Highest close for Junior Market in 5 months

Trading declined on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday, with the volume of stocks traded falling 17 percent, with the value 26 percent lower than on Wednesday as the market consolidates to move higher after trading in 44 securities down from 46 on Wednesday and ended with 22 rising, 16 declining and six closing unchanged. The Junior Market Index traded in the 4,040 points region late in the trading session and ended adding just 3.37 points to conclude trading at 3,984.01, just 2.43 points below the close at the end of 2022 and the highest end of day finish since the start of February this year.
Investors traded 4,560,776 shares for $13,565,316 down from 5,502,698 units at $18,254,039 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 103,654 shares at $308,303 compared with 119,624 shares at $396,827 on Wednesday, with the month to date, averaging 172,891 units at $648,832 compared to 195,291 stock units at $759,003 on the previous day, well below trading in June with an average of 319,230 units at $854,456.
ONE on ONE Educational led trading with 865,723 shares for 19 percent of total volume followed by Dolla Financial with 758,319 units for 16.6 percent of the day’s trade and Fosrich with 466,664 units for 10.2 percent market share.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 11.4. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded price in conjunction with ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging popped 16 cents to $2.51 with 3,804 shares clearing the market, Blue Power rallied 27 cents in closing at $3.57 after an exchange of 163 stock units, CAC 2000 gained $1.40 and ended at $7, with stakeholders exchanging 200 stocks, Cargo Handlers advanced $3.26 to $18.30 while exchanging 236 units, Caribbean Flavours increased 8 cents to end at $1.30 after 203,100 stocks changed hands. Consolidated Bakeries climbed 48 cents and ended at $2.99, with 17,210 shares crossing the exchange, Dolphin Cove rose 31 cents to end at $16.80, with 5,212 stock units crossing the market, Fontana lost 40 cents in closing at $12.10 in trading 297,841 units, Fosrich climbed 12 cents to close at $2.46 with investors transferring 466,664 shares, General Accident gained 15 cents to end at $5, with 17,224 units crossing the market.  Iron Rock Insurance declined 31 cents to $2.49 with a transfer of 11,900 stock units, ISP Finance climbed $4.40 to close at $24.40 after an exchange of 5 stock units, JFP Ltd shed 11 cents to end at $1.63 after a transfer of 15,453 units, Knutsford Express fell 30 cents in closing at $11.65 with shareholders swapping 2,428 stock units. Lasco Distributors shed 54 cents to close at $3.60 after investors exchanged 204,660 stocks up to an intraday 52 weeks’ high of $4.19, Main Event dropped $1.40 to close at $16 in switching ownership of 1,158 shares, Medical Disposables rose 44 cents in closing at $4.74 after five shares passed through the market. Paramount Trading dipped 10 cents and ended at $2 with an exchange of 15,000 stock units, Stationery and Office Supplies advanced $1.40 to $28.40 and closed with 24,703 units changing hands and Tropical Battery popped 12 cents to end at $2.02 in an exchange of 99,807 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.