Junior Market trading jumps, index plunges

Trading jumped on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Thursday and resulted in a big drop in the market index after a 56 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded, carrying 85 percent more value than Wednesday with trading in 45 securities compared with 44 on Wednesday and ended with prices of 14 rising, 17 declining and 14 closing unchanged, with the Junior Market Index plunging 41.11 points to end at 3,757.91.
Trading closed with 5,660,363 shares for $14,953,776 up from 3,622,295 units at $8,075,268 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 125,786 shares at $332,306, compared with 82,325 units at $183,529 on Wednesday with the month to date, averaging 163,424 units at $386,693 compared to 166,173 stock units at $390,666 on the previous day and February with an average of 253,246 units at $637,481.
EduFocal led trading with 1.58 million shares for 27.8 percent of total volume followed by Lumber Depot with 1.15 million units for 20.4 percent of the day’s trade and Future Energy with 807,980 units for 14.3 percent market share.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.8, 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 nine stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Caribbean Assurance Brokers declined 15 cents to $2.20 with investors swapping 1,555 shares, Derrimon Trading advanced 12 cents to end at $1.98 after a transfer of 2,923 units, Dolphin Cove shed 28 cents in closing at $19.50 with an exchange of 54,424 shares. Fosrich popped 6 cents to close at $2.13 with 30,223 stock units changing hands, GWest Corporation climbed 12 cents and ended at 97 cents after 1,179 shares crossed the exchange, Honey Bun lost 23 cents to $6.84 trading 5,220 units. Image Plus rose 5 cents to close at $1.94 with investors transferring 16,172 stocks, KLE Group gained 17 cents and ended at $2.15 in an exchange of 49,957 stock units, Knutsford Express skidded 72 cents to end at $11.22 with investors dealing in 275 shares. Lasco Distributors fell 19 cents in closing at $4.23 with a transfer of 309,110 stocks, Lasco Financial dropped 15 cents to $1.80 after 15,041 stock units passed through the market, Lasco Manufacturing sank 30 cents and ended at $5.15 in trading 312,815 stock units. Lumber Depot dipped 8 cents in closing at $2.51 after exchanging 1,154,211 shares, Main Event rallied 53 cents to $14.53, with 2,000 units crossing the market, Medical Disposables increased 20 cents to close at $2.50 while exchanging 44 stocks. One Great Studio lost 6 cents to 93 cents with 27,655 stock units clearing the market, Tropical Battery popped 13 cents to end at $2.23 in an exchange of 30,131 shares and tTech skidded 13 cents in closing at $2.30, with 539 stocks crossing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.