Back in 2018, the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior and the Main Markets were trading around 18 times the current year’s earnings towards the end of the year, they parted company since, with the Junior market now at nine and the Main Market at 14 times current year’ earnings.
The Junior Market index outperformed the Main Market index by a wide margin between 2011 and 2016, with gains of 583 percent to 160 percent for the Main Market. The Junior Market annual movements exceeded that of the Main Market, by significant margins, except on two occasions when the Main Market edged out the Junior Market. In 2012, the Main Market beat the Junior Market stocks by two percentage points and 12 percentage points in 2014. In 2011, when the Main Market rose 26 percent, the Junior Market jumped 97 percent in the formative years of the market, with twelve listings by the end of 2011 compared to just one at the end of 2010. The gains in 2011 came from new listings, as Access Financial Services, the only stock listed in 2010, ended at $4.70 in 2011 from $5 at the end of 2010 from an IPO adjusted price of $1.834 after a 10 for one stock split.
The Junior Market performance after 2016 was moderate as investors focused attention on the more established companies on the Main Market as interest rates on Treasury bill started falling below seven percent. 
Notwithstanding the pick outperformance of the market for emerging companies by the more mature market after 2016, the former was still able the beat the latter between 2010 and 2020, with the Juniors outperforming with gains of 588 percent to 415 percent.
The Junior Market fell sharper than the Main Market in the market met down in March this year. Yet, the Junior Market recovered faster than the Main Market and is now ahead with gains since that erased year to date losses to 22 percent up to last Friday, compared to a fall of 26 percent for the Main Market. In the past four weeks, the Junior Market continues to outperform the Main Market. With Junior Market stocks enjoying PE ratio that is far less than the Main Market stocks, the odds favour the newer business entities doing better than the older, more matured ones until the gap is closed.
Solid Junior market bounce
The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange bounced on Friday with the market index rising the most since May 28 when it put on a 48 points rally. The market index closed the week with a rise of 41.62 points to close at 2,613.41, the highest level since the start of June.
At the close of market activities, the prices of 12 securities advanced, eight declined and 11 remained unchanged. The PE ratio of the market ended at 9.8 times IC Insider.com projected 2020-21 earnings.
Trading ended, with 32 securities changing hands, resulting in an exchange of 2,764,337 units at $7,742,462, down from 5,176,803 units for $13,735,351 on Thursday.
The average stock trading on Friday at 86,386 units at $241,952 was well below recent levels and around half the amounts in April and contrast with an average of 161,775 units for $429,230 on Thursday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 175,086 units valued at $408,136 and previously 186,349 units valued at $429,239. Trading in May closed with an average of 150,274 units at $491,077 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Access Financial jumped $2.24 to settle at $24.75 with just 100 shares changing hands, AMG Packaging ended trading with 100 shares, after rising 11 cents to settle at $1.70, Cargo Handlers gained 49 cents in exchanging 300 units at $7. Caribbean Flavours climbed $2.80 to settle at $14.50 with 22,728 shares trading, Dolphin Cove lost 47 cents in trading of 8,148 units at $7.80. Express Catering fell by 10 cents trading 48,700 units at $4.20, Fontana lost 2cents trading 56,326 units at $5.97, Fosrich closed 38 cents higher at $3.80, with an exchange of 1,050 stock units, General Accident declined by 5cents to settle at $5.50 exchanging 21,536 shares. iCreate ended trading 565,798 shares, after rising 4 cents to close at 58 cents, Indies Pharma closed 4 cents higher at $2.93, with 188,296 stock units trading, Jamaican Teas shed 20cents in switching ownership of 506,540 shares at $4.50. 
Knutsford Express closed 11 cents higher at $8.11, with 3,861 stock units changing hands, Lasco Distributors closed trading of 598 units and gained 6 cents to end at $2.96, Lasco Financial ended with gains of 14 cents in exchanging 12,256 shares and closed at $2.64. Lasco Manufacturing closed trading of 200,000 shares and gained 10 cents to end at $4.05. Limners and Bards shed 5 cents in trading of 4,500 units at $2.15, Mailpac Group gained 2 cents trading 402,322 shares at $1.88, Medical Disposables fell 11 cents in trading of 46,152 units at $6.69 and Stationery and Office Supplies closed with a loss of 2 cents at $6in swapping 74,999 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise
Winning day for Junior Market – Thursday
The Junior Market scraped out some gains on Thursday as the index advanced 15.44 points to close at 2,571.79 as trading picked up, with 32 securities changing hands, resulting in an exchange of 5,176,803 units at $13,735,350 compared to 4,550,105 units for $10,318,665 from 27 stocks on Wednesday.
