Big fall for Junior Market

The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange dropped sharply on Friday to erase most of the 74 points rally on Thursday with the volume of stocks traded being flat with an 18 percent higher value than Thursday, following trading in only 38 securities down from 42 on Thursday resulting in prices of  12 rising, 18 declining and eight closing unchanged.
Investors traded 6,762,889 shares for $19,614,027 compared with 6,771,997 units at $16,602,569 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 177,971 shares for $516,159 compared with 161,238 units at $395,299 on Thursday versus an average of 183,001 units at $460,354 in August.
Lasco Manufacturing led trading with 1.18 million shares for 17.5 percent of total volume, followed by Stationery and Office Supplies with 1.11 million units for 16.4 percent of the day’s trade and Regency Petroleum with 1.02 million units for 15.1 percent of trading.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, aveAt the close, the Junior Market Index dipped 64.77 points to conclude trading at 3,854.96.
The 10.8. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded price in conjunction with ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Cargo Handlers popped 41 cents to $16.41 and closed with an exchange of 280 shares, Caribbean Assurance Brokers dipped 18 cents to close at $2.68 after 800 units crossed the exchange, Consolidated Bakeries gained 30 cents and ended at $2.60 in an exchange of 21,000 stock units, Derrimon Trading rose 23 cents to end at $1.88 with traders dealing in 500 stocks. Dolphin Cove climbed 59 cents in closing at $16.60 after an exchange of 10 stock units, Elite Diagnostic rallied 23 cents to $1.82 with shareholders swapping 10,097 stocks, Express Catering shed 80 cents and ended at $4.20 as investors exchanged 16,661 shares, Fontana advanced 87 cents to close at $11.37 after 58,802 units passed through the market. Future Energy Source fell 29 cents to end at $3.63, with 100,722 shares clearing the exchange, General Accident lost 45 cents in closing at $4.49 with a transfer of 28,915 stocks, Honey Bun increased 29 cents to close at $6.49 while exchanging 1,248 stock units, Image Plus Consultants dropped 19 cents and ended at $2.05, with 9,488 units crossing the market. Indies Pharma declined 19 cents to $3 in switching ownership of 480,213 stocks, ISP Finance skidded $4.17 in closing at $32 after an exchange of 5 stocks, JFP Ltd lost 12 cents to close at $1.52 with investors dealing in 434,417 units, Knutsford Express rallied 45 cents and ended at $11.70, with 1,595 shares changing hands. Lasco Distributors dipped 11 cents to $4.39 in an exchange of 350,497 stock units, Lasco Manufacturing fell 11 cents in closing at $5.20 with investors trading 1,184,638 units, Limners and Bards popped 17 cents to close at $1.98 after 1,531 stocks were traded, Main Event skidded $1.40 to end at $16.10 with an exchange of 4,331 shares. MFS Capital Partners gained 15 cents to close at $2.49, with 92,838 stock units crossing the market, ONE on ONE Educational shed 13 cents to end at $1.02 in trading 66,796 units, Regency Petroleum declined 35 cents to close at $2.19 after a transfer of 1,018,410 stocks, Spur Tree Spices dropped 27 cents and ended at $2.12 with stakeholders exchanging 599,864 shares. Stationery and Office Supplies dipped 18 cents in closing at $1.85 in switching ownership of 1,106,312 stock units and Tropical Battery declined 10 cents and ended at $1.94 in an exchange of 121,811 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.