Market activity ended with 63 percent fewer shares trading on Friday than on Thursday on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, but the market index gained as rising stocks edged out those that fell, leaving the overall market down for the week.
Seventy-five percent or 33 of listed stocks traded, compared to 35 on Thursday and ended with the prices of 15 stocks rising, 11 declining and seven closing with prices remaining unchanged.
At the close, the Junior Market Index carved out a gain of 18.65 points to settle at 2,467.78. The average PE Ratio ended at 10.8 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with an exchange of 1,839,376 shares for $4,361,132 compared to 4,929,572 units at $9,632,353 on Thursday. Tropical Battery led trading with 25.1 percent of total volume with an exchange of 462,122 shares, followed by AMG Packaging with 15.8 percent of the day’s trade or 291,010 units and Mailpac Group with 13.7 percent for 251,531 shares.
Trading ended with an average of 55,739 units at $132,156 in contrast to 140,845 at $275,210 on Thursday. For the month to date, the average trade resulted in an exchange of 258,843 units at $553,962, in comparison to 272,356 units at $582,026 on Thursday. Trading in September ended with 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 three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close of the market, AMG Packaging fell 25 cents to finish at $1.60 with 291,010 shares changing hands, Blue Power dropped 41 cents to $3.07 in an exchange of 1,656 units, Caribbean Assurance Brokers advanced 16 cents to $1.83, with 1,167 stock units passing through the market. Caribbean Cream lost 4 cents to close at $4.86 trading 8,667 units, Caribbean Flavours declined 7 cents to $1.75 with investors switching ownership of 76,958 units, Caribbean Producers slipped 5 cents to $2.20 with an exchange of 28,377 shares. Derrimon Trading lost 2 cents to end at $2.48 with 24,525 stocks changing hands, Elite Diagnostic gained 8 cents to close at $3.14 with 326 stock units passing through the market, Everything Fresh rose 1 cent to finish at 71 cents with investors transferring 1,428 stock units. Express Catering increased by 9 cents to settle at $3.15 with 17,666 stocks changing hands Fontana declined 3 cents and traded 231,577 stock units to end at $4.97, General Accident climbed 36 cents to close at $6.50 with an exchange of 23,960 stocks. 
GWest Corporation slipped 1 cent to finish at 90 cents with 13,939 units passing through the market, iCreate gained 10 cents to settle at 70 cents with investors switching ownership of 2,000 stock units, Indies Pharma advanced 17 cents to end at $2.85 with 371 units changing hands. Iron Rock Insurance added 1 cent to close at $2.51, with an exchange of 13,282 units, ISP Finance jumped $2.49 to finish at $18.50 trading 204 units, Jamaican Teas declined 11 cents to $4.89 with 88,260 shares traded. Jetcon Corporation increased 9 cents to end at 89 cents with investors transferring 9,000 stock units, Lumber Depot gained 6 cents to close at $1.10 with 128,808 shares changing hands, Mailpac Group rose 4 cents in an exchange of 251,531 stock units to settle at $1.99. Main Event advanced 70 cents to finish at $3.70, with 2,955 stocks passing through the market, Medical Disposables climbed 35 cents to end at $4.25 with 4,033 shares traded. Stationery and Office Supplies declined 3 cents to close at $4.97, with investors switching ownership of 1,598 stocks and Tropical Battery lost 4 cents to settle at $1.19 with 462,122 shares crossing the exchange.
In the preference segment, Derrimon Trading preference shares gained 1 cent to finish at $2.05 with 100 units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
