Rising stocks outnumbered falling ones at the close of trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Tuesday, with activity in 44 securities compared to 45 on Monday and ending with prices of 18 rising, 13 declining and 13 closed unchanged following a with 60 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded, with 63 percent lower value than on Monday
Trading ended with an exchange of 3,694,150 shares for $8,717,041 down from 9,154,038 units at $23,562,473 on Monday.
Trading averaged 83,958 shares at $198,115, compared with 203,423 units at $523,611 on Monday with the month to date, averaging 149,309 units at $340,147 compared to 162,808 stock units at $369,487 on the previous day and March with an average of 221,659 units at $464,382.
Spur Tree Spices led trading with 887,601 shares for 24 percent of total volume followed by Dolla Financial with 450,473 units for 12.2 percent of the day’s trade and Derrimon Trading with 311,439 units for 8.4 percent market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index rallied 14.99 points to close at 3,759.98.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.7, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2025.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows one stock ended with a bid higher than the last selling price and two with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial dropped $2.06 and ended at $19.80 crossing the exchange 50,337 shares, Cargo Handlers increased $1.40 to $13.90 with traders dealing in 23 units, Caribbean Cream popped 32 cents to end at $3.90 in an exchange of 139 shares. 
Caribbean Flavours fell 14 cents in closing at $1.56 with 32,003 stock units crossing the market, Dolphin Cove gained 29 cents to close at $19.70 with an exchange of 3,178 shares, Express Catering rose 24 cents to finish at $3.94 after 12,001 units passed through the market. Fontana skidded 33 cents to $8.66 as investors exchanged 71,814 stocks, Future Energy climbed 8 cents to end at $3.48 with a transfer of 92,469 stock units, Honey Bun advanced 8 cents in closing at $7.08 after an exchange of 17,379 shares. JFP Ltd rallied 7 cents and ended at $1.28 with investors transferring 63,260 stock units, Main Event sank 23 cents to close at $13.57, with 4,176 stocks changing hands and tTech increased 21 cents to finish at $2.22 with investors trading 9,035 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
No rewards for Purity’s minority shareholders
After just over 11 years of listing on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange shareholders of Consolidated Bakeries are yet to see any meaningful returns from their $1.88 per share investment in the company, with the price now hovering at just over $2 and no dividend payment during the period, the situation is made worse with the company granting heft salary increases, with no increase in profit for 2023.
In their most recent financial report with revenues rising nearly 11 percent a gross profit jumped by $57 million to $594 million, only the majority of owners benefitted from that improvement. Management paid out the increase in gross profit to themselves and other workers in 2023. Minority shareholders received no benefit.
Management remuneration for directors climbed by nearly $6 or 27 percent to $26.6 million from $21 million. Salaries and related expenses included in direct manufacturing cost, jumped a staggering 40 percent or $42 million to $146 million from $104 million in 2022, this was the major factor that gross profit was not higher.
Salaries for selling and distribution rose by $21 million or 19 percent to $128 million from $107 million in 2022. Surprisingly, administrative salaries and related expenses remained flat at $103 million. In total, salaries rose by $70 million, some $13 million more than the increase in gross profit and just $28 million excluding the direct labour cost.
Other income contributed $4.6 million to profit, up from $2.4 million in 2022. Profit after Corporate taxes of $4.3 million for the year, slipped to $13 million from $14 million in 2022, after tax of $3.9 million.
Administrative costs rose only 2.8 percent from $266 million to $274 million but selling and distribution costs jumped a sizeable 21.2 percent to $247 million from $203 million. Depreciation and amortization costs climbed 15.7 percent to $41 million from $36 million. Finance charges rose to $20 million from $16 million in 2022, with borrowings increasing by $67 million during the year which helped in funding addition to fixed assets of $106 million, with equipment accounting for $49 million and motor vehicles $46 million.
Other areas with above average cost increases are Security with a rise of 21.5 percent to $15 million, Insurance up 18.6 percent to $19 million, and rented space jumped 110 percent to $8 million from $3.8 million. Professional fees rose 38.4 percent to $19 million from $14 million and other expenses climbed 33 percent from $17.5 million in 2022 to $23.2 million in 2023.
Consolidated Bakeries – Miss Birdie Easter bun.
