Big fall for Junior Market

Trading picked up on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Monday, with investors trading 34 percent more stocks with a 5 percent higher value than Friday with trading taking place in 40 securities compared with 41 on Friday and ended with 16 rising, 18 declining and six closing unchanged.
On Friday, investors traded 6,466,809 shares for $12,152,568 compared with 4,811,921 units at $11,579,633.
Trading averaged 161,670 shares at $303,814, compared with 117,364 units at $282,430 on Friday with the month to date, averaging 139,244 stock units at $292,990 compared to November that closed with an average of 262,280 units at $587,545.
Spur Tree Spices led trading with 1.69 million shares for 26.2 percent of total volume followed by iCreate with 1.11 million units for 17.1 percent of the day’s trade and Stationery and Office Supplies, 644,771 units for 10 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index fell 44.12 points to cease trading at 3,712.92, a 6.9 percent fall for for the year to date.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging lost 34 cents after ending at $2.25 with traders dealing in 860 shares, Blue Power rose 33 cents in closing at $3.08 after 10,000 stocks passed through the market, Cargo Handlers dipped 98 cents to close at $13.50 with an exchange of 264 shares. Caribbean Assurance Brokers rallied 25 cents to end at $2.49 in trading 1,200 stock units, Caribbean Cream fell 10 cents and ended at $3 with a transfer of 30,000 shares, Consolidated Bakeries increased 20 cents to $2.11 as investors exchanged 1,331 units. Dolphin Cove popped 50 cents and ended at $17 with shareholders swapping 5,430 stocks, EduFocal declined 20 cents in closing at $1.80, with 110,659 stock units changing hands, Elite Diagnostic shed 12 cents to end at $1.66 in an exchange of 9,702 shares. Fontana popped 10 cents to close at $10.40 with investors dealing in 49,436 units, Fosrich advanced 15 cents to $2.47 in switching ownership of 321,656 stock units, Honey Bun gained 21 cents to close at $6.26 after an exchange of 19,091 stock units. Indies Pharma dropped 49 cents to $2.56 in trading 166,418 shares, KLE Group skidded 14 cents in closing at $1.50 after a transfer of 54,974 units, Knutsford Express fell $1.82 and ended at $11.12 with investors trading 1,514 stocks. Lasco Financial dipped 10 cents to $1.70 and closed with an exchange of 41,000 stock units, Lasco Manufacturing rose 20 cents to $4.40 after investors traded 21,689 shares, MFS Capital Partners lost 36 cents to end at $2.12, with 87,501 stock units crossing the market.  Regency Petroleum skidded 11 cents to close at $2.14 in an exchange of 59,896 units and Spur Tree Spices dipped 17 cents and ended at $2.13, with 1,692,244 stocks clearing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.