Trading closed on Friday, with the volume of stocks traded declining 57 percent and the value down 52 percent from Thursday levels, leading the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange to decline for the day but ending marginally higher for the week.
Trading led to 41 securities changing hands compared to 39 on Thursday, with prices of 17 rising, 13 declining and 11 remaining unchanged.
The Junior Market Index declined 17.06 points to close at 3,324.08 and the average PE Ratio based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 is 12.5.
At the close, 8,800,514 shares traded for $18,269,545 versus 20,537,724 units at $37,783,073 on Thursday.
Future Energy Source contributed 52.5 percent of total volume traded, with 4.62 million shares, Jetcon Corporation followed, with 7.6 percent trading 669,133 units and Lumber Depot accounted for 7 percent with 614,786 stocks.
Trading averaged 214,647 units at $445,599 down from 526,608 at $968,797 on Thursday. Trading month to date averages 347,033 units at $833,012, compared to 357,313 units at $863,100 on Thursday. April closed with an average of 329,24 units at $854,716.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows one stock ended with the bid higher than the last selling price and two with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial fell $1.95 to $20.20 after exchanging 142 shares, Blue Power climbed 27 cents to $3.97, trading 608 shares. Cargo Handlers rose 70 cents to $8.70, with one stock unit changing hands, Caribbean Cream dropped 34 cents $5.66 in exchanging 2,750 units, Caribbean Flavours increased 5 cents to $2.15, with 9,558 stock units crossing the market. Caribbean Producers advanced 10 cents to end at $3.75 with the swapping of 73,746 units, Dolphin Cove lost 39 cents to end at $7.61 in trading 40,788 units. Elite Diagnostic fell 20 cents to $3 in switching ownership of 223,848 units, Fontana advanced 6 cents to $6.06 while exchanging 102,677 stocks. Fosrich advanced 11 cents to $8.50, trading 53,297 units, Future Energy Source climbed 3 cents to $1.05 in exchanging 4,624,020 units, Honey Bun fell 24 cents to $6.75 with the swapping of 51,683 stock units. Iron Rock Insurance declined 80 cents to $3.20 with the swapping of 7,150 stock units. Jamaican Teas rose 7 cents to $4.03, with 451,911 stocks hanging hands, Jetcon Corporation lost 8 cents in ending at $1.02 after exchanging 669,133 stock units, KLE Group rose 19 cents to close at $1.21 with an exchange of 800 stocks.
Knutsford Express declined 9 cents to $8.35 while exchanging 53,847 stock units, Lasco Financial lost 10 cents in closing at $3.30, with 295,424 stocks switching ownership, Lasco Manufacturing climbed 8 cents to $5.48 in trading 165,451 units. Limners and Bards gained 6 cents to close at $3.36 after 77,292 units changed hands, Mailpac Group declined 12 cents to $3.75 in an exchange of 105,978 stocks. Main Event declined 39 cents in closing at $4.30 after trading 41,268 shares and tTech rose 25 cents to $6.25 with 1,398 shares clearing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Fesco dominates Junior Market
Future Energy Source (Fesco) dominated trading on the Junior Market on Thursday, with 73 percent of the market share with 15.02 million units exchanged after the company posted full year results that were slightly lower than the forecast of $151 million that was contained in the prospectus with the year to March ended at $141 million. 
Lasco Manufacturing was next, with 9.5 percent of total volume after trading 1.95 million units, while Lumber Depot accounted for 4.1 percent of total volume with an exchange of market 847,830 units.
Trading closed on Thursday with investors transferring 43 percent more shares at 39 percent greater value than Wednesday as rising stocks outnumbered falling ones, with 39 securities changing hands compared to 36 on Wednesday. At the close, 18 stocks rose, 14 declined and seven remaining unchanged as the Junior Market Index gained 10.13 points to close at 3,341.14.
The PE Ratio based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings averages 12.6.