Not all items of cost rose. Bank charges declined from $5.7 million to just over $4 million, a drop of 28 percent. Utilities fell 11 percent from $36.7 million to $32.6 million. Repair and maintenance declined by 61 percent to $3 million from $7.6 million.
The operations generated Gross cash flow brought in $58 million but growth in inventories, additions to fixed assets offset by loan inflows and a reduction in payables resulted in a cash deficit of $27 million for the year.
Current assets ended the period at $276 million inclusive of trade and other receivables of $114 million, cash and bank balances of $66 million. Current liabilities ended the period at $242 million, with net current assets ending at just $34 million.
At the end of December, shareholders’ equity amounts to $710 million with loans totalling $253 million up from $187 million in 2022 of which long term borrowings amount to $166 million and short term at $88 million. One loan amounting to $40 million is due to be repaid in full in 2024 and the rest have full repayments dating from 2026 to 2033 with annual payments.
Earnings per share was 6 cents for the year. IC Insider.com computation projects earnings of 30 cents per share for the fiscal year ending December 2024, with a PE of 7 times the current year’s earnings based on the price of $2.19 the stock traded at on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market. Net asset value ended the period at $3.13 with the stock selling at a steep 30 percent discount to book value.
Third day of decline for Junior Market
Trading closed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Monday, with a 145 percent jump in the volume of stocks traded, valued 233 percent more than Friday with trading in 45 
securities compared with 40 on Friday and ending with prices of 19 rising, 18 declining and eight stocks closing unchanged and Medical Disposables ended at a 52 weeks’ low of $2.28 with the market Index falling for a third consecutive day.
The market closed with trading of 9,154,038 shares for $23,562,473 up from 3,732,698 units at $7,075,691 on Friday.
Trading averaged 203,423 shares at $523,611 compared with 93,317 units at $176,892 on Friday. Trading for the month to date, averaged 162,808 units at $369,487 compared to 151,929 stock units at $328,204 on the previous trading day and March with an average of 221,659 units at $464,382.
Express Catering led trading with 3.61 million shares for 39.5 percent of total volume followed by ONE on ONE Educational with 1.63 million units for 17.8 percent of the day’s trade and Fosrich with 1.02 million units for 11.2 percent of the day’s trade.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index fell 21.57 points to close at 3,744.99.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.5, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Access Financial rallied $2 to finish at $21.86 with traders dealing in 46 shares, AMG Packaging rose 30 cents to $3.42, with 13,950 stocks crossing the market, CAC 2000 gained 63 cents to close at $4.45 with a transfer of just one share.
Cargo Handlers dropped $1.45 to end at $12.50 as investors exchanged 4,230 units, Fontana popped 16 cents in closing at $8.99 after investors ended trading 34,403 shares, Future Energy sank 9 cents and ended at $3.40 with investors trading 177,701 units. Honey Bun dipped 8 cents to $7 in an exchange of 3,406 stock units, Jamaican Teas climbed 13 cents to end at $2.53 after 5,000 stock units passed through the market, Knutsford Express increased 88 cents in closing at $11.88 with an exchange of 6,176 shares. Lumber Depot advanced 36 cents to close at $2.70, with 990 units changing hands, Mailpac Group rose 10 cents to finish at $2.10 after a transfer of 482,420 stocks, Main Event advanced 19 cents and ended at $13.80 with investors dealing in 18,295 stock units and tTech lost 29 cents to $2.01 in an exchange of 83 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Big drop for Junior Market on Friday
Trading closed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Friday, with a big drop in the market index following a 10 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded, following a 28 percent drop in value compared to market activity on Thursday with trading in 40 securities compared with 44 on Thursday and ending with prices of nine rising, 20 declining and 11 closing unchanged.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index dived 51.06 points to end at 3,766.56, down 2.1 percent for the year to date.
The market closed on Friday with trading of 3,732,698 shares valued at $7,075,691 compared with 4,130,132 stock units at $9,762,303 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 93,317 shares at $176,892, compared with 93,867 units at $221,871 on Thursday. Trading for the month to date, averaged 151,929 stock units at $328,204 compared with 170,245 stocks at $375,489 on the previous day and compared to March with an average of 221,659 units at $464,382.
