Trading dropped sharply on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market Wednesday, with the volume of stocks traded dropping 97 percent and the value falling 98 percent from trading on Tuesday as 43 securities trading versus 42, ending with just ten rising, 22 declining and 11 closed unchanged.
The Junior Market Index rose 48.92 points to 4,365.44. A total of 8,244,571 shares were exchanged for $33,814,146 versus 247,822,804 units at $1,466,458,584 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 191,734 shares at $786,375 versus 5,900,543 units at $34,915,681 on Tuesday, averaging 1,640,690 stock unitsmonth to date at $9,303,263, down from 2,131,281 shares at $12,186,933 on the prior trading day. June closed with an average of 429,016 units at 1,630,104.
Dolla Financial led trading with 2.31 million shares for 28 percent of total volume, followed by Limners and Bards with 1.04 million units for 12.6 percent of the day’s trade and Future Energy Source with 765,240 units for 9.3 percent market share.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 13.1. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks incorporate ICInsider.com projected earnings for companies with financial year end that falls between November this year and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows seven stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, AMG Packaging popped 22 cents to close at $4.30 with an exchange of 27,105 shares, CAC 2000 climbed 90 cents in closing at $9.90 after trading 25 units, Caribbean Cream rose 11 cents to $4.61 after exchanging 82,766 stocks. Dolphin Cove declined by 74 cents to end at $16.20, with 25,997 stock units changing hands, Everything Fresh shed 21 cents to end at $1.22 in trading 79,402 stock units, Fontana lost 20 cents to $10.30, with 98,471 stocks crossing the market. Fosrich advanced $2.01 to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $38 in an exchange of 173,538 units, Future Energy Source dropped 25 cents to $6.05 after trading 765,240 shares, Honey Bun fell 48 cents to $8.51 in switching ownership of 4,872 stocks. iCreate lost 20 cents after ending at $4, with 209,580 units crossing the market, Jetcon Corporation increased 13 cents to $1.34, with 215,974 shares changing hands, Knutsford Express dropped $1.28 in ending at $6.66 with the swapping of 20,000 stock units. Lasco Financial shed 14 cents to end at $3.05 with 342,337 stocks crossing the exchange, Lasco Manufacturing fell 12 cents to $4.53 while exchanging 36,733 stock units, 
Main Event declined 26 cents in closing at $7.17 after 43,651 shares changed owners. SSL Venture lost 12 cents in ending at $3.58 after trading 2,113 units and Stationery and Office Supplies shed 35 cents to end at $13, with 25,603 shares clearing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
241m Fesco shares trade on Junior market
Shares in Future Energy Source controlled more than 97 percent of stocks trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market on Tuesday, with the volume traded surging 1,630 percent and the value jumping 2,755 percent more than on Monday, as 42 securities were traded on Tuesday, with 19 rising, 15 declining and eight ending unchanged.
A total of 247,822,804 shares were traded for $1,466,458,584, up from 14,322,087 units at $51,366,652 on Monday.
Trading averaged 5,900,543 shares at $34,915,681 against 341,002 shares at $1,223,016 on Monday, with a month to date average of 2,131,281 units at $12,186,933 versus 268,822 units at $956,258 on the previous trading day. June closed with an average of 429,016 units at $1,630,104.
