In a bullish trading session on Monday, the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market index surged 114 points to 3,700.02 within a few minutes of opening and closed with a big 68.18 points rally at 3,653.93, just 9 points below the all-time closing high in 2019, as the volume of stocks traded declined 27 percent and the value slipping 36 percent lower than on Friday.
A total of 39 securities traded versus 40 on Friday and ended with 20 rising, 10 declining and nine ending unchanged.
Three stocks closed at 52 weeks’ highs, leading the market to gain 6.6 percent year to date, up from 4 percent at the same time in 2021.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages16, The PE ratio of each stock in the chart below is based on ICInsider.com earnings forecast for companies with financial years up to August 2022.
A total of 12,036,880 shares traded for $36,747,444 compared to 16,579,452 units at $57,855,045 on Friday. Spur Tree Spices traded 4.73 million shares to lead with 39.3 percent of total volume followed by Mailpac Group, 1.55 million units, with 12.9 percent of the day’s trade and Future Energy Source with 1.01 million units for 8.4 percent market share.
Trading averaged 308,638 shares at $942,242 down from 414,486 shares at $1,446,376 on Friday and month to date, an average of 331,300 units at $1,257,128, compared to 332,829 units at $1,278,375 on the previous day. December closed with an average of 409,209 units at $1,318,877.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three stocks with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial fell $1.28 to $25, with 3,328 shares changing hands, AMG Packaging gained 15 cents in closing at $3.20, with 183,960 stock units clearing the market, Blue Power declined 36 cents to $3.15 after 3,435 units changed hands. Caribbean Flavours dropped 7 cents to end at $1.90 with the swapping of 475,469 stocks, Consolidated Bakeries climbed 10 cents to close at $1.09 in switching ownership of 365,585 shares, Dolphin Cove rallied 6 cents to close at $22.31, after 85,458 units crossed the exchange. Everything Fresh increased 5 cents to 99 cents, with 324 stocks crossing the market, Fosrich rose 46 cents to a 52 weeks’ high of $14.95 with an exchange of 119,385 stock units, Honey Bun shed 10 cents in closing at $9.50 after exchanging 28,435 shares. Indies Pharma advanced 5 cents to $3.15 after swapping 123,906 stock units, Jamaican Teas popped 20 cents to $4.19 in an exchange of 773,560 stocks, Jetcon Corporation fell 5 cents in closing at 88 cents trading 140,581 units. KLE Group increased 16 cents in ending at $2.96 after trading 200 stock units, Lasco Financial advanced 19 cents to close at $3.22 after 153,623 shares changed hands, Lasco Manufacturing popped 40 cents to end at $4.96, with 55,467 units crossing the market. 
Lumber Depot rallied 7 cents to close at $2.97 while exchanging 322,756 stocks, Paramount Trading gained 26 cents in closing at a 52 weeks’ high of $1.63 after exchanging 159,238 units, Spur Tree Spices rose 6 cents to $2.21 after exchanging 4,733,067 shares. SSL Venture climbed 43 cents to a 52 weeks’ high of $1.73 while exchanging 417,575 stock units and Stationery and Office Supplies rose 16 cents to $5.90, with 54,635 stocks crossing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading calmed, with Spur Tree slipping under 10 million units, but still played a big part in the 16,579,452 shares that traded for $57,855,045, down from 26,022,456 units at $87,517,746 on Thursday. Spur Tree Spices led trading with 8.57 million shares for 51.7 percent of total volume followed by Future Energy Source with 2.3 million units for 13.9 percent of the day’s trade and Jamaican Teas traded 765,118 units for 4.6 percent market share.
At the close, Access Financial rallied $1.27 to end at $26.28 after exchanging 3,509 shares, CAC 2000 rose 77 cents to close at $8.27 after trading 100 units, Cargo Handlers shed 28 cents to $7.20 with the swapping of 47,124 stock units. Caribbean Assurance Brokers dropped 13 cents in closing at $2.90 in switching ownership of 471,657 stocks, Caribbean Cream advanced 25 cents to $5.40 while exchanging 100 shares, Consolidated Bakeries fell 11 cents to close at 99 cents 313,892 units crossing the exchange. Dolphin Cove gained $2.25 to end at $22.25 in trading 698,461 stocks, Express Catering lost 25 cents in closing at $5.10, with 478,008 stock units clearing the market, Fosrich popped $2.44 to a record $14.49 after 5,368 units changed hands. Future Energy Source increased 25 cents ending at $3.45 after trading 2,299,167 stock units, General Accident declined 30 cents to close at $6 in an exchange of 28,495 shares, Honey Bun climbed 15 cents to end at $9.60, with 1,539 stocks crossing the market. iCreate shed 9 cents after ending at 79 cents in exchanging 378,448 units, Iron Rock Insurance gained 10 cents to $3, with 2,287 stocks changing hands, ISP Finance rallied $3.30 in closing at $36.30 trading 34 shares. Jamaican Teas increased 10 cents to $3.99 with an exchange of 765,118 stock units, KLE Group fell 15 cents in ending at $2.80 after exchanging 17,063 stock units, Lasco Financial popped 7 cents in closing at $3.03 with 59,980 shares changing hands. 