ONE on ONE Educational led trading with 1.23 million shares for 32.8 percent of total volume followed by EduFocal with 432,820 units for 11.6 percent of the day’s trade as the price hit a 52 weeks’ low in trading and Fosrich with 222,006 stock for 5.9 percent market share.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.5, based on the last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with a lower offer.
At the close, Access Financial declined $2.09 to $19.86 after an exchange of 121 shares, AMG Packaging fell 34 cents and ended at $3.12, with 500 units changing hands, Blue Power rose 23 cents in closing at $3.23 after an exchange of 69,564 shares. CAC 2000 dropped 67 cents to finish at $3.82 with investors transferring 569 stock units, Caribbean Assurance Brokers advanced 15 cents to end at $2.35 in an exchange of 84,264 shares, Caribbean Cream shed 30 cents to close at $3.58 with investors swapping 2,030 units. Derrimon Trading sank 10 cents to $2 in switching ownership of 207,716 stocks, 
Elite Diagnostic popped 25 cents in closing at $1.66 with traders dealing in 1,471 stock units, Image Plus skidded 7 cents to finish at $1.88 as investors exchanged 12,718 shares. Jetcon Corporation lost 7 cents and ended at 88 cents in trading 2,056 stock units, Knutsford Express slipped 80 cents to end at $11 with investors exchanging 2,293 stocks, Limners and Bards dipped 41 cents to close at $1.34 with a transfer of 11,395 units. Lumber Depot sank 36 cents to close at $2.34 following the trading of 181,052 shares, Main Event lost 66 cents to end at $13.61 in an exchange of 39,401 stock units, ONE on ONE Educational slipped 7 cents in closing at 92 cents with investors trading 1,225,460 stocks and Tropical Battery gained 13 cents to close at $2.18 after a transfer of 26,549 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market drops
Trading closed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Thursday, with a 60 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded, with a 56 percent lower value than Wednesday flowing from
trading in 44 securities up from 39 on Wednesday and ending with prices of 16 rising, 17 declining and 11 closing unchanged.
The market closed with trading of 4,130,132 shares for $9,762,303 compared with 10,446,628 units at $22,291,796 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 93,867 shares at $221,871, compared with 267,862 units at $571,585 on Wednesday with the month to date, averaging 170,245 units at $375,489 compared to 210,253 stock units at $455,956 on the previous day and March with an average of 221,659 units at $464,382.
Express Catering led trading with 805,692 shares for 19.5 percent of total volume followed by EduFocal with 793,618 units for 19.2 percent of the day’s trade and MFS Capital Partners with 461,757 units for 11.2 percent market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index shed 17.46 points to end the day at 3,817.62.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.9, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, CAC 2000 rallied 24 cents to close at $4.49 with traders dealing in 29 stock units, Dolla Financial dropped 10 cents to $2.70 as investors exchanged 235,216 shares, Dolphin Cove popped 41 cents to finish at $19.39 after trading 320 units. Elite Diagnostic sank 26 cents and ended at $1.41 with a transfer of 64,794 stocks, Fontana skidded 10 cents to end at $8.80 with investors swapping 129,128 units, 
Iron Rock Insurance gained 16 cents in closing at $2.51, with 76 stocks crossing the market. Jamaican Teas lost 28 cents to $2.40 with investors trading 35,389 shares, Knutsford Express slipped 9 cents in closing at $11.80, with 1,965 stock units changing hands, Lasco Financial rose 11 cents and ended at $1.91 in trading 5,980 shares. Limners and Bards climbed 28 cents to finish at $1.75 with 1,449 units clearing the market, MFS Capital Partners fell 12 cents to end at $1.53 with an exchange of 461,757 stocks, Tropical Battery shed 15 cents to close at $2.05 after 99,901 stock units passed through the market and tTech increased 29 cents to $2.30 in switching ownership of just one share.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market bounces Wednesday
The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange recovered a third of the losses incurred on Tuesday at the close of the Wednesday session, with trading in 39 securities down from 45 on Tuesday and ending with prices of 17 rising, 15 declining and seven unchanged, following a 45 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded, after a 39 percent increase in value compared with Tuesday’ trading.
The market closed with trading of 10,446,628 shares for $22,291,796 compared with 7,214,648 units at $16,008,489 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 267,862 shares at $571,585, compared with 160,326 units at $355,744 on Tuesday with the month to date, averaging 210,253 units at $455,956 compared to March with an average of 221,659 units at $464,382.
