Trading opened with the market index surging to 2,799.27 points but failed to hold that position and drifted lower over the length of the trading session on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Monday and declined to close 12.44 points for the day to settle at 2,761.73 after trading 22 percent fewer shares than on Friday.
Trading ended with 36 securities changing hands, the same as on Friday and closed, with 18 stocks rising, 16 declining and two remaining unchanged.
The average PE Ratio ended at 14 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Traders exchanged 4,077,181 shares for $12,358,168 compared to 5,251,635 units at $13,479,012 on Friday.
Derrimon Trading led the market with 18.2 percent of the total volume, with 743,894 shares changing hands followed by Caribbean Flavours with 14.4 percent for 585,096 units and Lumber Depot with 12.4 percent for 504,964 units.
Trading averaged 113,255 units at $343,282 in contrast to 145,879 at $374,417 on Friday. January closed with an average of 239,526 units at $569,885.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows three stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close of trading, Access Financial declined by $1.50 to $22, in exchanging 120 shares, AMG Packaging gained 9 cents to end at $1.60, after 1,298 stock units cleared the market, Cargo Handlers finished 10 cents higher at $8 after trading 49,790 shares.
Caribbean Assurance Brokers gained 10 cents to close at $1.85, in transferring 1,777 units, Caribbean Cream rose 60 cents $5.10, after crossing the market with 92,827 stocks, Caribbean Flavours lost 7 cents to close at $1.98, in switching ownership of 585,096 shares. Caribbean Producers ended 10 cents higher at $2.80, with 173,336 stock units changing hands, Consolidated Bakeries rose 20 cents to $1.52, with 983 shares crossing the market, Dolphin Cove lost 50 cents to settle at $7.50 trading 703 stocks. Elite Diagnostic closed at $2.95, with gains of 20 cents after transferring 181 shares, Express Catering rose 9 cents to $3.74, with 6,857 units changing hands. General Accident lost 25 cents to end at $6 after exchanging 2,000 stocks. iCreate gained 6 cents to close at 62 cents, after clearing the market with 16,077 stock units, Indies Pharma slipped 22 cents to $2.57, with investors switching ownership of 102,450 units. Jamaican Teas gained 11 cents to settle at $2.99, in trading 398,882 shares, Knutsford Express dipped 5 cents to $6.70 in exchanging 221 units. Lasco Distributors picked up 9 cents to finish at $3.20, with 6,285 stock units changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing shed 23 cents to close at $3.67, with an exchange of 371,615 shares. 
Limners and Bards was down 18 cents to $2.57, in crossing the exchange with 2,850 stock units, Lumber Depot gained 8 cents ending at $1.97 trading 504,964 stock units, Medical Disposables rose 20 cents to $4.20 trading 40 stock units, Paramount Trading lost 16 cents in closing at $1.29 in exchanging a mere one unit. Stationery and Office Supplies rose 42 cents to $4.54, in trading 1,200 stocks and tTech finished at $4.85, with gains of 76 cents after 982 units crossed the market.
In the preference segment, CAC 2000 9.5% preference shares picked up 12 cents to close at $1.11, with 21 stock units clearing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Torrid early pace for Junior Market
Junior Market stocks are out of the blocks at a torrid pace in January with a rise of 5 percent in January at an annualized pace of 60 percent that could take the market to a record high by year-end of 4,200 points and would confirm the highly bullish technical signal for the market since late 2020.
Trading ended with 36 securities changing hands, down from 39 on Thursday with prices of 19 rising, 13 declining and four remaining unchanged.
The Market Index rose 38.63 points to close at 2,774.17 and is up 130.79 points for the month. The average PE Ratio ended at 14.2 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Traders exchanged 5,251,635 shares valued at $13,479,012, down from 5,759,973 units at $15,204,035 on Thursday.
Derrimon Trading remained the volume leader with 19.3 percent of total volume for 1.02 million shares followed by Tropical Battery with 17.1 percent for 900,187 units and Caribbean Flavours with 16.1 percent of the day’s trade for 847,955 units.
