Trading dropped on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday, with an 86 percent plunge in the volume and the value of stocks traded compared with Tuesday following trading in 41 securities compared with 44 on Tuesday and ended with prices of 12 rising, 13 declining and 16 closing unchanged.
Investors traded 2,955,503 shares for $7,163,196 versus 20,786,643 units at $51,034,875 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 72,085 shares for $174,712 compared to 472,424 shares at $1,159,884 on Tuesday, with the month to date averaging 169,956 units at $432,604 compared with 177,644 stock units at $452,860 on the previous day. April closed with an average of 266,661 units at $2,583,503.
Derrimon Trading led trading with 1.0 million shares for 33.9 percent of total volume, Regency Petroleum followed with 492,572 units for 16.7 percent of the day’s trade and Fosrich with 444,000 units for 15 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index rallied 18.04 points to conclude trading at 3,719.15.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 10.7. 
The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are calculated using the last traded price in conjunction with ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, CAC 2000 advanced $1.50 in ending at $7.11 with investors transferring 2,032 shares, Cargo Handlers rallied $2.05 to end at $16.05 with shareholders swapping 200 stocks, Consolidated Bakeries gained 24 cents to close at $2.40 after an exchange of 1,189 stocks, EduFocal popped 8 cents in closing at $1.90 after an exchange of 168,508 units, 
Fontana fell 39 cents to $9.10, with 37,376 units changing hands, Honey Bun fell 25 cents to close at $6.32 following the trading of 529 shares by investors, iCreate shed 8 cents and ended at $1.20 in switching ownership of 11,652 stocks, Knutsford Express dipped 58 cents in closing at $10.02 after 5,525 stock units passed through the market, Lasco Distributors declined 8 cents to $2.67, with 36,976 units clearing the market, Limners and Bards rose 15 cents to end at $2.40 with a transfer of 2,250 shares, Mailpac Group dropped 9 cents to end at $1.96 with 1,000 stocks crossing the market, Main Event shed 48 cents ended at $12.50, with 4,759 stock units crossing the exchange, MFS Capital Partners lost 26 cents to close at $3.09 while exchanging 219,367 units and 
Regency Petroleum climbed 8 cents in closing at $2.60 in an exchange of 492,572 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Investors traded 20,786,643 shares for $51,034,875 versus 13,472,168 units at $41,603,295 on Monday.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 10.6. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded prices in conjunction with ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Everything Fresh declined 24 cents to end at $1.65 in an exchange of 23,820 shares. Express Catering dipped 9 cents to close at $5, with 16,839 stock units crossing the exchange, Fontana climbed 79 cents and ended at $9.49 in an exchange of 593,147 stocks, Fosrich fell 19 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ closing low of $2.30 after the price dropped to an intraday low of $2.10 as 1,160,011 shares crossed the market. GWest Corporation popped 13 cents to end at $1.02 as investors exchanged 5,129 units, Honey Bun advanced 28 cents in closing at $6.57 after trading 12,033 stock units, iCreate dropped 12 cents to close at $1.28 after hitting a 52 weeks’ intraday low of $1.05 following 300,326 units passing through the market. JFP Ltd shed 19 cents and ended at $1.65 7,169,473 shares changing hands, Knutsford Express declined 40 cents to close at $10.60 after an exchange of 3,628 stocks, 
Lasco Distributors rose 9 cents to $2.75 and closed after 40,434 stock units passed through the market. Lumber Depot gained 8 cents and ended at $2.30 in switching ownership of 14,661 shares, Regency Petroleum dipped 8 cents in closing at $2.52 while exchanging 575,176 stocks and Stationery and Office Supplies popped 60 cents to end at $15.80 after exchanging 3,230 stock units.
Investors traded 13,472,168 shares for $41,603,295 versus 3,789,177 units at $9,092,799 on Friday.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 10.8. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded price in conjunction with ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2023 and August 2024. Three stocks traded at 52 weeks’ intraday low, with Fesco hitting $3,90, Fosrich reaching $2.20 and iCreate $1.18.
