Junior Market stocks end with sharp jump

Bulls pushed the Jamaica Stock Exchange up sharply in trading on Thursday, with the Market Index surging 62.93 points to settle at 3,483.42, with the volume of stocks traded declining 34 percent and the value falling by 13 percent lower than on Wednesday on a day when rising stocks outdid those declining on a two to one ratio as three stocks high 52 weeks’ highs. 
A total of 35 securities traded versus 39 on Wednesday and ended with 17 rising, nine declining and nine ending unchanged.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages  14.9. The PE ratio of stocks in the chart below is computed based on ICInsider.com earnings forecast for companies with financial years up to August 2022.
A total of 5,944,460 shares traded for $28,932,503 down from 8,986,092 units at $33,239,994 on Wednesday. Caribbean Assurance Brokers led trading with 1.6 million shares for 26.9 percent of total volume as the price ended at a 52 weeks’ high of $3.01. Lumber Depot followed, with 749,354 units for 12.6 percent of the day’s trade and Limners and Bards with 692,009 units for 11.6 percent market share.
Trading averaged 169,842 shares at $826,643, compared to 230,413 shares at $852,308 on Wednesday and the month to date, averaging 137,680 units at $548,051 versus 133,915 units at $515,440 on Wednesday. December closed with an average of 409,209 units at $1,318,877.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one stock with a lower offer.
At the close, Access Financial jumped $1.51 to end at $19.11 in switching ownership of 1,000 shares, AMG Packaging climbed 38 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $3.23 with an exchange of 274,387 stock units, Blue Power increased 26 cents to $3.65 after trading 2,000 stocks. Caribbean Cream rallied 80 cents to close at $6 after 47,952 units changed hands, Dolphin Cove gained 40 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $20, with 589,607 stocks clearing the market, Elite Diagnostic popped 11 cents in ending at $3.09 after trading 92,188 shares. Express Catering fell 15 cents to close at $5.20 after an exchange of 85,633 units, Fontana rose 15 cents in closing at $7.40 trading 51,622 stock units, Fosrich spiked 50 cents to end at $12, with 19,555 stock units crossing the market. Honey Bun lost 38 cents to end at $9.10 in exchanging 86,553 shares, Lasco Manufacturing advanced 35 cents in closing at $4.85 with 11,046 units crossing the market, Limners and Bards declined 21 cents in ending at $3.49 with the swapping of 692,009 stocks. Mailpac Group dipped 10 cents to $3.30, with 308,749 stocks changing hands, Medical Disposables rallied 80 cents to end at $7.50 in an exchange of 13,323 units and tTech shed 40 cents to close at $4.30 in trading 2,820 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.