At the close of market activities, the prices of nine securities advanced, 14 declined and 10 remained unchanged and the PE ratio ended at 9.6 times 2020-21 earnings.
The average stock trading on Thursday was 161,775 units for $429,230 in contrast to 168,522 units for an average of $382,173 on Wednesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 186,349 units valued at $429,239 and previously 189,924 units for $429,240. In contrast, May closed with an average of 150,274 units valued at $491,077 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close of the market, AMG Packaging declined by 11 cents to settle at $1.59 with 1,850 shares changing hands, 
Blue Power rose 26 cents and traded 2,327 shares to end at $3.86, Caribbean Assurance fell 9 cents to $2.15 with an exchange of 45,000 units. Derrimon Trading shed 14 cents in swapping 4,500 units to close at $2.45, Dolphin Cove gained 2 cents and exchanged 2,165 shares to settle at $8.27, Fontana slipped 1 cent lower to $5.99 with 245,999 stock units traded. Fosrich closed with a loss of 38 cents at $3.42, swapping 8,938 shares, General Accident fell 14 cents and exchanged 76,302 shares to finish at $5.55, Honey Bun declined by 12 cents in trading 11,712 units to end at $5.33. iCreate dipped 3 cents to 54 cents in swapping 32,288 units, Indies Pharma exchanged 1,653,278 shares, rising 59 cents after the company reported a 92 percent rise in the second quarter, to end at $2.89, Jamaican Teas closed at $4.70 after trading 183,433 shares and falling 19 cents. Knutsford Express jumped 99 cents to end at $8 with 1,173 units changing hands, Lasco Distributors fell 7 cents in the trading of 152,900 units to finish at $2.90, 
Lasco Financial slipped 1 cent to $2.50 with 183,709 shares exchanged. Lasco Manufacturing closed 10 cents higher at $3.95, with 468,332 stock units swapped, Limners and Bards ended at $2.20 after rising 23 cents and trading 138,733 shares, Mailpac Group gained 1 cent to end at $1.86 with 308,449 shares changing hands. Main Event closed 5 cents higher at $4.40, with 1,136 stock units traded, Medical Disposables fell 9 cents in the exchange of 9,173 units at $6.80, Paramount Trading shed 2 cents and swapped 321,870 units to settle at $1.98 and tTech jumped 41 cents to $4.70 with 10,597 units crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
More gains for Junior Market
Trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange inched higher for a second day at the close of the market on Tuesday, with the market index advancing by 15.31 points to 2,575.87 as advancing stocks outnumbered declining ones almost two to one.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer. The reading suggests that the market prices should close mostly up on Wednesday.
By the close of market activities, 29 securities changed hands, resulting in an exchange of 3,765,461 units valued at $7,141,689 compared to 12,747,813 units valued at $17,475,914 from 32 securities on Monday.
The prices of 13 securities advanced, eight declined and eight remained unchanged. The PE ratio of the market ended at 9.5 times 2020-21 earnings.
The average trade for the day was 129,843 units at $246,265, in contrast to 398,369 units for an average of $546,122 on Monday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 192,917 units valued at $435,825 and previously 204,071 units valued at $469,345. 
In contrast, May closed with an average of 150,274 units valued at $491,077 for each security traded.
At the close of the market, Cargo Handlers traded 8,678 units and gained 4 cents to end at $6.55, Caribbean Flavours climbed $1.90 to $12 with 7,991 shares changing hands, Caribbean Producers declined 5 cents in the exchange of 239,156 units to settle at $2.35. Derrimon Trading closed 20 cents higher at $2.40 with 199,000 stock units changing hands, Dolphin Cove jumped 75 cents and exchanged 6,037 shares to finish at $8.25, Elite Diagnostic ended at $4 after adding 15 cents and with 113,646 stock units crossing the exchange. Everything Fresh slipped 6 cents in the trading of 39,188 units to close at 72 cents, Fontana lost 24 cents to end at $5.90 with 139,298 units changing hands, Fosrich gained 2 cents and exchanged 12,337 shares to finish at $3.43. General Accident closed trading of 21,778 units and gained 28 cents to end at $5.65, Honey Bun fell 24 cents in the swapping of 68,316 units to settle at $5.21, Indies Pharma exchanged 123,141 shares after rising 9 cents to end at $2.30. 
