Stocks mostly rose after a trading 63 percent fewer shares on Wednesday than Tuesday at the close of the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, with the market index inching a few points higher.
Trading ended with 28 securities changing hands, down from 35 on Tuesday and concluded with the prices of 18 stocks rising, four declining and six remaining unchanged.
At the close, the Junior Market Index advanced 9.22 points to settle at 2,723.60. The average PE Ratio ended at 14.3 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with an exchange of 4,652,136 shares for $13,253,906 compared to 12,674,893 units at $24,808,257 on Tuesday.
Mailpac Group led trading with 21.9 percent of total volume with a transfer of 1.02 million shares, followed by Derrimon Trading with 19.7 percent and 916,164 units and Lasco Distributors with 17.9 percent accounting for 832,284 shares.
Trading averaged 166,148 units at $473,354 in contrast to 362,140 at $708,807 on Tuesday. Trading month to date averaged 231,831 units at $553,870, versus 236,210 units at $559,238 on Tuesday. December closed with an average of 263,428 units at $638,694.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
At the close of trading, Blue Power dropped 24 cents to $2.95 in exchanging 10,251 shares, Caribbean Cream rose 9 cents to $4.59 with 100,390 changing hands, Caribbean Flavours lost 5 cents to end at $1.60 with a transfer of 12,313 units. Caribbean Producers gained 4 cents to finish at $2.82 with 119,500 shares traded, Consolidated Bakeries advanced 30 cents to $1.65 with one stock unit changing hands, Everything Fresh rose 4 cents to 74 cents with an exchange of 272 stocks. Express Catering rose 4 cents to $3.49 with 30,651 units passing through the market, Fontana dropped 20 cents to $5.60 with a transfer of 60,513 shares, Fosrich climbed 24 cents to $4.44 with 5,000 stocks traded. Indies Pharma advanced 19 cents to $2.69 with 126,118 units changing hands, Jamaican Teas increased by 6 cents and exchanged 653,810 stock units to finish at a 52 weeks’ high of $2.85, Knutsford Express advanced 15 cents to $6.75 with a transfer of 6,000 units, Lasco Manufacturing dropped 17 cents to $3.90 with 11,060 shares changing hands. 
Limners and Bards gained 10 cents to end at $2.70 with 4,426 units passing through the market, Lumber Depot advanced 17 cents to $1.71 with a transfer of 421,288 stock units, Mailpac Group exchanged 1,016,948 stocks and rose 9 cents to settle at $3.69. Paramount Trading increased by 14 cents to finish at $1.44 with 85 shares changing hands and Stationery and Office Supplies climbed 23 cents to $4.35 with a transfer of 30,685 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
