Trading surged on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday, after investors traded 60 million shares in Spur Trees Spices with a value of $135 million and driving the volume of stocks traded up a solid 3,095 percent, 
following a 2,785 percent jump in value over Wednesday after trading in 45 securities similar to Wednesday and ending with prices of 21 rising, 14 declining and 10 closing unchanged.
The market closed with trading of 67,112,668 shares for $155,529,698 compared with 2,100,844 units at $5,391,292 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 1,491,393 shares at $3,456,216, compared with 46,685 units at $119,806 on Wednesday with the month to date, averaging 310,046 units at $715,674 compared to 134,017 stock units at $307,315 on the previous day and March with an average of 221,659 units at $464,382.
Spur Tree Spices led trading with 60.03 million shares for 89.4 percent of total volume followed by Future 
Energy with 4.04 million units for 6 percent of the day’s trade and One Great Studio with 832,703 units for 1.2 percent market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index climbed 41.06 points to end trading at 3,775.55.
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 2025.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with a lower offer.
At the close, Access Financial rose $1.34 to close at $21.19 after an exchange of just one share, AMG Packaging declined 10 cents to $3.30 after exchanging 111 units, Cargo Handlers shed $1.10 and ended at $12.80 in switching ownership of 152 shares. 
Caribbean Flavours rallied 12 cents to end at $1.70 with 85,913 stock units crossing the market, Dolla Financial popped 10 cents in closing at $2.79 with an exchange of 508,972 shares, Express Catering gained 53 cents to finish at $4.47 after investors ended trading 111,110 stock units. Fontana increased 31 cents and ended at $9 with the transferring of 125,869 stocks, GWest Corporation sank 9 cents to 90 cents in an exchange of 71,581 units, Honey Bun climbed 58 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $7.87 with investors dealing in 41,013 stocks. ISP Finance slipped 36 cents to finish at $26.35, with 16 units crossing the exchange, Limners and Bards advanced 21 cents in closing at $1.71 in trading a mere 4 shares, Mailpac Group rose 10 cents to end at $2.10, with 16,443 stock units changing hands. MFS Capital Partners gained 21 cents to close at $1.76 with investors trading 717,173 shares and Paramount Trading popped 20 cents to finish at $1.46 in an exchange of 75,645 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market falters on Wednesday
The Junior Market Index fell 25.49 points to close at 3,734.49 after it traded in positive territory in the morning session with the market opening at 3,810.31 points. Trading ended, with a 43 percent 
decline in the volume of stocks traded, with a 38 percent drop in value compared to Tuesday following trading in 45 securities compared with 44 on Tuesday and ending with prices of 14 rising, 18 declining and 13 closing unchanged.
The market closed trading of 2,100,844 shares for $5,391,292 down from 3,694,150 units at $8,717,041 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 46,685 shares at $119,806, compared with 83,958 units at $198,115 on Tuesday with the month to date, averaging 134,017 units at $307,315 compared to 149,309 stock units at $340,147 on the previous day and March with an average of 221,659 units at $464,382.
On a day of mediocre trading, Stationery and Office Supplies led with just 251,673 shares for 12 percent of total volume followed by Fosrich with 228,475 units for 10.9 percent of the day’s trade and Dolla Financial with 224,947 stock units for 10.7 percent market share.
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 2025.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows seven stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
At the close, Caribbean Assurance Brokers declined 15 cents to $2.20 as investors exchanged 4,237 shares, Everything Fresh shed 20 cents to end at $1.54 in switching ownership of 52,476 stocks, GWest Corporation advanced 9 cents in closing at 99 cents with an exchange of 25 shares. 
Honey Bun popped 21 cents to finish at $7.29 in an exchange of 27,774 stock units, ISP Finance dropped $4.29 and ended at $26.71 with investors dealing in just 288 shares, Jamaican Teas sank 10 cents to close at $2.44 in an exchange of 22,768 stocks. Knutsford Express skidded 68 cents to $11.20 with traders dealing in 3,237 units, Mailpac Group lost 10 cents in closing at $2, 101,306 stock units crossing the market, Main Event increased 43 cents and ended at $14 in trading 19,931 shares and Paramount Trading dipped 20 cents to close at $1.26 after 46,980 units passed through the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market recovers some recent losses
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.
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.
Lasco companies out of ICTOP10
Shake up took place in the ICTOP10 with Lasco Manufacturing that closed up by 10 percent to $6.08 at the end of last week and Lasco Distributors that fell 7 percent to $4.25 and dropping out of the TOP10 following migration from the Junior to the Main Market last week Wednesday.
With the 2024 financial year ending in March, the two companies will see a bump in earnings for 2025 and likely put them in the ICTOP10 again. Since the switch in listing, the number of stocks offered for sale has declined sharply and so have the bids to buy.
Coming into the Junior Market listing are Consolidated Bakeries, while AMG Packaging returns after a weeks’ absence, with the price falling to $3.12 from $3.27, EPS for the Consolidated Bakeries is projected at 30 cents for 2024, pushing it into position 2. The company promised much with a good brand but has delivered inadequate returns since being listed in 2013, but the operations have been undergoing changes with more focus on higher margin products and less on the regular breads, that faces greater competition in the market. A review of the 2023 audited statements shows that cost jumped but this was mostly for big wage increases which should moderate in 2025. Investing in the company is not without risk but it should benefit from continued growth and improved employment in the local economy going forward that should result in revenues growing faster than cost.
There were no new listing in the Main Market, but 138 Student Living rose 10 percent to $4.19 and JMMB Group gained 6 percent to close trading last week at $26.50, while Palace Amusements shed 9 percent to $1.04 and General Accident fell 6 percent to $5.30.
The Junior Market closed last week in positive territory as Stationery & Office Supplies climbed 13 percent to $1.70 while, Jamaican Teas, ISP Finance and Lasco Manufacturing all gained 10 percent, Iron Rock Insurance dropped 15 percent to $2.14 and Lasco Distributors fell 7 percent to $4.25.
There were no changes to the list of companies in the Main Market TOP10 this past week.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market ICTOP 10 stands at 5.6, well below the market average of 13.4 and the Junior Market TOP10 sits at 7.2 over half of the market, with an average of 13.3.
The Main Market ICTOP10 is projected to gain an average of 270 percent by May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings, providing better values than the Junior Market with the potential to gain 178 percent over the same period.
In the Main Market ICTOP 10, a total of 16 of the most highly valued stocks representing 31 percent of the Main Market are priced at a PE of 15 to 106, with an average of 32 and 23 excluding the highest PE ratios, and a PE of 24 for the top half and 19 excluding the stocks with overweight values.
In the Junior Market IC TOP10 are 9 stocks, or 20 percent of the market, with PEs ranging from 15 to 50, averaging 23, well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 18, possibly the lowest fair value for stocks, currently.
Of great import is that the averages of both markets are now converging around a PE of 20 for close to a third of the market, as the year is coming to a close and with more information available on the full year’s earnings.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market, but this is not always so. ICInsider.com ranks stocks based on projected earnings, allowing investors to focus on the most undervalued stocks and helping to remove emotions in selecting stocks for investments that often result in costly mistakes.
IC TOP10 stocks will likely deliver the best returns on or around May 2024 and are ranked in order of potential gains, computed using projected earnings for the current fiscal year. Expected values will change as stock prices fluctuate and result in weekly movements in and out of the lists. Revisions to earnings are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.
Persons who compiled this report may have an interest in securities commented on in this report.
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.
