The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Friday, after declining, with more stocks falling than rising as investors traded five percent fewer shares but with a 15 percent higher value than on Thursday.
Trading ended with 32 securities changing hands compared to 31 on Thursday and concluded with the prices of 14 stocks rising, the prices of 13 declining and five with prices remaining unchanged. At the close, the Junior Market Index lost 32.10 points to finish the week at 2,507.17. The average PE Ratio of the market ended at 10.3 based on IC Insider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with an exchange of 1,217,915 shares for $3,340,277 compared to 1,285,358 units at $2,896,174 on Thursday.
On a day of low volumes, Indies Pharma led trading with 350,453 shares for 29 percent of total volume, followed by Mailpac Group with 293,441 units for 24 percent of the day’s trade and Fontana with 94,240 units for 7.7 percent market share.
Trading ended with an average of 38,060 units at $104,384 in contrast to 41,463 at $93,425 on Thursday. For the month to date, the average trade resulted in 115,829 units changing hands at $329,630, in comparison to 122,004 units at $347,515 on Thursday. 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 ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close of the market, CAC 2000 jumped $1.54 to end at $12 with investors transferring 100 stock units, Cargo Handlers lost 77 cents to settle at $6.53 in the exchange of 4,600 stock units, Caribbean Assurance Brokers slipped 1 cent to $2.22 in trading 12,020 shares. Caribbean Flavours declined by 4 cents to finish at $14.95 with 18 stock units changing hands, Caribbean Producers lost 3 cents to close at $2.40 in an exchange of 92,418 units, Derrimon Trading ended 24 cents higher at $2.77 with investors transferring 20,100 shares. Everything Fresh rose 11 cents to finish at 72 cents with 11,918 stocks trading, Express Catering fell 2 cents to settle at $3.50 with investors switching ownership of 19,400 units. Fontana gained 7 cents to close at $4.88 with 94,240 units changing hands, Fosrich declined by 5 cents to end at $3.75 in the exchange of 859 shares, General Accident carved out a loss of 30 cents in trading 18,289 stocks to settle at $6.70. Honey Bun lost 1 cent to close at $5.09 with investors transferring 16,364 shares, iCreate advanced 4 cents to finish at 67 cents with an exchange of 46,450 units, Indies Pharma dropped 30 cents to end at $2.50 with 350,453 shares traded. 
Jetcon Corporation gained 4 cents to settle at 86 cents with 11,030 shares changing hands, Knutsford Express rose 9 cents to close at $6.90 in the exchange of 17,718 stock units, Lasco Distributors slipped 2 cents to $3.24 with investors transferring 6,165 units. Lasco Financial fell 13 cents to settle at $2.16 with 50,561 shares traded, Lasco Manufacturing shed 28 cents to finish at $3.61 with 4,089 stock units changing hands, Limners and Bards gained 5 cents to close at $2.74 with an exchange of 28,282 stock units. Lumber Depot increased by 8 cents to end at $1.05 with investors transferring 32,270 stocks, Mailpac Group advanced by 3 cents and traded 293,441 shares to close at $2.03, Main Event climbed 47 cents to end at $3.97 with 100 units changing hands. Medical Disposables declined by 5 cents to close at $4.90 in an exchange of 23,650 stock units, Stationery and Office Supplies gained 18 cents to finish at $5.79 trading 100 stocks and tTech rose 16 cents to close at $5.50 with 200 stocks crossing the exchange.
In the preference sector, Derrimon Trading preference share carved out a gain of 30 cents to finish at $2.30 with 100 stock units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
