Juniors closing in on old 2019 record close

Trading closed on Friday, moved the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market closer to the 3,600 points level ahead of the old record close of August 2019 of 3,662.94 points, with a rise of 16.13 points at the close of Friday to settle at 3,585.75 after trading up to 3,630 points in the early trading session.
Trading calmed, with Spur Tree slipping under 10 million units, but still played a big part in the 16,579,452 shares that traded for $57,855,045, down from 26,022,456 units at $87,517,746 on Thursday. Spur Tree Spices led trading with 8.57 million shares for 51.7 percent of total volume followed by Future Energy Source with 2.3 million units for 13.9 percent of the day’s trade and Jamaican Teas  traded 765,118 units for 4.6 percent market share.
A total of 40 securities traded compared to 43 on Thursday and ended with 15 rising, 19 declining and six, closing unchanged.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 16. The PE ratio of each stock shown in the chart below is based on ICInsider.com earnings forecast for companies with financial years up to August 2022.
Trading averaged 414,486 shares at $1,446,376 in contrast to 605,173 shares at $2,035,296 on Thursday and month to date, an average of 332,829 units at $1,278,375, compared to 326,758 units at $1,265,884 on the prior trading day. December closed with an average of 409,209 units at $1,318,877.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one stock with a lower offer.
At the close, Access Financial rallied $1.27 to end at $26.28 after exchanging 3,509 shares, CAC 2000 rose 77 cents to close at $8.27 after trading 100 units, Cargo Handlers shed 28 cents to $7.20 with the swapping of 47,124 stock units. Caribbean Assurance Brokers dropped 13 cents in closing at $2.90 in switching ownership of 471,657 stocks, Caribbean Cream advanced 25 cents to $5.40 while exchanging 100 shares, Consolidated Bakeries fell 11 cents to close at 99 cents 313,892 units crossing the exchange. Dolphin Cove gained $2.25 to end at $22.25 in trading 698,461 stocks, Express Catering lost 25 cents in closing at $5.10, with 478,008 stock units clearing the market, Fosrich popped $2.44 to a record $14.49 after 5,368 units changed hands. Future Energy Source increased 25 cents ending at $3.45 after trading 2,299,167 stock units, General Accident declined 30 cents to close at $6 in an exchange of 28,495 shares, Honey Bun climbed 15 cents to end at $9.60, with 1,539 stocks crossing the market. iCreate shed 9 cents after ending at 79 cents in exchanging 378,448 units, Iron Rock Insurance gained 10 cents to $3, with 2,287 stocks changing hands, ISP Finance rallied $3.30 in closing at $36.30 trading 34 shares. Jamaican Teas increased 10 cents to $3.99 with an exchange of 765,118 stock units, KLE Group fell 15 cents in ending at $2.80 after exchanging 17,063 stock units, Lasco Financial popped 7 cents in closing at $3.03 with 59,980 shares changing hands. Limners and Bards lost 7 cents to close at $3.42 with an exchange of 40,153 units, Lumber Depot declined 9 cents to end at $2.90 after an exchange of 435,151 stocks, Main Event dropped 40 cents in closing at $3.98, with 32,127 units clearing the market. Spur Tree Spices fell 13 cents to $2.15 in trading 8,566,940 shares, SSL Venture popped 40 cents in ending at a 52 weeks’ high of $1.30 after exchanging 187,244 stock units and tTech declined 20 cents to close at $4 with 6,760 stocks changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.