Declining stocks just edged out those advancing at the close of trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Monday, with the market declining after an exchange of 67 percent fewer shares, with a 50 percent less value than Friday.
Trading ended with 36 securities changing hands compared to 37 on Friday and closed with the prices of 13 rising, 14 declining and two ending unchanged.
The Junior Market Index dropped 19.74 points to 2,900.61. The average PE Ratio ended at 16.4 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Investors exchanged 8,754,737 shares for $22,843,556, well off the 26,611,809 units at $45,997,837 on Friday. Derrimon Trading led trading with 31 percent of total volume, after exchanging 2.72 million shares, followed by Jamaican Teas with 18.4 percent for 1.6 million units and Indies Pharma with 7.6 percent of the day’s trade for 664,045 units changing hands.
Trading averaged 243,187 units at $634,543 in contrast to 719,238 at $1,243,185 on Friday. February closed with an average of 365,365 units at $881,118.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial lost 15 cents to close at $23.15 trading 6,220 shares, Cargo Handlers gained 10 cents to end at $8.71, with 2,016 stocks changing hands, Caribbean Assurance Brokers picked up 5 cents to settle at $1.85 after 13,440 shares cleared the market. Caribbean Flavours shed 21 cents to finish at $1.90, with 77,359 units crossing the market, Caribbean Producers ended 44 cents lower at $2.95 in an exchange of 165,544 stocks. Consolidated Bakeries fell 20 cents to $1.31 in trading 10,100 stock units, Derrimon Trading lost 7 cents to close at $2.51 after a transferring of 2,724,910 units, Elite Diagnostics gained 20 cents to finish at $3, with an exchange of 98,020 shares. Everything Fresh gained 9 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $1.21, trading 461,735 stock units, Fosrich fell 74 cents to $4.65 in an exchange of 84,486 shares, General Accident declined 44 cents to $5.50 with the swapping of 15,900 units. Honey Bun lost 7 cents to end at $5.12, with 9,230 units crossing the market, Indies Pharma rose 39 cents to $3.40 with the swapping of 664,045 shares, ISP Finance closed 29 cents lower at $25 trading 1,500 units. 
Lasco Distributors shed 26 cents to $3.61 after an exchange of 17,214 units, Lasco Financial ended 14 cents lower at $2.51, with 314,948 stock units crossing the exchange. Lasco Manufacturing lost 28 cents to $4.33, finishing with 118,342 units changing hands, Medical Disposables added 20 cents to close at $4.50, with an exchange of 4,700 stock units, Paramount Trading rose 18 cents to $1.50, with the swapping of 2,242 units and SSL Venture gained 5 cents to end at 70 cents trading 78,600 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