Spur Tree Spices led trading with 4.31 million shares for 41.2 percent of total volume followed by JFP Ltd with 990,360 stocks for 9.5 percent of the day’s trade and MFS Capital Partners with 912,316 units for 8.7 percent market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index rose 21.25 points to close at 3,835.08.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.7 based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for financial years, ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging rose 33 cents to end at $3.45, with 6,170 stock units changing hands, Blue Power rallied 20 cents in closing at $3 in trading 236 shares, CAC 2000 increased 43 cents to $4.25 after a mere one unit passed through the market. Cargo Handlers climbed 97 cents to $13.97, with 1,092 stocks crossing the exchange, Dolla Financial popped 9 cents to $2.80 after a transfer of 544,654 shares, Dolphin Cove fell 42 cents to $18.98, with 525 stock units crossing the market. Elite Diagnostic gained 8 cents in closing at $1.67 with an exchange of 2,808 shares, Express Catering shed 10 cents to end at $3.70 with 113,522 stocks clearing the market, Honey Bun advanced 31 cents and ended at $7.08 with investors transferring 64,540 units. Image Plus rose 7 cents to close at $1.95 in switching ownership of 281,668 stocks, ISP Finance climbed $6.50 to $31 after exchanging just 17 shares, Jamaican Teas popped 18 cents in closing at $2.68, with 668,933 stock units crossing the market. 
Knutsford Express rallied 9 cents to end at $11.89 with traders dealing in just one share, Lasco Financial dropped 11 cents to close at $1.80 after closing with an exchange of 46,156 stocks, Lumber Depot sank 10 cents and ended at $2.70 with a transfer of 165,200 units. Mailpac Group dipped 13 cents to $2.02 after trading in 84,301 stock units, MFS Capital Partners lost 13 cents in closing at $1.65 with investors dealing in 912,316 shares, Spur Tree Spices skidded 51 cents to end at $2.40 in an exchange of 4,307,450 stock units and Tropical Battery increased 10 cents to $2.20 with investors trading 32,200 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market’s big drop on Tuesday
The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange gave up all of last week’s Thursday gains but still retained a fair bit of the 84 points rally in the holiday-shortened trading week, following trading in 45 securities compared with 44 on Thursday and ending with prices of 12 rising, including GWest Corporation that traded at a 52 weeks’ high with 24 declining and nine closing unchanged.
The market closed with an 81 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded of 7,214,648 shares for $16,008,489, 84 percent lower than on Thursday’s 37,301,154 units at $98,792,252.
Trading averaged 160,326 shares at $355,744 compared to 847,754 units at $2,245,278 on Thursday compared to March with an average of 221,659 units at $464,382.
Spur Tree Spices led trading with 1.58 million shares for 21.9 percent of total volume followed by JFP Ltd with 1.31 million units for 18.2 percent of the day’s trade and Dolla Financial with 800,308 stocks for 11.1 percent market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index declined 62.20 points to close at 3,813.83, to be back in the red for the year.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.9, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial increased 69 cents to end at $21.95 with investors trading 403 shares, Blue Power shed 25 cents to $2.80, with 26,771 stock units changing hands, CAC 2000 lost 68 cents to close at $3.82 with investors dealing in 1,200 stocks. Caribbean Flavours climbed 11 cents and ended at $1.70 in swapping 22,162 units, Consolidated Bakeries popped 15 cents in closing at $2.18, with 102 shares crossing the market, Dolphin Cove gained 65 cents to end at $19.40 in an exchange of 3,115 units. Elite Diagnostic dropped 9 cents to $1.59 with traders dealing in 28,332 stocks, Everything Fresh fell 10 cents in closing at $1.70 as investors exchanged 97,487 stock units, Express Catering skidded 18 cents and ended at $3.80 in trading 6,841 shares. Fontana sank 10 cents to close at $8.88 after 27,994 stock units passed through the market, Fosrich dipped 27 cents to $2.15 with an exchange of 279,618 units, Future Energy declined 15 cents to close at $3.50 with 362,773 stocks clearing the market. Honey Bun lost 23 cents to end at $6.77 in an exchange of 6,393 shares, Iron Rock Insurance rose 21 cents to $2.35 with investors swapping just one stock, ISP Finance dropped $6.41 and ended at $24.50, with 934 units crossing the exchange. Jamaican Teas declined 25 cents to $2.50 after a transfer of 673,503 stock units, Knutsford Express sank 10 cents to close at $11.80 after 24,757 shares passed through the market, Limners and Bards skidded 32 cents and ended at $1.47 after an exchange of 1,282 stocks. Main Event advanced 71 cents to end at $14.29 with investors trading 51,903 units, Medical Disposables shed 20 cents in closing at $2.30 after an exchange of 3,500 stock units, Paramount Trading rallied 11 cents to $1.49 in trading 21,516 shares. Regency Petroleum dropped 11 cents in closing at $2.18, with 228,879 stocks crossing the market and Spur Tree Spices dipped 33 cents to end at $2.91 while exchanging 1,579,159 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Investors push Junior Market into black
Trading closed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Thursday, with a 420 percent surge in the volume of stocks traded after a 575 percent jump in value over Wednesday with trading in 44 securities as was the case on Wednesday and ending with prices of 23 rising, 12 declining and nine closing unchanged and closing with a jump in the market index to close with a moderate gain for the year to date.
