Declining stocks beat out rising ones leading to a modest fall in the market index for a second day on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market at the close on Wednesday, as 43 percent fewer shares traded than on Tuesday.
Trading ended with 40 securities changing hands, up from 37 on Tuesday, closing with prices of 15 stocks rising, 18 falling and seven remaining unchanged.
At the close, the Junior Market Index declined by 1.98 points to settle at 2,566.75. The average PE Ratio ended at 13.9 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Trading accounted for 4,707,073 shares for $11,350,211 versus 8,230,022 units at $21,433,604 on Tuesday. Lumber Depot led trading with 18.4 percent of total volume or 864,828 shares, followed by Mailpac Group with 13.3 percent after a transfer of 626,578 stock units and Caribbean Producers with 10.4 percent market share for an exchange of 491,823 units.
Trading averaged 117,677 units at $283,755 in contrast to 222,433 at $579,287 on Tuesday. Month to date averaged 308,140 units at $744,848, down from 321,842 units at $778,020 on Tuesday. November averaged 193,331 units at $566,885.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close of trading, Access Financial rose 10 cents to $20.60 in exchanging 2,270 shares, Blue Power jumped 54 cents to $3.29 with a transfer of 605 stocks, CAC 2000 dropped $2 to $8 with 2,760 stock units changing hands, Caribbean Assurance Brokers rose 4 cents to $1.89 with 500 units traded, Caribbean Cream slipped 3 cents to $4.46 with 200 shares crossing the market, Caribbean Flavours gained 4 cents to settle at $1.69, trading 121,491 stocks. Caribbean Producers exchanged 491,823 units and increased 5 cents to end at $2.80, Derrimon Trading dipped 10 cents to $2.30 with a transfer of 333,993 stocks, Dolphin Cove advanced 15 cents to $7.45 with 3,800 units changing hands, Elite Diagnostic fell 13 cents to $2.86 with 151,411 stock units traded, Everything Fresh slipped 9 cents to 65 cents with 21,581 shares passing through the market, Express Catering climbed 27 cents to $3.77 with investors switching ownership of 7,123 units. Fontana lost 8 cents to finish at $5.40, exchanging 235,128 stock units, Fosrich declined by 5 cents to end at $4.15 with a transfer of 7,079 shares, General Accident rose 1 cent to $5.99 with 152,121 units changing hands. GWest Corporation slipped 3 cents to 70 cents with 2,855 stock units traded, Honey Bun dipped 10 cents to $6 with 50,272 stocks passing through the market, iCreate fell 3 cents to 61 cents with investors switching ownership of 103,335 units. Indies Pharma lost 2 cents to settle at $2.72 with 735 stocks changing hands, Iron Rock Insurance jumped 57 cents to $3.77 with a transfer of 12,283 shares, Jamaican Teas slipped 10 cents to $1.90 with 381,673 stock units changing hands. Jetcon Corporation declined 6 cents to end at 71 cents with 326,592 units traded, Knutsford Express advanced 15 cents to $6.65 with 10,774 shares passing through the market, Lasco Distributors dropped 19 cents to $3.06 with investors switching 16,501 stocks. 
Lasco Financial slipped 1 cent to $2.76 with a transfer of 11,500 stock units, Lasco Manufacturing fell 12 cents to $3.68 with an exchange of 12,000 units, Limners and Bards closed 1 cent higher at $2.88 with 309,488 shares changing hands. Mailpac Group traded 626,578 stocks and increased by 3 cents to settle at $2.79, Main Event jumped 35 cents to $3.40 with 26,037 units passing through the market, Medical Disposables lost 3 cents to finish at $4.24 with investors trading 15,000 shares. SSL Venture rose 6 cents to 57 cents with 250 stock units changing hands, Tropical Battery slipped 1 cent to $1.15 with 389,844 stocks changing hands and tTech lost 1 cent to end at $4.20 with 2,000 shares crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
