Straight out of the opening, stocks prices rose and pushed the market index up nine points at the start and up 29 points just before half an hour of trading having elapsed on Tuesday. As the morning progressed, buying pressure constantly pushed the index along to close out just below the 3,000 points mark and the day’s peak of 2,983.41 on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange.
The Junior Market Index surged 35.57 points to close at 2,981.55, just 19 points adrift of the 3,000 mark and shy of the previous best close of 2,994.69 points, on February 10, last year and recording a gain of 12.8 percent for the year to date.
Trading ended with 33 securities changing hands, down from 37 on Monday and closed with the prices of 12 stocks rising, 12 declining and nine remaining unchanged.
The PE Ratio averaged 16.9 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Trading volume and vales rose 258 percent and 243 percent respectively above Monday levels with an exchange of 14,669,963 shares for $43,192,636, up from 4,093,792 units at $12,580,039 on Monday. Limners and Bards dominated trading with 74 percent of total volume in exchanging 10.92 million shares, followed by Jamaican Teas with 7.4 percent or 1.08 million units and Lasco Manufacturing with 5.7 percent for 839,196 units.
Trading averaged 444,544 units at $1,308,868, up from 110,643 at $340,001 on Monday. The month to date averaged 255,170 units at $741,265, versus 244,206 units at $708,404 on Monday. February averaged 365,365 units at $881,118.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows six stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Blue Power shed 50 cents in closing at $3.50, with 14,812 shares crossing the market, Cargo Handlers gained 7 cents to end at $8.57 with an exchange of 5,407 stocks, Caribbean Cream lost 18 cents to close at $4.82 trading 109,998 stocks, Caribbean Flavours gained 13 cents to end at $2.33 with 129,256 units clearing the market. Dolphin Cove rose 55 cents to $9 trading 3,205 stocks, Express Catering gained 20 cents in closing at $3.70 and transferring 13,176 units, GWest Corporation lost 6 cents to finish at 81 cents in an exchange of 18,382 shares. Indies Pharma closed 30 cents higher at a 52 weeks’ high of $4.50 with 294,303 stocks changing hands, Lasco Distributors shed 7 cents to $4.08 after trading 119,353 units, 
Limners and Bards slipped 10 cents to $2.70 after a transfer of 10,916,426 shares. Lumber Depot gained 5 cents to end at $2.50 in trading 52,534 stocks. Medical Disposables fell 58 cents to $4.15 with 892 shares clearing the market and tTech shed 14 cents to end at $4.70 with 48,759 units changing hands.
In the preference segment, CAC 2000 9.5% preference share fell 35 cents to $1.15 after exchanging 8,886 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows five stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
Indies Pharma advanced 90 cents to a 52 weeks’ high of $4.20 with 427,490 shares clearing the market. Knutsford Express rose 45 cents to $5.55, with 2,437 shares crossing the exchange, Lasco Distributors picked up 7 cents to close at to end at 52 weeks’ high of $4.15 in switching ownership of 125,573 stock units, Lasco Financial rose 5 cents to $2.64, after transferring 3,146 shares. Lasco Manufacturing climbed 12 cents to $4.46, with 23,948 units changing hands, Lumber Depot dipped 13 cents to $2.45, after clearing the market with 176,529 stocks, Main Event ended 6 cents higher at $3.12 in an exchange of 50,000 units. Paramount Trading gained 12 cents to settle at $1.43 trading 1,000 stock units, Stationery and Office Supplies climbed 96 cents to $5.58 trading 106 units and tTech gained 9 cents to close at $4.84, transferring 21,683 stocks.
At the close, 34 securities traded, down from 38 on Thursday, with prices of 14 rising, 10 declining and 10 remaining unchanged.
The month to date averaged 253,478 units at $733,977, up from 241,183 units at $698,505 on Thursday. February averaged 365,365 units at $881,118.
Lasco Financial rose 8 cents to $2.59, trading 233,500 shares, Lasco Manufacturing lost 6 cents at $4.34 trading 121,330 units, Limners and Bards slipped 5 cents to $2.80 after an exchange of 3,012,301 stock units and Main Event shed 14 cents to close at $3.06 with the swapping of 10,952 units.
Trading averaged 210,216 units at $782,800, versus 394,569 at $1,213,758 on Wednesday. The month to date, averaged 241,183 units at $698,505, compared to 243,736 units at $691,556 on Wednesday. February averaged 365,365 units at $881,118.
Lasco Financial dropped 13 cents to $2.51 with 31,375 stocks changing hands, Limners and Bards climbed 30 cents to $2.85, with 1,105,667 units traded, Lumber Depot rose 7 cents to $2.57 with a transfer of 384,692 shares. Main Event gained 5 cents to close at $3.20 with an exchange of 1,018,764 stocks, Paramount Trading fell 12 cents to $1.31 with 7,206 stock units changing hands, Tropical Battery lost 5 cents to end at $1.15 with 150,083 units traded and tTech rose 5 cents to $4.75 with 3,677 shares crossing the exchange.
In the end, 33 securities traded, up from 31 on Tuesday, with prices of 13 rising, nine declining and 11 remaining unchanged.
Trading month to date averaged 243,736 units at $691,556, up from 232,106 units at $651,293 on Tuesday. February averaged 365,365 units at $881,118.
Indies Pharma lost 8 cents to close at $3.32 with a transfer of 8,819 shares, Jetcon Corporation rose 6 cents to 78 cents with 6,881 stock units passing through the market. Lasco Manufacturing gained 10 cents to end at $4.40 with 51,179 shares changing hands, Limners and Bards added 5 cents to end at $2.55 with a transfer of 73,168 stock units and Main Event fell 25 cents to $3.15 with 4,496 units crossing the exchange.
