Trading activity contracted Wednesday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market, with the volume of stocks trading declining 53 percent and the value dropping 41 percent lower than on Tuesday, with 44 securities changing hands against 43 on Tuesday, with 20 rising, 17 declining and seven closing unchanged.
At the close, the Junior Market Index fell 38.57 points to 4,336.16 and is down 228 points after declining for five straight days.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 13.6. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks incorporate ICInsider.com projected earnings for companies with financial years closing up to the end of August 2023.
Overall, 6,419,876 shares traded for $28,806,239 versus 13,653,490 units at $48,511,390 on Tuesday. Trading averaged 145,906 shares at $654,687 in contrast to 317,523 shares at $1,128,172 on Tuesday with month to date, averaging 445,304 units at $1,954,279 compared to 470,540 units at $2,063,823 on the previous trading day. April closed with an average of 449,923 units at $1,781,786.
Spur Tree Spices led trading with 946,973 shares for 14.8 percent of total volume, followed by JFP Limited with 848,378 units for 13.2 percent of the day’s trade and Tropical Battery, 624,509 units for 9.7 percent market share.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial slipped 18 cents to $23.15, with ten shares changing hands, Blue Power advanced 24 cents to $3.94 in an exchange of 110 stock units, Cargo Handlers rose 93 cents in closing at $11.86 after an exchange of 55 units. Derrimon Trading gained 11 cents to end at $3.07, trading 170,395 stocks, Dolphin Cove dropped $1.20 to close at $19.50, with 26,607 shares crossing the exchange, Elite Diagnostic declined 37 cents to close at $3.78 in switching ownership of 340,612 stock units. Fosrich fell $1.69 to $28.30 with an exchange of 234,432 units, Future Energy Source climbed 31 cents to end at $6.20 in exchanging 494,350 stocks, Honey Bun rallied 10 cents to $9.30 after 18,462 units crossed the market. iCreate shed 25 cents in closing at $3.55 while exchanging 191,897 stocks, Iron Rock Insurance increased 14 cents in ending at $3.30 after trading 125 stock units, Jetcon Corporation lost 10 cents to close at $1.45 after 438,574 shares changed hands. Knutsford Express popped 20 cents in closing at $7.80 in trading 18,743 shares, Lasco Distributors gained 17 cents to $3.50 with the swapping of 226,885 units, Main Event climbed 73 cents to end at $8.99 with 43,200 stock units clearing the market. 
Spur Tree Spices increased 12 cents ending at $3.90, with 946,973 stocks crossing the market, Stationery and Office Supplies shed 49 cents to $13.01 in swopping ownership of 79,888 shares and Tropical Battery dipped 14 cents to close at $2.61, with 624,509 units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Market activity led to 43 securities trading, down from 45 on Monday and ended with 15 rising, 19 declining and nine closing unchanged.
At the close, Access Financial advanced $1.85 to $23.33 after exchanging 1,015 shares, AMG Packaging declined 20 cents to $3.50 while trading 90,887 stocks, Blue Power fell 25 cents in closing at $3.70 with the swapping of 162 units. Cargo Handlers dropped 82 cents to end at $10.93 after trading 845 stock units, Caribbean Cream lost 30 cents to close at $4.90 after 30,250 units crossed the exchange, Dolphin Cove climbed 89 cents in closing at $20.70 in switching ownership of 12,082 shares. Elite Diagnostic rose 40 cents to $4.15 with an exchange of 238,300 stocks, Fontana shed 48 cents ending at $10.50 in trading 80,397 stock units, Fosrich shed 79 cents to close at $29.99, with 91,153 stock units changing hands. Future Energy Source declined 42 cents to $5.89 after 1,973,947 units crossed the market, ISP Finance gained $1.43 to close at $29.50 trading 31 stocks, Jamaican Teas rallied 11 cents in closing at $3.48 while trading 455,898 shares. Jetcon Corporation popped 13 cents to $1.55, with 68,666 units crossing the market, JFP Limited lost 15 cents to end at $1.54 in exchanging 3,691,107 shares, Knutsford Express dropped 20 cents in ending at $7.60, with 3,000 stock units clearing the market. 