A total of 20,537,724 shares traded for $37,783,073, up from 14,356,074 units at $27,238,932 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 526,608 units at $968,797 in contrast to 398,780 at $756,637 on Wednesday. Trading month to date, averages 357,313 units at $863,100, up from 343,811 units at $854,671 on Wednesday. April closed with an average of 329,241 units at $854,716.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows one stock ending with the bid higher than its last selling price and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Access Financial rose $2.14 to $22.15 with a transfer of 6,744 shares, CAC 2000 advanced $2.70 to $9.70 in an exchange of 5,000 units, Cargo Handlers dropped 68 cents to $8 with 6,250 stocks changing hands. Caribbean Assurance Brokers gained 10 cents to close at $2 with 8,350 shares traded, Caribbean Flavours slipped 7 cents to $2.10 with 101,082 stock units passing through the market, Caribbean Producers rose 7 cents to $3.65 with a transfer of 32,330 stocks. Consolidated Bakeries advanced 23 cents to $1.69 with an exchange of 30 shares, Derrimon Trading declined by 11 cents to finish at $2.50 with 208,882 units changing hands, Dolphin Cove climbed 50 cents to $8 with 2,124 stocks passing through the market. Elite Diagnostic gained 11 cents to end at $3.20 with 56,852 shares traded, Everything Fresh shed 10 cents to close at $1.02 with an exchange of 8,384 units, Express Catering jumped 50 cents to $5.50 with a transfer of 2,300 stocks. Fosrich shed 11 cents to end at $8.39 with 11,506 shares changing hands, Honey Bun climbed 49 cents to $6.99 with 12,973 units traded, Indies Pharma slipped 10 cents to $3.80 with 70,112 stock units passing through the market. Iron Rock Insurance advanced 55 cents to $4 with a transfer of 113,148 shares, Jetcon Corporation 25 cents to $1.10 with 420,889 units changing hands, KLE Group dropped 8 cents to $1.02 with 1,000 stocks traded. Knutsford Express jumped 44 cents to $8.44 with 763 shares passing through the market, Lasco Distributors rose 15 cents to $4.15 with a transfer of 6,800 stock units, Lasco Financial fell 42 cents to $3.40 with an exchange of 72,598 units. 
Lasco Manufacturing increased by 5 cents to close at $5.40 with 1,948,675 stocks changing hands, Limners and Bards fell 10 cents to $3.30 with 213,795 shares traded, Main Event advanced 19 cents to $4.69 with 35,831 units passing through the market. Paramount Trading fell 12 cents to $1.30 with investors switching ownership of 3,000 stocks, Stationery and Office Supplies dropped 22 cents to $8.28 with a transfer of 36,669 stock units and tTech jumped $1 to $6 with 6,211 shares crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market hangs on to some early gains
After shooting to just over 3,370 points at the start of trading, the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market index managed to hold on to nearly 11 points at the close of market on Wednesday after exchanging 48 percent more shares valued 15 percent less than on Tuesday, after declining stocks outpaced rising ones more than two to one.
Thirty six (36) securities traded compared to 38 on Tuesday, with nine rising, 22 declining and five ending unchanged, leading the Junior Market Index to gain 10.89 points to settle at 3,331.01.
Trading of 14,356,074 shares cost $27,238,932 compared to 9,672,190 units at $32,065,947 on Tuesday. Future Energy Source led trading with 63.6 percent of total volume after an exchange of 9.13 million shares, followed by Jamaican Teas 15.6 percent, with 2.24 million units and Lumber Depot with 6.3 percent with 903,509 units.
Trading averaged 398,780 units at $756,637 in contrast to 254,531 at $843,841 on Tuesday. Trading month to date, averages 343,811 units at $854,671, compared to 339,442 units at $862,461 on Tuesday. April closed with an average of 329,241 units at $854,716 trading. The PE Ratio based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings averaged 12.2.
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.
At the close, Access Financial dropped $1.49 to $20.01 with an exchange of 9,017 shares, Blue Power fell 20 cents to $3.70 with 20,550 units changing hands, CAC 2000 fell $2.70 to $7 after 10 stock units changed hands. Caribbean Assurance Brokers lost 10 cents to close at $1.90 with 16,037 shares traded, Caribbean Cream slipped 5 cents to $6 with a transfer of 3,028 units, Consolidated Bakeries declined by 9 cents to $1.46 with an exchange of 3,859 stocks. Dolphin Cove dropped 48 cents to$7.50 with 7,442 stock units changing hands, Elite Diagnostic fell 51 cents to $3.09 with 9,030 units passing through the market, Express Catering shed 70 cents to end at $5 with investors switching ownership of 33,037 shares. Fontana slipped 10 cents to $6 with 98,435 stocks traded, General Accident gained 10 cents to close at $5.80 with a transfer of 500 shares, Honey Bun dropped 29 cents to $6.50 with an exchange of 15,222 units. Indies Pharma advanced 30 cents to $3.90 with 2,938 stocks changing hands, Jamaican Teas rose 6 cents to $3.95 with 2,244,608 stock units passing through the market, Jetcon Corporation lost 6 cents to land at 85 cents with 97,326 shares traded. 
