The Junior Market climbed 47 percent in just over a year since the market collapsed by just over 39 percent in March last year from the close of 2019 when the market hit a multi-year low of 2,031.79 on March 18 last year.
At the same time, the JSE Main Market, while trading above the March 2001 low, is nowhere near the 2020 high and closed out the first quarter marginally down on the 2020 closing.
The Junior Market is up 13 percent for 2021 to the end of March, clawing back most of 21 percent of the fall in 2020 and is now just 11 percent from the close of 3,348.97 at the end of December 2019.
In 2020, the Junior and Main Markets declined, with the Junior Market just edging out the Main Market index with a lower decline of 21 percent versus 22.6 percent for the year.
One year ago, to the end of March, the Junior Market Index dropped 29 percent to 2304.14 but was down a much steeper 47 percent to March 18, at 2031.79 points on the market index. The March 2020 low was the lowest point for the Junior Market since it closed at 2,032.77 points on July 1, 2016.
The market made some recovery last year from the year’s low when it moved higher on April 14, to 2,686.90 points but drifted down after some attempts to break over 2,600 points on a sustained level and closed out 2020 at 2,643.38.
In the meantime, the JSE Main Market failed to move higher in 2021, ending the first quarter 0.20 percent lower than the December close. It is still a bit lower than the 442,905.76 reached on the All Jamaica Composite Index after the early rebound from the 2020 low of 375,091.09 reached on March 25 last year, or the 438,045.18 reached subsequently on November 30.
The gains of eighteen stocks in the first quarter, this year, exceed that of the average of the market and just three performed worse, including CAC 2000 with a fall of 24 percent 19 percent decline for Dolphin Cove and 16 percent in the case of Knutsford Express. Five stocks contributing to the 2021 rebound for the Junior Market are Jamaican Teas up 60 percent, Indies Pharma 48 percent, Lumber Depot 47 percent, Blue Power 35 percent, Caribbean Flavours 35 percent and Fosrich 28 percent.
The Main Market recorded gains in 16 stocks that beat the market’s average move in 2021, with 26 falling below. Main market stocks with healthy gains are Ciboney with a stunning 142 percent rise, followed by Salada Foods with 125 percent gain aided by a 10 to one stock split, Grace Kennedy 37 percent, First Rock 31 percent and proven Investments 27 percent. Palace Amusement Company that the Covid-19 dislocation has badly hurt is the worst-performing stock with a 51 percent decline, followed by Portland JSX with a loss of 25 percent and Radio Jamaica with 22 percent. Wisynco lost 14 percent and Wigton Windfarm 13 percent.
Q2 starts positively for junior stocks
Trading closed on Thursday with the market climbing over the 3,000-point mark but failing for a second week to close above it on a day when more stocks rose than declined after a 62 percent decline in the volume of shares traded valued 49 percent less than on Wednesday on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange.
Trading ended with 29 active securities, down from 30 on Wednesday, resulting in prices of 13 rising, seven declining and nine remaining unchanged. At the close, the Junior Market Index advanced 13.54 points to settle at 2,996.49.
The average PE Ratio ended at 17.2 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with an exchange of 5,463,147 shares for $18,894,077 compared to 14,376,733 units at $36,855,263 on Wednesday. Mailpac Group dominated trading with 61.5 percent of total volume for 3.36 million shares followed by Fontana with 8.2 percent for 446,882 units and Jamaican Teas with 7.6 percent market share for 417,542 units.