Trading averaged 145,879 units at $374,417 in contrast to 147,692 at $389,847 on Thursday. The month to date averaged 239,435 units at $569,885, compared to 244,500 units at $580,467 on Thursday. December closed with an average of 263,428 units at $638,694.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows four stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close of the market, Access Financial climbed $2.50 to $23.50, with 39,467 shares crossing the market, CAC 2000 gained 10 cents in ending at $10.60, with 13,672 stock units changing hands. Caribbean Assurance Brokers closed 11 cents lower at $1.75, after switching ownership of 10,200 units, Caribbean Cream lost 20 cents to finish at $4.50, after exchanging 56,249 shares, Caribbean Flavours gained 6 cents in ending at $2.05, in swapping of 847,955 stock units. Caribbean Producers rose 30 cents to finish at $2.70, with an exchange of 18,952 units, Dolphin Cove advanced by $1.20 to $8, after crossing the market with 950 stocks. Elite Diagnostic shed 24 cents to end at $2.75, after exchanging 200 shares, Express Catering slipped 10 cents to close at $3.65, with 4,510 stock units crossing the market, General Accident picked up 30 cents to close at $6.25, after owners switching 9,020 units. iCreate lost 5 cents in closing at 56 cents trading 2,262 stocks, Indies Pharma gained 19 cents ending at $2.79, with 20,370 shares changing hands, Iron Rock Insurance closed 20 cents lower at $3.10 after transferring 100 units. ISP Finance fell by 89 cents to $22, with the swapping of 110 stock units, Jamaican Teas gained 6 cents to finish at $2.88, in exchanging 704,077 shares, 
Knutsford Express ended 15 cents higher at $6.75, after trading 2,147 units, Lasco Distributors lost 8 cents in closing at $3.11, in crossing the market with 126,660 stocks. Lasco Manufacturing shed 5 cents to $3.90 trading 7,821 units. Limners and Bards gained 9 cents to close at $2.75, with a transfer of 635,373 shares, Lumber Depot lost 9 cents to settle at $1.89, with 383,034 stock units clearing the market. Mailpac Group gained 13 cents to end at $3.97 exchanging 359,576 stocks, Paramount Trading gained 5 cents in closing at $1.45, after transferring 54 stock units and Tropical Battery gained 5 cents in ending at $1.15, trading 900,187 shares.
In the preference segment, CAC 2000 9.5% preference share lost 12 cents to close at 99 cents, after clearing the market with 1,532 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market inches higher on Thursday
Trading on Thursday resulted in a close mix of rising and declining stocks that left the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closing with a marginal rise in the market index after an exchange 66 percent fewer shares than on Wednesday and 64 percent fall in value.
Trading ended with 39 securities changing hands, the same number as on Wednesday, and ended with 12 stocks rising, 13 declining and 14 remaining unchanged. The Market Index gained 0.84 points to finish at 2,735.54.
The average PE Ratio ended at 14 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Traders exchanged 5,759,973 shares valued at $15,204,035, down from 17,186,260 units at $42,228,070 on Wednesday.
Derrimon Trading was the volume leader with 18.9 percent of total trade after an exchange of 1.09 million shares, followed by Limners and Bards with 18.3 percent after transferring 1.05 million units and Jamaican Teas 13.6 percent with an exchange of 782,148 units.
Trading averaged 147,692 units at $389,847 in contrast to 440,673 at $1,082,771 on Wednesday. 
The month to date averaged 244,500 units at $580,467, compared to 250,531 units at $592,343 on Wednesday. December closed with an average of 263,428 units for $638,694 for each security that traded.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ended with bids higher than the last selling price and two with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging fell 12 cents to $1.50 with 27,762 shares traded, CAC 2000 jumped $1.30 to $10.50 with a transfer of 1,248 units, Caribbean Cream lost 11 cents to end at $4.70 with 26,317 stocks changing hands. Caribbean Flavours advanced 19 cents to $1.99 trading 280,685 stock units, Caribbean Producers dropped 27 cents to $2.40 with an exchange of 207,022 shares, Derrimon Trading exchanged 1,087,570 units and rose 12 cents to $2.50. Elite Diagnostic rose 14 cents to $2.99 with a transfer of 71,351 stocks, Fosrich advanced 28 cents to $4.48 with 9,258 units changing hands, Iron Rock Insurance shed 70 cents to $3.30 with a transfer of 651 stock units. Jamaican Teas traded 782,148 shares and lost 18 cents to end at $2.82, Jetcon Corporation gained 7 cents to finish at 68 cents with 274,727 units changing hands, Knutsford Express advanced 10 cents to $6.60 trading 100 stock units.
