The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Friday, with the market rising with advancing stocks were edged out by declining ones, after an exchange of 41 percent fewer shares than on Thursday.
Trading concluded with 33 securities changing hands, up from 31 on Thursday and ended, with the prices of 13 stocks rising, the prices of 14 declining and six with prices remaining unchanged.
At the close, the Junior Market Index increased 18.3 points to settle at 2,514.82, the highest point since August 28. The average PE Ratio of the market ended at 10.6 based on IC Insider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with an exchange of 2,048,087 shares for $5,393,700 compared to 3,485,582 units at $7,773,090 on Thursday. Mailpac Group led trading with 31.2 percent of total volume for 639,248 shares, followed by Lasco Distributors with 26.3 percent and 539,293 units and Lumber Depot with 7.7 percent market share, with 158,533 shares.
Trading ended with an average of 62,063 units at $163,445 in contrast to 112,438 at $250,745 on Thursday. For the month to date, the average trade resulted in an exchange of 75,003 units at $216,266, in comparison to 76,698 units at $223,183 on Thursday. Trading in August resulted in an average of 104,426 units at $321,996.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close of the market, Access Financial dropped $4.49 to end at $21.51 in an exchange of just 11 shares, AMG Packaging dropped 22 cents to finish at $1.76 with a mere ten units trading, Blue Power fell 12 cents to settle at $3.30 with 1,500 stock units passing through the market. Cargo Handlers lost 30 cents to close at $7, trading 10,000 shares, Caribbean Assurance Brokers gained 14 cents to end at $2.05 with 116,159 units changing hands, Caribbean Cream shed 40 cents to finish at $4 with investors switching ownership of 36,150 shares. Caribbean Flavours fell 3 cents to settle at $18.44 with 3,309 stocks passing through the market, Derrimon Trading advanced 34 cents to end at $2.85 in an exchange of 18,707 shares, Elite Diagnostic closed 33 cents higher at $3.39 with investors transferring 10,050 units. Express Catering slipped 2 cents to $3.93 with 19,201 stock units traded, Fontana lost 3 cents to finish at $4.74 with 138,448 shares passing through the market, General Accident gained 8 cents to end at $6.08 in an exchange of 868 stock units. iCreate rose 4 cents to settle at 70 cents with 3,306 stocks changing hands, Indies Pharma gained 7 cents to close at $2.85 with135,634 stock units traded, Jamaican Teas gained 14 cents to finish at $4.69 with investors switching ownership of 48,000 stock units. 
Jetcon Corporation lost 7 cents to end at 85 cents in an exchange of 2,550 shares, KLE Group declined by 6 cents to finish at $1.36 with 1,000 shares changing hands, Lasco Distributors traded 539,293 stock units and advanced 10 cents to settle at $3.13. Lasco Financial rose 2 cents to close at $2.14 with investors transferring 3,750 units, Lasco Manufacturing fell 6 cents to end at $3.73 in an exchange of 1,136 shares, Limners and Bards slid 2 cents to $2.80 with 75,975 shares passing through the market. Lumber Depot finished 1 cent higher at $1.05 with 158,533 shares changing hands, Mailpac Group traded 639,248 stock units and gained 1 cent to settle at $2.01, Main Event rose 5 cents to end at $3.50 in an exchange of 501 shares. Medical Disposables advanced 8 cents to end at $4.70 with investors switching ownership of 500 stocks and Paramount Trading fell 5 cents to settle at $1.55 with 14,333 units crossing the exchange.
In the preference segment, Derrimon Trading dropped 40 cents to close at $1.90, with 54,533 stocks changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
