The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed moderately higher on Monday, following a sharp 86 percent drop in the volume of stocks traded, with a 47 percent lower value compared with Friday. Trading closed with an exchange of 41 securities, up from 40 on Friday and ended, with prices of 14 rising, 22 declining and five closing unchanged.
The market closed with trading of 15,613,674 shares for $16,471,833, down from 109,906,939 stock units at $31,108,989 on Friday.
Trading ended with an average of 380,821 shares at $401,752, after a fall from 2,747,673 stock units at $777,725 on Friday. Trading for the month to date, averages 578,935 units at $562,405, marginally lower than 596,709 sharess at $576,818 on the previous day but higher than April, with an average of 504,653 shares at $502,169.
The most recently listed Woodcats International led trading with 5.05 million shares for 32.3 percent of total volume, followed by Kintyre Holdings, with 3.50 million stocks for 22.4 percent of the day’s trade and MFS Capital Partners with 1.37 million units for 8.8 percent of the day’s volume.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index advanced by just 4.03 points to settle at 3,109.70. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator ends with eight stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and eight with lower offers.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.2. ICInsider.com compiles the PE ratios, which are derived by dividing the last traded price of a stock by the earnings per share for companies with their fiscal year ending around August 2026.
At the close, AMG Packaging slipped 6 cents to $2 after an exchange of 24,386 shares, Atlantic Hardware rallied by 18 cents to close at $1.88, after 815,075 stocks passed through the market, following release of positive first quarter results, Blue Power fell by 5 cents and ended at $3.85 with traders dealing in 1,011 units. Caribbean Cream popped 10 cents to finish at $1.66 after a transfer of a mere 5 shares, Caribbean Flavours declined 6 cents to close at $1.19 in trading 10,433 stock units, Consolidated Bakeries lost 6 cents in closing at $1.25 after an exchange of 841 shares. Derrimon Trading dropped 5 cents to $1.52, following trading of 191,263 stock units, Dolla Financial sank 6 cents to $2.36 with an exchange of 46,262 stocks, Dolphin Cove skidded 30 cents in closing at $10.11, with 2,330 units crossing the market. Everything Fresh sank 7 cents and ended at $2.20 with investors trading 9,149 shares, Express Catering gained 20 cents to close at $2.25 in switching ownership of 198,189 stocks, Fontana shed 5 cents to finish at $6.45 with investors trading 216,575 units. 
Future Energy dipped 10 cents to $3.80, with 394,231 stock units crossing the exchange, Honey Bun lost 9 cents to $6.10 with a transfer of 876 shares, Indies Pharma rose 8 cents and ended at $2.73 with investors swapping 25,816 units. Jamaican Teas slipped by 7 cents to end at $2.26 with an exchange of 6,162 stocks, Jetcon Corporation dipped by 8 cents in closing at $2.81 with investors dealing in 171,634 stock units, Knutsford Express advanced 75 cents to close at $9 in an exchange of 3,438 shares. Lasco Financial sank 10 cents to $1.55 with 136,628 stock units changing hands, Lumber Depot increased 5 cents to $2.45 as investors exchanged 498,079 units, Mailpac Group rallied 10 cents and ended at $2.41, with 483,288 stocks clearing the market. Main Event skidded 80 cents tto $6, with 3,755 units changing hands, Omni Industries increased 12 cents to close at $1.03, with 881,716 stocks crossing the market and Woodcats International fell 5 cents to 77 cents with traders dealing in 5,050,519 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.