The market closed with 37,301,154 shares being traded for $98,792,252 up sharply from 7,170,788 units at $14,644,800 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 847,754 shares at $2,245,278 compared with 162,972 units at $332,836 on Wednesday with the month to date, averaging 190,689 units at $404,736 down from 192,229 stocks at $408,731 on the previous day. The average to date includes shares of Lasco Distributors and Lasco Manufacturing up to Tuesday this week, before they migrated to the Main Market on Wednesday. Trading in February averaged 243,917 units at $566,909.
Spur Tree Spices led trading with 22.59 million shares for 60.6 percent of total volume followed by Indies Pharma with 2.94 million units for 7.9 percent of the day’s trade, Fosrich closed with 2.47 million stocks for 6.6 percent market share, Mailpac Group ended with 2.31 million units for 6.2 percent of stocks traded and Stationery and Office Supplies with 1.79 million shares for 4.8 percent of total volume.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index climbed 46.14 points to 3,876.03, up 0.7 percent for the year to date.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.6, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial increased $1.26 to end at $21.26 in an exchange of 5,181 stocks, AMG Packaging declined 38 cents in closing at $3.12 after 5,002 units were traded, Cargo Handlers sank 97 cents to $13 with an exchange of just one share. Caribbean Assurance Brokers climbed 10 cents to close at $2.25 with 657,487 stock units changing hands, Caribbean Cream rose 19 cents and ended at $3.88 with investors transferring 93 shares, Consolidated Bakeries dipped 15 cents to $2.03 as 530 stocks passed through the market. Dolphin Cove fell 65 cents to close at $18.75 with investors trading 7,128 units, Everything Fresh advanced 9 cents to end at $1.80 in switching ownership of 334,309 stock units, Fontana popped 8 cents in closing at $8.98, with 71,377 shares crossing the exchange. 
Future Energy rallied 15 cents and ended at $3.65 in trading 300,501 units, GWest Corporation gained 9 cents to end at $1.10 with 162,050 stocks clearing the market, Honey Bun dropped 8 cents in closing at $7 with traders dealing in 23,012 stock units. ISP Finance popped $2.81 to end at $30.91, with a mere one share crossing the market, Jamaican Teas gained 23 cents to close at $2.75 after an exchange of 562,910 stock units, JFP Ltd lost 10 cents and ended at $1.35, with 19,716 stocks crossing the market. KLE Group rose 30 cents to $2.33 with investors swapping 144 units, Lumber Depot climbed 10 cents and ended at $2.80 with a transfer of 366,821 stocks, Mailpac Group increased 16 cents to end at $2.20 after investors ended trading 2,313,996 units. Main Event skidded 89 cents in closing at $13.58 with investors dealing in 6,199 shares, Paramount Trading advanced 14 cents to close at $1.38 after an exchange of 48 stock units, 
Regency Petroleum rallied 7 cents to $2.29 in an exchange of 18,538 shares. Spur Tree Spices rose 70 cents and ended at $3.24 as investors exchanged 22,588,085 units and Stationery and Office Supplies rallied 10 cents to close at $1.70 after a transfer of 1,790,379 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Gains for Junior Market
Trading closed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Wednesday, with a 38 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded, following a 43 percent decline in value compared with Tuesday with trading in 44 securities compared with 41 on Tuesday and ending with prices of 14 rising, 
17 declining and 13 closing unchanged following the migration from the Junior Market of Lasco Distributors and Lasco Manufacturing to the Main Market, resulting in 46 listings now on the Junior Market.