Trading averaged 188,384 units at $651,520, in contrast to 479,224 at $1,228,509 on Wednesday. March closed with an average of 252,633 units at $733,196.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Blue Power shed 17 cents in closing at $3.58 and exchanging 10,300 shares, Caribbean Assurance Brokers slipped 10 cents to $1.90 with the swapping of 23,000 shares, Caribbean Flavours picked up 5 cents to finish at $2.27 in an exchange of 846 stocks. Caribbean Producers rose 26 cents to close at $3.76 after trading 117,213 units, Derrimon Trading gained 8 cents to settle at $2.59 trading 129,739 stocks, Everything Fresh rose 13 cents to $1.06 in switching ownership of 7,964 shares. Express Catering gained 30 cents to close at $4.10, with 4,895 stock units clearing the market, Fontana added 11 cents to finish at $5.98 with 446,882 units changing hands, Indies Pharma lost 30 cents to end at $3.70 with the swapping of 311,653 stock units. Lasco Manufacturing picked up 5 cents in closing at $4.55 in switching ownership of 54,184 shares, Mailpac Group rose 12 cents to $3.61 in trading 3,361,219 stock units, Medical Disposables gained 5 cents in closing at $4.20 after 4,000 shares changed hands. 
Paramount Trading ended 11 cents higher at $1.41 trading 19,000 stock units, SSL Venture closed 5 cents lower at 55 cents in switching ownership of 3,012 units, Stationery and Office Supplies fell 72 cents to $4.78 with the transfer of 5,000 stocks. Tropical Battery increased 4 cents to end at $1.15 with an exchange of 212,881 stock units and tTech shed 21 cents to end at $4.60 in trading 1,000 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Strong Q1 gains for Junior Market
Junior Market stocks closed the first quarter of the year with gains of 12.8 percent, recording the highest gain by far of the three market segment of the Jamaica Stock Exchange as the volume of stocks traded climbed 378 percent with 46 more value than Tuesday.
The market index climbed 13.95 points to finish at 2,982.95. Just 30 securities traded, down from 38 on Tuesday, resulting in 13 stocks rising, 12 declining and five closed unchanged, resulting in 14,376,733 shares trading for $36,855,263, up from 3,008,031 shares for $7,749,677 on Monday. The average PE Ratio ended at 16.8 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Derrimon 
Trading led trading with 74 percent, with a transfer of 10.7 million units, followed by Tropical Battery with one million units for 7 percent of the day’s trade and Mailpac with 3.9 percent after trading 566,794 shares,
Trading averaged 479,224 shares at $1,228,509, up from 79,159 units at $203,939 on Tuesday. Trading month to date averages 252,633 units at $717,051, compared to 243,918 units at $714,145 on Monday. February closed with an average of 365,365 units at $881,118.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial advanced $1.89 to $22.90 with an exchange of 23,197 shares, Blue Power slipped 3 cents to $3.75 with 1,475 units changing hands, Caribbean Assurance Brokers rose 17 cents to $2 with 266,053 shares changing hands, Derrimon Trading lost 2 cents to end at $2.51 trading 10,631,676 stock units. Fontana fell 8 cents to $5.87 with 60,269 stocks crossing the exchange, Fosrich shed 7 cents to finish at $5.10 with 1,030 shares traded, Indies Pharma added 5 cents to end at $4 with 220,856 stock units changing hands. Knutsford Express shed 49 cents to close at $5.51 with 170 shares traded. Lasco Financial climbed 22 cents to $2.90 after trading 32,307 shares, Lasco Manufacturing gained 10 cents to end at $4.50 with 2,423 shares changing hands, 
Limners and Bards rose 6 cents to $2.75, with 257,417 stock units changing hands, Lumber Depot slipped 7 cents to $2.30 with a transfer of 359,623 units, Mailpac Group picked up 4 cents to finish at $3.49 trading 566,794 stock units. Medical Disposables traded 200 shares but lost 55 cents to close at $4.15 and SSL Venture Capital rose 4 cents to 60 cents while trading 4.400 shares.
Lacklustre trading on Tuesday
On the day ahead of the opening of Fesco Initial Public Offer of shares, the Junior Market delivered a lacklustre performance resulting in 58 percent less volume and value of shares trading than Monday.