Future Energy Source led trading with 241.41 million shares for 97.4 percent of total volume followed by Dolla Financial with 1.67 million units for 0.7 percent of the day’s trade and iCreate with 810,797 units for 0.3 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index declined 9.95 points to settle at 4,316.52. The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 13.3. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks incorporate ICInsider.com projected earnings for companies with financial year ends that fall between November this year and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three stocks with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging shed 59 cents to end at $4.08 in trading 4,359 shares, CAC 2000 fell $1.12 in closing at $9, with 10,526 stock units crossing the market, Caribbean Cream dropped 45 cents to end at $4.50, with 214,185 stocks changing hands. Consolidated Bakeries increased 21 cents to $1.48 with 308,180 units clearing the market, Dolphin Cove advanced 23 cents to $16.94 with an exchange of 17,240 shares, Elite Diagnostic gained 11 cents to end at $3.50 after 23,407 units crossed the market. Express Catering popped 49 cents to $5.69 in switching ownership of 500 stock units, Fosrich rose 99 cents to $35.99 in exchanging 147,743 stocks, Future Energy Source rallied 32 cents to $6.30 while exchanging 241,412,620 stocks. iCreate climbed 24 cents to close at $4.20, with 810,797 units changing hands, Indies Pharma rose 23 cents to close at $3.28, with 500 shares crossing the exchange, ISP Finance declined $2.09 in ending at $17.03 after exchanging one stock unit. Jetcon Corporation lost 10 cents to end at $1.21 after trading 323,642 stock units, KLE Group gained 20 cents to $2.25 after exchanging 300 units, Lasco Distributors popped 14 cents in closing at $3.24 in trading 75,117 stocks. 
Lasco Manufacturing advanced 15 cents to $4.65 with the swapping of 50,250 shares, Limners and Bards climbed 14 cents to end at $2.84 in an exchange of 59,363 shares, Mailpac Group rallied 17 cents in closing at $2.84 after exchanging 432,565 units. Paramount Trading lost 20 cents in ending at $1.70 after trading 14,000 stock units and SSL Venture increased 13 cents to close at $3.70 while exchanging 191,907 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market falters as trading rises
Trading closed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market Monday, with the volume of stocks traded rising 68 percent and the value climbing 72 percent more than on Friday as 42securities traded versus 43 on Friday, ending with 11 rising, 26 declining and five closing unchanged.
The Junior Market Index shed 10.56 points to settle at 4,326.47. 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 companies with financial year end that falls between November this year and August 2023.
A total of 14,322,087 shares traded for $51,366,652 versus 8,527,780 units at $29,915,284 on Friday. Trading averaged 341,002 shares at $1,223,016 versus 198,320 shares at $695,704 on Friday, with month to date, averaging 268,822 units at $956,258. June closed with an average of 429,016 units at $1,630,104.
Dolla Financial led trading with 2.88 million shares for 20.1 percent of total volume followed by Mailpac Group with 2.36 million units for 16.5 percent of the day’s trade and Lumber Depot with 1.10 million units for 7.7 percent market share.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three stocks with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial popped $2.23 to end at $23.24 in an exchange of a mere 23 shares, CAC 2000 declined 18 cents in closing at $10.12 in exchanging 12,365 units, Cargo Handlers rose 34 cents to close at $12.99, with 10 stocks crossing the market. Caribbean Assurance Brokers increased 11 cents to $2.31 with an exchange of 5,284 stock units, Caribbean Cream gained 94 cents in ending at $4.95 after exchanging 583 units, Derrimon Trading lost 10 cents to end at $2.70, with 423,771 stock units clearing the market. Dolphin Cove fell 20 cents to end at $16.71 after closing with 128,401 shares changing hands, Elite Diagnostic dropped 11 cents in closing at $3.39 after trading 12,419 stocks, Express Catering shed 50 cents to close at $5.20 with 45,653 stock units changing hands. Fosrich climbed $2.40 to $35 in switching ownership of 132,933 shares, Indies Pharma lost 25 cents to $3.05, with 85,793 stocks crossing the exchange, KLE Group dropped 22 cents to $2.05, with 17,877 units changing hands. 
Lasco Distributors shed 10 cents to close at $3.10 after an exchange of 642,460 stocks, Lasco Manufacturing fell 10 cents to $4.50 while exchanging 214,240 stock units, Mailpac Group declined 18 cents in closing at $2.67 with the swapping of 2,357,868 shares. SSL Venture advanced 57 cents in closing at $3.57 in trading 949,247 units, Stationery and Office Supplies rallied 30 cents after ending at $13.30 52,107 units crossing the market and tTech declined 23 cents to $3 with an exchange of 121,656 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Big price rise in ICTOP10
The markets closed with contrasting styles on Friday, with Junior Market listed Caribbean Cream dropping 27 percent to $4.01 and the main market listed Radio Jamaica rising 21 percent to $2.90, with the stock triggering the circuit breaker as investors exchanged 2.9 million units of the company’s shares on Friday.
