossing the market and tTech declined 10 cents in ending at $3.50 after exchanging 63,018 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.