Investors pushed up stocks to record highs during trading on Wednesday, leading to the suspension of five stocks for breaching the circuit breaker limit on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market in the morning session. The market hit new record highs, aided by Fosrich that jumped to a record $27 before closing at $26.90 after announcing a proposal for the board to consider the recommendation of a stock split and rights issue later this year.
New record high for the JSE Junior Market.
Trading ended with 60 percent more shares with 96 percent increased value than Tuesday. Market activity led to 42 securities trading, compared to 43 on Tuesday, ending with 15 rising, 23 declining and four closing unchanged. The Junior Market Index rose 20.80 points to settle at a record close of 4,289.53 after hitting a record intraday high of 4,316.66. Three stocks ended trading at 52 weeks’ closing highs, with Paramount traded at a 52 weeks’ intraday high of $2.85, while Tropical Battery traded at a record high of $2.85 before pulling back to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $2.69.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 13.6. The PE ratio of each stock in the chart below is based on ICInsider.com earnings forecast for companies with financial years up to August 2023.
Overall, 17,123,040 shares traded valued $73,979,105, up from 10,723,885 units at $37,772,473 on the Tuesday. Jamaican Teas led trading with 4.29 million shares for 25 percent of total volume, followed by iCreate, 1.57 million units for 9.2 percent of the day’s trade, 
Elite Diagnostic traded 1.53 million units for 8.9 percent of market share. Tropical Battery had an exchange of 1.33 million units for 7.7 percent market share and Derrimon Trading ended with 1.03 million units for 6 percent market share.
Trading averaged 407,691 shares at $1,761,407 up from 249,393 shares at $878,430 on Tuesday with the month to date, averaging 484,085 units at $1,817,071 compared to 490,882 units at $1,822,024 on the previous trading day. March closed with an average of 719,276 units at $2,636,802.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial lost 50 cents to close at $21, with 2,228 shares crossing the exchange, Blue Power rallied 20 cents to $3.80 in trading 100 stock units, Dolphin Cove dropped 25 cents in closing at $21.50, with 146,987 units crossing the market. EduFocal declined 10 cents to $3.67 after exchanging 662,463 stocks, Elite Diagnostic fell 43 cents to end at $4.17, with 1,532,056 stock units crossing the market, Fontana shed 45 cents to close at $10.45 with an exchange of 129,040 shares. Fosrich surged $4.90 in ending at a record high of $26.90 after exchanging 693,741 stocks, General Accident advanced 17 cents to close at $6.17 in an exchange of 11,236 units, Honey Bun fell 25 cents in closing at $9.60, with 33,389 stocks changing hands. iCreate popped 32 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $1.94 in exchanging 1,570,186 stock units, Jamaican Teas rallied 54 cents to $3.95 with the swapping of 4,288,461 units, KLE Group declined 33 cents in closing at $2.35 while exchanging 4,396 shares. 
Lasco Financial dropped 10 cents to close at $3.40 in switching ownership of 2,103 stocks, Lasco Manufacturing climbed 19 cents to end at $5.19 after trading 98,218 units, Mailpac Group gained 14 cents ending at $3.28 after trading 382,107 stock units. Main Event shed 10 cents to close at $7.90, with 110,989 shares clearing the market, Spur Tree Spices rose 10 cents to end at $3.70 as 559,615 shares changed hands, SSL Venture lost 42 cents in closing at $1.40 in switching ownership of 524,914 stock units and Stationery and Office Supplies rallied $1.18 to $9.10 while exchanging 55,375 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
