New record close for Junior Market

Rising stocks outpaced those declining by more than two to one at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market on Friday, as the volume and value of stocks traded rose 40 percent, respectively, over Thursday, with the market closing at a new record high to be up 32.3 percent for 2022 to date.
The Junior Market Index advanced 5.78 points to settle at a record close of 4,537.15.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 13.8. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks incorporate ICInsider.com projected earnings for companies with financial years closing up to the end of August 2023.
A total of 44 securities traded up from 42 on Thursday and ended with 28 rising, 13 declining, with three unchanged.
Overall, 18,509,529 shares traded for $77,694,953, up from 13,259,209 units at $55,620,943 on the Thursday. AMG Packaging led trading with 3.34 million shares for 18 percent of total volume, followed by Future Energy Source with 2.53 million units for 13.7 percent of the day’s trade, JFP Limited ended with 1.85 million units for 10 percent market share. EduFocal exchanged 1.52 million units for 8.2 percent market share, Mailpac Group with 1.32 million units for 7.1 percent market share and Lasco Distributors with 1.21 million units for 6.5 percent market share.
Trading averaged 420,671 shares at $1,765,794 in contrast to 315,695 shares at $1,324,308 on Thursday with month to date, averaging 420,345 units at $2,125,294 versus 420,260 units at $2,218,892 on the previous trading day. April closed with an average of 449,923 units at $1,781,786.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four stocks with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial climbed $1.70 to $25.70, with 24,333 shares clearing the market, AMG Packaging rose 17 cents in closing at $3.77 after trading 3,339,123 stocks, CAC 2000 rallied 67 cents to $7.42 in exchanging 110 stock units. Cargo Handlers gained 26 cents to $12.50, with 47,727 units crossing the market, Caribbean Cream rallied 10 cents to close at $5.35, with 170 stock units changing hands, Consolidated Bakeries dropped 16 cents to close at $1.19 after exchanging 333,361 shares. Dolphin Cove popped $1.19 to $21.99 with the swapping of 32,836 stocks, EduFocal rose 18 cents in closing at $3.48 trading 1,520,340 units, Elite Diagnostic lost 65 cents in ending at $3.90 with an exchange of 334,865 shares. Everything Fresh advanced 14 cents to end at $1.69 in an exchange of 106,074 stock units, Future Energy Source declined 29 cents to close at $7.11 with 2,533,969 units changing hands, General Accident shed 15 cents in closing at $6, with 51,195 stocks crossing the exchange. iCreate fell 24 cents to end at $3.45 while exchanging 467,069 stocks, ISP Finance popped $5 to end at $27 in exchanging 441 units, Jamaican Teas declined 25 cents to $3.51 in switching ownership of 946,429 shares. Lasco Manufacturing rose 25 cents to end at $5.35 after 61,867 stock units changed hands, Mailpac Group shed 11 cents to $3.06, with 1,318,018 units crossing the market, Medical Disposables gained 15 cents in ending at $7 after an exchange of 42,054 shares. Stationery and Office Supplies increased 50 cents in closing at $9.50, trading 5,094 stock units, Tropical Battery rallied 12 cents to close at $2.74, with 512,723 stocks crossing the market and tTech climbed 17 cents ending at $3.90, with 607,636 stocks changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.