Trading dipped with fewer securities trading on Thursday leading to an exchange of 15 percent fewer shares than on Wednesday with the value falling 26 percent leaving the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange to close with a modest rise in the market index.
Trading ended with 34 securities changing hands down from 39 on Wednesday resulting in the prices of 15 stocks rising, 12 declining and seven closing firm.
The Market Index eked out a 6.06 pints rise to finish at 2,806.63. The average PE Ratio ended at 14.5 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Trading ended with 6,203,871 shares at $16,459,757 down from 7,260,452 units at $22,171,156 on Wednesday.
Jamaican Teas led trading with 45.4 percent of total volume or 2.81 million shares, followed by Lumber Depot with 12.6 percent for 783,265 units and Tropical Battery with 11.1 percent with a transfer of 685,979 units.
Trading averaged 182,467 units at $484,111 in contrast to 186,165 at $568,491 on Wednesday. The month to date averaged 299,016 units at $828,895, compared to 312,587 units at $869,041 on Wednesday. January closed with an average of 232,651 units at $569,885.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close of trading, Access Financial fell 6 cents to $21.80 with 766 shares traded, Blue Power dropped 22 cents to $2.85 with 3,723 stocks changing hands, Cargo Handlers rose 7 cents to $8 with an exchange of 1,324 units. Dolphin Cove climbed $1 to $8 with 15,616 stock units crossing the market, Everything Fresh rose by 10 cents to 73 cents transferring 25,006 shares, Express Catering shed 38 cents to end at $3.30 with 39,161 units traded. Fontana slipped 5 cents to $6 with 653 stocks changing hands, Fosrich gained 20 cents to close at $4.30 with an exchange of 33,259 shares, Honey Bun rose 5 cents to $5.90 trading 500 stock units. Indies Pharma increased by 10 cents to $2.90 with a transfer of 81,000 stocks, Iron Rock Insurance advanced 17 cents to $3.05 with 800 shares changing hands, Jamaican Teas gained 6 cents to settle at $2.99 with 2,814,874 stock units traded. Jetcon Corporation declined 5 cents to 69 cents with an exchange of 16,000 units, Knutsford Express jumped 55 cents to $6.75 trading 1,788 stocks, Lasco Distributors climbed 24 cents to $3.45 with the transfer of 3,000 shares. 
Lasco Manufacturing rose 5 cents to $4.25 with 108,611 stocks changing hands, Lumber Depot gained 18 cents to end at 52 weeks’ high of $2.18 with an ownership switch of 783,265 units, Mailpac Group advanced 10 cents to $4 with an exchange of 271,927 shares. Main Event fell 19 cents to $3.30 with 68,569 stocks crossing the exchange, Medical Disposables shed 39 cents to close at $4 with 18,414 units traded and Stationery and Office Supplies fell 24 cents to $4.29 after trading 2,000 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
