Junior Market ends steady trading day slightly down

Declining stocks whipped those rising on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Friday, but price movements were mostly moderate with a few exceptions, following 41 securities being traded compared with 42 on Thursday, with the market closing with prices of 12 rising, 19 declining and 10 closing unchanged after a 45 percent fall in the volume of stocks traded at a 37 percent lower in the value than Thursday.
The market closed with trading of 3,979,718 shares for $9,087,458 down from 7,215,549 units at $14,447,149 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 97,066 shares at $221,645, compared with 171,799 units at $343,980 on Thursday with the month to date, averaging 140,468 units at $285,616 compared to 145,686 stock units at $293,307 on the previous day and December with an average of 466,866 units at $1,111,272.
EduFocal led trading with 922,326 shares for 23.2 percent of total volume followed by AMG Packaging with 568,839 units for 14.3 percent of the day’s trade and Dolla Financial with 530,862 units for 13.3 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index lost 1.62 points to close at 3,766.95.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13, 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 two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial sank $2.50 to close at $20.50 in an exchange of 5,053 stocks, AMG Packaging increased 41 cents to close at $3.17, with 568,839 units crossing the market, Caribbean Assurance Brokers popped 24 cents to end at $2.25 with an exchange of a mere 500 shares. Consolidated Bakeries lost 32 cents in closing at $1.88 after 210 stock units passed through the market, Fontana advanced 10 cents and ended at $10.70 after an exchange of 73,847 shares, Indies Pharma rose 17 cents to $2.95 with investors transferring 88 stock units. ISP Finance declined by 14 cents to close at $24.86, with 200 units crossing the exchange, Jetcon Corporation fell 7 cents and ended at 78 cents with investors trading 25 stocks, Limners and Bards skidded 16 cents in closing at $1.50 in switching ownership of 112,900 units. Stationery and Office Supplies rallied 13 cents to end at $1.68 while exchanging a mere 1,553 stocks and Tropical Battery shed 9 cents in closing at $2.03 with a transfer of 4,385 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.