At the close, the market index slipped 3.41 points to finish at 2,969, with the market enjoying a 12.3 percent rise for the year, with just one more day left for the first quarter to end. This year’s performance contrast with a 32.7 fall in the market index at the same time in 2020. Since then, the market has gained 32 percent in value.
A total of 38 securities traded, down from 37 on Monday, resulting in an equal number of 15 stocks rising and declining as eight remained unchanged. The average PE Ratio ended at 16.8 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings. The market closed with an exchange of 3,008,031 shares for $7,749,677 down from 7,215,425 units at $18,425,745 on Monday.
GWest Corporation led trading with 19.4 percent of total volume for 583,204 shares, followed by Derrimon Trading 17.2 percent, with a transfer of 518,007 units and Lumber Depot with 12 percent, with an exchange of 359,623 units.
Trading averaged 79,159 units at $203,939, down from 195,011 at $497,993 on Monday. Trading month to date averages 243,918 units at $714,145, verusu 252,356 units at $740,275 on Monday. February closed with an average of 365,365 units at $881,118.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging advanced 18 cents to $2.08 with an exchange of 16,000 shares, Blue Power slipped 6 cents to end at $3.78 with 24,025 units crossing the market, Cargo Handlers climbed 21 cents to $8.71 with 100 stocks traded. Caribbean Assurance Brokers declined by 8 cents to $1.83 with 18,965 shares changing hands, Derrimon Trading lost 5 cents to end at $2.53 with a transfer of 518,007 stock units, Dolphin Cove rose 7 cents to $8.10 with an exchange of 1,149 units. General Accident climbed 34 cents to $5.84 with 4,000 stocks crossing the exchange, Honey Bun gained 7 cents to finish at $5.09 with 17,268 shares traded, Indies Pharma slipped 5 cents to $3.95 with 258,289 stock units changing hands. Iron Rock Insurance climbed 80 cents to $3.60 with a transfer of 520 units, ISP Finance dipped 20 cents to $23.80 with an exchange of 350 stocks, Knutsford Express shed 35 cents to close at $6 with 1,420 shares traded. 
Limners and Bards fell 10 cents to $2.69, with 59,408 stock units changing hands, Lumber Depot slipped 7 cents to $2.30 with a transfer of 359,623 units, Mailpac Group lost 5 cents to finish at $3.45 with an exchange of 165,721 stock units. Paramount Trading declined by 11 cents to end at $1.30 with investors swapping 22,050 units, Stationery and Office Supplies advanced 20 cents to $5.50 with 47 units traded and tTech climbed 34 cents to $4.81 with 18,908 shares crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Falling stocks dominate juniors
The majority of stocks trading on Monday declined, vastly outnumbering those rising, leading the market index down with an exchange of 17 percent more shares, with 10 percent less value than on Friday at the close of the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange.
Trading accounted for 37 securities, up from 33 on Friday, with the prices of six rising, 22 declining and nine remaining unchanged. The Junior Market Index shed 12.29 points to settle at 2,972.41. The average PE Ratio ended at 16.7 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
At the close, 7,215,425 shares traded for $18,425,745 versus 6,154,149 units at $20,517,294 on Friday. Lumber Depot led trading with 22.1 percent of total volume after exchanging 1.60 million shares, followed by GWest Corporation with 18.1 percent for 1.31 million units and Mailpac Group 14.7 percent, with 1.06 million units.
