Junior Market gains momentum on Friday

Just over four times more funds chased 270 percent more shares on Friday than on Thursday as trading closed with the market rising to the second highest close for the past fourteen and a half months at the close of trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange.  
Overall, 36 securities changed hands compared to 37 on Thursday, ending with the prices of 11 stocks rising, 15 declining and 10 trading unchanged as Consolidated Bakeries traded at a 52 weeks’ high of $1.80 and at a closing high of $1.75 and Fosrich closed at a 52 weeks’ high of $6.
The Junior Market Index rose 20.60 points to finish at 3,055.12, up 15.9 percent in 2021. The PE Ratio based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings averaged 12.4.
Investors exchanged 16,851,842 shares for $54,745,219, up sharply from 4,549,153 units at $13,069,947 on Thursday.
Mailpac Group led trading with 61.2 percent of  the total volume covering 10.32 million shares, followed by Lasco Manufacturing 11.4 percent, with 1.92 million units and Tropical Battery with 10.4 percent market for 1.75 million units and Caribbean Flavours accounted for 6.1 percent after ending with 1.02 million units changing hands.
The day’s average trade is 468,107 units at $1,520,701, compared to 122,950 units at $353,242 on Thursday. The average month to date is 210,840 units at $675,151, compared to 181,344 units at $578,209 on Thursday. March closed with an average of 252,633 units at $733,196. Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than the last selling prices and none with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial gained 51 cents to finish at $20.06 with 2,042 shares traded, Blue Power rose 28 cents to $3.79 with 16,557 units changing hands, Caribbean Cream jumped $1.09 to $6.34 with a transfer of 141,467 stock units. Consolidated Bakeries rose 11 cents to end at a closing 52 weeks’ high of $1.75, after an exchange of 84,080 stocks, Elite Diagnostic fell 25 cents to $2.90 with investors switching ownership of 12,500 shares, Fontana slipped 6 cents to $5.92 with 189,677 units traded. Fosrich climbed 50 cents to a 52 weeks’ high of $6, with 11,160 stock units changing hands, General Accident gained 5 cents to end at $5.85 with a transfer of 46,136 stocks, iCreate declined by 7 cents to 73 cents with an exchange of 19,590 shares. Indies Pharma lost 6 cents to settle at $4.24 with investors switching ownership of 34,215 units, Lasco Distributors advanced 24 cents to $3.99, with 270 stocks traded, Lumber Depot rose 6 cents to $2.47 with, 180,752 shares changing hands. Main Event dropped 18 cents to $4.74 in with a transfer of 5,000 units, Paramount Trading slipped 10 cents to $1.32 with investors switching ownership of 15,000 stock units and tTech gained 18 cents to close at $4.59, with 2,092 stocks crossing the exchange.
In the preference segment, CAC 2000 9.5% lost 5 cents to finish at $1.40, with 56,000 shares changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.