Junior Market jumps into black

Investors pushed the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange index over the 4,000 points mark for the first time since the end of January and moved it back into the black for the first time since, with the market rising 11.6 percent from the low point in February this year at the close, the Junior Market Index rose 27.22 points to close at 4,011.23.
Trading on Friday ended with the volume of stocks traded rising 32 percent valued 27 percent more than Thursday with 42 securities changing hands compared with 44 on Thursday and ended with 18 rising, 11 declining and 13 closing unchanged.
A total of 6,035,265 shares were traded for $17,244,300 compared with 4,560,776 units at $13,565,316 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 143,697 shares at $410,579 up from 103,654 shares at $308,303 on Thursday with the month to date, averaging 167,368 units at $603,757 compared to 172,891 stocks at $648,832 on the previous day. June closed with an average of 319,230 units at $854,456.
Dolla Financial led trading with 1.31 million shares for 21.6 percent of total volume followed by MFS Capital Partners with 1.21 million units for 20.1 percent of the day’s trade and Fosrich with 1.13 million units for 18.7 percent of the day’s trade.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 11.4. 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 seven stocks mended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Blue Power lost 57 cents in closing at $3 after 11,020 shares were traded, Cargo Handlers shed 30 cents and ended at $18 with shareholders swapping 3,000 units, Caribbean Cream advanced 49 cents to close at $4.52 in an exchange of 61,951 stock units, Caribbean Flavours dipped 8 cents to $1.22 with stakeholders exchanging 5,000 stocks. Consolidated Bakeries declined 19 cents to end at $2.80 with a transfer of 20,185 stock units, Dolla Financial rose 8 cents to $2.43 with investors trading 1,305,738 stocks, Express Catering popped 15 cents to close at $5.40 with an exchange of 3,024 shares, Fontana dropped 89 cents to end at $11.21 with investors transferring 37,362 units. iCreate gained 13 cents to end at $1.30 after 359,406 stock units crossed the market, Image Plus Consultants climbed 12 cents in closing at $2.19 after 201,444 stocks passed through the market, ISP Finance fell $4.39 in closing at $20.01 with an exchange of 16,187 shares, Lasco Distributors rallied 47 cents to $4.07 with 26,347 units clearing the market. Lasco Manufacturing increased 29 cents and ended at $4.79 with 1,276 units changing hands, Limners and Bards rallied 8 cents to close at $2.20 after an exchange of 77 stock units, Main Event advanced 49 cents to end at $16.49 as investors exchanged 1,000 stocks, MFS Capital Partners fell 18 cents after it ended at $2.70 with a transfer of 1,214,901 shares. Paramount Trading popped 10 cents to close at $2.10, with 316 units crossing the market, Stationery and Office Supplies lost $1.40 to end at $27 in trading 86,722 shares and tTech increased 24 cents to $2.25 while exchanging 4 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.