Limners and Bards traded 1,053,372 stock units and gained 8 cents in closing at $2.66, Lumber Depot lost 7 cents to close at $1.98 with 457,000 shares changing hands, Main Event dropped 14 cents to $3.10 with an exchange of 2,000 units. Paramount Trading fell 5 cents to $1.40 with 3,000 shares changing hands, Stationery and Office Supplies shed 42 cents to end at $4.12 with 6,000 stocks traded and tTech dropped 68 cents to $4.09 with 1,000 units crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Big trading day for Derrimon – Wednesday
Derrimon Trading dominated the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday accounting for just under 80 percent of the volume after investors exchange 13.74 million of the company’s stock.
Lumber Depot was second-largest volume trader with 5.6 percent of the day’s trade for 963,551 units and Jamaican Teas rounded out the top three with 5.3 percent market share and the trading of 918,783 shares as investors continue their appetite for these stocks.
At the close, 39 securities traded compared to 37 on Tuesday and ended with 14 rising 15 declining and 10 remaining unchanged.
At the close, the Junior Market Index fell for a second consecutive day, losing 9.21 points to 2,734.70. The average PE Ratio ended at 14.1 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Investors exchanged 17,186,260 shares, 78 percent more shares than on Tuesday, with a value of $42,228,070 compared to 9,674,314 units at $23,946,017 on Tuesday.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial fell $1 to $21 with 1,045 shares traded, CAC 2000 shed $1.40 to end at $9.20 with a transfer of 1,200 units, Caribbean Cream advanced 11 cents to $4.81 with an exchange of 9,124 shares. Caribbean Flavours declined by 7 cents to settle at $1.80 with 171,605 units crossing the exchange, Consolidated Bakeries dropped 35 cents to $1.29 with a transfer of 5,630 shares, Dolphin Cove shed $1.20 to finish at $6.80 with 3,335 units changing hands. Elite Diagnostic advanced 13 cents to $2.85 with 73 stock units traded. Fosrich fell 29 cents to $4.20 with a transfer of 5,721 shares. Indies Pharma declined by 9 cents to $2.60 with 116,021 stocks passing through the market, Jamaican Teas traded 918,783 units and added 5 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $3. Jetcon Corporation lost 5 cents to finish at 61 cents with 50,000 stock units traded, KLE Group dropped 20 cents to $1.20 with 785 shares changing hands, Knutsford Express lost 10 cents to close at $6.50 with a transfer of 39 stock units. Lasco Manufacturing lost 4 cents to end at $3.91 with 3,965 shares traded. 
Limners and Bards dropped 12 cents to $2.58 with 81,825 stocks changing hands, Lumber Depot exchanged 963,551 units and climbed 26 cents to settle at $2.05, Medical Disposables fell 20 cents to $4 with 8,000 shares passing through the market. Stationery and Office Supplies advanced 24 cents to $4.54 with 8,000 units traded and tTech jumped 63 cents to $4.77 and finished with 20,887 shares crossing the exchange.
In the preference segment, Derrimon Trading rose 6 cents to $2.10 with 16,682 stock units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market slips on Tuesday
The winning streak of the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange ended on Tuesday, with the market declining after more stocks fell than rose with stocks traded moderately less in volume and value than on Monday.
Trading ended with 37 securities changing hands compared to 32 on Monday and ended with the prices of 13 rising, 15 declining and nine remaining unchanged.
At the close, the Junior Market Index fell 19.23 points to settle at 2,743.91. The average PE Ratio ended at 14.4 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Investors exchanged 9,674,314 shares at $23,946,017, down from 10,405,305 units at $27,178,018 on Monday.
