Junior Market ends week in near black

The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange slipped moderately on Friday, with nearly 3 stocks declining for each stock rising, following a 69 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded, with 68 percent lower value than Thursday, with trading in just 40 securities down from 45 on Thursday and ending with prices of eight rising, 22 declining and 10 closing unchanged and resulted in the market closing almost in the black on Friday.
The market closed on the day of March with an exchange of 7,362,444 shares for $19,399,707 compared with 23,801,250 units at $60,698,281 on Thursday, with an average of 184,061 shares at $484,993, compared with 528,917 stock units at $1,348,851 on Thursday and February with an average of 253,246 units at $637,481.
ONE on ONE Educational led trading with 1.26 million shares for 17.1 percent of total volume followed by Future Energy with 1.18 million units for 16 percent of the day’s trade and EduFocal with 1.12 million units for 15.2 percent of the day’s trade.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index dipped 26.91 points to close at 3,847.80.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.5, 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 seven with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging dipped 29 cents and ended at $2.89 with a transfer of 10,000 stocks, Blue Power climbed 15 cents to $3.15 after closing with an exchange of 29,932 units, Caribbean Cream slipped 5 cents in closing at $3.85, with 31,958 shares clearing the market after the company release the long outstanding third quarter results which continue to show improvement in sales and profit despite a bug hike in interest cost. Dolphin Cove skidded 44 cents to close at $19.20 with investors trading 255,970 stock units, following an announcement of a 50 percent hike in dividend payment in March to 60 cents per share, Fontana lost 5 cents to end at $9.40 in switching ownership of 111,995 shares, Fosrich dropped 13 cents to $2.22 while exchanging 20,451 stocks. Honey Bun rose 33 cents in closing at $6.98 with investors swapping 19,253 units, Indies Pharma rallied 10 cents and ended at $2.70 in an exchange of 31,085 stock units, Jamaican Teas shed 30 cents to end at $2.40, with 50,010 shares passing through the market. JFP Ltd declined 9 cents to close at $1.50 in an exchange of one stock unit, Knutsford Express fell $1.09 to $10.51, with 10 stocks MFS Capital Partners lost 18 cents to end at $2.09 trading 187,196 stock units. Regency Petroleum declined 7 cents in closing at $2.37 after 136,834 shares crossed the market and Spur Tree Spices shed 45 cents to close at $2.40 after a transfer of 136,338 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.