The market closed with trading of 7,170,788 shares for $14,644,800 compared with 11,49,682 units at $25,742,485 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 162,972 shares at $332,836, compared with 280,382 units at $627,865 on Tuesday with the month to date, averaging 190,689 units at $404,736 compared to 192,229 stock units at $408,731 on the previous day and February with an average of 243,917 units at $566,909.
Stationery and Office Supplies led trading with 1.51 million shares for 21 percent of total volume followed by Spur Tree Spices with 1.06 million units for 14.8 percent of the day’s trade and Fosrich with 995,605 stock units for 13.9 percent market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index popped 13.03 points to end at 3,829.89.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.5, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Caribbean Assurance Brokers dipped 10 cents to end at $2.15 after exchanging just 3,502 stock units, Dolphin Cove rose 90 cents in closing at $19.40 in switching ownership of 3,252 shares, Express Catering popped 10 cents to $4, with 23,013 units crossing the market. Fosrich popped 9 cents and ended at $2.44 with a transfer of 995,605 stocks, 
Iron Rock Insurance sank 38 cents to close at $2.14 after 45 shares passed through the market, JFP Ltd increased 12 cents to $1.45 with investors transferring 399,930 stocks. KLE Group declined 36 cents to end at $2.03 after trading a mere one stock unit, Knutsford Express advanced $1.14 in closing at $11.94 with an exchange of 355 stock units, Paramount Trading shed 25 cents to close at $1.24 after an exchange of 3,283 shares. Spur Tree Spices fell 10 cents and ended at $2.54 in an exchange of 1,060,608 stocks and tTech dropped 29 cents to $2.01, with 250 units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
The Junior Market bounce
The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed higher on Tuesday, following a big 94 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded after 127 percent more funds passed through the market compared with trading on Monday with trading in 41 securities compared with 46 on Monday and ending with prices of 17 rising, 12 declining and 12 closing unchanged.
The market closed with 11,495,682 shares trading for $25,742,485 up from 5,931,329 stock units at $11,322,870 on Monday.
Trading averaged 280,382 shares at $627,865, compared to 128,942 units at $246,149 on Monday with the month to date, averaging 192,229 units at $408,731 compared with 187,416 stock units at $396,767 on the previous day and February with an average of 253,246 units at $637,481.
Spur Tree Spices led trading with 6.79 million shares for 59.1 percent of total volume followed by ONE on ONE Educational with 818,975 units for 7.1 percent of the day’s trade and EduFocal with 665,885 stocks for 5.8 percent market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index climbed 23.71 points to close at 3,816.86 after the market hit the 3,856 points mark in the early trading session.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.3, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging climbed 40 cents to close at $3.51 after 262 stocks passed through the market, Cargo Handlers skidded 14 cents to $13.97 after an exchange of just 4 stock units, Dolphin Cove sank 81 cents and ended at $18.50, with 17,143 shares crossing the market. Fontana dropped 9 cents in closing at $8.91 in an exchange of 22,217 stock units, Honey Bun increased 54 cents to end at $7.04, with 2,770 shares changing hands, Knutsford Express lost 70 cents in closing at $10.80 with investors trading a mere 472 stocks. Lasco Distributors fell 29 cents to $4.28 in switching ownership of 24,635 units, Lasco Financial popped 27 cents to close at $1.89 as investors exchanged 4,253 stock units, 
Lasco Manufacturing dipped 16 cents to end at $5.40 after 268,980 shares passed through the market. Limners and Bards gained 33 cents and ended at $1.80 in trading a mere one stock unit, Main Event rose 87 cents to $14.45 in an exchange of 508 units, MFS Capital Partners advanced 10 cents in closing at $1.70 with investors dealing in 63,827 stock units. Paramount Trading rallied 29 cents to end at $1.49 and closed a 91 shares and Spur Tree Spices rose 19 cents to close at $2.64 with an exchange of 6,792,429 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