Trading averaged 195,011 units at $497,993, in contrast to 186,489 at $621,736 on Friday. Month to date averaged 252,356 units at $740,275, compared to 255,365 units at $752,990 on Friday. February closed with an average of 365,365 units at $881,118.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging fell 18 cents to $1.90 in trading 2,555 units, Cargo Handlers shed 21 cents to close at $8.50, with 3,013 stock units crossing the market, Caribbean Assurance Brokers finished 13 cents lower at $1.91, after 4,029 stocks cleared the market. Caribbean Cream lost 6 cents in closing at $4.99 in exchanging 10,846 units, Caribbean Flavours rose 37 cents to close at $2.27 trading 133,707 stocks, Dolphin Cove shed 42 cents to close at $8.03 in a transfer of 700 units, Elite Diagnostic lost 9 cents to settle at $3 trading 32,100 stocks. Express Catering gained 7 cents in closing at $3.80, after exchanging 68,617 shares, Fosrich ended 6 cents lower at $5.19 in exchanging 15,486 units, General Accident lost 6 cents to end at $5.50 with 448,517 stocks changing hands, Honey Bun slipped 7 cents to $5.02 with the swapping of 13,811 shares. iCreate lost 5 cents to end at 77 cents and finished with a transfer of 252,717 stock units, Indies Pharma gained 20 cents to close at $4 in the swapping of 180,504 units, Iron Rock Insurance fell 80 cents to $2.80 in switching ownership of 100 stocks. 
KLE Group shed 24 cents to end at $1 after 134,900 stocks crossed the exchange, Lasco Manufacturing lost 8 cents to end at $4.38 with an exchange of 25,019 stock units. Limners and Bards gained 4 cents in closing at $2.79 after trading 849,093 units and Mailpac Group picked up 5 cents to close at $3.50 with 1,058,633 shares changing hands.
In the preference segment, CAC 2000 9.5% preference share shed 15 cents to end at $1.15, clearing the market of 286 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior market recovery
Junior market recovery
Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones by a two to one margin on Friday, leading the Junior Market Index to continue its ascent in clawing back last year’s losses by adding 12.51 points to Thursday close to settle at 2,984.70 after the volume and values exchanged dropped 22 percent each from Thursday.
Overall, 33 securities traded, similar to Thursday and closed with 18 stocks rising, eight declining and seven remaining unchanged. The average PE Ratio ended at 16.9 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
In all, 6,154,149 shares traded at $20,517,294, down from 7,850,128 units at $26,568,082 on Thursday. Limners and Bards led trading with 37 percent of total volume in exchanging 2.28 million shares, followed by General Accident with 22.8 percent for 1.4 million units and GWest Corporation with 8.3 percent for 511,334 units.
Trading averaged 186,489 units at $621,736 in contrast to 237,883 at $805,093 on Thursday. Month to date averaged 255,365 units at $752,990, compared to 258,747 units at $759,436 on Thursday. February closed with an average of 365,365 units at $881,118.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial climbed $1.08 to $21.01 with 16,826 shares crossing the exchange, Blue Power gained 33 cents ending at $3.84 after trading 175 stocks, Caribbean Cream rose 23 cents to close at $5.05 after clearing the market of 52,748 units. Caribbean Flavours shed 37 cents to $1.90 in exchanging 29,212 shares, Consolidated Bakeries closed 14 cents higher at $1.54 in the swapping of 1,000 units, Fosrich lost 15 cents to close at $5.25, with 59,598 stock units switching owners, General Accident shed 27 cents to $5.56, with 1,400,497 shares changing hands. iCreate picked up 6 cents in ending at 82 cents trading 11,747 stock units, ISP Finance gained 12 cents to close at $24 after finishing with an exchange of 8 shares. Jamaican Teas fell 5 cents to $3.16 in transferring 76,571 stock units, KLE Group lost 15 cents in closing at $1.24 with 100 stocks changing hands. 
Knutsford Express rose 80 cents to $6.35 after exchanging 500 units, Lasco Distributors rose 8 cents to $4.14, with 49,688 stock units changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing lost 13 cents to end at $4.46 in an exchange of 101,862 stocks. Limners and Bards gained 5 cents to close at $2.75 with the swapping of 2,276,465 shares, Main Event rose 32 cents to $3.47, with 50,000 stocks hands and tTech finished 8 cents higher at $4.50 after transferring 40 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market slips back on Thursday
Trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Thursday, with the market declining after falling stocks far outnumbered rising ones two to one as investors exchanged 35 percent fewer shares than on Wednesday, with a 28 percent fall in value.
