Junior Market drops on Monday

The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed down on Monday, with trading in 45 securities up from 42 on Friday and ended with the prices of 14 rising, 22 declining and nine closing unchanged following a 3 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded, with the value rising 6 percent more than Friday.
Investors traded 4,952,177 shares for $11,190,849 compared with 5,101,314 units at $10,562,036 on Friday.
Trading averaged 110,048 shares at $248,686 compared to 121,460 units at $251,477 on Friday. Trading  for the month to date, averages 136,812 units at $283,307 compared with 143,939 stock units at $292,526 on the previous trading day, well down on December with an average of 466,866 units at $1,111,272.
EduFocal led trading with 1.26 million shares for 25.5 percent of total volume followed by Express Catering ended with 570,734 units or 11.5 percent of Monday’s trade and ONE on ONE Educational with 419,388 units for 8.5 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index fell 30.78 points to culminate at 3,749.36.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.3, 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 three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial fell 50 cents to end at $25, with 3,682 units clearing the market, AMG Packaging sank 59 cents to $2.61 in switching ownership of 60,976 stocks, Cargo Handlers dipped $2.43 to close at $11.57, with 4,827 shares changing hands. Caribbean Assurance Brokers lost 10 cents in closing at $2.15 after an exchange of 15,100 stock units, Dolla Financial declined 7 cents and ended at $2.52 with investors trading 152,283 shares, Dolphin Cove shed 25 cents to close at $19.70 after investors exchanged 2,047 stock units. Fontana dropped 49 cents to close at $10.01 with a transfer of 87,627 units, Fosrich climbed 9 cents to end at $2.30 as investors exchanged 49,248 stocks, Future Energy popped 25 cents in closing at $3.75 after a transfer of 197,936 shares. Honey Bun skidded 25 cents and ended at $6.05 in trading 4,178 stock units, Indies Pharma rallied 39 cents to $3.04 after 168,483 units passed through the market, Jamaican Teas rallied 9 cents in closing at $2.40 in an exchange of 276,738 stocks. Lasco Financial lost 19 cents and ended at $1.91 with investors trading 5,000 units, Limners and Bards sank 16 cents to close at $1.51 with an exchange of 76,391 shares, Main Event rose 30 cents to end at $14.30, with 50 stock units crossing the market. MFS Capital Partners fell 11 cents in closing at $1.98 with traders dealing in 103,000 stocks, Spur Tree Spices skidded 23 cents to $2.31 and closed after 145,457 units were traded and Tropical Battery gained 13 cents to end at $2 with investors dealing in 194,912 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.