Caribbean Cream dipped 10 cents to $3.20 as investors exchanged 42,915 shares, Elite Diagnostic slipped 24 cents to close at $2.32, with 4,101 stocks clearing the market. GWest Corporation declined 11 cents in closing at 89 cents, with 1,859 units crossing the market, Honey Bun shed 19 cents and ended at $6.29 with 2,147,092 stock units crossing the exchange, Image Plus Consultants lost 9 cents to end at $2.11 after exchanging 1,906,103 stocks. Iron Rock Insurance climbed 31 cents to $2.60 in trading 213 units, Jamaican Teas dropped 8 cents to $2.11 in an exchange of 155,540 stock units, Knutsford Express advanced 50 cents to $11 as 16,650 shares passed through the market, Lasco Manufacturing dipped 18 cents to close at $4 with investors transferring 5,000 units, Main Event rose 25 cents in closing at $13, with 22,427 shares changing hands, MFS Capital Partners popped 19 cents to end at $3.40 after investors traded 143,203 stocks, Paramount Trading declined 24 cents in closing at $2.08 in an exchange of 56,866 stock units. 
Stationery and Office Supplies shed 45 cents to end at $15.20, with 6,209 shares crossing the market and Tropical Battery fell 8 cents to $1.95 in switching ownership of 2,997,784 units.
CAB has been at the top of the TOP10 for several weeks going back to mid-March and now sits at the number 6 spot in spite of the substantial price gains, with ICInsider.com raising EPS to 50 cents from 45 cents. Taking over the number one spot is baker 
The 15 highest valued Main Market stocks are priced at a PE of 15 to 110, with an average of 27 and 19 excluding the highest PE stocks and 19 for the top half excluding the stocks with the highest valuation.
Investors traded 3,789,177 shares for $9,092,799 compared with 6,265,342 units at $14,610,525 on Thursday.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
Everything Fresh climbed 29 cents to close at $1.89 after a transfer of 75,146 units, as investors responded well to first quarter results that saw profit jumping sharply over that in 2022. Honey Bun gained 17 cents to end at $6.48 while exchanging 25,360 units, Indies Pharma increased 13 cents to $3.18 with shareholders swapping 300 stocks, Knutsford Express dipped 89 cents to end at $10.50, with 1,065 stock units crossing the market, Lasco Financial rallied 11 cents in closing at $2.46 while 115,108 shares passed through the market. Mailpac Group climbed 8 cents to close at $2 after an exchange of 591,469 units following release of the first quarter results slightly improved profit in comparison with 2022, Main Event popped 30 cents to end at $12.75 with an exchange of 100 stocks, 
MFS Capital Partners shed 14 cents to $3.21 with 102 shares changing hands and Stationery and Office Supplies advanced $1.43 to end at $15.65 2,202 stock units crossing the market, following the release of improved profit from normal operations.
Investors traded 6,265,342 shares for $14,610,525 compared to units at $15,461,171 on Wednesday.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows seven stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
Everything Fresh dipped 24 cents to $1.60 while exchanging 318,838 units, Fontana advanced 10 cents to $8.75 following trading of 20,466 shares, Fosrich declined 10 cents to $2.50 with investors transferring 408,975 stock units, GWest Corporation gained 6 cents to end at 95 cents after an exchange of 740 stocks. Honey Bun dipped 17 cents and ended at $6.31 after 113 units were traded, Image Plus Consultants rose 6 cents to close at $2.25 with a transfer of 1,131,452 stocks, Indies Pharma increased 10 cents in closing at $3.05, with 15,308 stock units crossing the market. Iron Rock Insurance advanced 40 cents to $2.29 after just 3 shares were traded, KLE Group gained 17 cents to end at $2.02 as investors exchanged 12,267 shares, Lasco Distributors popped 8 cents to close at $2.68 in switching ownership of 33,449 stock units. 
Lasco Manufacturing climbed 28 cents to end at $4.18 with an exchange of 1,114 units, Lumber Depot fell 6 cents in closing at $2.24 with 10,308 stocks changing hands and Paramount Trading rallied 24 cents to $2.32 as 551 stock units passed through the market.
