The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Wednesday, with the market declining after almost twice as many stocks fell than rose leading to the trading of 42 percent fewer shares and 36 percent less value than on Tuesday.
Trading ended with 29 securities changing hands compared to 35 on Tuesday and concluded with the prices of nine stocks rising, the prices of 16 stocks declining and four with prices remaining unchanged.
At the close, the Market Index declined 28.78 points to settle at 2,482.99. The average PE Ratio of the market ended at 10.6 based on IC Insider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings. The market closed with an exchange of 2,756,985 shares for $6,229,918 compared to 4,714,749 units for $9,788,364 on Tuesday.
Lumber Depot led trading with 56.9 percent of total volume amounting to 1.57 million shares followed by Express Catering with 12.9 percent or 357,000 units and Jamaican Teas with 210,090 units for 7.6 percent market share.
Trading ended with an average of 95,068 units at $214,825 in contrast to 134,707 at $279,668 on Tuesday. For the month to date, the average trade resulted in an exchange of 108,463 units at $245,191, compared to 109,572 units at $247,707 on Tuesday. Trading in August resulted in an average of 104,426 units at $321,996.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Access Financial gained 7 cents to end at $21.58 in an exchange of 200 shares, Blue Power shed 31 cents to settle at $3.04 with 1,000 stock units traded, Caribbean Assurance Brokers declined by 14 cents to finish at $1.91 with 44,013 units changing hands. Caribbean Flavours fell 70 cents to close at $17.60 with investors transferring 28,500 shares, Caribbean Producers rose 4 cents to end at $2.35 with 7,015 stocks passing through the market, Derrimon Trading advanced 34 cents to finish at $2.90 in an exchange of 84,733 stocks. Elite Diagnostic lost 3 cents to close at $3.25, with investors switching ownership of 450 stocks, Express Catering climbed 35 cents to settle at $4.35 with 357,000 stock units traded, Fontana advanced 5 cents to end at $4.75 with 22,975 shares passing through the market. Fosrich dropped 35 cents to finish at $3.60 with 14,243 units changing hands, General Accident shed $1 to close at $6.30 in an exchange of 60,500 stocks, Honey Bun declined by 39 cents to settle at $4.71 with investors switching ownership of 2,153 stocks iCreate finished 2 cents lower at 68 cents with an exchange of 17,460 stock units, Indies Pharma fell 5 cents to end at $2.75 with 1,000 stock units passing through the market, Jamaican Teas declined by 55 cents, trading 210,090 units to close at $4.05. 
Jetcon Corporation gained 1 cent to settle at 86 cents with an exchange of 1,100 stocks, Lasco Financial rose 2 cents to end at $2.13 with 2,320 stocks changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing lost 17 cents to close at $3.53 with investors switching ownership of 21,700 shares. Limners and Bards climbed 22 cents to finish at $2.87 with 37,700 stock units passing through the market, Mailpac Group declined by 4 cents to end at $2.05 in an exchange of 169,935 shares, Main Event slipped 1 cent to $3.38 with investors transferring 884 stock units. Medical Disposables advanced 19 cents to close at $4.99 with 2,185 stocks passing through the market, SSL Venture fell 5 cents to settle at 70 cents with 10,000 stocks changing hands and Stationery and Office Supplies declined by 2 cents to finish at $5.58 with 1,000 shares crossing the exchange.
In the preference segment, CAC 2000 9.5% slipped 1 cent to end at $1.01 trading 48,370 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
