The majority of stock prices gave way to selling pressure on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday, with the market suffering a sharp fall after trading 44 percent fewer shares than Tuesday.
At the close of market activities, the Junior Market Index lost 56.8 points after falling nearly 11 points on Tuesday to settle at 2,443.91. Trading ended with 35 securities changing hands compared to 36 on Tuesday, with the prices of 11 stocks rising, 17 declining and seven with prices remaining unchanged.
The average PE Ratio of the market ended at 10.8 based on the IC Insider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with an exchange of 3,515,236 shares for $8,677,144 compared to 6,241,322 units at $10,328,488 on Tuesday. Tropical Battery led trading with 19.8 percent of total volume with 696,728 shares, followed by Mailpac Group with 13.7 percent or 482,043 units and Express Catering with 10.8 percent, amounting to 379,614 shares.
Trading ended with an average of 100,435 units at $247,918 in contrast to 173,370 at $286,902 on Tuesday. For the month to date, the average trade resulted in an exchange of 282,340 units at $605,320 , in comparison to 297,285 units at $634,684 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 six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Access Financial fell 5 cents to $19.01 with an exchange of 6,059 shares, Blue Power dipped I cent to settle at $3.39 with 1,066 shares changing hands, Caribbean Cream lost 10 cents to end at $5 with investors switching ownership of 32,162 units. Caribbean Flavours slipped 3 cents to $1.71 with 235,429 stocks changing hands, Caribbean Producers dropped 14 cents to finish at $2.20 with through the market, GWest Corporation gained 5 cents to close at 91 cents with an exchange of 3,661 stock units, Indies Pharma rose 1 cent to $2.68, trading 31,100 shares. ISP Finance dropped $7.50 to settle at $18.45 with a mere 2 stock units changing hands, Jamaican Teas fell 13 cents to finish at $4.87 with investors switching ownership of 265,418 stock units, Jetcon Corporation lost 11 cents to close at 78 cents with 800 stocks passing through the market. 
Knutsford Express shed 59 cents to end at $5.71 with an exchange of 11,623 stock units, Lasco Distributors declined by 9 cents to settle at $3.01 with 54,695 units changing hands, Lasco Financial slipped 2 cents to $2.05 with investors trading 180,442 units. Lasco Manufacturing advanced 3 cents to finish at $3.45 with 6,027 stocks passing through the market, Limners and Bards dropped 17 cents to close at $2.50 with an exchange of 29,545 stock units, Lumber Depot lost 5 cents trading 256,149 shares at $1.03. Main Event shed 74 cents to settle at $3 with 95,310 stocks changing hands, Medical Disposables climbed 25 cents to finish at $4.55 with investors switching ownership of 25,210 units, Stationery and Office Supplies shed 70 cents to close at $4.85 with 18,193 units passing through the market and Tropical Battery gained 6 cents to end at $1.20 with 696,728 stock units crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
