Junior Market falls on Wednesday

Trading climbed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday with the volume of stocks traded rising 19 percent and valuing 13 percent more than on Tuesday, from the trading in 46 securities compared with 38 on Tuesday and ended with 13 rising, 19 declining and 14 closing unchanged, while two stocks closed at 52 weeks’ low and two traded at 52 weeks’ intraday low.
A total of 14,651,750 shares were traded for $43,936,024, up from 12,292,679 units at $38,830,902 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 318,516 shares at $955,131 compared with 323,492 units at $1,021,866 on Tuesday with the month to date averaging 349,451 units at $784,923 compared with 352,752 stock units at $766,757 on the previous day. January closed with an average of 239,755 units at $646,375.
JFP Ltd led trading with 4.55 million shares for 31 percent of total volume followed by Fontana with 1.54 million units for 10.5 percent of the day’s trade, Dolla Financial with 1.31 million units for 9 percent market share, Derrimon Trading with 1.23 million units for 8.4 percent and Image Plus Consultants with 1.19 million units for 8.1 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index shed 8.36 points to end at 3,838.42.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 12. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks use the last traded stock price in conjunction with ICInsider.com projected earnings for the financial years between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows seven stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging shed 46 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ low of $2.30 with an exchange of 68,761 shares, Blue Power traded 31,980 shares and closed at a 52 weeks’ low of $2.46 after slipping 6 cents, Cargo Handlers rose $2.01 to $14.99 in switching ownership of 1,205 stock units, Caribbean Cream gained 20 cents to end at $3.30 with the swapping of 20,000 units. Consolidated Bakeries dipped 26 cents to $2.20 in transferring 17,635 stocks, Fosrich popped 8 cents in closing at $3.31 after trading 180,199 stocks, Future Energy Source lost 10 cents after ending at $4.65 with a transfer of 181,272 shares. General Accident shed 36 cents to close at $4.10 with 22,000 units crossing the exchange, GWest Corporation gained 11 cents to close at $1.09 with investors trading 1,157 stock units, Honey Bun advanced 44 cents to $7.45 after trading 18,696 shares. Iron Rock Insurance dipped 14 cents in closing at $2.03 with 18,263 stock units changing hands, JFP Ltd lost 9 cents to end at $1.66 in exchanging 4,546,622 stocks, Lasco Financial closed at $2.50 after hitting a 52 weeks’ intraday low of $2.01 and trading 58,400 shares, Lasco Distributors rallied 32 cents in closing at $2.85 with an exchange of 97,521 units. Lasco Manufacturing popped 14 cents to close at $4.20 with the swapping of 9,986 units, Main Event fell 90 cents to $9.10 after a transfer of 193,929 stocks, Spur Tree Spices traded 423,831 shares in closing at $2.75, but after trading at a 52 weeks’ intraday low of $2.69 and Stationery and Office Supplies declined 89 cents to $14.51 in trading 28,267 shares.
In the preference segment, CAC 2000 9.5% preference share gained 11 cents to end at $1.18 as investors exchanged 201 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.