The Junior Market Index steadily moving higher
In the end, 33 stocks traded, down from 36 on Wednesday with nine stocks rising, 19 declining and five remaining unchanged.
The Junior Market Index fell 14.42 points the first decline in seven trading days as the market settle at 2,972.19.
The average PE Ratio ended at 16.7 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Investors exchanged 7,850,128 shares for $26,568,082, in contrast to 12,160,533 stock units at $36,790,003 on Wednesday. Lasco Distributors led trading with 19.8 percent of total volume as 1.55 million shares changed hands, followed by Lumber Depot 16.4 percent with 1.29 million units and Limners and Bards traded 824,921 units for 10.5 percent market share.
Trading averaged 237,883 units at $805,093, a fall from 337,793 at $1,021,945 on Wednesday.
The Month to date average trade was 258,747 shares at $759,436, compared to 259,825 units at $757,078 on Wednesday. February closed with an average of 365,365 units at $881,118.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Caribbean Producers rose 8 cents to $3.38 with investors swapping 730,312 shares, Consolidated Bakeries dropped 15 cents to $1.40 with an exchange of 100,000 stocks, Dolphin Cove shed 55 cents to end at $8.45, with 2,652 units changing hands. Fosrich gained 5 cents to close at $5.40, with the transfer of 76,249 stock units, iCreate slipped 5 cents to 76 cents, trading 5,786 shares, Indies Pharma fell 65 cents to $3.80 with 457,414 stocks passing through the market. Jetcon Corporation rose 7 cents to close at 77 cents while exchanging 17,831 units, Lasco Financial rose 5 cents to settle at $2.69 with an exchange of 123,700 shares, Lasco Manufacturing advanced 18 cents to $4.59 with 517,865 stocks changing hands. 
Limners and Bards lost 5 cents to finish at $2.70 with a transfer of 824,921 units, Mailpac Group rose 6 cents to $3.45 with 617,187 shares traded, Main Event shed 32 cents to settle at $3.15 with 152,969 stocks passing through the market.Medical Disposables jumped 58 cents to $4.73 with a transfer of 270 units and Stationery and Office Supplies dropped 27 cents to $5.30 with 4,150 shares crossing the exchange.
In the preference segment, CAC 2000 9.5% gained 15 cents to close at $1.30 with 400 stock units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Winning run continues Wednesday
The Junior Market index inched closer to the 3,000 mark on Wednesday, gaining 5.06 points to settle at 2,986.61 after the market moved to 3,011.57 immediately as the market opened, but the early gains fizzled away subsequently to the close of the market with gains for the year of 13 percent.
The top three volume leaders saw transfers of over one million units, collectively accounting for 64 percent of the day’s trade. Lumber Depot led trading with 33.3 percent of total volume or 4.04 million shares, followed by Fosrich with 17.9 percent of the day’s trade for 2.18 million units for and GWest 13 percent, with an exchange of 1.58 million stocks.
Trading ended with 36 securities changing hands compared to 33 on Tuesday, with 15 stocks rising, 12 declining and nine remaining unchanged. The average PE Ratio ended at 17 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed trading with 17 percent fewer shares than on Tuesday after an exchange of 12,160,533 shares for $36,790,003, down from 14,669,963 units at $43,192,636 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 337,793 units at $1,021,945 versus 444,544 at $1,308,868 on Tuesday. The month to date trading averaged 259,825 units at $757,078 versus 255,170 units at $741,265 on Tuesday.
February closed with an average of 365,365 units at $881,118.
