The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Thursday, with the market rising as more stocks rose than fell as investors traded 37 percent fewer shares than Wednesday, but with almost the same dollar value.
Trading ended with 31 securities changing hands compared to 29 on Wednesday and ended with the prices of 17 stocks rising, the prices of 10 stocks declining and four, with remaining unchanged.
At the close, the Junior Market Index gained 25.28 points to settle at 2,508.27. The average PE Ratio of the market ended at 10.7 based on IC Insider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with an exchange of 1,750,144 shares for $6,183,716 compared to 2,756,985 units at $6,229,918 on Wednesday.
Mailpac Group led trading with 29.2 percent of total volume resulting in an exchange of 510,609 shares followed by Main Event, with 20.7 percent for 362,231 units and Indies Pharma with 9.3 percent or 162,846 stock units.
Trading ended with an average of 56,456 units at $199,475 in contrast to 95,068 at $214,825 on Wednesday. For the month to date, the average trade resulted in an exchange of 104,530 units at $241,734 compared to 108,463 units at $245,191 on Wednesday. Trading in August resulted in an average of 104,426 units at $321,996.
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 three with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Access Financial lost 2 cents to end at $21.56 in an exchange of 100 shares, AMG Packaging gained 24 cents to finish at $1.80 after trading 4,500 stock units, Blue Power gained 46 cents to settle at $3.50 with 35,357 units changing hands. Caribbean Assurance Brokers added 1 cent to close at $1.92 with 2,093 shares passing through the market, Caribbean Cream climbed 30 cents to settle at $4.30 with investors switching ownership of a mere 1,000 stocks, Caribbean Flavours declined by 56 cents to settle at $17.04 with 46,963 stocks traded. Caribbean Producers fell 3 cents to $2.32 in an exchange of 8,000 shares, Consolidated Bakeries lost 15 cents to settle at $1.35 with investors transferring 566 shares, Dolphin Cove rose 10 cents to finish at $7 with 100 stock units changing hands. Elite Diagnostic closed 3 cents higher at $3.28 with 26,921 units passing through the market, Everything Fresh fell 6 cents to settle at 65 cents in an exchange of 22,000 stocks, Express Catering declined 15 cents to end at $4.20 with investors trading 10,487 units. Fosrich gained 4 cents to close at $3.64 with an exchange of 19,081 stocks, General Accident jumped 70 cents to finish at $7 with 110,300 stocks traded, GWest Corporation advanced 2 cents to end at 98 cents with 500 stock units passing through the market. 
Honey Bun gained 38 cents to settle at $5.09 with 200 shares changing hands, Jamaican Teas advanced 50 cents to close at $4.55 while exchanging 192 stocks, Knutsford Express lost 5 cents to finish at $6.85 with 1,100 stocks traded. Lasco Distributors increased 7 cents to end at $3.07 with 2,862 stock units passing through the market, Lasco Financial slipped 3 cents to $2.10 with investors transferring 22,581 shares Lasco Manufacturing advanced 12 cents to close at $3.65 with 123,555 stocks changing hands. Limners and Bards lost 17 cents to finish at $2.70 with an exchange of 7,432 stock units, Lumber Depot declined by 5 cents to settle at $1.04 with investors switching ownership 0f 58,541 shares, Mailpac Group traded 510,609 stock units and rose 1 cent to end at $2.06. Medical Disposables climbed 15 cents to $5.14 in an exchange of 50,000 shares, Stationery and Office Supplies climbed 2 cents to finish at $5.60 with investors transferring 1,200 stock units and tTech gained 5 cents to settle at $5.80 with 123 stocks crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