At the close, the Junior Market Index rallied
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 11.3. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are based on the last traded price and ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Everything Fresh climbed 16 cents to end at $1.84 with 157,849 units clearing the market, Express Catering dropped 10 cents to $5.10 in switching ownership of 2,030 stock units, Fontana lost 13 cents to $8.65 after shareholders traded 77,903 stocks, GWest Corporation fell 6 cents to close at 89 cents with investors trading 242 units, Honey Bun rallied 18 cents in closing at $6.48 after an exchange of 44,702 stock units, Indies Pharma dipped 35 cents to end at $2.95, with 211,486 stock units changing hands, JFP Ltd shed 9 cents to close at $1.79 with a transfer of 506,339 shares, Knutsford Express popped 89 cents ended at $11.39 after an exchange of 1,563 shares, Lasco Distributors rose 20 cents in closing at $2.60 after 125,390 stock units crossed the market, Mailpac Group dipped 10 cents to $1.91 in an exchange of 61,518 stocks, 
Main Event lost 73 cents to $12.46 after exchanging 4,455 units and MFS Capital Partners declined 14 cents in closing at $3.35 with 468,977 shares changing hands.
Investors traded 5,857,959 shares for $14,377,145 compared with 9,252,473 units at $22,159,172 on Monday.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows nine stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
Future Energy Source advanced 8 cents in closing at $4.18 in switching ownership of 130,653 stocks, General Accident rose 7 cents and ended at $5 and closed with an exchange of 35,460 shares, Honey Bun dropped 17 cents and ended at $6.30 with 1,000 stock units changing hands, Indies Pharma popped 30 cents to close at $3.30 with shareholders swapping 376,908 units. Jamaican Teas rose 11 cents to $2.20, with 235,583 shares crossing the market, Jetcon Corporation shed 10 cents in closing at $1.05 after 61,822 stock units crossed the market, KLE Group climbed 19 cents to $1.81 with investors transferring a mere 24 stocks, Knutsford Express lost 90 cents to end at $10.50 after an exchange of 28,229 units. Lasco Distributors lost 23 cents in closing at $2.40 with an exchange of 230,350 units, 
Lasco Manufacturing fell 25 cents to $3.90 with a transfer of 20,269 stock units, Limners and Bards declined 22 cents and ended at $2.23 as 12,000 stocks passed through the market. Main Event rose 69 cents to close at $13.19 in trading 50 shares and Stationery and Office Supplies dropped $1.30 to end at $14.20 in an exchange of 500 units.
Investors traded 9,252,473 shares for $22,159,172, up from 5,893,458 units at $15,143,469 on Friday.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
General Accident shed 15 cents to close at $4.93 with a transfer of 66,482 stock units, iCreate popped 8 cents to end at $1.55 with investors transferring 183,124 units, Indies Pharma declined 34 cents to $3 after an exchanging of 1,028,634 stocks. Jamaican Teas rose 11 cents to close at $2.09 in an exchange of 36,441 shares, Limners and Bards advanced 22 cents in closing at $2.45 as 45,931 stocks passed through the market, Mailpac Group dipped 7 cents to end at $2.01 while exchanging 148,273 units. Main Event dropped 79 cents in closing at $12.50, with 46,273 stock units clearing the market, Medical Disposables lost 60 cents to end at $5.01 in trading 76 stock units, 
MFS Capital Partners fell 11 cents to $3.45, with 342,404 shares crossing the exchange and Stationery and Office Supplies increased 98 cents and ended at $15.50 with an exchange of 1,100 units.
At the previous week’s close, Image Plus released solid full year results showing profit after tax that jumped 125.6 percent to $213 million or 21 cents per share. Based on those numbers, ICInsider.com revised earnings for the current fiscal year to 35 cents from 30 cents previously. On Monday, the company reported revised results, with the profit being even higher at $252 million, with a reduction in the amount previously booked as professional fees. Based on the revision, projected earnings were raised by the publication to 40 cents per share for the current fiscal year. The stock sits at the number three spot in the ICTOP10. The revision raises some serious questions about how such matters escaped the directors, auditors and the financial controller before the audited financial statements were released.
The Junior Market’s long history of rising around a month before the release of quarterly results and declining shortly after results are released seems to be starting with a rise of 108 points in the market index in the previous week with more this past week, with the supply of some stocks continuing to fall sharply.
The differences between the average PE ratio of the Main and Junior Markets and the overall market valuation are important indicators of the likely gains for ICTOP10 stocks.