More gains for Junior Market Index

Investors keep on trading with more aggression since the start of the year, pushing the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange higher, with gains of just under one percent ahead of the 2020 close, after the value of stocks trading climbed 22 percent on Monday over Friday.
Trading ended with 36 securities changing hands compared to 33 on Friday and closed with 11 stocks rising, 21 declining and four remaining unchanged.
At the close, the Junior Market Index increased 19.88 points to settle at 2,665.33, and the average PE Ratio ended at 13.9 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with an exchange of 6,606,503 shares for $19,339,751 compared to 6,980,827 units at $15,826,363 on Friday.
Derrimon Trading accounted for 26.3 percent of total volume, with 1.73 million shares as the leading volume stock, followed by Jamaican Teas with 22.3 percent for 1.48 million units and Lasco Manufacturing with 18.7 percent for 1.23 million shares.
Trading averaged 183,514 units at $537,215 in contrast to 211,540 at $479,587 on Friday. Trading month to date averaged 146,869 units at $361,108, compared to 139,108 units at $323,815 on Friday. December closed with an average of 263,428 units at $638,694.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows four stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Blue Power gained 47 cents in closing at $3.28, with 2,600 shares changing hands, Cargo Handlers shed 10 cents to close at $7.90, with the swapping of 1,090 stocks, Caribbean Cream rose 20 cents to $4.60 after 106,353 units crossed the exchange. Consolidated Bakeries fell 13 cents to $1.20, in an exchange of 16,000 shares. Dolphin Cove closed at $10.59, with a loss of 41 cents and 2,642 shares crossing the exchange, Everything Fresh lost 6 cents in ending at 69 cents after trading 20,000 shares. Express Catering rose 18 cents to $3.65, in switching ownership of 500 stocks, Fontana fell 5 cents to $5.70, with 571,131 stock units clearing the market, Fosrich ended 13 cents lower at $3.85, in switching ownership of 29,497 shares. GWest Corporation lost 5 cents in closing at 70 cents, after exchanging 21,204 stocks, Indies Pharma gained 9 cents to settle at $2.70, after switching ownership of 78,051 stock units, Iron Rock Insurance lost 20 cents to close at $4, finishing with a transfer of 50 shares. Jamaican Teas rose 24 cents to $2.29, in an exchange of 1,476,016 stock units, KLE Group shed 16 cents to close at $1.16, with 5,000 units crossing the market. Lasco Distributors closed at $3.11, with a loss of 9 cents in exchanging 11,100 stock units, Limners and Bards fell 7 cents to $2.58, with an exchange of 30,351 stock units, Mailpac Group gained 7 cents in ending at $2.95, after crossing the market with 662,681 shares. Paramount Trading shed 10 cents in closing at 52 weeks’ low of $1.25 after trading 24,195 stock units, SSL Venture gained 9 cents to end at 59 cents after exchanging 1,000 units and Tropical Battery shed 5 cents ending at $1.13 trading 202,058 shares.

Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.