Lasco Distributors dropped 20 cents to $4 with a transfer of 13,200 stocks, Lasco Manufacturing slipped 5 cents to $5.35 with 60,180 units changing hands, Limners and Bards declined by 5 cents to close at $3.40 with 69,773 shares passing through the market. Lumber Depot fell 19 cents to $3.26 with 903,509 stocks traded, Medical Disposables climbed 28 cents to $4.98 with a transfer of 245 units and SSL Venture gained 8 cents to close at 64 cents with 176,140 shares crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market plunges 61 points
Trading closed on Monday, with the market declining after an exchange of 31 percent more shares valued 48 percent less than on Friday’s and leading to a fall in the Junior Market index after it surged 61.40 points to 3,382.95 points within 17 minutes of the opening, but the market failed to hold off selling pressure, leaving the Market index down 15.05 points to close at 3,306.50.
Overall 40 securities traded, up from 37 on Friday and ended with the prices of nine stocks rising, 23 declining and eight remaining unchanged. At the close, the PE Ratio based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings averaged 12.
At the market close 13,103,080 shares traded for $39,313,013 compared to 10,030,984 units at $26,609,052 on Friday. Jamaican Teas led trading with 20.7 percent of the total volume after trading 2.72 million shares, followed by Mailpac Group with 19 percent for 2.49 million units, Elite Diagnostic with 14.9 percent after a transfer of 1.95 million units and Derrimon Trading controlled 8.9 percent with 1.17 million units changing hands.
Trading averaged 327,577 units at $982,825 compared to 271,108 at $719,164 on Friday. The month to date trading averaged 347,217 units at $864,166, compared to 349,312 units at $851,510 on Friday. Trading in April closed with an average of 329,241 units at $854,716.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial dropped $1.15 to $21 with trading just 4 shares, Blue Power fell 20 cents to $3.75 with an exchange of 5,026 stocks, Caribbean Producers lost 28 cents to settle at $3.50 with 29,880 units changing hands. Derrimon Trading declined 10 cents to $2.50 with 1,170,771 stock units passing through the market, Dolphin Cove shed 61 cents to close at $7.38 with an exchange of 841 shares, Elite Diagnostic advanced 16 cents to $3.29 with a transfer of 1,953,169 stocks. Everything Fresh rose 5 cents to $1 with 17,063 units traded, Express Catering jumped $1 to $5.90 in switching ownership of 25,104 shares, Fontana dropped 20 cents to $6 with 272,750 stocks changing hands. Fosrich climbed 48 cents to $8.47 with 49,909 units passing through the market, General Accident fell 40 cents to $5.70 in an exchange of 20,782 shares, Honey Bun lost 12 cents to end at $6.30 with a transfer of 35,630 stock units. iCreate rose 7 cents to 86 cents with 366,532 stocks traded, Indies Pharma shed 30 cents to close at $3.70 in switching ownership of 83,302 units, Iron Rock Insurance fell 10 cents to $3.45 with 250 shares changing hands. Jamaican Teas gained 5 cents to end at $3.95 with 2,715,570 stock units changing hands, KLE Group lost 10 cents to finish at $1.10 with an exchange of 45,672 units, Knutsford Express dropped $1.25 to close at $7.20 with a transfer of 7 stocks. 
Lasco Distributors slipped 5 cents to $4.15 with 38,968 shares traded, Lasco Financial fell 14 cents to $3.80 with 85,342 units changing hands, Lumber Depot declined 15 cents to $3.03 with 807,322 stocks passing through the market. Main Event shed 41 cents to end at $4.50 with a transfer of 1,575 stock units, Medical Disposables advanced 15 cents to $4.40 with 1,534 units traded and Stationery and Office Supplies dropped $1.87 to close at $7.63 with 32,890 shares crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Juniors slipped on Friday
Trading closed on Friday, with the market index suffering one of its infrequent declines in recent weeks after trading volumes dropped 49 percent and the value fell 51 percent from Thursday levels on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, as the market at the top of a trading channel that could restrict upward movement for a while.
