More stocks fell on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday, leading to a modest rise in the market index by 2.56 points to settle at 2,493.72 as 16 percent fewer shares changed hands than on Tuesday.
Trading ended with 32 securities changing hands compared to 31 on Tuesday, with the prices of nine stocks rising, 15 declining and eight remaining unchanged. The average PE Ratio of the market ended at 11 based on the IC Insider.com forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with an exchange of 4,500,883 shares for $9,523,444 compared to 5,362,727 units at $15,577,070 on Tuesday. Tropical Battery led trading with 34.5 percent of total volume, with 1.55 million shares, followed by Caribbean Flavours and Fragrances with 27.5 percent after 1.23 million units changed hands and Lumber Depot with 11.5 percent for 517,587 shares.
Trading ended with an average of 140,653 units at $297,608 in contrast to 172,991 at $502,486 on Tuesday. For the month to date, the average trade resulted in an exchange of 350,530 units at $751,833, in comparison to 373,067 units at $800,609 on Tuesday. Trading in September resulted in an average of 119,171 units at $249,355.
At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows four stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Access Financial gained 1 cent in closing at $19.06, with investors trading 300 shares, Blue Power shed 34 cents to end at $3.06, in exchanging 500 units, Caribbean Assurance Brokers lost 5 cents to settle at $1.90, with 300 units changing hands. Caribbean Cream closed at $4.70, after losing 3 cents trading 21,300 stock units, Caribbean Flavours and Fragrances shed 64 cents to finish at $2.29, with 1,233,200 shares crossing the exchange, Caribbean Producers lost 5 cents to end at $2.16 trading 14,912 stock units. Consolidated Bakeries closed at $1.21, with a loss of 27 cents after an exchange of 8,771 units, Derrimon Trading slipped 14 cents to end at $2.56, with investors swapping 413,077 shares, Everything Fresh lost 3 cents to settle at 68 cents, trading 3,192 units. Express Catering slid 43 cents to end at $3.55, with 62,680 shares passing through the market, Fontana lost 4 cents to close at $4.95, after clearing the market with 21,758 stock units, General Accident gained 29 cents to finish at $6.69, in exchanging 22,400 stock units. 
Honey Bun lost 8 cents in ending at $4.81, with a transfer of 1,977 units, Indies Pharma gained 19 cents to close at $2.89, crossing the market with 155,294 shares, Jamaican Teas lost 9 cents to settle at $4.91 trading 262,197 stocks. Knutsford Express shed 69 cents to finish at $5.80 after the transfer of 500 units, Lasco Distributors gained 4 cents to end at $3.17 and clearing the market with 2,450 units, Lasco Financial added 4 cents to close at $2.09, with an exchange of 2,210 units. Limners and Bards ended 9 cents higher at $2.69, after trading 33,000 shares, Lumber Depot closed at $1.04, with gains of 4 cents and 517,587 shares changing hands, Mailpac Group lost 1 cent in closing at $1.94, with investors swapping 86,270 shares. Main Event picked up 1 cent in closing at $3.26, in transferring 2,446 units, Medical Disposables shed 25 cents to close at $4.30 trading 6,129 units and Tropical Battery gained 6 cents in closing at $1.16, with trades of 1,549,487 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
