Falling stocks overwhelmed Junior Market

Trading jumped on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday, but the market suffered more declines with falling stocks overwhelming those rising following a 69 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded with 136 percent more value than Wednesday following trading in 43 securities up from 41 on Wednesday and resulting in prices of 10 rising, 28 declining and five closing unchanged.
Investors traded 15,501,984 shares for $52,166,724, up from 9,199,758 units at $22,141,233 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 360,511 shares at $1,213,180 compared to 224,384 units at $540,030 on Wednesday, with the month to date, averaging 572,754 units at $1,132,714 versus 585,792 stock units at $1,127,771 on the previous day.  February closed with an average of 318,024 units at $782,332.
Future Energy Source led trading with 7.96 million shares for 51.3 percent of total volume followed by Dolla Financial with 3.14 million units for 20.3 percent of the day’s trade and JFP Ltd with 586,143 units for 3.8 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index fell 48.88 points to settle at 3,594.67.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 10.6. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded stock price divided by ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one stock with a lower offer.
At the close, AMG Packaging lost 38 cents to end at $3 after trading 5,025 shares, Caribbean Cream fell 15 cents in closing at $3.30 while exchanging 20,000 units, Dolphin Cove climbed 75 cents to close at $15 in switching ownership of 7,635 stocks. EduFocal declined 12 cents to a 52 weeks’ closing low of $1.79, with 12,319 stock units crossing the market, Everything Fresh dropped 9 cents to $1.54 after 15,311 stocks changed hands, Express Catering dipped 44 cents after ending at $4.75 with investors transferring 15,134 units. Fontana shed 11 cents to end at $7.40 with 54,775 shares clearing the market, Fosrich dipped 15 cents to $2.72 in an exchange of 259,589 stock units, Honey Bun increased 16 cents in closing at $6.26 after an exchange of 11,446 stocks. Indies Pharma advanced 9 cents to close at $2.80 after a transfer of 160,593 stock units, ISP Finance gained $1.01 to close at $21.01, with investors exchanging 80 units, Jamaican Teas fell 18 cents to $2.12 in an exchange of 192,340 shares. JFP Ltd rallied 8 cents to $1.68 in an exchange of 586,143 stocks, Knutsford Express lost 15 cents to end at $8.85 following 9,150 stock units passing through the market, Lasco Manufacturing declined 20 cents to $4.15 with the swapping of 6,685 shares. Main Event shed 29 cents to close at $11.57 with a transfer of 12,086 units, Medical Disposables dropped 15 cents to close at $4.85, with 5,000 shares crossing the exchange. MFS Capital Partners shed 11 cents to end at $3.41, with 564,431 stocks crossing the market, Paramount Trading declined 15 cents in closing at $2.24 with an exchange of 100 stock units and Stationery and Office Supplies lost 50 cents after ending at $14.50, with 31,821 units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.