Limners and Bards lost 7 cents to close at $3.42 with an exchange of 40,153 units, Lumber Depot declined 9 cents to end at $2.90 after an exchange of 435,151 stocks, Main Event dropped 40 cents in closing at $3.98, with 32,127 units clearing the market. Spur Tree Spices fell 13 cents to $2.15 in trading 8,566,940 shares, SSL Venture popped 40 cents in ending at a 52 weeks’ high of $1.30 after exchanging 187,244 stock units and tTech declined 20 cents to close at $4 with 6,760 stocks changing hands.
All 43 securities listed on the Junior Market traded on Thursday, up from 41 on Wednesday and ended with 18 rising, 17 declining and eight ending unchanged.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 16. The PE ratio of each stock in the chart below is based on ICInsider.com earnings forecast for companies with financial years up to August 2022.
Lasco Financial dropped 32 cents to $2.96 after 34,587 stock units changed hands, Lasco Manufacturing fell 10 cents to $4.55 with the swapping of 123,866 stock units, Main Event rose 40 cents to close at $4.38 with an exchange of 6,491 shares. Spur Tree Spices lost 37 cents in closing at $2.28 after exchanging 15,232,910 stock units, SSL Venture lost 8 cents to end at 90 cents, with 206 units crossing the exchange and tTech rallied 15 cents in closing at $4.20 trading 5,699 units.
The growth in the
At the end of April last year, the average PE for the Junior Market was 13 and 16.5 for the Main Market. At the end of June it was 13 and 17 respectively and September 12 and 15.5 times.
The Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market sprang into action in early trading on Thursday, with the market index surging 114.24 points within 15 minutes of the opening to reach 3,616.99 points just 46 points from the all-time high of 3,662.94 at the close on August 14, 2019. 
A total of 41 securities traded on Wednesday similar to Tuesday and ended with 18 rising, 13 declining and 10 closing unchanged. At the close, the Junior Market Index shed 15.44 points to settle at 3,502.75.
Trading averaged 1,329,645 shares at $4,805,596 up from 471,623 shares at $1,411,805 on Tuesday with month to date, averaging 302,573 units at $1,199,046, compared to 209,819 units at $873,344 previously. December closed with an average of 409,209 units at $1,318,877.
Limners and Bards gained 10 cents to close at $3.49 after trading 17,843 stock units, Medical Disposables fell 45 cents in closing at $7.50 with the swapping of 2,112 shares, Spur Tree Spices advanced 33 cents to end at 52 weeks’ high of $2.65 and closed with 25,673,548 stocks changing hands and tTech declined 25 cents in closing at $4.05 after exchanging 2,059 units.
Market activity led to 41 securities trading compared to 39 on Monday and ended with 17 rising, 16 declining and eight, closing unchanged.
At the close, Access Financial rose $2.75 ending at $23.50, the highest price since January 2021, with the swapping of 20,246 shares, AMG Packaging shed 5 cents to end at $3.60, with 535,137 stock units crossing the exchange, Blue Power declined 25 cents in closing at $3.10 after 23,354 units changed hands. CAC 2000 fell 30 cents to close at $8 while exchanging 2,401 stocks, Caribbean Assurance Brokers dipped 8 cents to $2.95 after trading 183,124 units, Caribbean Cream lost 30 cents to close at $5, with an exchange of 177,936 stocks. Fontana gained 10 cents in closing at $7.70 trading 86,777 stock units, Future Energy Source lost 6 cents after ending at $2.93 in exchanging 1,568,726 shares, General Accident popped 31 cents to $6.30, with 301 stocks clearing the market. Honey Bun climbed 28 cents to end at $9.48 in exchanging 39,155 shares, Indies Pharma rallied 15 cents to end at $3.15, with 60,470 units crossing the market, Iron Rock Insurance shed 16 cents at $3.25 with an exchange of 1,630 stock units. Jamaican Teas dropped 6 cents in closing at $3.79, with 430,951 stock units changing hands, Lasco Distributors advanced 5 cents to close at $3.30 in exchanging 35,410 units, Lasco Manufacturing gained 5 cents to end at $4.70 in switching ownership of 2,355,566 shares. 
