Junior Market plunges Friday

Trading plunged on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange into a steep fall on Friday, with a minor slippage in the volume of stocks traded and a 15 percent lower than on Thursday with trading in 44 securities similar to activity on Thursday and ended with the prices of just 11 stocks rising compared with 27 that declined and six closing unchanged.
Investors traded 4,686,473 shares for $13,003,928 compared with 4,727,854 units at $15,265,121 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 106,511 shares at $295,544, compared with 107,451 shares at $346,935 on Thursday with the month to date, averaging 251,168 units at $651,123 compared to 267,041 stock units at $690,139 on the previous day. June closed with an average of 319,230 units at $854,456.
Lumber Depot led trading with 2.01 million shares for 43 percent of total volume followed by Dolla Financial with 485,453 units for 10.4 percent of the day’s trade and Derrimon Trading with 321,913 units for 6.9 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index dipped 61.50 points to close at 3,955.62.
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 three stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Cargo Handlers lost $1.50 to close at $18 after switching ownership of 3 shares, Caribbean Assurance Brokers dipped 11 cents and ended at $3.09 in an exchange of 17,944 units, Caribbean Cream shed 59 cents to close at $4.07 with 5,042 stock units changing hands, Caribbean Flavours lost 10 cents to end at $1.26 after a transfer of 10,187 stocks. Consolidated Bakeries fell 18 cents in closing at $2.80 in trading 13,983 shares, Dolphin Cove dropped 75 cents to close at $16.30 as investors exchanged 21,107 stock units, EduFocal popped 9 cents in closing at $1.88 with investors trading 37,417 units, Express Catering shed 17 cents to end at $5.25 after exchanging 37 stocks. Fontana rose 42 cents to close at $10.97 in switching ownership of 67,411 stock units, Fosrich declined 8 cents to end at $2.22 after trading 96,243 shares, Future Energy Source fell 15 cents to $3.81 after an exchange of 112,655 units, Honey Bun dipped 17 cents to close at $6.50 with a transfer of 193,881 stocks. Image Plus Consultants shed 21 cents to $2.09 after stakeholders ended trading 207,296 shares, Indies Pharma advanced 9 cents in closing at $3.20 with 311 stock units changing hands, Iron Rock Insurance lost 15 cents to end at $2.50 in an exchange of 10,021 stocks, ISP Finance dropped $2.99 to $20.01 with 5,004 units clearing the market. Jamaican Teas shed 25 cents to $2.09 with shareholders swapping 193,102 stocks, Knutsford Express declined 45 cents to close at $11.50 with stakeholders exchanging 1,759 units, Lasco Financial dipped 8 cents in closing at $2.31 in exchanging 16,959 stock units, Main Event gained 9 cents in ending at $15.99  with investors trading 1,594 shares and Stationery and Office Supplies dropped 35 cents to finish at $28 as investors transferred 32,972 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.