Lasco Distributors fell 17 cents in closing at $3.33 after exchanging 119,173 stocks, Main Event fell 74 cents to close at $8.26 after an exchange of 95,412 stocks, Medical Disposables increased 85 cents to end at 52 weeks’ high of $8.40, with 98,567 stock units changing hands. Spur Tree Spices dropped 22 cents in ending at $3.78 after 1,780,721 units crossed the market, Stationery and Office Supplies increased 50 cents to end at 52 weeks’ high of $13.50 in switching ownership of 52,406 shares and tTech rallied 15 cents to $3.65, with 12,050 stock units crossing the market.
Market activity led to 45 securities trading compared to 44 on Friday and ended with 15 rising, 17 declining and 13 closing unchanged.
At the close, AMG Packaging gained 20 cents to close at $3.70 trading of 82,039 shares, Cargo Handlers popped $1.50 to $11.75 with an exchange of 5,770 stock units, Consolidated Bakeries popped 13 cents to $1.39, with 439,482 stocks crossing the exchange. Derrimon Trading 26 cents to end at $2.94, with 837,205 units passing through the market, Dolphin Cove climbed $1.81 to $19.81, with 71,493 units clearing the market, EduFocal lost 10 cents to close at $3.12, trading 971,822 shares. Elite Diagnostic declined 25 cents to end at $3.75 while exchanging 2,215,388 stock units, Fosrich dropped 20 cents in closing at $30.78 in switching ownership of 135,750 stocks, and Future Energy Source fell 19 cents to $6.31 in an exchange of 1,390,058 units. iCreate declined 26 cents to close at $3.75 after exchanging 74,053 stocks, ISP Finance jumped $5.77 to $28.07, with 35 shares crossing the market, Jamaican Teas dropped 11 cents in closing at $3.37 after 531,901 stock units changed hands. KLE Group gained 25 cents in ending at $2.40 and exchanging 6,000 stock units, Limners and Bards fell 14 cents to close at $3.15 with the swapping of 51,280 units, Main Event rallied 50 cents to end at $9, with 78,728 stocks changing hands. 
Medical Disposables climbed 29 cents to $7.55 in trading 205,196 shares, SSL Venture gained 10 cents in closing at $1.75 after exchanging 518,833 units, Stationery and Office Supplies climbed $2 to a 52 weeks’ closing high of $13 after 219,069 stock units crossed the market and Tropical Battery shed 15 cents to close at $2.75 while exchanging 2,742,878 shares.
Access Financial jumped 22 percent last week, and is down 16 percent this past week at $21.50, and attracted more buying interest as the release of year results approaches. tTech tumbled 8 percent during the week and 
The primary mover in the main market was Caribbean Cement that fell 12 percent to $61 as buying interest in the stock remains low, even as the first quarter results suggest the stock is highly undervalued, no other stock had any serious change.
At the close, Access Financial rose 59 cents to $21.50 after exchanging 149 shares, Cargo Handlers lost $2.75 to $10.25 in an exchange of 23,829 units, Caribbean Assurance Brokers popped 15 cents in closing at $2.59 while trading 45,112 stocks. Dolphin Cove declined $3.20 in ending at $18 in exchanging 105,134 stock units, EduFocal fell 13 cents to close at $3, with 642,761 stocks crossing the market, Fontana advanced 89 cents to $10.99 in an exchange of 85,158 stock units. Fosrich lost $1 in ending at $30.98 with 122,203 units changing hands, Future Energy Source shed 38 cents to close at $6.50 in switching ownership of 1,017,033 shares, General Accident lost 15 cents to close at $5.95, with 13,000 units clearing the market. Honey Bun dropped 15 cents to $9.20 after finishing trading of 1,206,963 stocks, Iron Rock Insurance shed 25 cents to close at $3.20 in an exchange of 26,771 stock units, Jetcon Corporation fell 26 cents to end at $1.35, trading 102,085 shares. Lasco Distributors climbed 10 cents to $3.50, with 828,816 shares crossing the market, Lasco Financial gained 19 cents to $3.59 in trading 539,344 units, Main Event declined 49 cents in closing at $8.50 with the swapping of 325,825 stocks. 