Mailpac Group advanced 6 cents to $3.36 in an exchange of 403,848 stocks, Main Event fell 40 cents to $3.90 trading 26,432 stocks, Medical Disposables increased $1.84 to a 52 weeks’ high of $7.95, with 29,190 stock units crossing the exchange. Spur Tree Spices rallied 57 cents to end at $2.32 in trading 10,690,992 units and Stationery and Office Supplies popped 10 cents to close at $5.75 finishing at 5,105 shares.
Market activity ended with 39 securities trading compared to 40 on Friday, with the volume of stocks traded declining 49 percent and the value down by 74 percent from Friday activities. At the close 16 stocks gained, 15 declined and eight traded unchanged.
At the close, Access Financial rose 75 cents ending at $20.75 with the swapping of 199,203 shares, as some of the long overhanging of selling seem to be easing, AMG Packaging advanced 25 cents in closing at a 52 weeks’ high of $3.65, with 410,066 stocks changing hands after posting an increase of 146 percent in profits for the first quarter to November after trading on Friday. Caribbean Cream lost 59 cents to $5.30 while exchanging 207,038 units as investors reacted negatively to a loss in the company’s November quarterly results. Consolidated Bakeries declined 23 cents to close at $1.10 after 281,574 stock units crossed the market, Dolphin Cove gained 95 cents to end at $20 in trading 130,426 shares, Express Catering climbed 31 cents to $5.51 trading 23,600 stocks. Fontana increased 20 cents to end at $7.60 in exchanging 182,312 stock units, Fosrich dropped 10 cents in closing at $11.89 after 13,625 units changed hands, General Accident shed 30 cents to close at $5.99 in an exchange of 3,300 stocks. Honey Bun popped 20 cents to $9.20, with 30,034 units crossing the exchange, Lasco Distributors rallied 15 cents to close at $3.25 after exchanging 57,411 stock units, Mailpac Group rose 20 cents to $3.30 with an exchange of 274,246 shares. 
Medical Disposables fell $1.29 to end at $6.11 with 31,057 shares changing hands, Spur Tree Spices rallied 43 cents ending at a 52 weeks’ high of $1.75 as 1,369,946 units traded and Stationery and Office Supplies fell 20 cents in closing at $5.65, with 6,830 stock units clearing the market.
At the close, Access Financial rallied 89 cents to end at $20, with 8,659 shares crossing the exchange, AMG Packaging popped 17 cents in closing at a 52 weeks’ high of $3.40 while exchanging 240,608 units, Blue Power shed 30 cents ending at $3.35 in an exchange of 156 stock units. CAC 2000 rose 30 cents to $8.30 after exchanging 100 stocks, Caribbean Assurance Brokers advanced 11 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $3.12 in switching ownership of 225,543 units, Caribbean Cream lost 11 cents to close at $5.89 in trading 38,557 stocks. Consolidated Bakeries popped 12 cents to $1.33 with 20,609 shares changing hands, Dolphin Cove declined 95 cents to end at $19.05, with 385,686 stock units clearing the market, Elite Diagnostic climbed 9 cents in closing at $3.18 after trading 103,682 stock units. General Accident increased 28 cents in ending at $6.29 after exchanging 20,043 shares, Honey Bun dropped 10 cents in closing at $9 with the swapping of 63,479 units, Indies Pharma fell 19 cents to close at $3.01 in trading 202,836 stocks. Lasco Distributors declined 5 cents to $3.10, with 224,695 units changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing lost 15 cents to end at $4.70 after 5,828 shares crossed the market, Limners and Bards fell 9 cents to $3.40 after an exchange of 451,750 stocks.
Mailpac Group dropped 20 cents to close at $3.10 trading 671,259 stock units, Main Event shed 45 cents in ending at $4.30 with an exchange of 611 units, Medical Disposables fell 10 cents to $7.40 in an exchange of 3,500 shares. Paramount Trading rose 18 cents in closing at $1.48 while exchanging 17,226 stock units, Stationery and Office Supplies rose 10 cents to $5.85 after exchanging 2,752 shares and Tropical Battery inched 5 cents up to $1.28 in switching ownership of 35,902 units.