Junior Market trading falls off

Trading pulled back all-around at the close of the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday, with a 59 percent drop in the volume of stocks traded with a 60 percent decline in the value compared to Wednesday and resulting in the trading of 39 securities down from 41 on Wednesday, ending with prices of 12 rising, 15 declining and 12 closing unchanged.
Investors exchanged 2,442,247 shares at $4,763,066 compared to 5,954,626 units at $12,034,127 on Wednesday.
Trading ended with an average of 62,622 shares at $122,130 compared to 145,235 units at $293,515 on Wednesday with the month to date averaging 130,432 units at $307,707 compared with 146,364 stock units at $351,306 on the previous day and November that closed with an average of 262,280 units at $587,545.
Stationery and Office Supplies led trading with 541,346 shares for 22.2 percent of total volume followed by Jamaican Teas with 299,806 units for 12.3 percent of the day’s trade and One Great Studio with 289,403 units for 11.8 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index shed 12.14 points to cease trading at 3,713.03.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Access Financial rose $1.79 and ended at $25.49 with shareholders swapping a mere 1,000 shares, AMG Packaging skidded 30 cents to $2.30 after an exchange of 1,562 units, Cargo Handlers rallied $1.45 in closing at $14.95 with investors transferring 1,330 shares. Caribbean Flavours fell 9 cents to end at $1.50 after an exchange of 400 stock units, Derrimon Trading shed 16 cents to close at $1.87 with a transfer of 30,656 shares, Dolphin Cove increased 87 cents to $17.40 after 797 stock units passed through the market. EduFocal popped 17 cents to end at $1.93 in an exchange of 85,150 stocks, ISP Finance picked up $6 in closing at $30 with traders dealing in just 30 units, Jamaican Teas declined 10 cents to close at $2.30, with 299,806 shares crossing the market. JFP Ltd lost 11 cents and ended at $1.41 with an exchange of 25,970 units, Knutsford Express dipped 13 cents to $12.80 while trading 41 stocks, Medical Disposables dipped 38 cents to end at $2.92 in switching ownership of 4,906 stock units and Spur Tree Spices lost 8 cents in closing at $2.11 while exchanging 112,204 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.