It is unclear why RJR, a stock that was previously under selling pressure, surprisingly, surged at the week’s close. Caribbean Cream came under pressure after the company reported a loss for the year to February. Investors will have to await the first quarter results in a few days to determine whether the new year will see a return to brighter days.
Five Junior Market ICTOP10 stocks fell and four rose, while in the TOP10 Main Market, six stocks gained and two fell with none exceeding 4 percent, but for RJR.
Elsewhere in the Junior Market, C2000 climbed 11 percent to $10.30. In comparison, Access Financial and Elite Diagnostic gained 5 percent each to close the week at $21.01 and $3.50, respectively. In contrast, Caribbean Assurance Brokers lost 6 percent as Jetcon Corporation and Lasco Financial all fell 5 percent.
The week ended with one new listing in the TOP10 as mild gains by General Accident and a fall in the price of Dolphin Cove resulted in them swapping places.
VM Investments moved out in the TOP10 Main Market and Key Insurance moved into the TOP 10.
It is pretty clear that many investors are investing in the dark with the hope that some overvalued stocks will continue to deliver above average gains into the future, but not many people know that yesterday’s winners may not have tomorrow’s significant gains. They ignore the long established feature of the market going back almost 40 years of the IC 80/20 rule and rule of 72. The IC 80/20 rule is that only two out of ten stocks on average in one year end up in the top 10 the following year. The essence of this is that it is not prudent to invest in the vast majority of last year’s top 10 stocks, especially those that did exceptionally well and are unlikely to repeat.
Rule of 72 is simple. Divide 72 by the rate of return easily shows how quickly money can double. How does this apply to stocks? Last year the Junior Market rose 30 percent and for 2022, so far, by 27 percent. These growth rates indicate that an investment in all 45 stocks in this market would double every two and a half years based on the 2021 increase and roughly one year and four months using the year to date growth. What all of this is saying, investors don’t need to be chasing popular stocks to make good money in the market, choose those that are undervalued, with profit set to grow sufficiently to give a boost to the stock price.
Keep a careful watch on AMG Packaging, Dolphin Cove, Express Catering, Lasco Distributors, Lasco Manufacturing and Stationery and Office Supplies. Dolphin Cove, Caribbean Producers and Express Catering will be significant beneficiaries of the strong rebound in tourist arrivals.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP 10 is 6.2, well below the market average of 15, while the Junior Market Top 10 PE is six versus the market at 12.9. The Junior Market TOP10 is projected to gain an average of 242 percent to May 2023 and the Main Market 229 percent.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list may or may not include the best companies in the market. ICInsider.com ranks stocks based on projected earnings to highlight winners from the rest, allowing investors to focus on potential winning stocks and helping to remove emotional attachments to stocks that often result in costly mistakes.
IC TOP10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns up to the end of May 2023 and are ranked in order of potential gains, based on the possible increase for each company, considering the earnings and PE ratios for the current fiscal year. Expected values will change as stock prices fluctuate and result in weekly movements in and out of the lists. Revisions to earnings are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.
Persons who compiled this report may have an interest in securities commented on in this report.
Junior Market falters at July’s open
Trading closed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market Friday, with the declining stocks being the highlight of the day as the volume of stocks trading fell 50 percent and the value down 52 percent on Thursday 43 securities trading versus 44 on Thursday with just 12 rising, 21 declining and ten closing unchanged.
At the close, the Junior Market Index dipped 12.41 points to settle at 4,337.03.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 12.9. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks incorporate ICInsider.com projected earnings for companies with financial year ends that fall between November this year and August 2023.
A total of 8,527,780 shares traded for $29,915,284 versus 17,139,568 units at $62,526,703 on the Thursday. Trading averaged 198,320 shares at $695,704 in contrast to 389,536 shares at $1,421,061 on Thursday. June closed with an average of 429,016 units at $1,630,104.
