Trading was heavier than normal on Tuesday on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange with five securities trading over one million shares each as the market broke its three-day unbroken run, with the index slipping 11.10 points to close at 2,714.38.
Trading ended with 35 securities changing hands compared to 37 on Monday and concluded with the prices of 13 stocks rising, 16 declining and six remaining unchanged. The average PE Ratio ended at 14.1 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Trading accounted for 34 percent more shares than Monday with an exchange of 12,674,893 shares for $24,808,257 up from 9,478,77 units at $18,322,788 on Monday.
Tropical Battery led trading in commanding 30.7 percent of total volume with an exchange of 3.89 million shares, followed by Lumber Depot 24 percent with 3.05 million units, Derrimon Trading controlled 14.5 percent market share or 1.83 million units. Mailpac Group contributed 11 percent with a transfer of 1.4 million units. Jamaican Teas rounded out top five, with 8.8 percent and 1.12 million shares.
Trading averaged 362,140 units at $708,807 in contrast to 256,183 at $495,210 on Monday. The month to date averaged 236,210 units at $559,238, compared to 224,762 units at $545,641 on Monday. December closed with an average of 263,428 units at $638,694.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Access Financial advanced $1 to $22 with 1,133 shares changing hands, Blue Power rose 38 cents to $3.19 with an exchange of 2,021 stock units, CAC 2000 shed $1.65 to settle at $10.60 with 4,159 stocks passing through the market. Cargo Handlers jumped 95 cents to $7.90, trading 93 units, Caribbean Assurance Brokers slipped 6 cents to $1.80 with a transfer of 19,029 shares, Caribbean Cream rose by 20 cents to $4.50 with 88,070 stock units changing hands. Caribbean Producers rose 17 cents to $2.78 with 10,750 stocks crossing the exchange, Elite Diagnostic fell 10 cents to $2.85 with 30,690 shares traded. Everything Fresh slipped 5 cents to 70 cents with 168,500 stock units changing hands, Express Catering fell 10 cents to $3.45 with 92,418 stocks changing hands, Fontana jumped 40 cents to $5.80 with 141,055 units traded. Fosrich dropped 19 cents to $4.20 with a transfer of 31,681 shares, General Accident lost 37 cents to close at $6 with 23,784 units changing hands, Honey Bun rose 5 cents to $5.59 with 7,488 stock units passing through the market. Jamaican Teas added 2 cents exchanging 1,118,927 units at a record close of $2.79, KLE Group advanced 21 cents to $1.37 with 2,387 units traded.
Knutsford Express fell 15 cents to $6.60 with 999 stocks changing hands, Lasco Distributors dropped 20 cents to $3.20 with an exchange of 38,500 stock units, Lasco Manufacturing increased by 7 cents to $4.07 with 8,500 shares traded, Lumber Depot exchanged 3,047,431 stock units and lost 5 cents to close at $1.54. Mailpac Group shed 30 cents trading 1,398,183 shares to finish at $3.60 Main Event fell 10 cents to $3 with a transfer of 48,902 units and Tropical Battery advanced 9 cents to $1.09 with 3,894,959 shares crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