Trading ended with 37 securities changing hands up from 35 on Thursday and closed with prices of 15 rising, 15 declining and seven closing unchanged.
At the close, the Junior Market Index shed 24.81 points to settle at 3,321.55. The PE Ratio, based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings, averages 12.4.
The market closed with an exchange of 10,030,984 shares for $26,609,052 down from 19,570,020 units at $54,174,348 on Thursday. Future Energy Source led trading with 21.6 percent of total volume for an exchange of 2.16 million shares, followed by Lumber Depot with 18.5 percent after exchanging 1.85 million units and Everything Fresh with 9.3 percent for 930,357 units.
Trading averaged 271,108 units at $719,164, in contrast to 559,143 at $1,547,924 on Thursday, and for the month to date, an average of 349,312 units at $851,510, compared to 357,873 units at $865,997 on Thursday. April closed with an average of 329,241 units at $854,716.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows three stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging lost 6 cents in closing at $1.72 in trading 116,319 shares, Blue Power gained 45 cents to end at $3.95 after crossing the market with 3,508 units, Cargo Handlers advanced $1.19 in closing at $8.70 with an exchange 33 stocks. Caribbean Cream picked up 5 cents to close at $5.66 with the swapping of 10,085 stock units, Caribbean Flavours declined 25 cents to finish at $2.10 in exchanging 720,848 shares. Consolidated Bakeries fell 31 cents, ending at $1.34 in switching ownership of 42,500 stocks, Elite Diagnostic rose 21 cents in closing at $3.13 in crossing the market with 10,312 units, Everything Fresh lost 15 cents to settle at 95 cents, with 930,357 shares changing hands, Express Catering shed $1.03 to close at $4.90 with the swapping of 89,380 stock units. Fontana rose 34 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $6.20 after crossing the market with 383,850 shares, General Accident ended 19 cents higher at $6.10, exchanging 45,854 units. GWest Corporation lost 5 cents in closing at 79 cents after clearing the market with 39,149 shares, Honey Bun rose 42 cents to close at $6.42 in exchanging 215,252 stocks, iCreate shed 1 cent to end at 79 cents crossing the exchange 13,571 stock units. Jamaican Teas gained 40 cents to end at $3.90 in switching ownership of 469,732 shares, 
Lasco Distributors gained 13 cents to close at $4.20 with an exchange of 66,204 units, Lasco Financial ended 6 cents lower at $3.94 with the swapping of 1,000 shares, Lasco Manufacturing gained 6 cents in closing at $5.40 in transferring 82,790 stock units. Lumber Depot gained 17 cents ending at $3.18 after exchanging 1,851,495 units, Mailpac Group shed 26 cents to finish at $3.69 after clearing the market with 867,626 stocks, Stationery and Office Supplies advanced $2.49 to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $9.50 in trading 16,303 shares and tTech dipped 8 cents to end at $5.91 with a transfer of 1,250 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market back at pre-COVID levels
The Junior Market Index surged past the 3,300 points level for the first time since January 3, last year, when the market closed at 3378.20. At the close on Tuesday, the index jumped 53.41 points to land at 3,317.87, having now recovered all COVID-19 losses and more.
Tuesday’s trading was dominated by recently listed Junior Market stock, Future Energy Source, with 72.1 percent of total volume, after an exchange of 9.55 million shares, followed by Derrimon Trading, with 8.1 percent with 1.07 million units and Tropical Battery 3.9 percent with an exchange of 521,789 shares.
At the close of trading, 37 securities changed hands down from 40 on Monday, with 18 stocks rising, 10 declining and nine remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings averaged 11.9.
The total of 45 percent more funds exchanged in trading 73 percent more shares than on Monday as 13,231,940 shares traded for $21,484,542, up from 7,657,019 units $14,785,764 on Monday.