SSL Venture led trading with 1.95 million shares for 22.8 percent of total volume, followed by iCreate with 1.06 million units for 12.4 percent of the day’s trade and Dolla Financial with 897,135 units for 10.5 percent market share.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two stocks with lower offers.
Access Financial lost $2.49 to $21.01 in an exchange of a mere three shares, Cargo Handlers rallied $1.53 to close at $12.65, trading just six stocks, Caribbean Cream fell 44 cents in closing at a 52 weeks’ low of $4.01, with 5,889 units clearing the market. Dolphin Cove declined 59 cents to end at $16.91 with an exchange of 50,551 stock units, EduFocal gained 11 cents to end at $2.76 after trading 470,904 shares, Express Catering climbed 20 cents in closing at $5.70 while exchanging 5,878 stocks. Fosrich increased 10 cents to $32.60 in switching ownership of 54,317 units, iCreate dropped 49 cents to close at $4 after trading 1,056,092 stock units, Indies Pharma popped 15 cents to end at $3.30, with 42,077 units crossing the market. Lasco Manufacturing shed 15 cents to end at $4.60 with the swapping of 87,373 stock units, Lumber Depot lost 11 cents in closing at $3.09 with 468,686 shares changing hands, Mailpac Group fell 11 cents to end at $2.85 after 533,854 stocks crossed the exchange. 
Medical Disposables shed 30 cents to close at $7.11, with 100 stocks changing hands, Paramount Trading advanced 28 cents to $1.98 after exchanging 20 stock units, Spur Tree Spices declined 15 cents after ending at $4 in trading 120,119 shares. Stationery and Office Supplies dipped 14 cents in, ending at $13 after exchanging 15,230 units and tTech shed 51 cents to $3.23, with 321,665 stocks crossing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market up 27% at midyear
The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed trading on Thursday and for the first half of the year, with the market index rising 38.91 points to 4,349.44 and recorded a 26.9 percent gain for the six months and moderately up from the 4,223.33 points close of the first quarter.
Trading jumped, with the volume of stocks rising 67 percent and the value 50 percent more than on Wednesday, with 17,139,568 shares trading at $62,526,703, up from 10,259,748 units at $41,673,742 on Wednesday. Trading averaged 389,536 shares at $1,421,061 in contrast to 233,176 shares at $947,130 on Wednesday with the month to date, averaging 429,016 units at $1,630,104 compared to 431,004 units at $1,640,627 on Wednesday the previous trading day. May closed with an average of 376,907 units at $1,638,631.
Dolla Financial led trading with 4.93 million shares for 28.8 percent of total volume, followed by Mailpac Group with 2.87 million units for 16.7 percent of the day’s trade, Spur Tree Spices ended with 1.96 million units for 11.5 percent market share and Future Energy Source with 1.62 million units for 9.5 percent of stocks changing hands.
A total of 44 securities traded on Wednesday and Thursday, with 25 rising, 13 declining and six unchanged.
