Trading activity dropped on the Junior Market Index of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Friday, with trading in 38 securities, down from 42 on Thursday and ending, with prices of 15 rising, 16 declining and seven closing unchanged, leading the market index to a five-year low of 3,136 points, going back to April 2021. Trading ended with a 65 percent fall in volume of stocks changing hands, with a 75 percent lower value than on Thursday.
The market closed after 7,834,537 shares were traded for $10,846,039, after tumbling from 22,506,910 units at $42,994,803 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 206,172 shares at $285,422, after falling from 535,879 stock units valued at $1,023,686 on Thursday. Trading concluded with a month to date average of 355,252 units at $499,700 compared with 383,022 stock units at $539,615 on the previous day, with an average of 504,653 shares at $502,169 during April.
Kintyre Holdings led trading with 3.16 million shares for 40.3 percent of total volume, followed by Future Energy with 1.09 million shares for 13.9 percent of the day’s trade and Jetcon Corporation with 1.07 million units for 13.6 percent of the day’s trade.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index declined 24.23 points to finish at a six-year low of 3,136.47. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 14.8. ICInsider.com compiles the PE ratios used in this report, which are derived by dividing the last traded price of a stock by the earnings per share for companies with their fiscal year ending around August 2026.
At the close of trading, Access Financial rose 8 cents to $17.43 after traders swapped 428 shares, Atlantic Hardware lost 13 cents to end at $1.57 with an exchange 156,933 units, Blue Power sank 66 cents to $3.31 with only two stock units passing through the market. Caribbean Assurance Brokers rallied 8 cents and ended at $1.39 after 24,819 shares were traded, Caribbean Cream lost 14 cents in ending at $1.53 after an exchange of 4,200 stock units, Caribbean Flavours sank 13 cents to finish at $1.21 with an exchange of 2,077 shares. Derrimon Trading skidded 12 cents to $1.55 with 36,475 stock units crossing the market, Dolla Financial lost 5 cents to finish at $2.45 with investors dealing in 122,187 units, Elite Diagnostic popped 10 cents and ended at $1.39 with a transfer of 108 stocks. Express Catering dipped 5 cents to end at $2.30 with 3,436 units changing hands, Fosrich climbed 19 cents in closing at $1.89 with investors trading 17,207 stocks, Future Energy fell 7 cents to close at $3.40 with 1,087,377 shares crossing the market.
Iron Rock Insurance slipped 14 cents to $2.55 in trading 8,546 stock units, KLE Group increased 14 cents in closing at 94 cents with 3,685 shares crossing the exchange, Limners and Bards rallied 10 cents to 80 cents with traders dealing in 70,883 units. Omni Industries declined 6 cents to finish at 90 cents in an exchange of 210,930 stocks, ONE on ONE Educational gained 6 cents and ended at 87 cents, following the trading of 365,188 stock units, Paramount Trading rose 13 cents to $1.16 after an exchange of 243 shares. Regency Petroleum lost 24 cents to $4.21 with investors swapping 9,713 stock units and Stationery and Office Supplies slipped 5 cents to $1.53 in switching owners of 20,000 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.