Trading averaged 357,620 units at $580,663 in contrast to 191,425 at $369,644 on Monday. The month to date, averaged 332,395 units at $782,617, compared to 328,355 units at $814,965 on Monday. April closed with an average of 329,241 units at $854,716.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ending, with the bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Blue Power fell 21 cents to close at $3.39 with 29,946 shares changing hands, Caribbean Assurance Brokers dropped 17 cents to end at $1.90 with an exchange of 73,761 stocks after the company posted lower first quarter profit than they did in 2020. Caribbean Cream jumped 75 cents to $6.05 with a transfer of 74 units. Caribbean Flavours rose 5 cents to $2.30 with investors switching ownership of 18,068 shares, Caribbean Producers lost 5 cents to end at $3.70 with 78,010 units traded, Consolidated Bakeries advanced 24 cents to $1.65 with 482 stocks changing hands. Derrimon Trading gained 6 cents to close at $2.60 with an exchange of 1,065,315 stock units, Elite Diagnostic fell 32 cents to $2.81 with a transfer of 650 shares, Everything Fresh fell 13 cents to $1.04 with 15,000 stocks passing through the market. Fontana rose 13 cents to $6.13 with an exchange of 33,522 units, Fosrich climbed 21 cents to close at $8.20 with a transfer of 37,959 stock units, General Accident climbed 46 cents to $6.30, with investors switching ownership of 191,612 shares. Honey Bun dropped 20 cents to close at $6.20, with 467 units traded, Lasco Distributors advanced 39 cents to $4.40 with 225,841 stocks changing hands, 
Lasco Manufacturing lost 8 cents to end at $5.10 with an exchange of 37,601 shares. Mailpac Group rose 9 cents to $3.94 with a transfer of 266,768 stock units, Medical Disposables fell 19 cents to close at $5 with the ownership of 64,103 stocks switching, Paramount Trading gained 9 cents to finish at $1.39 with 10,029 units changing hands and Stationery and Office Supplies jumped 48 cents to settle at $6 with 11,290 shares crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market moves higher
Trading was more subdued on Monday than Friday and ended with more stocks declining than rising at the close of the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, nevertheless, the market index gained 20.53 points to settle at 3,264.46.
A total of 40 securities traded compared to 39 on Friday, with 13 stocks rising, 19 declining and eight remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings averaged 12.2.
Investors exchanged 77 percent fewer shares at 82 percent less value than on Friday. Trading amassed 7,657,019 shares for $14,785,764 compared to 33,684,414 units at $82,018,666 on Friday.
Future Energy Source led trading with 43 percent of total volume, after 3.28 million shares changed hands, followed by Paramount Trading 11.1 percent of the day’s trade with 852,642 units and Derrimon Trading with 10.7 percent with a transfer of 816,047 units.
Trading averaged 191,425 units at $369,644, down from 863,703 at $2,103,043 on Friday. Trading month to date averaged 328,355 units at $814,965, compared to 357,031 units at $908,226 on Friday. April ended with an average of 329,241 units at $854,716.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial fell 20 cents to $21.80 with 611 shares passing through the market, Blue Power dipped 30 cents to $3.60 with an exchange of 45,370 units, CAC 2000 jumped 50 cents to $10 with 2,947 stock units changing hands. Caribbean Cream gained 10 cents to close at $5.30 with a transfer of 642 shares Caribbean Producers slipped 5 cents to $3.75 with 53,048 stocks traded, Express Catering climbed 40 cents to a 52 weeks’ closing high of $5.20, with 16,905 units passing through the market. Fosrich shed 50 cents to end at $7.99 with an exchange of 83,942 stock units, Indies Pharma advanced 16 cents to $4.24 with 20,237 shares changing hands, Jamaican Teas slipped 11 cents to $4.08 with a transfer of 378,490 stocks. Jetcon Corporation slipped 5 cents to 85 cents with 17,580 units changing hands, Knutsford Express fell 5 cents to $8.45, with 16,147 stock units passing through the market, Lasco Financial climbed 25 cents to $3.35 with an exchange of 50,155 shares. 
Limners and Bards increased 8 cents to finish at $2.90 with 181,122 stock units changing hands, Mailpac Group rose 5 cents to $3.85 with a transfer of 309,136 units, Main Event advanced 22 cents to $4.87 with 1,323 stocks traded. Medical Disposables fell 9 cents to $5.19 with 102 units passing through the market, Stationery and Office Supplies dropped 93 cents to $5.52 with 5,139 stock units changing hands and tTech lost 28 cents to close at $4.60 with 17,551 shares crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Big Junior Market retreat – Wednesday
Trading started the day with a rise in the market index to 3,284.37 points after 30 minutes of the Junior Market opening >on Thursday but could not maintain those gains and fell over 63 points to finish at 3,221.12 after dropping 43.79 points from Wednesday’s close.
