Another day of a rising market brought the total to four consecutive days of the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange after more stocks declined than rose, with 7 percent fewer shares trading than on Friday.
Trading ended with 33 securities changing hands compared to 31 on Friday and closed with the prices of nine stocks rising, 11 declining and 13 remaining unchanged.
At the close, the Junior Market Index squeezed out a rise of 8.31 points to close at $2,547.48. The average PE Ratio of the market ended at 10.8 based on IC Insider.com forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with an exchange of 2,115,554 shares for $5,271,667 compared to 2,268,215 units at $5,993,926 on Friday. Mailpac Group led trading with 27.5 percent of total volume for 581,872 shares, followed by Lumber Depot with 24.8 percent or 523,710 units and Jamaican Teas with 279,830 units, 13.2 percent market share.
Trading ended with an average of 64,108 units at $159,747 in contrast to 73,168 at $193,352 on Friday. For the month to date, the average trade resulted in an exchange of 103,144 units at $227,050 compared to 105,313 units at $212,908 on Friday. Trading in August resulted in an average of 104,414 units at $321,996.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows one stock ending with the bid higher than the last selling price and two with lower offers.
At the close of the market, AMG Packaging lost 1 cent to close at $1.79 trading 3,250 units, Blue Power rose 45 cents to $3.60, after exchanging 5,020 stock units, Cargo Handlers lost 10 cents to settle at $7.80, after clearing the market with 5,065 stock units. Caribbean Cream jumped 44 cents to $4.32, with investors swapping 2,000 units, Caribbean Flavours climbed 69 cents to settle at $18.18, with an exchange of 2,001 units. Caribbean Producers lost 5 cents to settle at $2.30, after clearing the market with 60,734 shares, Express Catering shed 50 cents in closing at $3.55, with 2,015 stock units crossing the exchange, Fosrich lost 30 cents to settle at $3.60, with 650 units crossing the market. General Accident fell to $6.58, with a loss of 46 cents trading 13,706 stock units, 
Honey Bun gained 28 cents to close at $4.99, after clearing the market with 3,435 units, Jamaican Teas shed 34 cents in closing at $4.25, with 279,830 shares changing hands the exchange. Jetcon Corporation lost 1 cent in closing at 92 cents, with 1,070 units changing hands, Knutsford Express gained 10 cents to end at $6.90, trading 1,073 units, Lasco Financial gained 1 cent to end at $2.14, with investors swapping 9,812 stock units. Lasco Manufacturing declined 8 cents to $3.42, after exchanging 36,301 shares, Limners and Bards gained 5 cents to settle at $2.70, trading 98,619 shares, Lumber Depot carved out a loss 10 cents in closing at 95 cents, in exchanging 523,710 shares. Mailpac Group gained 3 cents to settle at $2.08, in trading 581,872 shares and Medical Disposables lost 2 cents to finish at $5.06, with an exchange of 173 units.
In the preference segment of the market, CAC 2000 9.5% preference shares rose 15 cents to end at $1.17 trading 24 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
