Junior Market slips on Thursday

Trading closed on Thursday, with the volume of stocks traded rising 18 percent with the value increasing 10 percent higher than on Wednesday at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market, which ended with the Market Index declining.
Market activity led to 42 securities trading compared to 43 on Wednesday and ended with 18 rising, 17 declining and seven closing unchanged. At the close, the Junior Market Index shed 27.76 points to close at 3,975.71.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 21. The PE ratio of each stock in the chart below is based on ICInsider.com earnings forecast for companies with financial years up to August 2022.
Overall, 37,553,313 shares traded for $87,439,082 compared to 31,775,636 units at$ 79,249,482 on Wednesday. JFP Limited led trading with 18.41 million shares for 49 percent of total volume, followed by  EduFocal with 9.72 million units for 25.9 percent of the day’s trade. Lumber Depot with 2.28 million units for 6.1 percent market share, Tropical Battery with 1.84 million units for 4.9 percent market share and Caribbean Flavours with 1.28 million units for 3.4 percent market share.
Trading averaged 894,127 shares at $2,081,883 in contrast to 738,968 shares at $1,843,011 on Wednesday and month to date, an average of 562,132 units at $2,200,659, compared to 531,620 units at $2,211,575 previously traded. February closed with an average of 370,064 units at $1,402,517.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial rallied $2.55 to end at $21, with 1,559 shares crossing the market, Blue Power rose 61 cents to $4 while exchanging 22,039 stocks, CAC 2000 rose 36 cents to close at $7.89 in an exchange of 1,462 units. Cargo Handlers climbed $1.87 after ending at $11.01 in trading 16,540 stock units, Dolphin Cove gained $2.15 in closing at $24.15 after exchanging 27,441 units, EduFocal popped 57 cents to end at a record of $2.32 in trading 9,716,123 shares. Express Catering fell 17 cents to close at $5 with an exchange of 10,295 stock units, Fosrich lost 10 cents in ending at $16.85 with 91,159 stocks changing hands, General Accident increased 25 cents to end at $6.15 with 3,000 shares clearing the market. GWest Corporation dropped 13 cents in closing at 94 cents in exchanging 10,206 stocks, Honey Bun advanced 79 cents to close at $9.71 after trading 23,898 stock units, Jamaican Teas popped 12 cents in closing at $3.60 with 262,059 units changing hands. JFP Limited declined 15 cents to $1.70, with 18,409,007 shares crossing the market, Knutsford Express shed 10 cents to end at $7.90 in switching ownership of 3,290 stocks Lasco Distributors fell 19 cents to end at $3.60 after trading 206,064 units. Limners and Bards lost 10 cents to $3.38 with an exchange of 263,888 stock units, Lumber Depot rallied 21 cents to end at $3.45 with the swapping of 2,279,622 stock units, Main Event dropped 90 cents to close at $6 in an exchange of 19,214 units and Paramount Trading rose 13 cents in closing at $1.80 in switching ownership of 1,000 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.