Trading ended with 36 securities changing hands compared to 40 on Wednesday, ending with 16 rising, 14 falling and six remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings averages 12.2.
The market closed with an exchange of 42 percent fewer shares than on Wednesday as 6,176,511 shares valued at $22,209,393 changed hands, down from 10,633,571 units at $23,363,737 on Wednesday.
Fosrich controlled 12.8 percent of total volume with 793,280 shares, followed by Future Energy Source 11.3 percent, with 696,049 units and Caribbean Flavours 10.6 percent, with an exchange of 655,062 units.
Trading averaged 171,570 units at $616,928 in contrast to 265,839 at $584,093 on Wednesday. Trading month to date, averaged 227,030 units at $601,661, compared to 244,242 units at $596,923 on Wednesday. April closed with an average of 329,241 units at $854,716.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
At the close, Blue Power fell 69 cents to $3.75 with an exchange of 9,118 shares, Caribbean Assurance Brokers rose 10 cents to $2.08 with 108,563 stock units traded, Caribbean Cream added 14 cents to end at $6.05, with 4,172 units changing hands. Caribbean Producers lost 15 cents to end at $3.80 with a transfer of 117,765 stocks, Express Catering rose 10 cents to $4.55 with investors switching ownership of 77,747 shares, Fosrich shed 79 cents to settle at $8 with an exchange of 793,280 units after it traded at a record high of $9.50. Honey Bun hit a 52 weeks’ intraday high of $7 before falling back to a gain of just 5 cents for the day to $6 with 131,773 stocks passing through the market, iCreate fell 6 cents to 74 cents with 33,680 stock units changing hands, Iron Rock Insurance jumped 45 cents to $3.50 with a transfer of 25,670 shares. Jetcon Corporation declined 7 cents to 87 cents with 24,961 stocks traded, Knutsford Express gained 10 cents to end at $8.50 with investors switching ownership of 7,171 units Lasco Financial dropped 19 cents to $3.20 with an exchange of 391,519 stock units. 
Lasco Manufacturing shed 35 cents to $4.75 with 66,304 shares changing hands, Lumber Depot advanced 14 cents to $2.80 with a transfer of 349,436 stocks, Medical Disposables slipped 8 cents to $5.27 with 300,260 units traded. SSL Venture rose 7 cents to 65 cents with investors switching ownership of 5,700 stock units, Stationery and Office Supplies fell 11 cents to $5.50 with 19,767 stocks changing hands and tTech gained 10 cents to close at $5, with the 3,959 shares crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market up 61% from 2020 low
The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Trading closed on Wednesday with the market advancing 38.21 points to settle at 3,264.91, the highest close since January 10, last year as the market recorded a 23.5 percent increase since the start of 2021 and is up 61 percent since the March 2020 low.
At the close, 40 securities traded compared to 37 on Tuesday with prices of 16 stocks rising, 16 declining and eight remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings averages 12.2.
Trading ended with 10,633,571 shares for $23,363,737 compared to 10,360,923 units at $25,835,350 on Tuesday.
Future Energy Source accounted for 54.2 percent of total volume, with 5.76 million shares, followed by Lumber Depot 10.1 percent with 1.08 million units and Lasco Distributors with 5.8 percent after an exchange of 616,284 units.
