The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed higher on Friday, as upward momentum in the market is quietly shifting upwards, as it closed on Friday just 2.5 percent below December 2022 level, with indicators pointing to the market capturing higher grounds in the near future.
The Junior Market Index jumped 44.82 points to close at 3,887.79, the highest point since March 3 this year.
The volume of stocks traded declined 46 percent with a 29 percent lower value than on Thursday from trading in the same number of securities as the market closed with prices of 17 rising, 16 declining and 13 closing unchanged.
Investors traded 5,255,540 shares for $16,475,124 versus 9,723,498 units at $23,066,193 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 114,251 shares at $358,155 compared with 211,380 shares at $501,439 on Thursday with the month to date, averaging 193,163 units at $518,181 compared to 200,679 stock units at $533,422 on the previous day. May closed with an average of 239,954 units at $648,811.
Future Energy Source led trading with 856,557 shares for 16.3 percent of the day’s volume followed by Tropical Battery with 854,433 units for 16.3 percent of the day’s trade and Dolla Financial ended with 799,524 units for 15.2 percent market share.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 11.1. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded price in conjunction with ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Access Financial dropped $2.87 to end at $22.10 with shareholders swapping 17,027 shares, AMG Packaging climbed 34 cents to $2.64, with 1,320 stocks changing hands, Blue Power dipped 10 cents to close at $2.55, with stakeholders exchanging 30 stocks. 
Cargo Handlers gained $2.80 in closing at 52 weeks’ high of $22, with 48 units crossing the exchange, with the stock being set up for a split, Caribbean Flavours popped 13 cents to $1.38 in an exchange of 395 stock units, Dolphin Cove rallied 77 cents to close at $15.77 with investors transferring 40,679 units. Elite Diagnostic advanced 16 cents and ended at $2.20 in switching ownership of 2,226 stocks, Express Catering declined 15 cents to $4.85 with investors trading 69,945 shares, Iron Rock Insurance shed 15 cents in closing at $2 with a transfer of 335 stock units. Limners and Bards lost 9 cents to end at $2.11, with 52,081 stocks clearing the market, Paramount Trading rose 8 cents to close at $2.19 in an exchange of 40 units, Regency Petroleum fell 10 cents to end at $2.71 and closed with 29,734 shares changing hands.
Spur Tree Spices declined 13 cents to end at $2.40 as investors exchanged 234,953 stocks and Stationery and Office Supplies dropped $1.96 to $20 after 10,704 stock units passed through the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Investors exchanged 201,743 shares for $2,006,520 versus 245,649 stock units at $2,109,492 on Thursday.
At the close, Agostini’s shed 40 cents in closing at $68.60 after a transfer of 150 units, Angostura Holdings remained at $23.10 with investors trading 835 stock units, Ansa Merchant Bank ended at $49 in trading 24 units, Endeavour Holdings ended at $13 after 151 stock units were exchanged. Firstcaribbean International Bank closed at $7.01 with stakeholders exchanging 2,000 shares, First Citizens Group gained 9 cents to close at $48.99, with 4,066 stock units clearing the market, GraceKennedy fell 24 cents to end at $3.25 after 13,500 shares crossed the exchange, Guardian Holdings dipped 5 cents in closing at $18.95, with 10,464 units passed through the market. Guardian Media ended at $2.30 with stakeholders swapping 43 stocks, JMMB Group ended at $1.35 with an exchange of 10,000 shares, Massy Holdings advanced 1 cent in ending at $4.95, with 117,506 stock units crossing the market, 
National Enterprises closed at $3.40, with trading of 27,732 units. One Caribbean Media ended at $3.70 in an exchange of 275 shares, Republic Financial rose 13 cents to $129.06, with 2,719 units changing hands, Scotiabank ended at $76.50 with an exchange of 4,700 stocks. Trinidad & Tobago NGL climbed 13 cents to end at $17.88, with 5,893 stocks crossing the exchange, Unilever Caribbean lost 5 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ low of $11.40 with a transfer of 1,005 units and West Indian Tobacco rallied 4 cents in closing at $12.52, with 680 shares changing hands.
Investors traded 245,649 shares for $2,109,492 compared with 1,302,645 stocks at $4,753,061 on Wednesday.