Stationery and Office Supplies rallied $3.40 to a 52 weeks’ high of $11 after 429,937 stock units changed hands and tTech fell 25 cents to end at $3.50, with 26,531 stocks crossing the exchange.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 13.5. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks incorporate ICInsider.com projected earnings for companies with fiscal years closing up to the end of August 2023.
At the close, Access Financial fell $2.49 in closing at $20.91 in switching ownership of 7,917 shares, AMG Packaging shed 15 cents to $3.50, with 318,240 stocks crossing the market, Blue Power declined 55 cents to $4 while exchanging 39,488 units. Caribbean Assurance Brokers lost 10 cents to close at $2.44 after 151,267 stock units crossed the market, Caribbean Cream dropped 15 cents to end at $5.20, trading 11,731 shares, Derrimon Trading shed 17 cents in closing at $3.29 after an exchange of 1,154,330 units. Dolphin Cove advanced 64 cents in ending at $21.20 with the swapping of 31,141 stock units, Elite Diagnostic lost 33 cents to close at $3.97 in exchanging 90,256 stocks, Express Catering fell 17 cents to end at $6, with 24,650 shares crossing the exchange. Fontana declined $1 to $10.10 after an exchange of 168,277 stock units, Fosrich dropped $1.91 to $31.98 after exchanging 251,557 units, General Accident climbed 13 cents ending at $6.10 in an exchange of 5,082 stocks. Honey Bun gained 14 cents to end at $9.35 after trading 5,151 units, Iron Rock Insurance rose 25 cents to close at $3.45 after trading 1,010 stock units, ISP Finance dropped $7.20 in closing at $22.30, with 98,368 shares clearing the market. KLE Group lost 22 cents to end at $2.17 in trading 156,299 stocks, Knutsford Express shed 20 cents in closing at $7.79 with an exchange of 23,210 stocks, Lasco Distributors rallied 10 cents to $3.40 after trading 201,935 shares. 
Mailpac Group fell 31 cents to close at a 52 week’s low of $2.74 in trading 878,720 units after the price dipped to a low of $2.27 during the morning session as investors reacted negatively to the fall in profits for the March quarter. Medical Disposables popped 26 cents ending at $7.26 while exchanging 40,793 stock units, Spur Tree Spices declined 10 cents to $4 with the swapping of 1,137,489 units, Stationery and Office Supplies fell $1.60 to close at $7.60, with 20,000 stocks clearing the market, before the release of the March first quarter results, showing record profits and revenues were reported. The stock is set to open much higher on Friday, with several bids posted to buy at $10 and over after trading closed. Tropical Battery declined 16 cents to end at $2.92, with 3,358,233 stock units changing hands and tTech increased 25 cents in closing at $3.75 after 1,904 shares crossed the market.
All but one of the 45 listed stocks traded on Wednesday, numbering 44, similar to Tuesday, ending with 13 rising, 19 declining and 12 closing unchanged and the Junior Market Index rose just 3.59 points to 4,564.38. Blue Power ended at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $.455, iCreate traded at an intraday high of $4.45 and Derrimon Trading ended at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $3.46.
At the close, Access Financial declined $1.08 to end at $23.40 in an exchange of 4,470 shares, AMG Packaging lost 10 cents to close at $3.65 in trading 61,147 units, Caribbean Cream popped 15 cents to $5.35 in switching ownership of 38,465 stocks. Caribbean Flavours climbed 10 cents in closing at $2.08 after trading 12,502 stock units, Derrimon Trading gained 11 cents in ending at $3.46 and exchanging 2,190,743 units, Dolphin Cove fell $1.78 to $20.56, with 43,509 stocks crossing the exchange. EduFocal shed 74 cents to close at $3.35, with 1,743,479 shares crossing the market,Elite Diagnostic rallied 55 cents to $4.30 while exchanging 84,392 stock units, Fontana rose 20 cents to $11.10, trading 178,349 shares. Fosrich dropped 61 cents in closing at $33.89 after trading 307,960 stock units, Future Energy Source shed 13 cents to close at $6.87, with 2,622,002 stocks changing hands, Honey Bun lost 16 cents in closing at $9.21 after exchanging 38,855 units. iCreate fell 24 cents to $4.02, with 662,269 stock units changing hands, ISP Finance jumped $6.52 to $29.50, with 635 units crossing the market, Jetcon Corporation fell 12 cents to $1.63 with the swapping of 324,421 stocks. JFP Limited advanced 18 cents to close at $1.68 with an exchange of 4,380,376 shares, 
KLE Group climbed 24 cents in closing at $2.39 with 12,280 stock units clearing the market, Lumber Depot dipped 12 cents to $3.27 trading 413,408 shares. Medical Disposables advanced 30 cents to $7 after 23,478 stocks crossed the market, Spur Tree Spices shed 10 cents to end at $4.10 while exchanging 1,359,511 units, Tropical Battery fell 12 cents to end at $3.08 after trading 1,499,721 units and tTech fell 30 cents to $3.50, with 134,649 stocks changing hands.
