After Thursday heightened trading, market activity returned to more subdued levels on Friday, with the volume of stocks traded falling 76 percent after funds entering the market dropped 80 percent from Thursday, but the market index posted a decent gain to close out the week on a positive note at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market.
Thirty five securities traded up from 34 on Thursday and ended with 14 rising, 16 declining and five left unchanged. At the close, the Junior Market Index popped 28.74 points to close at 3,397.48 and closed out the week ahead of the previous week’s close.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 14.4. The PE ratio of each stock shown in the chart below is based on earnings forecasted by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending up to August 2022.
At close, 3,820,783 shares traded for $10,981,907 compared to 15,603,426 units at $55,122,731 on Thursday. Lumber Depot led trading with 1.77 million shares for 46.3 percent of total volume, followed by iCreate with 539,300 units for 14.1 percent of the day’s trade and Jamaican Teas with 412,416 units for 10.8 percent market share.
Trading averaged 109,165 shares at $313,769 down from 458,924 shares at $1,621,257 on Thursday and month to date, an average of 396,903 units at $1,257,809, compared to 413,716 units at $1,312,969 on Thursday. November closed with an average of 160,358 units at $581,730.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Cargo Handlers climbed 25 cents to $7.25, trading 3,600 shares, Caribbean Cream shed 20 cents in ending at $5.70 and switching ownership of 3,556 units, Derrimon Trading dropped 6 cents to $2.21 in an exchange of 12,440 stock units. Dolphin Cove lost 19 cents to end at $13.80, trading 7,903 stocks, Elite Diagnostic declined 9 cents to $2.71 with 15,665 stock units changing hands, Express Catering climbed 26 cents to end at $5.70, with an exchange of 18,081 shares. Fontana rose 10 cents to $7.30 while exchanging 39,932 units, GWest Corporation fell 20 cents 80 cents with 10,000 stocks clearing the market, Honey Bun lost 68 cents in closing at $8.55 with the swapping of 2,053 shares. Knutsford Express popped 11 cents to $8.08, with 1,899 stock units changing hands, Lasco Distributors advanced 32 cents to $3.47 after exchanging 58,041 units, Lasco Financial popped 6 cents to close at $3.06 after 70,294 stocks were traded. 
Lasco Manufacturing rallied 9 cents $4.84 in exchanging 10,921 stock units, Limners and Bards slipped 5 cents to end at $3.65 after 353,510 shares crossed the market, Lumber Depot increased 7 cents to end at $3.03 after trading 1,770,926 stocks. Mailpac Group rallied 6 cents to $3.40, with 102,075 units changing hands, Medical Disposables declined 44 cents to close at $6.06 with an exchange of 5,892 units and Stationery and Office Supplies popped 35 cents to $6.39 after an exchange of 16,392 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
