Trading closed on Friday, with the market index suffering one of its infrequent declines in recent weeks after trading volumes dropped 49 percent and the value fell 51 percent from Thursday levels on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, as the market at the top of a trading channel that could restrict upward movement for a while.
Trading ended with 37 securities changing hands up from 35 on Thursday and closed with prices of 15 rising, 15 declining and seven closing unchanged.
At the close, the Junior Market Index shed 24.81 points to settle at 3,321.55. The PE Ratio, based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings, averages 12.4.
The market closed with an exchange of 10,030,984 shares for $26,609,052 down from 19,570,020 units at $54,174,348 on Thursday. Future Energy Source led trading with 21.6 percent of total volume for an exchange of 2.16 million shares, followed by Lumber Depot with 18.5 percent after exchanging 1.85 million units and Everything Fresh with 9.3 percent for 930,357 units.
Trading averaged 271,108 units at $719,164, in contrast to 559,143 at $1,547,924 on Thursday, and for the month to date, an average of 349,312 units at $851,510, compared to 357,873 units at $865,997 on Thursday. April closed with an average of 329,241 units at $854,716.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows three stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging lost 6 cents in closing at $1.72 in trading 116,319 shares, Blue Power gained 45 cents to end at $3.95 after crossing the market with 3,508 units, Cargo Handlers advanced $1.19 in closing at $8.70 with an exchange 33 stocks. Caribbean Cream picked up 5 cents to close at $5.66 with the swapping of 10,085 stock units, Caribbean Flavours declined 25 cents to finish at $2.10 in exchanging 720,848 shares. Consolidated Bakeries fell 31 cents, ending at $1.34 in switching ownership of 42,500 stocks, Elite Diagnostic rose 21 cents in closing at $3.13 in crossing the market with 10,312 units, Everything Fresh lost 15 cents to settle at 95 cents, with 930,357 shares changing hands, Express Catering shed $1.03 to close at $4.90 with the swapping of 89,380 stock units. Fontana rose 34 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $6.20 after crossing the market with 383,850 shares, General Accident ended 19 cents higher at $6.10, exchanging 45,854 units. GWest Corporation lost 5 cents in closing at 79 cents after clearing the market with 39,149 shares, Honey Bun rose 42 cents to close at $6.42 in exchanging 215,252 stocks, iCreate shed 1 cent to end at 79 cents crossing the exchange 13,571 stock units. Jamaican Teas gained 40 cents to end at $3.90 in switching ownership of 469,732 shares, 
Lasco Distributors gained 13 cents to close at $4.20 with an exchange of 66,204 units, Lasco Financial ended 6 cents lower at $3.94 with the swapping of 1,000 shares, Lasco Manufacturing gained 6 cents in closing at $5.40 in transferring 82,790 stock units. Lumber Depot gained 17 cents ending at $3.18 after exchanging 1,851,495 units, Mailpac Group shed 26 cents to finish at $3.69 after clearing the market with 867,626 stocks, Stationery and Office Supplies advanced $2.49 to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $9.50 in trading 16,303 shares and tTech dipped 8 cents to end at $5.91 with a transfer of 1,250 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