The PE Ratio, a measure in computing appropriate stock values, averages 13. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks incorporate ICInsider.com projected earnings for companies with financial year end that falls between November this year and August of the following year.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial rose 50 cents after ending at $23.50 and trading 6,424 shares, Blue Power advanced 10 cents in closing at $3.70 in switching ownership of 102 stocks, CAC 2000 popped $1.73 to close at $10.23, with 502 stock units changing hands. Caribbean Cream shed 14 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ low of $4.45, with 53,433 units crossing the market, Dolphin Cove gained 48 cents to end at $17.50 in an exchange of 8,000 shares, EduFocal declined 15 cents to $2.65 after exchanging 167,290 stock units. Elite Diagnostic rallied 12 cents to $3.54 while exchanging 7,633 units, Everything Fresh climbed 10 cents to $1.45, with 12,172 stocks clearing the market, Express Catering lost 47 cents in closing at $5.50 in an exchange of 94,319 shares. Fontana increased 55 cents to $10.55 in exchanging 166,718 stocks, Fosrich popped 50 cents to $32.50 with 79,205 units changing hands, GWest Corporation rallied 10 cents to end at $1.20 in trading 89,879 stock units. Honey Bun increased 41 cents in ending at $9 after trading 4,776 stock units, Iron Rock Insurance rose 34 cents to close at $3.29 after an exchange of 800 stocks, Mailpac Group climbed 21 cents in closing at $2.96, with 2,866,787 shares crossing the market. Main Event advanced 90 cents in closing at $7.50 after exchanging 3,528 units, 
Medical Disposables gained 12 cents ending at $7.41 with the swapping of 60 stocks, Spur Tree Spices rose 50 cents to $4.15 in switching ownership of 1,962,620 shares and SSL Venture climbed 18 cents to end at $3.05, with 174,096 stock units crossing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Gains for Junior Market
Trading closed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market Wednesday, with the volume and value of stocks traded declining with 43 percent fewer shares changing hands with the value 28 percent lower than on Tuesday.
A total of 44 securities traded similar to Tuesday, with 15 rising, 22 declining and seven closing unchanged. The Junior Market Index popped 26.55 points to settle at 4,310.53. A total of 10,259,748 shares traded for $41,673,742 compared to 18,129,942 units at $57,975,106 on the Tuesday. Trading averaged 233,176 shares at $947,130 in contrast to 412,044 shares at $1,317,616 on Tuesday with month to date, averaging 431,004 units at $1,640,627 compared to 441,491 units at $1,677,391 on the previous trading day. May closed with an average of 376,907 units at $1,638,631.
Dolla Financial led trading with 3.19 million shares for 31.1 percent of total volume, followed by iCreate with 2.73 million units for 26.6 percent of the day’s trade and Future Energy Source with 530,433 units for 5.2 percent market share.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 12.9. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks incorporate ICInsider.com projected earnings for companies with financial year end that falls between November this year and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and five stocks with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial climbed 50 cents to $23 after exchanging 12,717 shares, AMG Packaging popped 61 cents to close at $4.79 in trading 26,338 stock units, Blue Power increased 22 cents in ending at $3.60 with 400 units changing hands. CAC 2000 dropped $1.72 to end at $8.50 in trading 5,142 stocks, Cargo Handlers fell $1.78 to $11.12 after 3,427 stock units crossed the exchange, Caribbean Assurance Brokers shed 13 cents to $2.20 in swapping 41,830 units. Caribbean Cream lost 30 cents to close at $4.59 with 232,886 stocks crossing the market, Dolphin Cove advanced 12 cents in ending at $17.02 with 31,728 shares clearing the market, Fosrich rose 60 cents to $32 after trading of 19,260 shares. Honey Bun declined 41 cents to end at $8.59 in an exchange of 2,815 units, iCreate gained 45 cents to a record closing high of $4.55, with 2,730,584 stocks crossing the market, Indies Pharma rallied 14 cents to $3.15 in trading 80,339 stock units. Iron Rock Insurance fell 34 cents in closing at $2.95 with an exchange of 3,010 stock units, KLE Group gained 28 cents to $2.28 while exchanging 2,858 units, Lasco Manufacturing climbed 22 cents to end at $4.72, with 4,678 shares changing hands. Limners and Bards lost 10 cents to close at $2.70 with the swapping of 162,141 stocks, 
Main Event dropped 20 cents in closing at $6.60 while trading 17,127 units, Paramount Trading shed 27 cents in ending at $1.68 with 43,485 stock units clearing the market. Spur Tree Spices declined 14 cents to $3.65 with an exchange of 355,901 stocks, SSL Venture rallied 37 cents to end at $2.87 in trading 71,277 shares and Stationery and Office Supplies popped 71 cents to 52 weeks’ high of $13.15 trading 268,154 stock units.