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, Access Financial fell 10 cents to $19.91 with an exchange of a mere four shares, AMG Packaging gained 6 cents to end at $2.08 with 12,408 stocks changing hands, Cargo Handlers advanced 14 cents to $8.71 with 2,248 units traded. Caribbean Flavours declined by 6 cents to $2.27 with 51,221 stock units passing through the market, Caribbean Producers rose 12 cents to $3.30 with a transfer of 128,402 shares, Consolidated Bakeries climbed 30 cents to $1.55 with an exchange of 308,319 stocks. Derrimon Trading increased by 5 cents to $2.60 with 324,491 units changing hands, Fontana climbed 16 cents to $5.98 with 901,113 shares traded, Fosrich gained 15 cents to finish at $5.35 with 2,175,280 stocks passing through the market. iCreate rose 7 cents to 81 cents with a transfer of 32,680 stock units, Indies Pharma slipped 5 cents to $4.45 with an exchange of 675,385 units, Iron Rock Insurance jumped 30 cents to $3.60 with 27,836 shares changing hands. 
Jetcon Corporation fell 8 cents to 70 cents with 75,350 stocks traded, Lasco Manufacturing lost 8 cents to end at $4.41 with 32,473 units passing through the market, Limners and Bards rose 5 cents to $2.75 with a transfer of 398,797 shares. Lumber Depot fell 14 cents to $2.36 with 4,043,628 stocks passing through the market, Main Event climbed 35 cents to $3.47 with a transfer of 21,350 stock units and tTech dropped 28 cents to $4.42 with 19,083 shares crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Juniors in easy reach of 3,000 points mark
Straight out of the opening, stocks prices rose and pushed the market index up nine points at the start and up 29 points just before half an hour of trading having elapsed on Tuesday. As the morning progressed, buying pressure constantly pushed the index along to close out just below the 3,000 points mark and the day’s peak of 2,983.41 on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange.
The Junior Market Index surged 35.57 points to close at 2,981.55, just 19 points adrift of the 3,000 mark and shy of the previous best close of 2,994.69 points, on February 10, last year and recording a gain of 12.8 percent for the year to date.
Trading ended with 33 securities changing hands, down from 37 on Monday and closed with the prices of 12 stocks rising, 12 declining and nine remaining unchanged.
The PE Ratio averaged 16.9 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Trading volume and vales rose 258 percent and 243 percent respectively above Monday levels with an exchange of 14,669,963 shares for $43,192,636, up from 4,093,792 units at $12,580,039 on Monday. Limners and Bards dominated trading with 74 percent of total volume in exchanging 10.92 million shares, followed by Jamaican Teas with 7.4 percent or 1.08 million units and Lasco Manufacturing with 5.7 percent for 839,196 units.
Trading averaged 444,544 units at $1,308,868, up from 110,643 at $340,001 on Monday. The month to date averaged 255,170 units at $741,265, versus 244,206 units at $708,404 on Monday. February averaged 365,365 units at $881,118.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows six stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Blue Power shed 50 cents in closing at $3.50, with 14,812 shares crossing the market, Cargo Handlers gained 7 cents to end at $8.57 with an exchange of 5,407 stocks, Caribbean Cream lost 18 cents to close at $4.82 trading 109,998 stocks, Caribbean Flavours gained 13 cents to end at $2.33 with 129,256 units clearing the market. Dolphin Cove rose 55 cents to $9 trading 3,205 stocks, Express Catering gained 20 cents in closing at $3.70 and transferring 13,176 units, GWest Corporation lost 6 cents to finish at 81 cents in an exchange of 18,382 shares. Indies Pharma closed 30 cents higher at a 52 weeks’ high of $4.50 with 294,303 stocks changing hands, Lasco Distributors shed 7 cents to $4.08 after trading 119,353 units, 
Limners and Bards slipped 10 cents to $2.70 after a transfer of 10,916,426 shares. Lumber Depot gained 5 cents to end at $2.50 in trading 52,534 stocks. Medical Disposables fell 58 cents to $4.15 with 892 shares clearing the market and tTech shed 14 cents to end at $4.70 with 48,759 units changing hands.