Derrimon Trading led trading with 39 percent of total volume with a transfer of 3.77 million shares, followed by Lumber Depot with 18.5 percent after trading 1.79 million units and Jamaican Teas with 16.5 percent with an exchange of 1.6 million units.
Trading averaged 261,468 units at $647,190 versus 325,166 at $849,313 on Monday. Trading month to date, averaged 237,898 units at $559,759, compared to 236,312 units at $553,877 on Monday. December closed with an average of 263,428 units at $638,694.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows one stock ended with the bid higher than the last selling price and two with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Blue Power rose 32 cents to $3.15 with 10 shares changing hands, Cargo Handlers fell 10 cents to $7.90 with 489 stocks traded, Caribbean Cream dropped 30 cents to $4.70 with a transfer of 699 units. Caribbean Flavours rose 10 cents to $1.87 with the exchange of 232,371 stock units, Caribbean Producers lost 12 cents to close at $2.66 with 6,660 shares passing through the market, Consolidated Bakeries gained 19 cents to end at $1.64 with 4,793 stocks changing hands. Dolphin Cove shed 50 cents to finish at $8 with 100 units traded, Elite Diagnostic dropped 23 cents to $2.72 with a transfer of 15,564 stock units, Fontana dipped 4 cents to $5.74 with 185,003 units changing hands. General Accident declined by 3 cents to $5.95 with a transfer of 102,859 stock units, iCreate rose 5 cents to 62 cents, trading 3,500 shares Indies Pharma gained 9 cents to end at $2.69 with 26,243 stocks traded, Jamaican Teas exchanged 1,595,981 units and rose 1 cent to finish at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $2.95. Lasco Distributors slipped 4 cents to $3.19 with 24,000 shares passing through the market, Lasco Financial rose 4 cents to $2.69 with 28,381 stock units changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing dropped 16 cents to $3.95 with 62,762 shares traded. 
Limners and Bards lost 5 cents to end at $2.70 with a transfer of 194,451 stocks, Lumber Depot exchanged 1,789,149 units and fell 11 cents to close at $1.79,Mailpac Group gained 5 cents to end at $3.85 with 761,818 stock units passing through the market. Main Event rose 9 cents to $3.24 with 6,300 shares changing hands, Paramount Trading rose 4 cents to $1.44 with a transfer of 2,004 units, Stationery and Office Supplies dropped 20 cents to $4.30 with 4,800 stocks traded and Tropical Battery closed 1 cent higher at $1.10 with 675,081 shares crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Rising Junior Market keeps climbing
Trading ending on Monday with a fair bit of sideward price movements and a moderate rise in the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market index, after more stocks advanced than declined with the trading of 53 percent more shares valued 46 percent more than those trading on Friday.
Market activity ended with 32 securities changing hands, down from 35 on Friday and closed with 14 stocks rising, 11 declining and seven closing unchanged.
At the close, the Junior Market Index advanced by 13.48 points to 2,763.14. The average PE Ratio ended at 14.4 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Traders exchanged 10,405,305 shares for $27,178,018 up from 6,817,196 units at $18,600,145 on Friday. Derrimon Trading led trading with 65.4 percent of total volume for 6.81 million shares followed by Mailpac Group with 15.6 percent for 1.62 million units and Jamaican Teas with 4.7 percent for 489,560 units changing hands.
Trading averaged 325,166 units at $849,313, in contrast to 194,777 at $531,433 on Friday. The month to date averaged 236,312 units at $553,877, compared to 230,823 units at $535,626 on Friday. 
December closed with an average of 263,428 units at $638,694.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close of trading, AMG Packaging rose 12 cents in closing at $1.62 trading 1,250 shares, Cargo Handlers gained 10 cents to finish at $8, with the swapping of 1,778 stock units, Caribbean Flavours lost 8 cents to end at $1.77, in exchanging 118,040 shares. Consolidated Bakeries shed 19 cents to close at $1.45, with 250 stocks changing hands, Dolphin Cove climbed $1.70 to $8.50 trading 1,424 stock units, Express Catering gained 5 cents to settle at $3.74, after an exchange of 1,250 units, Honey Bun rose 40 cents to $6, with 63,500 shares crossing the exchange. iCreate lost 6 cents to finish at 57 cents trading 75,000 stock units, Indies Pharma declined by 9 cents to $2.60, in an exchange of 5,106 units, Jamaican Teas gained 5 cents to close at record closing high of $2.94 and finishing with 489,560 stocks crossing the market. 
