The volume of stocks traded jumped 141 percent on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Friday, with a 98 percent increase in the value compared to Thursday, following trading in 41 securities similar to trading on Thursday with the market ending with prices of 19 rising, 15 declining and seven closing unchanged.
Trading closed with an exchange of 15,463,887 shares for $32,509,692 compared with 6,422,074 units at $16,407,108 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 377,168 shares at $792,919 compared to 156,636 shares at $400,173 on Thursday, with a month to date, average of 199,598 units at $562,522 compared to 171,380 stock units at $525,908 on the previous day. May closed with an average of 239,954 units at $648,811.
EduFocal led trading with 10.04 million shares for 64.9 percent of total volume followed by JFP Ltd with 1.59 million units for 10.3 percent of the day’s trade and Fosrich with 905,139 units for 5.9 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index dipped 0.84 points to settle at 3,806.04, with the market closing above 3,800 points for a third day after trading opened at 3,854.64.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 10.4. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the 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 four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial dipped $2.83 to close at $22.32, with 2,575 shares crossing the exchange, AMG Packaging rallied 17 cents in closing at $2.67, with 2,691 stock units changing hands, Caribbean Cream shed $1.20 to end at $3.20 after opening at $4.40 and ended with 213,135 stocks crossing the market, Consolidated Bakeries climbed 10 cents to $2.40 after an exchange of 1,000 units. Derrimon Trading increased 8 cents to $1.98 with shareholders swapping 77,796 shares, Express Catering dipped 9 cents to $4.90 as 34,562 units passed through the market, Fontana lost 10 cents in closing at $9.70 after 96,764 stock units crossed the market, Fosrich fell 8 cents to end at $2.15 in switching ownership of 905,139 stocks. 
Future Energy Source rose 8 cents to close at $4.12 with an exchange of 218,150 stocks, General Accident rallied 77 cents to $5.28 following an exchange of 179,497 shares, GWest Corporation popped 15 cents to close at $1.04 after investors exchanged 100,000 stock units, iCreate declined 27 cents and ended at a 52 weeks’ low of 95 cents trading 201,813 units. Iron Rock Insurance dropped 20 cents to $2.15 as investors traded 1,500 shares, ISP Finance advanced $5.49 to end at $26.49 in trading 1,122 stock units, JFP Ltd climbed 13 cents to $1.75 while exchanging 1,593,585 units, Lasco Distributors rose 29 cents to $3.31 in an exchange of 21,706 stocks. Lasco Manufacturing rallied 23 cents in closing at $4.48 with a transfer of just 1,532 stocks, Limners and Bards advanced 15 cents to close at $2.35 with investors transferring 10,118 stock units, Lumber Depot popped 9 cents and ended at $2.29 after closing with 9,045 shares changing hands, Main Event increased 30 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $14.80 after a transfer of 109,876 units. 
MFS Capital Partners dipped 9 cents to close at $3.10, with 288,337 stocks clearing the market, Regency Petroleum gained 11 cents to end at $2.99 with a transfer of 215,726 stock units and tTech fell 26 cents to $2.23 in trading 1,296 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