Iron Rock Insurance closed at $3.20 after exchanging 100 units and falling 50 cents, Jamaican Teas finished 1 cent higher at $4.90, with 3,200 stock units trading, Lasco Distributors exchanged 238,000 stock units and gained 2 cents to settle at $3. Lasco Financial climbed 8 cents in the swapping of 59,840 shares to finish at $2.63, Lasco Manufacturing ended the day with 23,943 shares traded after rising 4 cents to $3.89, Limners and Bards shed 9 cents to close at $1.94 with 7,835 changing hands. Lumber Depot gained 2 cents to end at $1.12, trading 135,250 stock units, Mailpac Group swapped 189,900 shares to close at $1.88 after falling 2 cents and Stationery and Office Supplies fell 6 cents to $6.20 with 25,881 units crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Up day for Junior Market
The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange ended five days of decline with a rise in the index on Monday with the Market Index rising 11.49 points to close at 2,560.56.
At the close of market activities, the prices of 13 securities advanced, 14 declined and five remained unchanged. The PE ratio of the market ended at 9.2 times 2020-21 earnings.
Trading ended with 32 securities changing hands, compared 26 on Friday and resulted in an exchange of 12,747,813 units valued at $17,475,915 compared to 1,400,627 units valued at a mere $3,764,005 on Friday.
The average trade on Monday was 398,369 units at $546,122, in contrast to 53,870 units, for an average of $144,769 on Friday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 204,071 units valued at $469,345 and previously 156,968 units valued at $450,732. Trading in May closed with an average of 150,274 units valued at $491,077 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Access Financial dropped $2.09 trading 18,091 units in closing at $22.51, AMG Packaging gained 14 cents and exchanged 2,864 shares at $1.70, Blue Power closed with a loss of 26 cents at $3.60 after swapping 9,390 shares. CAC 2000 rose 10 cents and exchanged 1,000 shares at $9.40, Derrimon Trading lost 39 cents trading of 70,316 units at $2.20, Dolphin Cove dropped 80 cents exchanging 8,547 shares to close at $7.50. Elite Diagnostic gained 11 cents with 85,292 shares changing hands at $3.85, Everything Fresh declined by 2 cents in trading of 52,869 units at 78 cents, Express Catering closed trading of 2,789 units and gained 3 cents to end at $4.38. Fontana rose 14 cents exchanging 122,435 shares, at $6.14, Fosrich closed with a loss of 48 cents at $3.41in swapping 11,141 shares, General Accident rose 7 cents with 19,637 shares changing hands at $5.37, Honey Bun gained 15 cents trading of 133,905 units to end at $5.45. Indies Pharma declined by 5 cents to settle at $2.21 after investors switched ownership of 32,151 units, Jamaican Teas ended trading with 57,832 shares, after rising 36 cents to close at $4.89, Jetcon Corporation closed 5 cents higher at 90 cents, with 355 stock units changing hands. 
Knutsford Express climbed 30 cents and exchanged 950 shares at $8.30, Lasco Distributors ended trading with 152,436 shares, after rising 7 cents to end at $2.98, Lasco Financial shed 10 cents to settle at $2.55 after exchanging 168,566 shares, Lasco Manufacturing lost 5 cents trading 16,100 units at $3.85. Limners and Bards closed, with a loss of 2 cents at $2.03 in swapping 87,179 shares, Lumber Depot lost 3cents with 11,147,733 shares crossing the market to close at $1.10, Mailpac Group closed trading of 68,279 units and gained 3 cents to end at $1.90. Main Event stock fell by 12 cents in exchanging 2,000 units at $4.35, shares of Medical Disposables declined by 13 cents to settle at $6.75 with 39,870 units changing hands, Paramount Trading gained 1 cent to end at $1.99, trading 1,000 shares and SSL Venture shed 14 cents in transferring 16,674 units at 79 cents.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market drops 84 points this week
Trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Friday resulted in another day of decline of the Market Index, for the six consecutive days of fall and shedding 83.90 points for the week.
At the close, the Junior Market Index declined 5.69 points to close at 2,549.07 with 26 securities changing hands, in an exchange of 1,400,627 units for $3,764,005 compared to 2,120,809 units at $5,882,853 from the trading of 33 securities on Thursday.
At the close of market activities, the prices of 12 securities advanced, eight declined and six remained unchanged. The PE ratio of the market ended at 9.4 times 2020-21 earnings.