At the close, Agostini’s climbed 20 cents to $69 as 8,429 shares passed through the market, Angostura Holdings ended at $23.10 in an exchange of 10 stocks, Ansa McAl fell 3 cents in closing at $50.95 as investors traded 37 shares. FirstCaribbean International Bank closed at $7.01. with investors trading 168 units, GraceKennedy lost 1 cent to close at $3.49 in switching ownership of 10,100 units, JMMB Group ended at $1.35 in an exchange of 4,459 stock units. Massy Holdings dipped 2 cents to $4.94, with 93,177 shares changing hands, National Enterprises dipped 5 cents to close at $3.40 after a transfer of 18,358 stocks, National Flour Mills increased 14 cents in closing at $1.65 while stakeholders were exchanging 213 stock units. NCB Financial ended at $2.70 with a transfer of 100,000 stocks, 
Republic Financial dipped 27 cents to $128.93 after 4,590 shares were exchanged, Scotiabank remained at $76.50, with 725 units clearing the market. Trinidad & Tobago NGL shed 13 cents to close at $17.75, with stakeholders trading 830 units, Trinidad Cement popped 15 cents in closing at $2.65 and closed, with 2,811 stocks being traded and Unilever Caribbean dipped 5 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ low of $11.45, with 1,742 stock units crossing the exchange.
Investors exchanged 32,918 shares with a value of US$5,796 compared with 289,060 units at US$34,073 on Wednesday.
At the close of trading, Proven Investments ended at 16 US cents after an exchange of 1,935 shares, Sterling Investments rose 0.1 of a cent to 2 US cents with a transfer of 950 stocks, Transjamaican Highway dipped 0.03 of a cent and ended at 1.42 US cents after an exchange of 29,600 units.
Investors traded 9,723,498 shares for $23,066,193 compared to 11,588,780 units at $28,016,741 on Wednesday.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
Fosrich increased 25 cents to close at $2.40 with stakeholders trading 2,062,959 units, Future Energy Source climbed 11 cents and ended at $4 with shareholders swapping 479,757 shares after the stock traded at an intraday 52 weeks’ low of $3.75. General Accident 23 cents to end at $5 in switching ownership of 4,500 stocks, iCreate dipped 11 cents to $1.17 with an exchange of 20,000 units. ISP Finance declined 45 cents to close at $26 after 5,727 shares changed hands, KLE Group fell 17 cents in closing at $1.60 in an exchange of 3,309,710 stocks, Knutsford Express dropped 45 cents in closing at $11.05 in trading 4,536 stock units. Lasco Manufacturing gained 14 cents to close at $4.49 after exchanging 50,745 stocks, Regency Petroleum lost 10 cents to end at $2.81, with 126,729 stock units crossing the market, 
Stationery and Office Supplies shed $2.04 to $21.96 after 5,291 units passed through the market and tTech fell 20 cents to $2.30 as investors exchanged 163 shares.
Trading ended with 55 securities changing hands compared with 56 on Tuesday, resulting in prices of 18 rising, 24 declining and 13 ending unchanged, resulting in the trading of an average of 531,066 shares at $13,174,377 compared to 970,422 shares at $10,592,120 on Tuesday and month to date, an average of 349,102 units at $6,003,345, up from 329,517 units at $5,231,512 on the previous day. Trading in May ended with an average of 226,361 units at $1,362,447.
At the close of the market, the All Jamaican Composite Index shed 1,105.39 points to end at 360,982.14, the JSE Main Index dropped 1,861.20 points to 327,139.32 and the JSE Financial Index dipped 0.98 points to end at 72.90.
