Junior Market backs off 3,795 points peak

The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange traded over 3,875 points in the early morning session on Friday, with Lasco Manufacturing hitting $6.14 when trading was halted but later pulled back after a big trade passed through the market on a day when the volume of stocks traded, declined 71 percent, with a 45 percent lower value than on Thursday, resulting in 45 securities changing hands compared with 43 on Thursday and ending with prices of 19 rising, 20 declining and six closing unchanged.
The market closed on Friday after 9,473,714 shares were exchange for $35,695,598 versus 32,133,533 units at $65,285,279 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 210,527 shares at $793,236, compared to 747,291 units at $1,518,262 on Thursday, with a month to date average of 221,939 units at $538,572 compared with 222,732 stocks at $520,887 on the previous day and better than January with an average of 175,081 units at $401,738.
Lasco Manufacturing led trading with 4.48 million shares for 47.2 percent of the total volume that traded, followed by Stationery and Office Supplies with 990,778 units for 10.5 percent of the day’s trade and Future Energy with 579,426 units for 6.1 percent market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index rallied 13.60 points to finish at 3,795.20 after hitting over 3,875 points in early trading, before the fall in the intraday price of Lasco Manufacturing from $6.14.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.9, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, AMG Packaging fell 15 cents to close at $3.55 with an exchange of 11,657 stock units, CAC 2000 rallied 17 cents to $4, after 4 shares passed through the market, Cargo Handlers increased 51 cents to end at $14.51 in switching ownership of 1,744 stocks. Caribbean Cream dropped 9 cents in closing at $3.80 after an exchange of 107 units, Caribbean Flavours sank 8 cents and ended at $1.60 in trading 15,173 shares, Consolidated Bakeries popped 19 cents to $2.20, with 8,155 units changing hands. Derrimon Trading dipped 12 cents to close at $1.87 in an exchange of 11,021 stocks, Everything Fresh advanced by 9 cents to end at $1.68, with investors trading 103,479 stock units, Express Catering rose 18 cents to $3.98 while investors exchanged 72,863 shares. Future Energy lost 9 cents and ended at $3.51, with 579,426 units crossing the market, Honey Bun gained 20 cents to end at $6.85 with investors swapping 28,900 stocks, Jamaican Teas shed 13 cents and ended at $2.41 with a transfer of 1,525 stock units. Knutsford Express declined 60 cents in closing at $11.40 with investors dealing in 10,000 shares, Lasco Distributors climbed 35 cents to $4.35 in an exchange of 402,870 stock, Lasco Manufacturing skidded 36 cents to end at $5.09 after hitting a high of $6.14 during the morning session, with investors trading 4,476,083 units. Paramount Trading fell 25 cents to $1.30, after 10,851 stocks crossed the exchange, Regency Petroleum popped 10 cents to end at $2.20 with traders dealing in 164,976 shares, Spur Tree Spices shed 11 cents in closing at $2.29 as investors exchanged 357,294 units and tTech advanced 20 cents and ended at $2.22 with 10 stocks changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.