The Junior Market Index of the Jamaica Stock Exchange plunged 50.34 points to 2,480.92 on the last trading day of August, with the prices of 12 stocks rising, 16 declining and five remaining unchanged, after 33 securities changed hands compared to 25 on Friday.
At the close, the average PE Ratio of the market ended at 10.2 based on IC Insider.com forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The Trading ended, with a 35 percent more shares passing through the market after investors exchanged 2,428,264 shares for $7,011,769 compared to 1,802,587 units at $6,948,536 on Friday. Mailpac Group led trading with 1.26 million shares for 51.8 percent of total volume followed General Accident with 210,110 units for 8.7 percent of the day’s trade and iCreate with 210,000 units for 8.6 percent market share.
Trading ended with an average of 73,584 units at $212,478 in contrast to 72,103 at $277,941 on Friday. For the month to date, the average trade resulted in an exchange of 104,414 units at $321,996, in comparison to 106,156 units at $328,185 on Friday. Trading in July resulted in an average of 248,153 units at $668,727.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows five stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Access Financial advanced $6.02 to $26.10 in an exchange of 10,056 shares, AMG Packaging gained 3 cents to end at $1.73 with 28,100 stock units changing hands, Blue Power closed at $3.20, after losing 5 cents and exchanging 15,500 shares. Caribbean Assurance Brokers lost 1 cent to finish at $2.08, in trading 6,818 units, Caribbean Cream ended at $3.90, with a loss of 7 cents in exchanging 9,780 units. Caribbean Flavours shed 50 cents, in falling to $17.50 with investors swapping 26,783 stock units, Caribbean Producers fell 1 cent to $2.44 and clearing the market with 22,090 stocks, Consolidated Bakeries slipped 1 cent to settle at $1.35 in exchanging 35,000 shares. Elite Diagnostic gained 1 cent to close at $3.01 while exchanging 24,431 units, Express Catering dropped 48 cents to settle at $3.46 in trading 199,371 shares, Fontana declined 20 cents to $4.79 after exchanging 74,757 stock units. General Accident shed 50 cents to close at $6.10 with 210,110 shares crossing the market, iCreate gained 5 cents to close at 70 cents after trading 210,000 shares, Iron Rock Insurance rose 30 cents in closing at $3.15, with investors switching ownership of 2,000 units. Jamaican Teas carved out a gain of 20 cents in ending at $4.70, with 11,034 stock units changing hands, Jetcon Corporation ended 5 cents higher at 80 cents, in transferring 3,500 stock units, Knutsford Express closed at $6.90, with gains of 5 cents trading 19,911 stock units. Lasco Distributors lost 18 cents to end at $3.01 after exchanging 39,926 shares, Lasco Financial gained 6 cents to end at $2.15 in an exchange of 49,500 stock units, Lasco Manufacturing finished 9 cents higher at $3.60, with 8,900 stock units crossing the market.
Limners and Bards carved out a gain of 13 cents to end at $2.69 while exchanging 4,888 stock units, Lumber Depot lost 5 cents in closing at $1 while trading 17,125 stocks, MailPac Group declined 2 cents to $2, after exchanging 1,258,085 shares. Medical Disposables fell 23 cents to $4.67, with a transfer of 7,653 stock units, Paramount Trading shed 18 cents to settle at $1.52, in an exchange of 10,200 stock units, Stationery and Office Supplies dropped 20 cents to settle at $5.60 after trading 46,175 stock units and tTech lost 1 cent to end at $5.40 with investors swapping 3,112 stocks.
In the preference segment of the junior market, CAC 2000 9.5% preference share gained 12 cents to settle at $1.15 with an exchange of just 100 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