The average trade for the day was 53,870 units at $144,769, in contrast to 64,267 units for an average of $178,268 on Thursday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 156,968 units valued at $450,732 and previously 312,432 units at $866,497. Trading in May closed with an average of 150,274 units at $491,077 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Blue Power rose 22 cents to end at $3.86, with 20,000 stock units changing hands, Cargo Handlers closed with an exchange of 10,000 units and gained 30 cents to end at $6.51, Caribbean Producers ended trading with 75,841 shares, after rising 2 cents to close at $2.40. Consolidated Bakeries shed 13 cents in trading 100 units at $1.51, Dolphin Cove climbed 50 cents and exchanged 433 shares at $8.30, Express Catering declined by 5 cents to settle at $4.35, after trading 11,507 units. Fontana closed 1 cent higher at $6, with the trading of 54,638 stock units, General Accident lost 11 cents in exchanging 8,500 shares to close at $5.30, Honey Bun declined by 25 cents trading 10,742 units to settle at $5.30, iCreate ended trading with 104,081 shares, after rising 3 cents to end at 54 cents. Jamaican Teas declined by 45 cents trading of 171,503 units at $4.53, Knutsford Express shed 90 cents to settle at $8 in exchanging 872 units, 
Lasco Financial closed trading of 10,101 units and gained 24 cents to end at $2.65. Lasco Manufacturing declined by 12 cents in exchanging 117,442 shares to close at $3.90, Limners and Bards closed 5 cents higher at $2.05, with 227,798 stock units changing hands, Lumber Depot added 2 cents to close at $1.13, with 121,357 stock units trading. Mailpac Group ended trading with 127,888 shares, after rising 1 cent to end at $1.87, Medical Disposables closed trading with 7,156 shares, after gaining 12 cents to end at $6.88 and Paramount Trading ended with a loss of 1 cent at $1.98 with 150,500 stock units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
5-day Junior Market drop – Thursday
Another day of Junior Market trading and another fall in the market index a further 34.89 points to close at 2,554.76 on Thursday as 33 securities changed hands compared to 36 securities on Wednesday.
The prices of 14 securities advanced, 12 declined and seven remained unchanged. The market closed with the average PE ratio of 9.4 times IC Insider.com projected 2020-21 earnings.
Trading settled on Thursday with, resulting in an exchange of 2,120,809 units valued at $5,882,853 compared to 4,571,474 units valued at $12,078,991 from.
The average trade for the day was 64,267 units at $178,268 in contrast to 126,985 units for an average of $335,528 on Wednesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 236,556 units valued at $872,686 and previously 289,692 units valued at $1,086,852. In contrast, May closed with an average of 150,274 units valued at $491,077 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close of the market, AMG Packaging traded 96,209 shares to end at $1.56 after falling 14 cents, Blue Power rose 4 cents to $3.64 with 22,000 shares crossing the exchange, Cargo Handlers shed 19 cents to finish at $6.21 with 3,602 units changing hands. Caribbean Assurance gained 3 cents and exchanged 27,678 shares to settle at $2.20, Caribbean Flavours lost $1.20 in the trading of 281 shares to close at $10.10, Caribbean Producers slipped 2 cents to $2.38 with an exchange of 79,994 units. Derrimon Trading ended 24 cents higher at $2.59, with the trading of 29,510 stock units, Dolphin Cove gained 40 cents to $7.80 with 12,812 shares changing hands, Elite Diagnostic finished at $3.74 after rising 27 cents in swapping 6,154 stock units. Express Catering gained 5 cents and exchanged 14,543 units to close at $4.40, Fontana climbed 19 cents to $5.99 with 276,649 shares changing hands, Fosrich gained 74 cents to $3.89 after trading 24,261 stock units. General Accident lost 11 cents in the exchange of 105,293 units to finish at $5.41, Honey Bun closed at $5.55 after rising 10 cents in the swapping of 56,743 shares, Iron Rock Insurance fell 15 cents to $3.70 with an exchange of 1,100 units. 
Jamaican Teas lost 2 cents in the trading of 2,481 shares to close at $4.98, Knutsford Express jumped 30 cents to $8.90 with 3,409 units changing hands, Lasco Financial lost 9 cents in trading 23,840 shares to close at $2.41. Lasco Manufacturing dipped 26 cents to $4.02 with 16,926 units crossing the exchange, Limners and Bards climbed 10 cents and exchanged 144,500 shares to settle at $2, Lumber Depot declined by 3 cents to settle at $1.11 with 552,285 shares changing hands. MailPac Group lost 2 cents in the trading of 279,180 units to finish at $1.86, Main Event exchanged 27,952 units and gained 29 cents to end at $4.47, Medical Disposables gained 1 cent to end at $6.76 with 2,319 shares traded. SSL Venture climbed 3 cents to 93 cents with 20,000 shares crossing the exchange and Stationery and Office Supplies fell 4 cents in the swapping of 2,238 units to land at $6.26.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market slips for a third day
Trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Wednesday with 36 securities changing hands, resulting in an exchange of 4,571,474 units valued at $12,078,991 compared to 12,626,886 units valued at $37,770,740 from 36 stocks on Tuesday.