Knutsford Express shed 15 cents to close at $6.60, with the swapping of 3,055 shares, Lasco Financial rose 5 cents to $2.65 after investors swapped 41,352 stocks, Limners and Bards shed 5 cents in closing at $2.75 trading 102,847 shares, Lumber Depot lost 5 cents to end at $1.90, in switching ownership of 402,876 stocks. Mailpac Group closed 10 cents higher at $3.80 after trading 1,619,301 stock units and Main Event slipped 9 cents to $3.15, with 2,333 shares changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
More gains to end the week – Friday
Ten days up and five days down, landed the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market with a rise of four percent for the year to date, with the Market Index squeezing out a modest gain of 11.47 points, to close at 2,749.66 on Friday after rising stocks outnumbered declining ones as investors exchanged 65 percent more shares than on Thursday.
The rally for the year to date is not broad-based. It is driven by a small number of stocks, primarily, Express Catering, FoshRich, Jamaican Teas, Mailpac, Lumber Depot, Caribbean Cream and Lasco Manufacturing.
For a second consecutive trading day, the market closed with 35 securities changing hands and closed with the prices of 17 stocks rising, nine declining and nine remaining unchanged.
The average PE Ratio ends at 14.2 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Traders exchanged 6,817,196 shares for $18,600,145, up from 4,133,453 units at $10,720,333 on Thursday.
Derrimon Trading led trading with 25.2 percent of total volume with a transfer of 1.72 million shares, followed by Lumber Depot with 20.2 percent after trading 1.37 million units and Mailpac Group with 14.2 percent with an exchange of 965,182 units.
Trading averaged 194,777 units at $531,433 in contrast to 118,099 at $306,295 on Thursday. The month to date, averaged 230,823 units at $535,626, compared to 233,435 units at $535,930 on Thursday. December closed with an average of 263,428 units at $638,694.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close of trading, AMG Packaging dropped 15 cents to $1.50 in an exchange of 277,657 shares, Blue Power fell 12 cents to $2.83 with 4,295 stocks changing hands, Cargo Handlers advanced 11 cents to $7.90 with 9,631 units passing through the market. Caribbean Cream climbed 26 cents to $4.96 trading 71,982 stock units, Caribbean Flavours gained 15 cents to end at $1.85 with an exchange of 50,586 stocks. Caribbean Producers advanced 20 cents to $2.81 with 27,200 shares changing hands, Dolphin Cove shed $1.70 to close at $6.80 with 42,009 units passing through the exchange, Elite Diagnostic gained 22 cents to settle at $2.94 with the trading of 15,629 stock units. Fontana gained 8 cents to finish at $5.78 with 56,669 stock units changing hands. Fosrich increased 5 cents to $4.50 with 111,304 stocks passing through the market, Jetcon Corporation fell 5 cents to 66 cents with 44,683 stocks changing hands, Lasco Financial rose 9 cents to $2.60 with 68,751 stock units passing through the market. 
Lasco Manufacturing climbed 39 cents to $4.11 with 44,773 shares traded, Limners and Bards advanced 19 cents to $2.80 with a transfer of 92,336 stocks, Paramount Trading increased by 14 cents to $1.44 with a transfer of 5,086 stock units and Stationery and Office Supplies advanced 15 cents to $4.50 with 87,147 shares passing through the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
3.6% gains for 2021
Stocks continue to eke out moderate gains to put the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market up 3.6 percent for the year to date, (64 percent annualized) with the Market Index adding 14.59 points on Thursday to end at 2,738.19 after more stocks declined than those rising and 11 percent fewer shares valued 19 percent less than on Wednesday, traded.
Trading ended with 35 securities changing hands compared to 28 on Wednesday and closed with 12 rising, 16 declining and seven closed unchanged.
