Juniors marching slowly higher

The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange moved one step closer to taking out January 2023 high as it continues its quiet rally that started since mid March as it added more gains in the market index on Monday, accompanied by a 39 percent fall in the volume of stocks traded, with the value 28 percent lower than on Friday after trading in 45 securities compared with 42 on Friday and ended with 14 rising, 21 declining and 10 closing unchanged.
Investors traded 3,691,376 shares for $12,494,675 compared with 6,035,265 units at $17,244,300 on Friday.
Trading averaged 82,031 shares at $277,659 compared to 143,697 stocks at $410,579 on Friday with a month to date average of 152,985 stock units at $548,796 in comparison to 167,368 shares at $603,757 on the previous trading day. June closed with an average of 319,230 units at $854,456.
Dolla Financial led trading with 1.07 million shares for 29 percent of total volume followed by ONE on ONE Educational, with 365,478 units for 9.9 percent of the day’s trade and Image Plus Consultants ended with 287,072 units for 7.8 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index rose 8.76 points to conclude trading at 4,019.99.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 11.4. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded price in conjunction with ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial advanced $2.28 to $24.99 after a transfer of just 100 shares, Cargo Handlers gained $1 to close at $19, with 1,105 stocks crossing the exchange, Caribbean Cream rallied 13 cents to end at $4.65 after 6,830 stock units passed through the market, Consolidated Bakeries slipped 20 cents to $2.60 with stakeholders exchanging 1,363 units. Dolphin Cove fell 10 cents to $16.70 after just 910 stocks crossed the market and the price hit an intraday 52 weeks’ high of $17.35, Everything Fresh climbed 8 cents to close trading at $1.68 in switching ownership of 50,314 shares, Express Catering dropped 10 cents to $5.30 with a transfer of 276 units, GWest Corporation rose 13 cents to close at $1.18 after trading 12,820 stock units. Honey Bun lost 33 cents to end at $6.34 in 8,350 shares changing hands,iCreate fell 11 cents in closing at $1.19 with an exchange of 30,972 units, ISP Finance rose $4.38 to $24.39 in an exchange of just one stock, Lasco Distributors declined 18 cents to $3.89 as investors traded 11,343 stocks. Lasco Manufacturing lost 54 cents in ending at $4.25 while 9,050 shares passed through the market, Main Event declined 35 cents to $16.14 while exchanging 27,845 units, Medical Disposables popped 47 cents in closing at $5.21 after 100 stock units changed hands, MFS Capital Partners dipped 9 cents to end at $2.61 with shareholders swapping 136,715 stocks. Paramount Trading fell 54 cents to $1.56, with 14,285 stock units changing hands, Spur Tree Spices shed 8 cents to $2.10 after exchanging 262,762 stocks, Tropical Battery dipped 13 cents in closing at $1.92 after an exchange of 118,523 shares and tTech shed 14 cents to close at $2.11 with investors transferring 2,000 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.