In the preference segment, CAC 2000 9.5% preference share declined 13 cents to $1.05 in exchanging 11,486 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Dolla price may have hit bottom
Dolla Financial was the most visible stock trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market on Tuesday, accounting for the leading volume of stocks trading over 50 percent of the day’s volume after the price recovered after hitting a low at $2.62 to end at $2.92 and may have bottomed out.
As was the case on Monday, 44 securities traded, with 18 rising, 22 falling and four closing unchanged and leading the Junior Market Index to decline 58.21 points to 4,283.98.
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 companies with financial year end that falls between November this year and August 2023.
Overall, 18,129,942 shares traded for $57,975,106 compared to 16,869,220 units at $60,784,346 on the Monday. Trading averaged 412,044 shares at $1,317,616 in contrast to 383,391 shares at $1,381,462 on Monday with the month to date, averaging 441,491 units at $1,677,391 compared to 443,139 units at $1,697,531 on the previous trading day. May closed with an average of 376,907 units at $1,638,631.
Dolla Financial led trading with 9.13 million shares for 50.4 percent of total volume, followed by Mailpac Group with 2.28 million units for 12.6 percent of the day’s trade and iCreate with 1.66 million units for 9.1 percent market share.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with a lower offer.
At the close, Access Financial shed $1 in closing at $22.50, with 9,181 shares crossing the market, AMG Packaging declined 52 cents to end at $4.18 while exchanging 17,874 units, CAC 2000 increased 92 cents ending at $10.22 after an exchange of 1,592 stock units. Dolla Financial rose 19 cents to $2.92 after trading 9,132,047 stocks, Dolphin Cove fell $1 to close at $16.90 after finishing trading 108,294 stock units, Fontana lost 58 cents in ending at $10 after exchanging 65,517 units. Fosrich dropped 60 cents to end at $31.40 in exchanging 39,133 stocks, Honey Bun advanced 29 cents in closing at $9 with 8,037 shares changing hands, iCreate popped 60 cents to close at $4.10 in switching ownership of 1,655,947 shares. Iron Rock Insurance rallied 24 cents to $3.29 with the swapping of 14,726 stocks, ISP Finance declined $3.38 in closing at $19.12 after exchanging 1,997 units, Jamaican Teas gained 11 cents to $3.09, with 254,717 stock units crossing the market. Knutsford Express climbed 94 cents to close at $7.95 with an exchange of 1,895 shares, Lasco Distributors fell 15 cents to end at $3.10, with 210,327 units clearing the market, Main Event dropped $1.20 to $6.80 in trading 5,700 stocks. 
Medical Disposables popped 19 cents to close at $7.29 in an exchange of 7,000 stock units, SSL Venture lost 52 cents ending at $2.50, with 60,146 shares changing hands, Tropical Battery shed 11 cents to end at $2.85 after finishing with 603,680 stocks trading and tTech increased 28 cents to $3.80 with the swapping of 1,239 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Access climbs Juniors slip
Access Financial stood out in trading closed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market on Monday, the price jumping $3.50 to be the best mover for the day, following the release of full year results, with a 65 percent rise in profits. Recently listed, Dolla Financial was the volume leader, cornering 41 percent of stocks trading for the day.
A total of 16,869,220 shares traded for $60,784,346 down from 19,072,409 units at $61,479,940 on the Friday. Trading averaged 383,391 shares at $1,381,462 versus 443,544 shares at $1,429,766 on Friday, with the month to date, averaging 443,139 units at $1,697,531 compared to 446,682 units at $1,716,274 on the previous trading day. May closed with an average of 376,907 units at $1,638,631.
Nearly all stocks in the market traded by the close, with 44 securities changing hands versus 43 on Friday, with 17 rising, 20 declining and seven closing unchanged. The Junior Market Index dropped 47.28 points to close at 4,342.19.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 13. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks incorporate ICInsider.com projected earnings for companies with financial year end that falls between November this year and August 2023
Dolla Financial led trading with 6.86 million shares for 40.6 percent of total volume, followed by AMG Packaging with 2.95 million units for 17.5 percent of the day’s trade and Lumber Depot with 812,256 units for 4.8 percent market share.
