Juniors dip first day trading after Christmas

Trading closed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Wednesday, with rising stocks edging out those declining but the market Index dipped 26.97 points to 3,881.38, with a 74 percent drop in the volume of stocks traded at a 77 percent lower value than last Friday after 44 securities changed hands versus 46 on Friday and ended with prices of 20 rising, 18 declining and six closing unchanged.
Blue Power, Lasco Distributors and Lasco Financial Services traded at 52 weeks’ intraday low.
A total of 9,386,191 shares were traded for $22,930,537 compared to 36,083,718 units at $101,351,606 on Friday.
Trading averaged 213,323 shares at $521,149 compared with 784,429 units at $2,203,361 on Friday. Trading for the month to date averages 331,726 units at $914,708 compared with 338,982 stock units at $938,826 on the previous trading day. Trading in November averaged 259,893 units at $711,335.
Regency Petroleum led trading with 2.54 million shares for 27 percent of total volume followed by ONE on ONE Educational with 2.32 million units for 24.8 percent of the day’s trade and Fosrich with 632,583 units for 6.7 percent market share.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 12.5. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are based on ICInsider.com projected earnings for the financial year endings that falls between November this year and August 2023.
The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with a lower offer.
At the close, AMG Packaging dipped 46 cents to close at $2.50 as investors transferred 24,922 shares, Blue Power dropped 24 cents to end at $2.74 as 1,588 units passed through the market after the price hit an intraday 52 weeks’ low of $2.53, Caribbean Assurance Brokers rose 20 cents in closing at $2.18 after 6,140 stock units crossed the market. Caribbean Flavours lost 11 cents in ending at $1.69 after 1,002 stocks changed hands, Consolidated Bakeries popped 14 cents to $1.84 in exchanging just one share, Dolla Financial shed 13 cents to close at $2.82 with the swapping of 540,840 stock units. Dolphin Cove increased 38 cents to $15.16 after trading 210,424 units, Elite Diagnostic gained 14 cents to end at $3.20 after a transfer of 10,005 stocks, Express Catering rallied 15 cents in closing at $5.05 after an exchange of 5,910 shares. General Accident declined 55 cents to $4.45, with 473 stocks crossing the market, Honey Bun advanced 21 cents to end at $7.42 in an exchange of 18,747 stock units, Indies Pharma climbed 25 cents to $2.85 with a transfer of 3,140 units. Knutsford Express fell 11 cents to $8.89 in switching ownership of 60 stock units, Limners and Bards rallied 13 cents in closing at $2.64 as investors exchanged 2,000 shares, Main Event shed 65 cents to close at $9.30, with 21,767 units changing hands.  MFS Capital Partners declined 11 cents to end at $2.99 in exchanging 88,987 stock units, Regency Petroleum climbed 10 cents to $1.50 in trading 2,536,498 units and Stationery and Office Supplies increased 78 cents to $15.75 after an exchange of 28,914 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.