Declining Junior Market

The Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market fell at the close of trading on Thursday as declining stocks overwhelmed rising ones by a significant margin, with the volume of stocks declining 43 percent, with a 22 percent lower value than on Wednesday.
A total of 30,558,564 shares traded for $148,120,277 down from 53,578,778 units at $189,107,558 on Wednesday. Trading averaged 694,513 shares averaging $3,366,370 versus 1,275,685 shares at $4,502,561 on Wednesday, with the month to date, averaging 446,876 units at $1,733,899 compared to 430,240 units at $1,624,237 on the previous trading day. May closed with an average of 376,907 units at $1,638,631.
A total of 44 securities traded versus 42 on Wednesday, ending with 17 rising, 26 declining and one unchanged. At the close, the Junior Market Index shed 23.25 points to settle at 4,363.89.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 13.1. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks incorporate ICInsider.com projected earnings for companies with financial year end that falls between November this year and August 2023.
Dolla Financial led trading with 12 million shares for 39.3 percent of total volume, followed by MailPac Group, 4.02 million units for 13.1 percent of the day’s trade. JFP Limited traded 3.21 million units for 10.5 percent market share, Lasco Distributors ended with 2.54 million units for 8.3 percent of stocks traded, Fosrich had 2.08 million units being exchanged for 6.8 percent market share and Lumber Depot with 1.85 million units for 6 percent of total volume.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and seven stocks with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial gained $1.49 to end at $21.49 in exchanging 2,502 shares, AMG Packaging declined 43 cents ending at $4.50 in trading 446,479 stocks, Blue Power fell 35 cents in closing at $3.35 with the swapping of 1,611 units. CAC 2000 rose 25 cents to $9.20 while exchanging 25 stock units, Cargo Handlers dropped 9 cents to close at $12.50 with 33,168 units clearing the market, Caribbean Cream lost 25 cents to end at $4.75 with an exchange of 6,348 stocks. Dolphin Cove shed 86 cents in closing at $17.07, with 95,777 stock units crossing the market, EduFocal advanced 15 cents to close at $2.80 in switching ownership of 225,554 shares, Elite Diagnostic rose 15 cents to $3.45 in trading 96,759 stock units. Express Catering declined 10 cents after ending at $5.90 in exchanging 1,002 stocks, Fontana rallied 15 cents to close at $10.40 with 79,026 shares crossing the exchange, Fosrich fell $1.64 in closing at $32.35 with 2,083,629 units changing hands. Future Energy Source climbed 16 cents to $6.16 in an exchange of 217,881 units, General Accident popped 19 cents to $5.79 in trading 158 stocks, GWest Corporation shed 15 cents after ending at $1 with the swapping of 1,750 stock units. Honey Bun climbed 48 cents in closing at $8.99 after trading 3,017 shares, iCreate rallied 10 cents to end at $3.30 with 774,143 shares crossing the market, Indies Pharma dropped 19 cents to $3.26 in exchanging 53,924 stocks. ISP Finance shed $2 to close at $20.50 with the swapping of 17 stock units, JFP Limited fell 15 cents to $1.45 in an exchange of 3,205,840 units, Knutsford Express popped 15 cents to $7.95 with an exchange of 2,290 shares. Lasco Distributors rose 20 cents in closing at $3.25 with 2,543,264 units clearing the market, Lumber Depot fell 10 cents to finish at $3.10 with 1,848,293 stocks changing hands, Medical Disposables shed 18 cents to close at $7.26 in switching ownership of 7,032 stock units. SSL Venture declined 15 cents to $3.70 in trading 77,655 units, Stationery and Office Supplies advanced 45 cents to $12.45 in trading 57,510 stocks and Tropical Battery dropped 16 cents to end at $2.92, with 1,127,503 stock units crossing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.