At the close of market activities, the prices of 9 securities advanced, 12 declined and 14 remained unchanged. The Junior Market Index declined by 7.12 points to close at 2,589.65.
The average security traded for the day ended at 126,985 units and $335,528, in contrast to 350,747 units for an average of $1,049,187 on Tuesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amount 289,692 units valued at $1,086,852 and previously 372,181 units valued at $1,467,806. Trading in May closed with an average of 150,274 units valued at $491,077 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows three stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close of the market, Access Financial climbed $1.55 to settle at $24.60 with 1,000 shares changing hands, 
Blue Power closed with a loss of 10 cents at $3.60, with an exchange of 50,000 shares, CAC 2000 declined by 9 cents in trading of 2,575 units at $9.30. Cargo Handlers ended trading with 6,921 shares, after rising 19 cents to close at $6.40, Caribbean Cream ended t with 35,115 shares changing hands after rising 33 cents to settle at $2.80. Caribbean Flavours fell 70 cents in exchanging 20,000 shares to close at $11.30, Derrimon Trading dipped 25 cents in trading of 100 units at $2.35, Dolphin Cove fell 40 cents with 11,200 units changing hands at $7.40. Elite Diagnostic closed trading of 8,446 units and gained 5 cents to end at $3.47, Express Catering ended with a loss of 1 cent at $4.35 with 25,692 stock units changing hands, Fosrich closed with a loss of 85 cents at $3.15 swapping 6,300 shares. General Accident lost 51 cents in trading of 97,860 units at $5.52, GWest Corporation exchanged 10,996 shares to close at 95 cents, after falling 5 cents, Honey Bun climbed 25 cents and exchanged 85,194 shares at $5.45. 
Jamaican Teas ended trading with 118,470 shares, after rising 40 cents to end at $5, Jetcon Corporation closed 3 cents higher at 85 cents, with 41,800 stock units trading, Knutsford Express closed 8 cents higher at $8.60, trading 3,910 stock units. Lasco Distributors lost 2 cents with 717,278 shares changing hands to close at $2.91, Lasco Manufacturing declined by 22 cents in trading of 169,108 units at $4.28, Main Event lost 32 cents in ending at $4.18 while exchanging 9,108 shares and Medical Disposables climbed 22 cents and traded 14,727 shares at $6.75.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market losses start June
Junior Market trading picked up on the first day of June with 35 securities changing hands, resulting in an exchange of 13,798,652 units valued at $66,443,460 as five companies traded over 1.2 million shares accounting for more than 8 million units that traded.
In contrast to Monday’s high volume, just 4,090,696 units valued at $13,986,258 changed hands from 31 securities on Friday.
At the close of market activities, the prices of 10 securities advanced, 16 declined and nine remained unchanged, with the market Index slipping 15.28 points to close at 2,617.69. The average PE ratio of the market ended at 9.4 times 2020-21 earnings.