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, Access Financial rallied $3.50 to end at $23.50, with 41,875 shares crossing the exchange, Blue Power shed 17 cents to close at $3.38 in trading 93,634 stocks, Caribbean Cream declined 60 cents in closing at $4.90 after trading 69,735 stock units. Dolphin Cove popped 70 cents to $17.90 in trading 70,544 units, Elite Diagnostic climbed 15 cents in ending at to $3.47, with 17,702 stocks crossing the market, Fontana advanced 18 cents to close at $10.58 with 256,595 shares clearing the market. Fosrich lost 20 cents to close at $32 in exchanging 44,041 stock units, General Accident rose 21 cents to end at $6 after trading 163,937 units, Honey Bun dropped 28 cents in closing at $8.71 after 110,816 shares crossed the market. iCreate increased 20 cents to $3.50, with 460,035 stock units changing hands, Indies Pharma fell 25 cents after finishing at $3 with an exchange of 186,302 stocks, Jamaican Teas shed 28 cents in closing at $2.98 while exchanging 483,297 units. Knutsford Express lost 94 cents to close at $7.01 in switching ownership of 15,841 stocks, Lasco Manufacturing declined 37 cents to $4.50 in exchanging 61,505 units, Main Event gained $1 to end at $8 trading 66,555 shares. 
Medical Disposables dropped 34 cents in closing at $7.10 in an exchange of 6,234 stock units, Spur Tree Spices fell 22 cents to close at $3.70 with the swapping of 379,655 shares, SSL Venture dropped 48 cents to end at $3.02, with 438,535 units crossing the market and tTech gained 32 cents to $3.52 in an exchange of 3,100 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Juniors fall JSE Main Market rises
Access Financial was one of the standout performers in trading on Monday with a jump of $3.50 following the release of full year results showing a profit after taxing climbing 65 percent to $438 million as investors warmed to the news, but the move had little impact on the overall Junior Market that slipped in value at the close. But Main Market stocks inched higher at the finish.
Access Financial Services head office.
At the same time, recently listed Dolla Financial continued to trade above average volumes for Junior Market stocks, with 6.9 million shares accounting for 41 percent of Junior Market trading on Monday, but the price eased just a few cents at the close.
The market closed with the JSE Combined Index adding 826.79 points to close at 396,711.44, while the All Jamaican Composite Index climbed 1,833.85 points to end at 437,818.37, the JSE Main Index climbed 1338.41 points to 382,525.24, the Junior Market index lost 47.28 points in closing at 4,342.19 and the JSE USD market index lost 1.68 points to close at 217.99.
Investors exchanged 31,176,437 shares in all markets, with the value of stocks traded in the Main and Junior Markets ending at $134.1 million and in the JSE USD market, US$9,897.
The market’s PE ratio ended at 23.3 based on 2021-22 earnings and 13 times those for 2022-23 at the close of trading.
Investors need measures and pertinent information to navigate many investment choices in the local stock market successfully. The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily report charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
Investors should use the chart to help make rational investment decisions by investing in stocks close to the average for the sector and not going too far from it unless there are compelling reasons to do so. This approach helps to take emotions out of the investment decision and put in on fundamentals while at the same time not being too far from the majority of investors. Investors who buy when the price of a stock is close to the average will find that they are not inclined to overpay for a stock.
The ICInsider.com PE Ratio chart covers all ordinary shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange. It shows companies grouped on an industry basis, allowing easy comparisons between the same sector companies and the overall market.
The net asset value of each company is reported as a guide to quickly assess the value of stocks based on this measure. The chart also shows daily changes in stock prices and the percentage year to date price movement based on the last traded prices. Dividends payable and yields for each company are shown in the Main and Junior Markets’ daily report charts that show the closing volume for the bids and offers.
The EPS & PE ratios are based on 2021 and 2022 actual or projected earnings, excluding major one off items. The PE Ratio is the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks.