All 45 listed securities traded, up from 44 on Friday, with 20 rising, 17 declining and eight closing unchanged.
At the close, Access Financial shed 20 cents to close at $25.50, with 3,890 shares clearing the market, Cargo Handlers rallied $1.50 to a 52 weeks’ high of $14 in exchanging 44,307 stock units, Derrimon Trading popped 10 cents ending at a 52 weeks’ high of $3.21 after 13,469,757 units crossed the market. Dolphin Cove advanced 51 cents in closing at $22.50 after exchanging 333,111 stocks, EduFocal gained 32 cents to end at $3.80 after an exchange of 1,307,069 shares, Elite Diagnostic declined 10 cents to $3.80, with 400,199 stock units crossing the market. Express Catering fell 10 cents to $6.08 while exchanging 144,623 units, Fontana rose 20 cents in closing at $11.15 with an exchange of 350,945 stocks, Fosrich surged $2.42 to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $35.41, with 508,542 units changing hands after the price hit an all-time high of $38. iCreate dropped 22 cents to end at $3.23 after exchanging 535,733 shares, Iron Rock Insurance climbed 28 cents in ending at $3.50 with the swapping of 2,122 stocks, ISP Finance lost $5 to close at $22 in an exchange of 214 stock units. JFP Limited gained 13 cents to $1.46 in trading 3,542,705 shares, Knutsford Express climbed 35 cents to $8 after trading 8,250 stock units, Lasco Financial dropped 17 cents to end at $3.29 in switching ownership of 209,362 units. Lasco Manufacturing declined 25 cents to $5.10, with 5,444 stocks crossing the exchange, Lumber Depot shed 20 cents in closing at $3.25, trading 1,460,226 stock units, Main Event fell 55 cents to close at $9.40, with 12,026 shares changing hands. 
Medical Disposables lost 10 cents to end at $6.90 after exchanging 12,118 units, Spur Tree Spices increased 27 cents to $4.26, crossing the exchange of 10,348,476 stocks, SSL Venture popped 12 cents ending at $1.80, with 32,701 shares clearing the market. Stationery and Office Supplies declined 20 cents in closing at $9.30, with 6,075 stocks crossing the market, Tropical Battery rallied 21 cents to close at $2.95 in exchanging 2,335,013 units and tTech fell 10 cents to end at $3.80, trading 675 stock units.
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.
The Junior Market Index advanced 5.78 points to settle at a record close of 4,537.15.
Trading averaged 420,671 shares at $1,765,794 in contrast to 315,695 shares at $1,324,308 on Thursday with month to date, averaging 420,345 units at $2,125,294 versus 420,260 units at $2,218,892 on the previous trading day. April closed with an average of 449,923 units at $1,781,786.
iCreate fell 24 cents to end at $3.45 while exchanging 467,069 stocks, ISP Finance popped $5 to end at $27 in exchanging 441 units, Jamaican Teas declined 25 cents to $3.51 in switching ownership of 946,429 shares. Lasco Manufacturing rose 25 cents to end at $5.35 after 61,867 stock units changed hands, Mailpac Group shed 11 cents to $3.06, with 1,318,018 units crossing the market, Medical Disposables gained 15 cents in ending at $7 after an exchange of 42,054 shares. Stationery and Office Supplies increased 50 cents in closing at $9.50, trading 5,094 stock units, Tropical Battery rallied 12 cents to close at $2.74, with 512,723 stocks crossing the market and tTech climbed 17 cents ending at $3.90, with 607,636 stocks changing hands.