In the preference segment, CAC 2000 9.5% preference share fell 35 cents to $1.15 after exchanging 8,886 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
New 13 month high for Junior market
Investors continue to drive the prices higher at the closed of trading on Monday, pushing the market to a thirteen-month high on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, with the market index closing just below the close of 2,947.43 points on February 21 last year.
The junior market now at 13 months high.
The market closed after an even number of stocks advanced as declined and four stocks traded at 52 weeks’ high and the Market Index advanced 21.83 points to settle at 2,945.98. The PE Ratio averaged 16.9 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Trading ended with 37 securities changing hands up from 34 on Friday and closed with prices of 15 rising, 15 declining and seven remaining unchanged. Indies Pharma surged 27 percent to a record high, Blue Power traded at a 52 weeks’ high of $4.47 but ended lower at the close. Lasco Distributors and CAC2000 preference share ended at 52 weeks’ high.
Market activity ended with 72 percent fewer shares trading, valued 71 percent less than on Friday as 4,093,792 shares traded for $12,580,039 versus 14,753,485 units at $42,656,041 on Friday. Derrimon Trading led with 19.2 percent of total volume for an exchange of 784,647 shares, followed by Limners and Bards 13.2 percent with 540,986 units and Caribbean Producers with 11.3 percent of the day’s trade for 464,245 units.
Trading averaged 110,643 units at $340,001, versus 433,926 at $1,254,589 on Friday. The month to date averaged 244,206 units at $708,404, compared to 253,478 units at $733,977 on Friday. February averaged 365,365 units at $881,118.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows five stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Access Financial shed 50 cents to close at $20.01, with 5,836 stock units crossing the exchange, AMG Packaging lost 8 cents to end at $2.02 with the swapping of 600 stocks, Blue Power slipped 10 cents to finish at $4 in exchanging 49,000 units after trading at a 52 weeks’ high of $4.47. Caribbean Assurance Brokers fell 18 cents to $2.01, with 18,675 shares crossing the market, Caribbean Flavours dipped 10 cents to $2.20 trading 76,427 stock units, Caribbean Producers gained 7 cents to close at $3.17 in transferring 464,245 shares. Consolidated Bakeries declined 39 cents to $1.25, with 100,000 units changing hands, Elite Diagnostic picked up 10 cents to close at $3.09 in trading 88,981 units. Everything Fresh closed 10 cents higher at $1.05, with 58,259 stock units crossing the market, Express Catering fell 24 cents to end at $3.50 after an exchange of 51,311 shares, Fontana lost 10 cents to close at $5.80 with the swapping of 87,437 stocks. Fosrich shed 20 cents in closing at $5.20 with an exchange of 35,133 shares, General Accident advanced 34 cents to $5.84 in switching ownership of 7,590 stocks, iCreate lost 8 cents in ending at 74 cents, with 55,770 stock units crossing the market. 
Indies Pharma advanced 90 cents to a 52 weeks’ high of $4.20 with 427,490 shares clearing the market. Knutsford Express rose 45 cents to $5.55, with 2,437 shares crossing the exchange, Lasco Distributors picked up 7 cents to close at to end at 52 weeks’ high of $4.15 in switching ownership of 125,573 stock units, Lasco Financial rose 5 cents to $2.64, after transferring 3,146 shares. Lasco Manufacturing climbed 12 cents to $4.46, with 23,948 units changing hands, Lumber Depot dipped 13 cents to $2.45, after clearing the market with 176,529 stocks, Main Event ended 6 cents higher at $3.12 in an exchange of 50,000 units. Paramount Trading gained 12 cents to settle at $1.43 trading 1,000 stock units, Stationery and Office Supplies climbed 96 cents to $5.58 trading 106 units and tTech gained 9 cents to close at $4.84, transferring 21,683 stocks.
In the preference segment, CAC 2000 9.5% preference share advanced 30 cents to end at 52 weeks’ high of $1.50 after an exchange of 25,000 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.