Junior Market holds on

Rising stocks squeezed out declining ones at the end of Mondays’ trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange as the market closed out November with the market eking out a modest gain as it ended the month with a small net gain over October’s close as it remained in a narrow trading range from the summer months.
The market closed with a sharply increased volume of 221 percent and valued 247 percent over Friday’s level.
Trading ended with 34 securities changing hands compared to 35 on Friday and closed with the prices of 17 stocks rising, 14 declining and three remaining unchanged. Investors traded 10,722,538 shares for $28,515,368 compared to 3,342,645 units at $8,216,185 on Friday. Derrimon Trading led trading with 35.2 percent of the total volume for 3.78 million shares followed by Mailpac Group with 16 percent for 1.72 million units. Tropical Battery with 14.7 percent market share for 1.58 million units and Fontana with 11.3 percent for 1.20 million units changing hands.
The Junior Market Index gained just 2.24 points to settle at 2,516.07, with the average PE Ratio ending at 13.4 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Trading averaged 315,369 units at $838,687 in contrast to 95,504 at $234,748 on Friday. For the month to date, the average trade is 193,331 units at $566,885, compared to 187,110 units at $553,030 on Friday. October averaged 230,868 units at $535,509.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows six stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Access Financial rose 50 cents to close at $22.50, after trading 55,442 shares, AMG Packaging picked up 4 cents to finish at $1.59, exchanging 4,082 units, Blue Power fell 70 cents to $2.55, trading 52,551 stock units. Cargo Handlers ended at $7.31, with gains of 95 cents trading 512 units, Caribbean Assurance Brokers lost 18 cents transferring 17,811 shares to close at $1.72, Caribbean Cream declined 1 cent to $4.12, with 2,829 units passing through the market. Caribbean Flavours gained 8 cents to end at $1.75, with an exchange of 7,342 stock units, Caribbean Producers shed 21 cents trading 45,685 stocks to end at $2.42, Derrimon Trading lost 5 cents to end at $2.35 with 3,778,850 shares passing through the market. Dolphin Cove advanced 40 cents to $6.65, after the swapping of 6,651 units, Elite Diagnostic rose 28 cents to $3.30 trading 1,109 units, Everything Fresh gained 10 cents to end at 76 cents in exchanging 5,001 units. Express Catering closed 20 cents higher at $4, after crossing the exchange with 590 units, Fosrich lost 7 cents to end at $4, with the swapping of 12,387 stock units, General Accident gained 5 cents to settle at $6.20, after exchanging the market with 154,082 shares. GWest Corporation slipped 4 cents to 65 cents trading 15,205 units, Honey Bun gained 2 cents to end at $4.85 in clearing the market with 216,107 stocks, Indies Pharma carved out a gain of 7 cents to $2.58, in trading 59,122 units. Jamaican Teas lost 4 cents to end at $2.01, after clearing the market with 795,817 shares, Jetcon Corporation ended at 82 cents, with gains of 7 cents while trading 43,464 shares, Knutsford Express slid 29 cents to $5.71, with the swapping of 566 units. Lasco Financial lost 5 cents to end at $2.55 after exchanging 25,684 stock units, Lasco Manufacturing lost 14 cents to $3.66, after trading 57,387 stock units, Limners and Bards carved out a gain of 13 cents to end at $2.63, in an exchange of 210,501 shares. Lumber Depot rose 14 cents to $1.35, with 259,988 shares changing hands, Mailpac Group climbed 7 cents to $2.21, with 1,717,151 stock units changing hands, Medical Disposables shed 42 cents to close at $3.93, with the trading of 77,098 shares. Paramount Trading rose 18 cents to close at $1.50, with an exchange of 665 units, SSL Venture lost 4 cents to end at 53 cents, switching of ownership of 1,100 units, Stationery and Office Supplies ended at $4.43, after losing 12 cents transferring 4,152 units and Tropical Battery gained 13 cents to close at $1.23, in trading 1,579,900 shares.