Trading closed for July on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday, with the market Index rallying a huge 85.58 points to end at 3,511.03, following a 10 percent increase in the volume of stocks changing hands, with five companies, each trading more than a million shares. The value of stocks traded fell 12 percent from Wednesday, after 43 securities were traded compared with 41 on Wednesday, with prices of 31 rising, only seven declining and five closing unchanged.
The market closed with the trading of 23,947,024 shares worth $60,579,867 compared with 21,832,367 stock units at $68,971,891 on Wednesday.
The average trade ended with 556,908 shares at $1,408,834 compared to 532,497 stocks at $1,682,241 on Wednesday. Trading for the month to date averaged 707,469 stock units at $1,699,009 and compared well with 714,552 stock units at $1,712,661 on the previous day and June that averaged 186,843 shares at $332,162.
Regency Petroleum led trading with 6.64 million shares for 27.7 percent of total volume, followed by ONE on ONE Educational which ended with 6.45 million stocks for 26.9 percent of the day’s trade, Future Energy closed with 3.43 million stocks for 14.3 percent of the volume traded, Jamaican Teas with 1.88 million units for 7.8 percent of the volume traded and Stationery and Office Supplies with 1.06 million units for 4.4 percent of market share.
At the close of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.8, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for financial years ending around August 2025.
At the close, Access Financial rallied $2.13 in closing at $20 with just 1,170 shares changing hands, Atlantic Hardware lost 9 cents to end at 90 cents after a transfer of 31,680 units, CAC 2000 increased 39 cents to finish at $2.20, with 76 shares crossing the market. Cargo Handlers rallied 70 cents to end at $11.40 after investors exchanged 23 stocks, Caribbean Assurance Brokers rose 6 cents to close at $2.06 with a transfer of 9,707 stock units, Caribbean Flavours gained 5 cents to end at $1.60, with 1,143 shares crossing the exchange. Dolla Financial popped 7 cents in closing at $2.69 with investors dealing in 203,671 stock units, Dolphin Cove advanced 10 cents to $14.20 in an exchange of 157 units, Elite Diagnostic rose 5 cents to close at $1.55 after trading of 18 stocks. Everything Fresh sank 6 cents to $2.25, with an exchange of 656 shares, Express Catering climbed 19 cents to finish at $2.69, with 83,400 stock units crossing the market, Future Energy popped 34 cents to end at $3.20 with investors swapping 3,429,933 units. GWest Corporation gained 8 cents to 86 cents in switching ownership of 39,608 stocks, Honey Bun rallied 55 cents to finish at $7.95 with investors trading 15,045 shares, Indies Pharma dropped 24 cents and ended at $3.10 in an exchange of 341,878 stock units. Iron Rock Insurance increased 60 cents to end at $4.60 after trading in 561 units, ISP Finance advanced $2.34 to $17.34 with just 131 stocks passing through the market, Jetcon Corporation fell 29 cents to close at $1.70 after an exchange of 21,575 units. Knutsford Express rose $1.40 to $14.40 with 70,587 stocks clearing the market, Lasco Financial rallied 20 cents to finish at $1.98 after an exchange of 150,240 shares, Regency Petroleum increased 27 cents and ended at a 52 week high of $4.50 in trading 6,644,041 stock units. Spur Tree Spices popped 5 cents to close at 89 cents with an exchange of 185,175 shares and Stationery and Office Supplies gained 10 cents in closing at $1.79 with investors trading 1,063,513 stock units.
Closing prices used in the report are the last price for each security.