Investors shun trading of stocks on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Friday, with a 44 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded, valued marginally more than Thursday, with trading of only 35 securities, down sharply from 45 on Thursday and ending with prices of 10 rising, 20 declining and five closing unchanged.
The market closed with trading of 3,388,758 shares for $7,134,869 compared with 6,031,514 units at $7,131,624 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 96,822 shares at $203,853 compared to 134,034 stocks at $158,481 on Thursday, with the month to date, averaging 154,128 units at $240,292, which is in line with 159,378 stock units at $243,631 on the previous day and well below the average for May with 419,466 stock units at $701,563.
Jamaican Teas led trading with 1.57 million shares for 46.3 percent of the total volume, followed by One Great Studio, with 381,530 units for 11.3 percent of the day’s trade and Fosrich with 271,444 stocks for 8 percent of the volume traded.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index shed 29.72 points to finish at 3,399.32, down 9 percent for the year to date. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 14.5, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for financial years ending around August 2025.
At the close of the week, AMG Packaging lost 33 cents to close at $2.10 with a transfer of 6,745 shares, Caribbean Flavours shed 16 cents to close at $1.43 after investors exchanged 10,523 stock units, Consolidated Bakeries sank 17 cents to end at 52 week low of $1.18, with 3,908 shares crossing the market. Dolla Financial dipped 5 cents in closing at $2.34 in an exchange of 216,280 units, Dolphin Cove sank 97 cents and ended at $13.60 after an exchange of 8,989 stocks, Express Catering rallied 12 cents to finish at $2.72 in trading 1,000 units. Fontana slipped 11 cents and ended at $8.89 after a transfer of 41,396 stocks, Honey Bun popped 36 cents to $8.01, with 11,468 shares crossing the market. 
Indies Pharma fell 20 cents to close at $3.60 with traders dealing in 600 stock units. JFP dropped 5 cents to end at 50 cents after 5,032 shares passed through the market, Knutsford Express skidded $1.19 in closing at $11.80, with 4,085 stock units changing hands, Main Event climbed 86 cents to finish at $9.97, with investors trading 39 stocks. Medical Disposables rose 6 cents and ended at $1.59 with an exchange of 293 units, Regency Petroleum traded 55,396 shares at $4.20 after trading at a intraday 52 week high of $4.39, Spur Tree Spices declined 6 cents to $1, with 32,628 stocks clearing the market and Tropical Battery shed 6 cents to finish at $2.13 with investors swapping 82,921 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.