Junior Market ends higher than April

Stocks closed higher on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange in trading on Wednesday, with the market squeezing a third consecutive day of gains and helping the market to close 1.26 percent higher than in April as investors traded 77 percent more shares valued at 135 percent more than on Tuesday with trading in 44 securities compared with 45 on Tuesday and ended with 24 rising, 15 declining and five closing unchanged.
Investors traded 17,037,616 shares for $59,386,219 up from 9,615,167 units at $25,289,603 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 387,219 shares at $1,349,687 compared with 213,670 shares at $561,991 on Tuesday with the month to date, averaging 239,954 units at $648,811 compared to 232,896 stock units at $615,218 on the previous day. April closed with an average of 266,661 units at $2,583,503.
Future Energy Source led trading with 5.02 million shares for 29.5 percent of total volume followed by Fosrich with 2.89 million units for 17 percent of the day’s trade, Indies Pharma with 1.85 million units for 10.9 percent market share and Jamaican Teas with 1.49 million units for 8.7 percent of total volume.
At the close, the Junior Market Index rallied 22.41 points to end at 3,785.03.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 11. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are based on last traded price in conjunction with ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial rallied $2.80 to close at $25.80 after an exchange of 60,697 shares, CAC 2000 shed 48 cents to close at $6.62 after 23,435 units changed hands, Cargo Handlers fell $2.50 to $15 with 1,000 stocks crossing the market, Caribbean Flavours popped 30 cents to end at $1.78 with shareholders swapping 5,000 stock units. Dolphin Cove declined 70 cents in closing at $14.75 after shareholders traded 10,293 shares, EduFocal increased 19 cents to end at $1.91 after an exchange of 105,179 stock units, Elite Diagnostic gained 18 cents and ended at $2.38 after a transfer of 51,123 units, Express Catering dropped 16 cents to close at $4.88 with an exchange of 12,665 stocks. Fontana advanced 12 cents to $9.52 with investors exchanging 386,065 stock units, Fosrich lost 11 cents to close at $2.29, with 2,892,733 stocks crossing the market, Future Energy Source climbed 23 cents to $4.15 with an exchange of 5,021,509 shares, Honey Bun rose 17 cents to $6.80 with 13,402 units clearing the market. Indies Pharma popped 15 cents to close at $3.45 in trading 1,851,361 units, Iron Rock Insurance gained 32 cents to end at $2.48 with 200 stocks changing hands, ISP Finance climbed $1.42 to $25.40 as investors exchanged 45,182 stock units, KLE Group dipped 11 cents in closing at $1.51 in switching ownership of 31 shares. Knutsford Express popped 26 cents to close at $11.78 in an exchange of 293,186 shares, Lasco Distributors lost 14 cents at $2.95 in an exchange of 60,245 units, Lasco Manufacturing rose 10 cents to $4.25 after 390 stock units passed through the market, Limners and Bards increased 18 cents to $2.48 with a transfer of 122,433 stocks. Main Event dropped 40 cents in closing at $14.25 with investors transferring 4,584 stocks, Paramount Trading rallied 9 cents to $2.18, with 22,936 stock units clearing the market, Regency Petroleum rose 8 cents to end at $2.95 after 501,313 units passed through the market. Stationery and Office Supplies increased 63 cents and ended at $15.79, with 60,146 shares crossing the market and Tropical Battery gained 10 cents to close at $2 after 75,936 shares changed hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.