Junior Market plunges

The Junior Market Index plunged 52.88 points to close at 3,840.90 on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday, with a 53 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded and a 62 percent more value than on Tuesday with 42 securities trading compared with 41 on Tuesday and ended with 15 rising, 20 declining and seven closing unchanged, after three stocks closed at 52 weeks’ high and one at a 52 weeks’ low.
Investors traded 6,681,293 shares for $19,409,351 versus 4,369,373 units at $12,002,310 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 159,078 shares at $462,127 compared with 106,570 units for $292,739 on Tuesday with the month to date, averaging 203,801 units at $477,438 compared with 206,921 stock units at $478,506 on the previous day. July closed with an average of 326,541 units for $843,878.
Stationery and Office Supplies led trading with 1.02 million shares for 15.3 percent of total volume, followed by Future Energy Source with 920,263 units for 13.8 percent of the day’s trade and Spur Tree Spices ended trading with 732,924 units for 11 percent of market share.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 10.7. 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 six stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, CAC 2000 slipped 9 cents to $6.90, with just 11 shares crossing the market, Cargo Handlers lost $1.04 and ended at $16.41 after investors traded 639 units, Caribbean Assurance Brokers shed 36 cents to close at $2.53, with 110 stocks changing hands. Caribbean Cream popped 35 cents to $3.82, with 15 units crossing the market, Consolidated Bakeries dropped 42 cents to $2.27 after 3,499 shares were traded, EduFocal dipped 17 cents in closing at a 52 weeks’ low of $1.32 in switching owners of 219,708 units. Elite Diagnostic fell 21 cents to end at $1.68 as 80,060 stock units passed through the market, Express Catering lost 77 cents and ended at $4.27 with investors exchanging 19,071 shares, Fontana rose 40 cents to close at $11 after a transfer of 300,250 stocks. Fosrich climbed 16 cents to close at $2.06 after an exchange of 157,437 shares, Future Energy Source dipped 20 cents to close at $3.50 after an exchange of 920,263 stock units, General Accident fell 51 cents and ended at $4.43 while exchanging 30,502 units. Honey Bun rallied 25 cents to end at $6.45 with shareholders swapping 6,247 shares, ISP Finance rose $2.57 to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $31.12 in an exchange of 2,737 units, Knutsford Express shed 19 cents in closing at $11.01 with investors dealing in 8,440 stocks. Lasco Distributors gained 24 cents and ended at 52 weeks’ high of $4.94 with investors exchanging 384,973 stock units, Lasco Financial declined 32 cents to close at $1.80 with 20,000 shares clearing the market, Lasco Manufacturing increased 19 cents to a 52 weeks’ high of $5.69 with an exchange of 234,576 stocks. Limners and Bards dropped 17 cents in closing at $1.81 after 19,256 units changed hands, Lumber Depot declined 8 cents to end at $1.96 with a transfer of 6,002 stock units, Main Event increased 32 cents and ended at $14.50 with investors dealing in 8,559 shares. Medical Disposables fell 59 cents in closing at $4.26 in an exchange of 1,014 units, MFS Capital Partners dipped 20 cents to $2.20 with 213,878 stock units crossing the exchange, Regency Petroleum climbed 8 cents to end at $2.28 in trading 304,736 stocks and Stationery and Office Supplies lost 20 cents to close at $1.80 in trading 1,021,750 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.