More decline for Junior Market

The volume of stocks traded on Wednesday rose moderately but with a 35 percent greater value than Tuesday at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market, with declining stocks continuing to dominate trading.
Forty securities were exchanged versus 41 on Tuesday and ended with 15 rising, 21 declining and four closing unchanged. The Junior Market Index dropped 32.16 points to the close at 4,105.69.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 12.4. PE ratios of Junior Market stocks incorporate ICInsider.com projected earnings for companies with financial year end between November and August 2023.
A total of 8,258,271 shares traded for $40,111,273, up from 7,596,593 units at $29,795,186 on Tuesday. Trading averaged 206,457 shares at $1,002,782 in contrast to 185,283 shares at $726,712 on Tuesday with month to date, averaging 234,262 units at $911,555 compared to 239,768 units at $893,491 on the previous trading day. May closed with an average of 376,907 units at $1,638,631.
Elite Diagnostic led trading with 2.56 million shares for 31 percent of total volume, followed by Cargo Handlers with 1.12 million units for 13.5 percent of the day’s trade and Future Energy Source with 646,783 units for 7.8 percent market share.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Blue Power lost 10 cents to end at $3.70 with the swapping of 1,637 shares, Caribbean Assurance Brokers increased 24 cents in closing at $2.36 with an exchange of 8,900 stocks, Consolidated Bakeries popped 9 cents to end at $1.29 while exchanging 517 units. Dolphin Cove shed $1.54 in ending at $15.25 after trading 111,570 stock units, EduFocal declined 13 cents to close at $2.85, with 66,225 stocks crossing the market, Elite Diagnostic dropped 24 cents to end at $3.40, with 2,559,627 units changing hands. Everything Fresh rose 27 cents in closing at $1.42 after trading 139,303 stock units, Express Catering rallied 14 cents to $5.74 in an exchange of 34,826 shares, Fontana fell 22 cents to $9.61, with 61,180 stock units crossing the exchange. Fosrich dropped $1.69 to close at $26.30 in exchanging 70,067 units, Future Energy Source declined 8 cents in ending at $6.01 after trading 646,783 stocks, Honey Bun fell 40 cents to $8.50 with 9,178 shares changing hands. Indies Pharma gained 8 cents to end at $3.08 in switching ownership of 202 stock units, Iron Rock Insurance fell 22 cents to close at $3.08 after exchanging 2,000 units, Jetcon Corporation shed 7 cents in closing at $1.20 trading 184,180 shares. JFP Limited dropped 13 cents after ending at $1.32 with 442,535 stocks clearing the market, Lasco Distributors advanced 10 cents to $3.30, with 25,481 shares changing hands, Lasco Financial lost 8 cents to close at $3.40 after exchanging 53,923 stock units. Mailpac Group climbed 9 cents to end at $2.79 while exchanging 430,010 units, Medical Disposables declined 11 cents to $7 and closed with 55,943 stocks changing hands, Paramount Trading advanced 26 cents to $2.02, trading 1,380 stock units. Spur Tree Spices fell 7 cents to $3.73 in exchanging 466,408 stocks and Stationery and Office Supplies shed 95 cents to end at $10.10 in an exchange of 271 shares.
In the preference segment, CAC 2000 9.5% preference share lost 14 cents to close at $1.01 in exchanging a mere one unit.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.