The average PE Ratio ended at 14.3 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with trading in 4,133,453 shares for $10,720,333 down from 4,652,136 units at $13,253,906 on Wednesday. Derrimon Trading led trading with 41 percent of total volume for 1.70 million shares followed by Jamaican Teas with 19.3 percent for 798,534 units and Mailpac Group with 11.1 percent market share for 457,156 stock units.
Trading averaged 118,099 units at $306,295, in contrast to 166,148 at $473,354 on Wednesday. Trading month to date averaged 223,589 units at $535,930, compared to 231,831 units at $553,870 on Wednesday. 
December averaged 263,428 units at $638,694.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Cargo Handlers lost 11 cents to close at $7.79, after exchanging 30 shares, Caribbean Assurance Brokers ended at $1.86, with gains of 6 cents trading 2,500 units, Caribbean Cream picked up 11 cents to settle at $4.70, after finishing with an exchange of 36,200 shares. Caribbean Flavours closed 10 cents higher at $1.70, with 98,614 stocks crossing the market, Caribbean Producers shed 21 cents to $2.61 after exchanging 77,524 stock units, Dolphin Cove finished at $8.50, with a loss of 26 cents in transferring 2,052 shares. Elite Diagnostic ended 13 cents lower at $2.72, with 5,905 stocks crossing the exchange, Everything Fresh lost 6 cents to end at 68 cents trading 11,393 shares, Express Catering gained 23 cents to close at $3.72, with 750 stock units changing hands. Fontana rose 10 cents to $5.70 after the swapping of 66,752 units, Jamaican Teas carved out a gain of 5 cents to a 52 weeks’ closing high of $2.90, trading 798,534 shares. 
Lasco Financial dropped 14 cents to $2.51 in exchanging 25,330 shares, Lasco Manufacturing slipped 18 cents to $3.72 trading 42,196 stock units, Limners and Bards lost 9 cents in closing at $2.61, with 44,572 shares crossing the market. Lumber Depot rose 22 cents to $1.93, in exchanging 153,241 stock units, Main Event added 24 cents to close at $3.24 trading 7,510 shares. Paramount Trading shed 14 cents to settle at $1.30, with 104,200 stocks crossing the exchange and Tropical Battery lost 6 cents to close at $1.04, with 316,244 shares changing hands.
In the preference segment, Derrimon Trading preference shares lost 6 cents to close at $2.04 trading 41,782 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market inches higher on Wednesday
Stocks mostly rose after a trading 63 percent fewer shares on Wednesday than Tuesday at the close of the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, with the market index inching a few points higher.
Trading ended with 28 securities changing hands, down from 35 on Tuesday and concluded with the prices of 18 stocks rising, four declining and six remaining unchanged.
At the close, the Junior Market Index advanced 9.22 points to settle at 2,723.60. The average PE Ratio ended at 14.3 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with an exchange of 4,652,136 shares for $13,253,906 compared to 12,674,893 units at $24,808,257 on Tuesday.
Mailpac Group led trading with 21.9 percent of total volume with a transfer of 1.02 million shares, followed by Derrimon Trading with 19.7 percent and 916,164 units and Lasco Distributors with 17.9 percent accounting for 832,284 shares.
Trading averaged 166,148 units at $473,354 in contrast to 362,140 at $708,807 on Tuesday. Trading month to date averaged 231,831 units at $553,870, versus 236,210 units at $559,238 on Tuesday. December closed with an average of 263,428 units at $638,694.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
At the close of trading, Blue Power dropped 24 cents to $2.95 in exchanging 10,251 shares, Caribbean Cream rose 9 cents to $4.59 with 100,390 changing hands, Caribbean Flavours lost 5 cents to end at $1.60 with a transfer of 12,313 units. Caribbean Producers gained 4 cents to finish at $2.82 with 119,500 shares traded, Consolidated Bakeries advanced 30 cents to $1.65 with one stock unit changing hands, Everything Fresh rose 4 cents to 74 cents with an exchange of 272 stocks. Express Catering rose 4 cents to $3.49 with 30,651 units passing through the market, Fontana dropped 20 cents to $5.60 with a transfer of 60,513 shares, Fosrich climbed 24 cents to $4.44 with 5,000 stocks traded. Indies Pharma advanced 19 cents to $2.69 with 126,118 units changing hands, Jamaican Teas increased by 6 cents and exchanged 653,810 stock units to finish at a 52 weeks’ high of $2.85, Knutsford Express advanced 15 cents to $6.75 with a transfer of 6,000 units, Lasco Manufacturing dropped 17 cents to $3.90 with 11,060 shares changing hands. 