Jamaica Broilers fell $1.74 in closing at $33.02 after an exchange of 26,800 units, JMMB Group rallied 49 cents to end at $28.99 with investors trading 25,215 stock units, Kingston Wharves advanced $1.75 to $29.75 after a transfer of 1,527 stocks, Margaritaville rose 57 cents ended at $15.20 with shareholders swapping 2,106 shares. NCB Financial declined $1 to $67 in trading 3,051,068 units, 138 Student Living dipped 45 cents in closing at $4.55, with 1,047,762 stocks crossing the market, Proven Investments popped $1.45 and ended at $26.95 after stakeholders exchanged 205 shares, Sagicor Group dropped 45 cents to $48.50 with an exchange of 52,303 stock units. Scotia Group dipped $2.64 in closing at $32.06 with a transfer of 4,846,189 stock units, Seprod climbed $1.90 to close at $71.90 with 102,837 stocks crossing the exchange, 
Sterling Investments increased 41 cents to end at $2.91 after an exchange of 8,440 units, Sygnus Real Estate Finance declined 80 cents to $11.20 as investors exchanged 299 shares, Wisynco Group shed 43 cents in closing at $17.87, with 587,233 stock units crossing the market.
Overall, 289,060 shares were traded for US$34,073 compared with 132,703 units at US$3,992 on Tuesday.
Proven Investments ended at 16 US cents with a transfer of 22,097 shares, Sterling Investments popped 0.3 of a cent in closing at 1.9 US cents after an exchange of 29 units. Sygnus Credit Investments fell 1 cent to 10 US cents after 99,000 shares were traded and Transjamaican Highway rose 0.01 of a cent to 1.45 US cents as investors exchanged just 2,865 stocks.
Investors traded 11,588,780 shares for $28,016,741 compared with 6,594,218 units at $17,769,680 on Tuesday.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 11.3. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded price in conjunction with ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Fontana dropped 18 cents in closing at $9.60 in an exchange of 69,707 stock units, Honey Bun rallied 45 cents to $6.96 with investors transferring 66 stocks, Image Plus Consultants climbed 8 cents to end at $2.08 in an exchange of 119,636 units, Jamaican Teas fell 9 cents to $2.08 with a transfer of 27,123 shares, Knutsford Express dipped 28 cents to close at $11.50 after a transfer of 3,703 stock units, Lasco Distributors increased 15 cents in closing at $3.35 with 19,084 units clearing the market, Lasco Financial shed 10 cents to close at $2.30, with 7,185 stocks crossing the market, Lasco Manufacturing lost 13 cents and ended at $4.35 after 58,598 stocks were traded, Main Event shed 20 cents to $14.70 with an exchange of 37,646 stock units, MFS Capital Partners gained 10 cents to end at $3.10 after an exchange of 226,309 shares, 
Stationery and Office Supplies climbed $3 in closing at a record high of $24 as investors exchanged 48,804 units and tTech dropped 37 cents to end at $2.50 in switching ownership of 5,642 units.
Investors traded 1,302,645 shares for $4,753,061 compared to 158,060 stock units at $1,769,524 on Tuesday.
At the close, Agostini’s remained at $68.80 after 707 shares passed through the market, Angostura Holdings ended at $23.10 with 2,589 stocks crossing the market, Ansa McAl rallied 43 cents to $50.98 after trading 1,338 units. Endeavour Holdings concluded trading of 100 shares at $13, FirstCaribbean International Bank closed at $7.01 after investors exchanged 2,255 shares, First Citizens Group ended at $48.90 after 328 units were traded. Guardian Holdings declined $1.07 in closing at $19 after 5,891 stock units were traded, JMMB Group remained at $1.35 as investors traded 3,349 stocks, Massy Holdings dipped 1 cent to close at $4.96, with 30,986 shares clearing the market. National Enterprises ended at $3.45 and closed with an exchange of 70,261 stock units, NCB Financial shed 10 cents and ended at $2.70 with investors transferring 1,107,813 units, One Caribbean Media remained at $3.70 with a transfer of 16,000 stocks.
Investors traded 1,000 shares of Point Lisas at $3.25, Republic Financial rallied 27 cents to $129.20 with 2,814 units changing hands, Scotiabank ended at $76.50 in switching ownership of 5,055 stock units. Trinidad & Tobago NGL remained at $17.88 with stakeholders swapping 5,329 shares, Trinidad Cement ended at $2.50 after a transfer of 45,744 stock units, Unilever Caribbean remained at $11.50 with 605 shares crossing the exchange and West Indian Tobacco popped 23 cents to $12.48 in trading 481 units.
A total of 132,703 shares were exchanged for US$3,992 compared with 2,048,216 units at US$53,374 on Monday.
The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
