The Junior Market stocks closed mostly in negative territory on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday, following activity in 38 securities down from 41 on Tuesday and ending with prices of just 10 rising, 20 declining and eight closing unchanged, with the volume of stocks traded dropping 86 percent with 63 percent lower value than Tuesday, with the market slipping for a third day since the close of May.
The market closed with trading of 3,323,810 shares with a value of a mere $5,956,247, dropping steeply from 23,396,014 stock units at $16,266,034 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 87,469 shares at $156,743 compared with 570,634 stocks with a value of $396,733 on Tuesday. Trading for the month to date, averaged 252,119 units at $272,424, from 326,604 stock units at $324,755 on the previous day, down from May with an average of 419,466 shares at $701,563.
Lasco Financial led trading with 1.11 million shares accounting for 33.5 percent of the total volume, followed by Spur Tree Spices, with 419,289 units for 12.6 percent of the day’s trade and Kintyre Holdings with 373,159 stocks for 11.2 percent of the volume traded.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index lost 21.41 points to end at 3,453.43. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows seven stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 14.1, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for financial years ending around August 2025.
At the close of the market, Access Financial popped 26 cents to end at $15.29 as investors exchanged 3,321 shares, Caribbean Flavours lost 25 cents in closing at $1.39 with a transfer of 81 units, Consolidated Bakeries declined by 5 cents to end at $1.45 after an exchange of 2,209 stocks. Dolphin Cove shedded 34 cents to end at $14.51 after closing with an exchange of 13,344 shares, Express Catering advanced by 6 cents to finish trading at $2.72 after a transfer of 8,425 stock units, Fontana sank 5 cents to close at $9 with 8,915 shares clearing the market. Honey Bun skidded 13 cents to $7.96 in an exchange of 9,772 units, Image Plus fell 6 cents to finish at $1 with traders dealing in 7,511 stocks, ISP Finance dropped $3.55 to $11.40 in an exchange of 9,323 stock units. Jetcon Corporation rose 9 cents to end at $1.09 with a mere 173 shares passing through the market, Knutsford Express gained 50 cents in closing at $13.50 with an exchange of 160 stocks, Main Event sank 27 cents to close at $9.70 with 1,050 units crossing the market. MFS Capital Partners climbed 5 cents to 55 cents after trading 771 stock units, ONE on ONE Educational dropped 10 cents to finish at 87 cents as 11,000 shares crossed the exchange, RA Williams increased 7 cents and ended at 54 cents with investors dealing in 12,000 stocks. Regency Petroleum dipped 37 cents in closing at $3.56 after an exchange of 10,267 units and Stationery and Office Supplies rallied 5 cents to close at $1.48 with investors trading 304,949 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.