Investors were less active in Trading levels dropped the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday, resulting in a 40 percent fall in the volume of stocks traded, with the value slipping by 30 percent compared to trading on Wednesday, with trading in 47 securities compared with 45 on Wednesday and ending with 23 rising, 17 declining and seven unchanged.
A total of 5,986,665 shares were traded for $16,728,284 versus 10,060,543 units at $24,020,110 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 127,376 shares at $355,921 compared with 223,568 units at $533,780 on Wednesday, with the month to date averaging 174,426 stock units at $442,917. January closed with an average of 239,755 units at $646,375.
MFS Capital Partners led trading with 872,884 shares for 14.6 percent of total volume, followed by Image Plus Consultants with 800,060 units for 13.4 percent of the day’s trade and Future Energy Source with 696,555 units for 11.6 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index fell 35.38 points to settle at 3,960.42, giving back all of Tuesday’s substantial gains and a bit more.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 12.8. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks incorporate ICInsider.com projected earnings for the financial years that end between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with a lower offer.
At the close, Blue Power rose 27 cents in closing at $2.70 after 8,814 shares were traded, Cargo Handlers rallied 18 cents ending at $13.38 with investors transferring 540 stocks, Caribbean Cream fell 53 cents to $3.45 after an exchange of 31,088 stock units. Caribbean Flavours gained 12 cents to end at $1.74 as investors switched ownership of 1,101 units, Dolla Financial popped 10 cents to close at $3 with a transfer of 336,116 shares, Dolphin Cove rose 30 cents in closing at $15.30, with 38,892 stocks crossing the market. 
Elite Diagnostic popped 9 cents to close at $3.19 with 1,374 units changing hands, Express Catering lost 25 cents to end at $5 in switching ownership of 20,271 stock units, Fontana gained 10 cents to settle at $8.60 after swapping of 27,725 stocks. Fosrich dipped 16 cents to end at $3.53 in trading 224,651 shares, General Accident popped 53 cents to finish at $4.99 after 3,000 stock units cleared the market, Honey Bun advanced 19 cents to $7.43 after an exchange of 10,701 units, iCreate rallied 24 cents to $1.93 after trading 455,165 stocks, Indies Pharma gained 20 cents in ending at $3 with 11,248 units changing hands, Iron Rock Insurance rose 33 cents to close at $2.50 as investors exchanged 100 shares. ISP Finance climbed $2.50 in closing at $27.50 after a transfer of 11 stock units, KLE Group gained 19 cents to settle at $1.90 after an exchange of 32,543 units, Lasco Manufacturing declined 54 cents to end at $4.06 after 33,289 stock units passed through the market. 
Limners and Bards dipped 39 cents to close at $2.35 in an exchange of 69,019 stocks, Mailpac Group shed 15 cents to $2.05 with a transfer of 54,898 shares, Medical Disposables rose 41 cents to $5.41 with the swapping of 10,254 stocks. Regency Petroleum lost 10 cents ending at $1.81, trading 304,679 shares, Stationery and Office Supplies shed 15 cents to close at $15 in exchanging 2,320 units and Tropical Battery gained 9 cents to end at $2.45 with the swapping of 650,135 stock units.
In the preference segment, CAC 2000 9.5% preference share gained 16 cents in closing at $1.18 in an exchange of 5,145 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Palace considering split stock
Palace Amusement Company is set to split the stock that last traded at $620 per share on Monday, with a range of 620 to $1,150 for 2022.
The company informed the Jamaica Stock Exchange that the Directors proposed to meet on Tuesday, December 20, 2022, and will be discussing the possibility of a stock split. A split is almost a certainty, with the company having borrowed over $700 million, the opportunity exists to raise fresh capital by way of an additional public issue of shares to pay down the debt. Splitting the stock to make them more attractive to retail investors would be a logical step.
To achieve an attractive price and create wide-scale public interest would require a split in the order of 100 to 200 to one of the existing issued shares and would raise the issued number of shares to between 250 to 300 million units.
Other companies talking about stock splits that could come in 2023 are Medical Disposables that could come with a stock split and a rights issue of more shares to use to fund expansion.
Palace jumps $800 to a record $2,900.
Stationery and Office Supplies informed shareholders at the recently held Annual General Meeting that the directors have been looking but currently the liquidy of the stock does warrant one just yet.
Others that should give serious consideration to splitting their stocks are Access Financial Services, with the stock trading over $20, Dolphin Cove priced in double digits, Barita Investments, Cargo Handlers, Honey Bun, ISP Finance, Knutsford Express and Main Event.
