Declining stocks pound the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday following trading in 42 securities compared with 43 on Wednesday, with prices of just 10 rising, 22 declining, and 10 left unchanged as trading jumped, with the volume of stocks changing hands rising 39 percent, with an 86 percent greater value than on Wednesday.
The market closed with trading of 5,162,477 shares for $10,476,652, surging from 3,705,830 units at $5,632,292 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 122,916 shares at $249,444, up from 86,182 stock units at $130,984 on Wednesday, with the month to date, averaging 1,082,408 units at $2,632,416, after slipping from 1,163,166 stock units at $2,832,987 on the previous day and well over June’s average of 186,843 shares at $332,162.
Mailpac Group led trading with 1.42 million shares for 27.5 percent of the total volume, followed by One Great Studio, which ended with 626,041 stock units for 12.1 percent of the day’s trade and Atlantic Hardware with 520,880 stocks for 10.1 percent of the volume traded.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index lost 13.50 points to end at 3,382.78. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for financial years ending around August 2025.
At the close of a tough day of trading, Access Financial gained $3.86 to close at $19.89 with investors dealing in just 100 shares, Cargo Handlers declined 10 cents to $11 after closing with an exchange of 2,025 stocks, Caribbean Assurance Brokers rose 19 cents to finish at $1.99 in trading 2,846 shares. Caribbean Flavours rallied 12 cents to end at $1.62 after investors traded 210 units, Dolla Financial fell 6 cents to end at $2.46, with 44,977 stock units clearing the market, Dolphin Cove popped 39 cents in closing at $13.99 as investors exchanged 79,980 shares. Elite Diagnostic skidded 10 cents to $1.51, after trading of 9,865 stock units, Express Catering sank 6 cents to finish at $2.63 with traders exchanging 47,745 units, Future Energy dipped 13 cents and ended at $2.67 with 495,975 stocks crossing the market. Honey Bun lost 71 cents in closing at $7.22 in an exchange of 27,873 shares, Image Plus advanced 6 cents to end at $1.06 with investors trading 464,910 stock units, ISP Finance increased 59 cents to close at $15 with 108 units crossing the exchange. 
Knutsford Express slipped 30 cents to $12 after a transfer of 217 stocks, Lasco Financial sank 21 cents to finish at $1.78 as investors switched ownership of 8,950 shares, Mailpac Group dropped 12 cents to end at $2.33 with traders dealing in 1,417,751 stock units. Main Event climbed $1.53 to $8.94 with 11,373 stocks changing hands, Omni Industries shed 15 cents in closing at a 52 week low of 51 cents with an exchange of 88,960 stock units, Paramount Trading increased 6 cents to close at 86 cents with 11,067 shares passing through the market. Regency Petroleum fell 5 cents to $3.85 with a transfer of 37,539 units, Spur Tree Spices at a 52 week low of 89 cents after slipping a cent in trading 58,327 shares and Tropical Battery popped 14 cents to finish at $2 with investors swapping 4,368 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.