Trading averaged 265,839 units at $584,093 in contrast to 280,025 at $698,253 on Tuesday. Month to date trading averaged 244,242 units at $596,923, compared to 232,875 units at $603,675 on Tuesday. April closed with an average of 329,241 units at $854,716.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Access Financial climbed $2.14 to $22.20 with 200 shares changing hands, Caribbean Assurance Brokers lost 10 cents to end at $1.98 with an exchange of 47,143 stocks, Caribbean Cream fell 19 cents to $5.91 with a transfer of 1,400 units. Caribbean Producers rose 5 cents to $3.95 with 124,730 stock units traded, Dolphin Cove climbed 50 cents to $8 with 28,750 shares passing through the market, Everything Fresh rose 12 cents to $1.15 with 13,953 stocks changing hands. Express Catering slipped 8 cents to $4.45 with an exchange of 7,300 stock units, Fontana gained 23 cents to end at $6 with a transfer of 155,493 units, Fosrich jumped 71 cents to a record close of $8.79 with a transfer of 343,226 shares, after the price rose to a record high during trading of $9.20. In the process that stock has gained 120 percent for the year to date, to be the best performing Junior Market stock for the year so far. General Accident dropped 32 cents to $5.52 with 13,915 stocks traded, Honey Bun advanced 20 cents to $5.95 with 1,718 units passing through the market, iCreate rose 8 cents to 80 cents with 97,532 shares changing hands. Iron Rock Insurance shed 65 cents to end at $3.05 with an exchange of 101,250 stocks, 
ISP Finance jumped $3.99 to $23.99 with a transfer of 80 units, Knutsford Express declined by 20 cents to $8.40 with 9,545 stock units passing through the market. Lasco Financial advanced 40 cents to finish at a 52 weeks’ high of $3.39, with 103,425 shares changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing slipped 5 cents to $5.10 with an exchange of 101,483 stocks, Lumber Depot lost 6 cents to close at $2.66 with a transfer of 1,075,496 units. Main Event jumped 73 cents to $4.77 with 17,125 shares traded, Medical Disposables fell 13 cents to $5.35 with 2,778 stocks passing through the market, SSL Venture declined by 7 cents to 58 cents with 1 unit changing hands. Stationery and Office Supplies dropped 69 cents to $5.61 with 200 stock units traded and Tropical Battery lost 5 cents to close at $1.15 with 87,376 shares crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market loses morning momentum
The Junior Market Index hit 3,265.18 after just 18 minutes after the market opened on Tuesday, but the market failed to hang on to those early gains and eventually settled at 3,226.70, after dropping 38.48 points off the morning’s high and 12.70 points below Monday’s close.
Trading resulted in an exchange of 41.2 percent more shares than on Monday, with 29 percent greater value than on Monday.
Overall, 37 securities traded versus 39 on Monday, with prices of 10 stocks rising, 20 declining and seven remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings averages 12.2.
Investors exchanged 10,360,923 shares for $25,835,350 compared to 7,337,555 units at $20,043,954 on Monday. Derrimon Trading led the day’s volume with 44.4 percent after an exchange of 4.6 million shares, followed by Future Energy Source with 18.3 percent in trading 1.9 million units and Lumber Depot with 9 percent or 930,413 units.
Trading averaged 280,025 units at $698,253 in contrast to 188,142 at $513,948 on Monday. The month to date averaged 232,875 units at $603,675. Trading in April closed with an average of 329,241 units at $854,716.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows one stock ended with the bid higher than the last selling price and two with lower offers.
At the close, Blue Power gained 9 cents to end at $4.44 with an exchange of 11,084 shares, Cargo Handlers fell $1.19 to $7.51 with 100 stocks crossing the market, Caribbean Cream slipped 5 cents to finish at $6.10 with 8,601 units changing hands. Caribbean Flavours rose 7 cents to end at $2.30 with 22,374 shares traded, Caribbean Producers lost 5 cents to close at $3.90 with a transfer of 18,448 stocks. Dolphin Cove dropped 40 cents to $7.50 with an exchange of 17,771 units, Everything Fresh declined by 12 cents to end at $1.03, with 6,948 shares crossing the exchange. Fosrich jumped $1.08 to close at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $8.08 with 259,572 stocks changing hands. Honey Bun lost 30 cents to close at $5.75 with 22,700 units traded, Iron Rock Insurance climbed 35 cents to $3.70 in transferring 14,925 shares. ISP Finance shed $4 to settle at $20 in trading just one share, Jetcon Corporation gained 10 cents to finish at 95 cents with an exchange of 333,996 stocks. KLE Group slid 5 cents to $1.02 with 319,074 shares changing hands, Lasco Distributors declined by 5 cents to finish at $3.85 with 159,829 units changing hands. Lasco Financial dropped 20 cents to $2.99 with 38,500 stocks traded after hitting a 52 weeks’ intraday high of $3.37.
Lasco Manufacturing advanced 14 cents to $5.15 with a transfer of 31,906 stock units, Limners and Bards fell 8 cents to $2.72, with 6,050 shares passing through the market. Lumber Depot declined 18 cents to $2.72 with 930,413 units traded, Main Event jumped 54 cents to $4.04 with a transfer of 12,000 stock units and Medical Disposables fell 7 cents to $5.48 with 6,740 units crossing the exchange.
In the preference segment, CAC 2000 9.5% lost 8 cents to close at $1 with 260,578 shares changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