Trading ended with 31 securities changing hands, down from 37 on Monday and closed with 14 stocks rising, 10 declining and seven remaining unchanged. The average PE Ratio ended at 16.5 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
At the close, Access Financial dropped $1.16 to $19.84, with the swapping of 2,821 shares, Blue Power lost 27 cents to close at $3.82, after exchanging 2,139 stocks, Caribbean Assurance Brokers rose 43 cents to $2.31 with 94,785 units crossing the market. Caribbean Cream picked up 5 cents to end at $4.90 trading 290 shares, Caribbean Producers gained 15 cents to finish at $3.18 in transferring 99,874 stock units. Consolidated Bakeries rose 13 cents to $1.63 with 3,637 units changing hands, Fontana ended 9 cents higher at $5.90 trading 204,475 stock units, Fosrich advanced 13 cents to $5.25 in an exchange of 17,786 shares. General Accident fell 15 cents to $5.70 in swapping 9,303 stock units, GWest Corporation gained 12 cents to 95 cents with a transfer of 51,347 shares, Honey Bun picked up 9 cents to close at $5.09 after exchanging 5,396 units. Indies Pharma rose 24 cents to $3.40 trading 85,057 stock units, Lasco Distributors fell 2 cents to $3.83 in exchanging 82,088 stocks, Lasco Manufacturing shed 25 cents to $4.30 after transferring 26,065 units. 
Mailpac Group fell 4 cents to $3.34 in trading 1,259,240 shares, Main Event lost 7 cents ending at $3.40 with 8,004 shares crossing the market and Paramount Trading rose 12 cents to $1.43 with an exchange of 20,123 units.
Trading ended with 12 stocks rising, 17 declining and eight remaining unchanged. The average PE Ratio ended at 16.3 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
Lasco Financial slipped 5 cents to $2.64 after transferring 950 stock units, Lasco Manufacturing gained 15 cents to close at $4.55, with 8,900 units changing hands. Lumber Depot shed 10 cents to $2.50 with investors switching ownership of 422,039 shares, Stationery and Office Supplies dropped 98 cents to $4.61, trading 5,357 stock units and tTech lost 5 cents to end at $4.70 after exchanging 809 shares.
Trading ended with 31 active securities, down from 36 on Thursday and closed with eight rising prices, 13 declining and 10 remaining unchanged.
Trading averaged 145,255 units at $366,311, from 153,162 at $547,055 on Thursday. The month to date averaged 227,879 units at $644,664, compared to 235,664 units at $670,892 on Thursday. February closed with an average of 365,365 units at $881,118.
Honey Bun gained 6 cents to end at $5.12 in trading 27,055 stock units, Lasco Distributors gained 15 cents to close at $3.85 in an exchange of 110,217 units, Paramount Trading lost 15 cents in closing at $1.30 with 17,360 stock units clearing the market. SSL Venture lost 4 cents to close at 60 cents, with 54,312 stock units crossing the market and Stationery and Office Supplies advanced 99 cents to $5.59, trading 7,851 shares.
A total of 36 securities traded against 35 on Wednesday and ended with 20 rising, eight declining and eight remaining unchanged. The average PE Ratio ended at 16.7 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stock ended with bids higher than their last selling price and four with lower offers.
Lasco Distributors slipped 5 cents to $3.70 with 43,656 units passing through the market, Lasco Financial rose 6 cents to $2.69 with 51,951 shares traded, Lasco Manufacturing climbed 17 cents to $4.40 with a transfer of 2,020,846 stock units. Lumber Depot advanced 13 cents to $2.61 with 999,321 units changing hands, Paramount Trading rose 14 cents to $1.45 with 1,000 stock units traded and Stationery and Office Supplies gained 5 cents to close at $4.60 with 7,899 shares crossing the exchange.
At the close, AMG Packaging dropped 15 cents to $1.75 with 6,125 shares traded, Blue Power fell 10 cents to $4 after trading 12,465 stock units, CAC 2000 shed $1.80 to $8.10 with 1,330 units changing hands. Caribbean Assurance Brokers declined 33 cents to $1.87 with an exchange of 1,933 shares, Caribbean Cream dipped 8 cents to $4.80 with 55,585 stocks crossing the market, Caribbean Flavours slid 6 cents to $2.40 with 318,913 units traded. Caribbean Producers fell 18 cents to $3.05 trading 7,113 stock units, Elite Diagnostic lost 7 cents to end at $2.91 with 16,417 shares changing hands, Fontana rose 5 cents to $5.80 with 65,977 stocks trading. Fosrich declined 15 cents to close at $5.15 with 20,623 units passing through the market, General Accident slipped 5 cents to $5.90 with 156 stock units traded, GWest Corporation rose 10 cents to 97 cents with a transfer of 49,090 units. iCreate rose 6 cents to 85 cents with a transfer of 33,000 shares, Indies Pharma dropped 30 cents to $3 with a transfer of 1,752,216 units, Iron Rock Insurance shed 30 cents to close at $3 with 22,555 stock units changing hands. Jamaican Teas fell 19 cents to $3.09, trading 560,155 shares, Lasco Manufacturing advanced 17 cents to $4.57 with 127,545 stock units passing through the market, Lumber Depot declined 5 by cents to $2.48 with 327,170 units traded. 
Medical Disposables climbed 61 cents to $4.74 with a transfer of 8,800 shares, Paramount Trading fell 14 cents to $1.31 with 58,400 stocks switching hands, SSL Venture gained 8 cents to close at 64 cents with investors switching ownership of 48,857 units and Stationery and Office Supplies shed $1.04 to finish at $4.55 with 61,323 shares crossing the exchange.