Lasco Manufacturing commands Junior Market

Lasco Manufacturing dominated Junior Market trading on Wednesday.

Fresh from a sharp 41 percent jump in second-quarter profit, Lasco Manufacturing dominated trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday with almost 88 percent of the day’s volume leading to an exchange of 135 percent more shares worth 321 percent in value than on Tuesday.
Trading ended with 36 securities changing hands compared to 30 on Tuesday and closed with the prices of 16 stocks rising, 14 declining and six ending unchanged.
At the close, the Junior Market Index lost 23.48 points to settle at 2,518.62. The average PE Ratio ended at 11.4 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with an exchange of 25,127,529 shares for $95,287,962 compared to 10,660,690 units at $22,630,394 on Tuesday. Lasco Manufacturing dominated trading with 87.8 percent of total volume for 22.07 million shares, followed by Mailpac Group with 3.1 percent accounting for 771,442 units and Jamaican Teas with 318,824 units for 1.3 percent market share.
Trading ended with an average of 697,987 units at $2,646,888 in contrast to 355,356 at $754,346 on Tuesday. The average trade month to date amounts to 232,182 units at $657,223, compared to 159,902 units at $348,482 on Tuesday. Trading in October resulted in an average of 230,868 units at $535,509.
At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows four stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Access Financial fell $1.20 to $20, with an exchange of 4,046 stock units, Blue Power lost 17 cents in closing at $3.30 and trading 766 units, CAC 2000 declined $3 to settle at $11 after exchanging 1,818 units. Cargo Handlers shed 89 cents to close at $6.35, with 607 units changing hands, Caribbean Assurance Brokers finished 15 cents lower at $1.75, in trading 8,362 stock units, Caribbean Cream gained 26 cents to close at $3.96, with 13,653 stock units passing through the market. Caribbean Flavours eased 14 cents to $1.70, after an exchange of 114,121 shares, Consolidated Bakeries picked up 5 cents to close at $1.45, with 4,000 units changing hands, Derrimon Trading shed 13 cents to end at $2.31, in transferring 164,180 shares. Dolphin Cove gained 5 cents trading 5,100 stock units to finish at $7, Elite Diagnostic lost 5 cents to close at $3.05 after exchanging 10,100 stock units, Express Catering gained 26 cents in closing at $3.76, with 59,315 shares crossing the market. Fontana settled at $4.98, with a gain of 1 cent and exchanging 99,583 shares, Fosrich closed 24 cents higher at $3.89, after crossing the exchange with 19,326 stock units, GWest Corporation fell 13 cents to 75 cents, in transferring 15,000 stock units. Honey Bun lost 1 cent in ending at $4.84, with 2,230 units changing hands, iCreate shed 2 cents to settle at 65 cents after 113,097 shares crossed the exchange, Iron Rock Insurance rose 1 cent to close at $3.21, with 10,501 stock units changing hands. Jamaican Teas gained 36 cents to close at $5.95, in crossing the market with 318,824 shares, Jetcon Corporation closed 7 cents higher at 85 cents, with 1,500 units crossing the exchange, Knutsford Express gained 20 cents in closing at $6.70, trading 8,731 units. Lasco Distributors lost 13 cents to finish at $3.01, with investors swapping 62,362 shares, Lasco Manufacturing rose 10 cents to $4 after exchanging 22,072,049 shares, Limners and Bards gained 2 cents to close at $2.55, with an exchange of 11,626 stock units. Lumber Depot lost 2 cents to settle at $1.25 after 316,007 shares crossed the market, Mailpac Group gained 7 cents to end at $2.21, with an exchange of 771,442 shares, Main Event rose 1 cent to $3 in trading 228,412 shares. Medical Disposables shed 37 cents to end at $4.30, transferring 2,000 units, Paramount Trading gained 7 cents in closing at $1.58, with an exchange of 52,014 shares and Stationery and Office Supplies picked up 5 cents to settle at $4.55, with 36,430 stock units changing hands.