Juniors make major gains on Friday

The junior market closed on Friday with the index jumping by 31.29 points back over 1,000 mark at 1,017.38 and a total of 4 stocks advancing, 4 declining as 8 securities traded. The market ended with 949,893 units, valued at $1,986,436 changing hands. Shortage of supply and increased demand for a number of stocks, prevented a more robust trading level for this market.
At the close 3 securities ended with no bids to buy, while 8 had no stocks being offered for sale. A total of 4 stocks closed with bids higher than the last traded prices and 1 closed with a lower offer.
In trading, Access Financial closed at $13 with 2,732 units changing hands, to gain 50 cents, Caribbean Cream traded just 10,000 units with a gain of 30 cents at $2.05, General Accident Insurance ended with 71,624 units changing hands at $1.50, in the process lost 1 cent. Jamaican Teas traded 1,860 units to end at $3 with a loss of 14 cents, Lasco Distributors with 459,421 units trading, ended with a loss of 5 cents at $1.95. Lasco Financial had 27,130 shares changing hands to end at $1.90, for a gain of 1 cents, Lasco Manufacturing with 357,626 shares trading, closed at a 52 weeks’ high of $2.21, with a gain of 18 cents and Medical Disposables ended with 19,500 shares changing hands to end at $2.45 with a loss of 5 cents.
Supply have declined sharply for Caribbean Cream and Lasco Manufacturing, with offers now well above the last traded prices with demand above $1.90 for Caribbean Cream and over $2 for Lasco Manufacturing.