Trading pressure continued to place an upward push on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange after the market reopened on Monday after closing for the Christmas holiday last week. The market index climbed 42.05 points to 2,636.45, with an even number of stocks advancing and declining after investors exchanged 20 percent fewer shares than on Thursday.
Trading ended with 38 securities changing hands compared to 33 on Thursday and closed with the prices of 13 stocks each, rising and falling and 12 remaining unchanged.
The average PE Ratio ended at 13.9 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Trading ended with an exchange of 2,824,415 shares for $7,700,599 compared to 3,548,314 units at $8,469,026 on Thursday. Mailpac led trading with 27.5 percent of total volume for 777,744 shares, followed by Limners and Bards, 14.9 percent, for an exchange of 421,650 units and Jamaican Teas with 12.6 percent after trading 356,419 units.
Trading averaged 74,327 shares at $202,647 versus 107,525 units at $256,637 on Thursday. Trading month to date averages 284,894 units at $689,804, down from 297,615 units at $719,234 on Thursday. November ended with an average of 193,331 units at $566,885.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows three stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the market close, Access Financial jumped $3.34 to $23.69 trading 18 shares, AMG Packaging rose 5 cents to $1.65 with 3,255 units changing hands, CAC 2000 climbed $2 to $10 with an exchange of 4,010 stocks. Cargo Handlers advanced 51 cents to $7.31 with a transfer of just four shares, Caribbean Flavours slipped 1 cent to $1.67 with 1,017 stock units traded, Caribbean Producers fell 10 cents to $2.79 with 75,228 units passing through the market. Derrimon Trading lost 1 cent to finish at $2.38 with 299,069 stocks changing hands, Elite Diagnostic lost 4 cents to close at $2.95 in exchanging 150 shares, Express Catering dropped 18 cents to $3.59 with a transfer of 19,400 stock units. Fontana gained 8 cents to end at $5.50 with 186,789 units traded, Fosrich rose 10 cents to $4.10, with investors switching 174,500 stock units, General Accident fell 13 cents to $6.05 with 23,709 shares changing hands. GWest rose 3 cents to 73 cents, trading 500 stock units, Honey Bun slipped 5 cents to $5.80 with a transfer of 12,499 units, Jamaican Teas lost 1 cent, trading 356,419 stocks at $1.99. Jetcon Corporation dipped 1 cent to 70 cents with investors switching 108,764 shares, Lasco Distributors advanced 15 cents to $3.22 with 707 units changing hands, Lasco Financial climbed 30 cents to $2.76 with 18,721 stocks passing through the market. 
Lasco Manufacturing closed 1 cent higher at $3.89, trading 36,287 stock units, Lumber Depot declined by 3 cents to settle at $1.56 with a transfer of 1,292 shares, Mailpac Group traded 777,744 shares and lost 3 cents to end at $2.78. Medical Disposables fell 4 cents to $4.20 with investors switching ownership of 80 units, Stationery and Office Supplies slipped 4 cents to $4.50 with 1,908 stock units pass ing through the market, Tropical Battery gained 3 cents to finish at $1.16 with a transfer of 203,686 stocks and tTech advanced 10 cents to $4.30 with 80 shares crossing the exchange.
In the preference segment, CAC 2000 9.5% closed 2 cents higher at $1.12 with 1,000 units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