Limners and Bards gained 10 cents to end at $2.70 with 4,426 units passing through the market, Lumber Depot advanced 17 cents to $1.71 with a transfer of 421,288 stock units, Mailpac Group exchanged 1,016,948 stocks and rose 9 cents to settle at $3.69. Paramount Trading increased by 14 cents to finish at $1.44 with 85 shares changing hands and Stationery and Office Supplies climbed 23 cents to $4.35 with a transfer of 30,685 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Heavy trading in Junior Market stocks
Trading was heavier than normal on Tuesday on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange with five securities trading over one million shares each as the market broke its three-day unbroken run, with the index slipping 11.10 points to close at 2,714.38.
Trading ended with 35 securities changing hands compared to 37 on Monday and concluded with the prices of 13 stocks rising, 16 declining and six remaining unchanged. The average PE Ratio ended at 14.1 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Trading accounted for 34 percent more shares than Monday with an exchange of 12,674,893 shares for $24,808,257 up from 9,478,77 units at $18,322,788 on Monday.
Tropical Battery led trading in commanding 30.7 percent of total volume with an exchange of 3.89 million shares, followed by Lumber Depot 24 percent with 3.05 million units, Derrimon Trading controlled 14.5 percent market share or 1.83 million units. Mailpac Group contributed 11 percent with a transfer of 1.4 million units. Jamaican Teas rounded out top five, with 8.8 percent and 1.12 million shares.
Trading averaged 362,140 units at $708,807 in contrast to 256,183 at $495,210 on Monday. The month to date averaged 236,210 units at $559,238, compared to 224,762 units at $545,641 on Monday. December closed with an average of 263,428 units at $638,694.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Access Financial advanced $1 to $22 with 1,133 shares changing hands, Blue Power rose 38 cents to $3.19 with an exchange of 2,021 stock units, CAC 2000 shed $1.65 to settle at $10.60 with 4,159 stocks passing through the market. Cargo Handlers jumped 95 cents to $7.90, trading 93 units, Caribbean Assurance Brokers slipped 6 cents to $1.80 with a transfer of 19,029 shares, Caribbean Cream rose by 20 cents to $4.50 with 88,070 stock units changing hands. Caribbean Producers rose 17 cents to $2.78 with 10,750 stocks crossing the exchange, Elite Diagnostic fell 10 cents to $2.85 with 30,690 shares traded. Everything Fresh slipped 5 cents to 70 cents with 168,500 stock units changing hands, Express Catering fell 10 cents to $3.45 with 92,418 stocks changing hands, Fontana jumped 40 cents to $5.80 with 141,055 units traded. Fosrich dropped 19 cents to $4.20 with a transfer of 31,681 shares, General Accident lost 37 cents to close at $6 with 23,784 units changing hands, Honey Bun rose 5 cents to $5.59 with 7,488 stock units passing through the market. Jamaican Teas added 2 cents exchanging 1,118,927 units at a record close of $2.79, KLE Group advanced 21 cents to $1.37 with 2,387 units traded.
Knutsford Express fell 15 cents to $6.60 with 999 stocks changing hands, Lasco Distributors dropped 20 cents to $3.20 with an exchange of 38,500 stock units, Lasco Manufacturing increased by 7 cents to $4.07 with 8,500 shares traded, Lumber Depot exchanged 3,047,431 stock units and lost 5 cents to close at $1.54. Mailpac Group shed 30 cents trading 1,398,183 shares to finish at $3.60 Main Event fell 10 cents to $3 with a transfer of 48,902 units and Tropical Battery advanced 9 cents to $1.09 with 3,894,959 shares crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