The average ended with 394,247 units at $1,898,385, in contrast to 131,958 units at an average of $451,170 on Friday. In contrast, May closed with an average of 150,274 units valued at $491,077 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Access Financial climbed 5 cents to $23.05 with 1,242,213 shares trading, AMG Packaging ended at $1.61 after rising 6 cents and swapping 19,611 stock units, Cargo Handlers rose 16 cents in the exchange of 189,409 units to finish at $6.21. Caribbean Assurance Brokers slipped 1 cent and traded 54,706 stock units to close at $2.29, Caribbean Cream fell 9 cents to $2.75 with 272,900 shares changing hands, Caribbean Flavours jumped by $1.30 to close at $11.30 with the swapping of 2,152 stock units. Caribbean Producers gained 4 cents and exchanged 328,436 stocks to settle at $2.40, Derrimon Trading dropped 28 cents to end at $2.32 with 3,285,500 shares changing hands, Dolphin Cove closed trading of 1,100 stock units and gained 55 cents to end at $7.80. Elite Diagnostic lost 10 cents in the exchange of 7,191 units to finish at $3.40, Everything Fresh closed 2 cents higher at 75 cents with 21,000 shares traded, Express Catering settled at $4.40 after losing 5 cents and swapping 77,382 stock units. Fontana shed 14 cents in exchange of 150,506 shares to end at $5.80, General Accident traded 605,700 units and fell 20 cents to close at $6.05, Honey Bun climbed 28 cents exchanging 38,480 shares to finish at $5.40. Jamaican Teas exchanged 2,762,864 units and lost 7 cents to close at $4.63, Jetcon Corporation slipped 1 cent to 89 cents with 3,033 stock units changing hands, 
Knutsford Express closed with a loss of 54 cents at $8.41 in the swapping of 100 shares. Lasco Distributors climbed 15 cents and exchanged 983,238 stock units to end at $3.10, Lasco Financial fell 20 cents in the trading 523,159 units to finish at $2.50, Lasco Manufacturing ended market activity at $4.79 after exchanging 91,830 shares and falling 11 cents. Limners and Bards slid 1 cent to $1.83 with 59,463 units changing hands, Lumber Depot exchanged 2,136,838 stock units after losing 1 cent to close at $1.13, Medical Disposables dipped 1 cent to $6.89 with 23,450 shares traded. Paramount Trading ended 1 cent lower at $1.98 with 38,130 stock units changing hands and Stationery and Office Supplies climbed 9 cents to $6.30 with 35,953 crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market rises 9% in May
The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange ended Friday with modest gains in the market index to close out May, up 9 percent for the month but is still 21.4 percent adrift of the start of the year.
At the close of market activities, the prices of 13 securities advanced, 10 declined and eight remained unchanged. The Junior Market Index advanced by 4.54 points to close at 2,632.97 and the average PE ratio of the market ended at 9.5 times 2020-21 earnings.
Trading resulted in 31 securities changing hands and an exchange of 4,090,696 units at $13,986,259 compared to 4,251,896 units at $11,083,038 on Thursday.
The average trade for the day was 131,958 units for $451,170 in contrast to 146,617 units for an average of $382,174 on Thursday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 150,274 units valued at $491,077 and previously 151,266 units valued at $93,240. In contrast, April closed with an average of 447,863 units valued at $1,028,076 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Access Financial added 49 cents to end at $23 and traded 1,314 shares, AMG Packaging rose 5 cents and exchanged 500 shares at $1.55, Blue Power shed 15 cents in trading of 5,000 units at $3.60. Caribbean Cream closed 7 cents higher at $2.80, with 167,826 stock units trading, Caribbean Producers gained 1 cent to end at $2.36, trading 301,257 shares, Consolidated Bakeries ended market activity exchanging 145,650 shares to close at $1.64 after falling 6 cents. Elite Diagnostic closed trading of 32,398 units and gained 10 cents to end at $3.50, Everything Fresh ended with a loss of 1 cent at 73 cents with 133,453 stock units changing hands, Express Catering closed 44 cents higher at $4.45, with 91,687 stock units trading. Fontana closed trading of 259,958 units and gained 24 cents to end at $5.94, General Accident closed 25 cents higher at $6.25, with 118,999 stock units trading, Honey Bun declined 29 cents in trading of 15,596 units at $5.12. Indies Pharma closed with a loss of 4cents at $2.25 in swapping 66,561shares, ISP Finance ended lost $1 at $13 with 50 units changing hands, Jetcon Corporation closed trading of 30 units and gained 10 cents to end at 90 cents. 
Knutsford Express ended at $8.95, after rising $1.45 and trading 20,792 shares, Lasco Distributors closed with a loss of 20 cents at $2.95 after swapping 92,095 shares, Lasco Manufacturing closed trading of 1,186,538 shares and gained 40 cents to end at $4.90 (See note at the foot of this story). Limners and Bards rose 2 cents and exchanged 34,476 shares at $1.84. Mailpac Group closed with a loss of 2 cents at $1.86while trading 792,156 shares, Medical Disposables ended market activity, exchanging 4,114 stock units to settle at $6.90 after falling 10 cents and Stationery and Office Supplies lost 6 cents in trading 97,229 shares at $6.21.
NB The JSE trading sheet posted on the exchange website shows Lasco Manufacturing trading 1,186,538 shares, but the trading platform used for trading had just 221,121 shares traded, its unclear which is correct at the time of going to publishing. The trading sheet also has Eppley as trading in the Junior Market. The stock migrated to the main market for several months.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
