Junior market off to negative August start

Trading closed on the first day of activity in August on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Tuesday, with the volume of stocks traded declining 36 percent and the value 33 percent lower than on Friday with 42 securities trading versus 46 on Friday with 11 rising, 26 declining and five closing unchanged.
A total of 10,799,453 shares traded for $35,702,081 compared to 16,884,408 units at $53,033,472 on Friday. Trading averaged 257,130 shares at $850,050 in contrast to 367,052 shares at $1,152,902 on Friday. July closed with an average of 512,709 units at $2,574,304.
Fosrich led trading with 3.42 million shares for 31.7 percent of total volume, followed by Dolla Financial with 1.08 million units for 10 percent of the day’s trade and Jamaican Teas with 1.07 million units for 9.9 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index lost 13.95 points to 4,188.36. The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 12.5. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks incorporate ICInsider.com projected earnings for companies with financial year end that falls between November this year and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial shed 44 cents in ending at $22.55 after exchanging 5,100 shares, Cargo Handlers fell 35 cents to $13.60 after trading 3,900 units, Caribbean Assurance Brokers declined 20 cents to $2.40 after 281,964 stocks changed hands. Caribbean Cream lost 24 cents to close at $4.05, trading 6,301 stock units, Derrimon Trading dropped 11 cents to $2.50, with 164,998 units crossing the exchange, Dolla Financial declined 11 cents to close at $2.89 in exchanging 1,083,841 shares. Dolphin Cove shed 23 cents in closing at $15.70 in an exchange of 12,106 stock units, EduFocal fell 25 cents to $2.25, with 772,572 stocks clearing the market, Elite Diagnostic gained 38 cents to end at $3.59 with the swapping of 10,738 stocks. Everything Fresh lost 14 cents in ending at $1.20 with an exchange of 76,934 stock units, Fontana dropped 20 cents to $10 while exchanging 90,488 shares, Fosrich fell 14 cents to $3.25 in switching ownership of 3,424,259 units. Future Energy Source dropped 10 cents in closing at $5.60, with 396,453 stocks changing hands, iCreate shed 31 cents to end at $4.55 after exchanging 277,538 stock units, Iron Rock Insurance declined 31 cents to close at $2.96 in trading 6,350 units. Limners and Bards lost 26 cents in ending at $2.74, with 19,978 shares crossing the market, Main Event shed 30 cents to close at $7.50 after 13,033 units changed hands, Spur Tree Spices fell 10 cents to $4.10, with 319,755 stocks clearing the market. SSL Venture declined 10 cents in closing at $3.40 after an exchange of 243,894 shares, Stationery and Office Supplies increased $1.40 to end at $18.40 in trading 144,384 stock units, Tropical Battery dropped 13 cents in closing at $2.70 in exchanging 345,387 shares and tTech climbed 32 cents to close at $3.43 in an exchange of 20,502 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.