Stocks surged to 3,361.89 points at the market’s opening on Friday, but pressure thereafter kept the gains below the day’s high and the market finally gave back the early gains, with the Junior Market Index declining 10.18 points to settle at 3,339.02 after the volume of stocks trading declining 22 percent and the value falling 35 percent below Thursday at the close of Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market.
At the close, 40 securities traded, from 36 on Thursday and ended with 15 rising, 19 declining and six closing unchanged.
At the close, the PE Ratio, a measure that determines an appropriate relative value of each stock, averages 12.3 based on ICInsider.com 2021-22 earnings forecast.
A total of 4,111,715 shares traded for $14,329,748 down from 5,243,544 units at $21,893,161 on Thursday.
Future Energy Source led trading with 20.3 percent of total volume for an exchange of 835,106 shares, followed by Jamaican Teas 7.9 percent with 326,231 units and Lumber Depot 7.8 percent with 322,073 units.
Trading averaged 102,793 units at $358,244 compared to 145,654 at $608,143 on Thursday. Trading month to date averages 135,281 units at $449,191, against 146,884 units at $481,673 on Thursday. May closed with an average of 318,089 units at $760,337.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows two stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial declined $2.37 to $20.03, trading 5,942 shares, Caribbean Assurance Brokers popped 24 cents to $2.20 in trading 115,366 stock units, Caribbean Cream spiked 15 cents higher to $5.75 with a transfer of 27,752 shares. Caribbean Flavours gained 9 cents in closing at $2.15 in trading 100,285 stocks, Caribbean Producers slipped 8 cents to $3.85 after exchanging 225,183 shares. Dolphin Cove popped 45 cents to $7.25 with 16,653 units changing hands, Express Catering dipped 9 cents to finish at $5 after clearing the market with 40,456 units, Fontana lost 13 cents ending at $6 with the swapping of 91,683 shares, Fosrich rallied 50 cents to $8.20 in trading 22,545 stocks. General Accident slipped 20 cents to $5.80 after switching ownership of 85,880 shares, Honey Bun shed 40 cents in closing at $6.60 with 121,960 stock units crossing the exchange, Indies Pharma fell 16 cents to $3.83 in transferring 32,517 stocks, Iron Rock Insurance lost 12 cents to close at $3.13 in trading 20,000 shares. ISP Finance back off $5.04 to finish at $20 with the swapping of 53,500 stock units, Jamaican Teas shed 10 cents in closing at $3.80 after crossing the market with 326,231 units, Lasco Distributors rallied 12 cents to $4.08 in trading 7,214 shares, Lasco Financial lost 15 cents to settle at $3.80 in an exchange of 17,800 shares. 
Limners and Bards popped 23 cents to $3.13 with a transfer of 195,668 stock units, Lumber Depot climbed 13 cents to $3.39 in switching ownership of 322,073 shares, Main Event spiked 58 cents to $5.28 after trading 2,500 stock units, Medical Disposables fell 70 cents ending to $4.25 with 70,357 shares changing hands, Stationery and Office Supplies dived 79 cents to end at $7.52 in exchanging 88,968 stock units.
In the preference segment, CAC 2000 9.5% preference share spiked 15 cents to $1.15 with 300 stocks clearing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
