Prices of stocks suffered more declines than gains at the close of trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Tuesday, but the market Index rose as investors exchanged 175 percent more shares valued 163 percent higher than on Monday.
Trading ended with 35 securities changing hands compared to 33 on Monday and finished with prices of eight stocks rising, 15 declining and 12 remaining unchanged.
At the close, the Junior Market Index gained 19.51 points to settle at 2,639.70. The average PE Ratio ended at 13.8, based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with 5,677,928 shares trading for $13,279,279, up sharply from 2,061,757 units at $5,052,813 on Monday.
Derrimon Trading was the volume leader with 65 percent of the day’s trade with an exchange of 3.69 million shares, followed by Jamaican Teas with 9 percent with a transfer of 510,981 stock units and Lumber Depot with 7.3 percent market share or 415,224 units.
Trading averaged 162,227 units at $379,408 in contrast to 62,477 at $153,116 on Monday. The month to date averaged 113,819 units at $269,590. December closed with an average of 263,428 units at $638,694.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Access Financial slipped 1 cent to $23.49 with an exchange of 2,900 shares, AMG Packaging gained 3 cents to finish at $1.69 trading 82,300 stocks, Cargo Handlers declined 1 cent to $6.50 with 5,472 units changing hands. Caribbean Assurance Brokers fell 3 cents to $1.86 with investors switching ownership of 13,284 stock units, Caribbean Cream rose 25 cents to $4.40 with 10,925 shares traded, Caribbean Producers dropped 22 cents to $2.60 with a transfer of 21,148 units. Consolidated Bakeries slipped 3 cents to $1.36 in exchanging 9,098 stocks, Express Catering rose 10 cents to $3.65 with 61,217 stock units passing through the market, General Accident rose 6 cents to $6.25 trading 36,761 shares. GWest Corporation lost 2 cents to end at 75 cents with investors switching 25,000 units, Indies Pharma gained 5 cents to $2.65 with a transfer of 45,435 stocks, Jamaican Teas traded 510,981 stock units and gained 1 cent to end at $2. Knutsford Express shed 24 cents to $6.56 with an exchange of 409 shares, Lasco Distributors slipped 4 cents to $3.12 with 45,000 stocks passing through the market, Lasco Financial fell 3 cents to $2.73 with 750 units changing hands.
Lasco Manufacturing lost 1 cent to end at $3.89 with a transfer of 1,392 stock units, Limners and Bards dropped 21 cents to $2.73 with 97,888 shares traded, Lumber Depot exchanged 415,224 units and gained 1 cent to close at $1.51. Mailpac Group rose 1 cent to $2.81 with 208,418 stocks passing through the market, Medical Disposables fell 29 cents to $4 with 2,601 stock units changing hands, Paramount Trading lost 10 cents to finish at $1.35 with a transfer of 3,044 shares. SSL Venture declined by 7 cents to 50 cents trading 102,775 stocks and Tropical Battery slipped 4 cents to $1.15 with 158,459 units crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
