Month end gain for Junior Market

The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange squeezed out a modest gain on Tuesday to close out the month after a 75 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded, with an 82 percent increase in value compared with Monday, after 46 securities changed hands, up from with 42 on Monday and ended with prices of 22 rising, 15 declining and nine trading unchanged.
A total of 15,831,268 shares were exchanged for $44,907,966 up from 9,033,630 units at $24,644,140 on Monday.
Trading averaged 344,158 shares at $976,260 up from 215,086 units at $586,765 on Monday, with trading month to date averaging 318,024 units at $782,332 compared with 316,508 stock units at $771,083 on the previous day. Trading in January averaged 239,755 shares at $646,375.
JFP Ltd led trading with 3.02 million shares for 19.1 percent of total volume, followed by Fosrich with 2.13 million units for 13.4 percent of the day’s trade, Indies Pharma with 1.73 million units for 10.9 percent, Dolla Financial with 1.71 million units for 10.8 percent market share, Spur Tree Spices with 1.56 million units for 9.9 percent and Regency Petroleum with 1.39 million units for 8.8 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index gained 27.43 points to settle at 3,837.30.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 12.2. 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 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 13 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial climbed $2.95 to $25.95 after an exchange of 38,787 shares, AMG Packaging lost 10 cents ending at $2.60 after it traded at an intraday 52 weeks’ low of $2.25 and transferring 282,294 stock units, Blue Power gained 15 cents in closing at $2.43 with investors trading 680 units. Cargo Handlers advanced $1.24 to $14.51 with an exchange of 227 stocks, Caribbean Cream shed 19 cents to close at $3.31 after 77,875 stocks passed through the market, Caribbean Flavours dipped 20 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ low of $1.45 with 4,170 shares changing hands. Consolidated Bakeries popped 22 cents in closing at $2.42 after a transfer of265 stock units, Dolphin Cove declined 64 cents to $14.56 as investors exchanged 87,758 units, Future Energy Source rallied 15 cents to end at $4.70 with the swapping of 385,383 units. iCreate gained 8 cents in ending at $1.79 after investors exchanged 35,554 stock units, Indies Pharma rose 15 cents to $3.05 in switching ownership of 1,731,974 shares, JFP Ltd gained 23 cents to close at $1.95 in trading 3,024,280 stocks. Knutsford Express advanced $2.90 to a 52 weeks’ high of $13 in an exchange of 111,135 shares, Lasco Distributors gained 9 cents to end at $2.79 with the swapping of 131,491 units, Limners and Bards popped 15 cents in closing at $2.65 with 12,735 stocks changing hands. Lumber Depot rose 13 cents ending at $2.40 with a transfer of 251,965 stock units, Main Event dipped 64 cents to $11.20 after exchanging 111 stock units, Medical Disposables popped 29 cents to finish at $5.14 after trading 18 stocks. Regency Petroleum rallied 24 cents in closing at a record high of $2.43 with 1,393,928 shares crossing the exchange, Spur Tree Spices rose 18 cents to close at $2.98 in switching owners of 1,559,762 units and Tropical Battery gained 12 cents to end at $2.34 trading 339,627 stock units.
In the preference segment, CAC 2000 9.5% preference share lost 12 cents ending at $1 in exchanging 1,366 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.