The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange moved one step closer to taking out January 2023 high as it continues its quiet rally that started since mid March as it added more gains in the market index on Monday, accompanied by a 39 percent fall in the volume of stocks traded, with the value 28 percent lower than on Friday after trading in 45 securities compared with 42 on Friday and ended with 14 rising, 21 declining and 10 closing unchanged.
Investors traded 3,691,376 shares for $12,494,675 compared with 6,035,265 units at $17,244,300 on Friday.
Trading averaged 82,031 shares at $277,659 compared to 143,697 stocks at $410,579 on Friday with a month to date average of 152,985 stock units at $548,796 in comparison to 167,368 shares at $603,757 on the previous trading day. June closed with an average of 319,230 units at $854,456.
Dolla Financial led trading with 1.07 million shares for 29 percent of total volume followed by ONE on ONE Educational, with 365,478 units for 9.9 percent of the day’s trade and Image Plus Consultants ended with 287,072 units for 7.8 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index rose 8.76 points to conclude trading at 4,019.99.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 11.4. 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 five stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial advanced $2.28 to $24.99 after a transfer of just 100 shares, Cargo Handlers gained $1 to close at $19, with 1,105 stocks crossing the exchange, Caribbean Cream rallied 13 cents to end at $4.65 after 6,830 stock units passed through the market, Consolidated Bakeries slipped 20 cents to $2.60 with stakeholders exchanging 1,363 units. Dolphin Cove fell 10 cents to $16.70 after just 910 stocks crossed the market and the price hit an intraday 52 weeks’ high of $17.35, Everything Fresh climbed 8 cents to close trading at $1.68 in switching ownership of 50,314 shares, Express Catering dropped 10 cents to $5.30 with a transfer of 276 units, GWest Corporation rose 13 cents to close at $1.18 after trading 12,820 stock units. Honey Bun lost 33 cents to end at $6.34 in 8,350 shares changing hands,
iCreate fell 11 cents in closing at $1.19 with an exchange of 30,972 units, ISP Finance rose $4.38 to $24.39 in an exchange of just one stock, Lasco Distributors declined 18 cents to $3.89 as investors traded 11,343 stocks. Lasco Manufacturing lost 54 cents in ending at $4.25 while 9,050 shares passed through the market, Main Event declined 35 cents to $16.14 while exchanging 27,845 units, Medical Disposables popped 47 cents in closing at $5.21 after 100 stock units changed hands, MFS Capital Partners dipped 9 cents to end at $2.61 with shareholders swapping 136,715 stocks. Paramount Trading fell 54 cents to $1.56, with 14,285 stock units changing hands, Spur Tree Spices shed 8 cents to $2.10 after exchanging 262,762 stocks, 
Tropical Battery dipped 13 cents in closing at $1.92 after an exchange of 118,523 shares and tTech shed 14 cents to close at $2.11 with investors transferring 2,000 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Rising stocks dominate Trinidad Exchange
Rising stocks dominated trading ended on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange on Monday and resulted in 21 securities trading compared with 20 on Friday, with prices of nine stocks rising, three declining and nine remaining unchanged, following a 57 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded with a 62 percent lower value than on Friday.
Investors exchanged 91,646 shares for $822,343 versus 211,397 stocks at $2,148,592 on Friday.
An average of 4,364 shares were traded at $39,159 compared to 10,570 shares at $107,430 on Friday, with trading month to date averaging 9,557 shares at $152,290 compared to 10,742 units at $178,114 on the previous trading day. The average trade for June was 23,515 shares at $224,325.
The Composite Index popped 13.79 points to 1,248.73, the All T&T Index rallied 2.05 points to end at 1,882.53, the SME Index added 0.01 points to close at 70.72 and the Cross-Listed Index increased 3.69 points to 79.83.
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, Ansa McAl remained at $51 in switching ownership of 1,062 shares, Ansa Merchant Bank ended at $47 in an exchange of 170 stocks, Calypso Macro Investment Fund popped 80 cents to $21.80, with 369 stocks crossing the market, CinemaOne rallied 15 cents to $7.75, with 185 units crossing the exchange. First Citizens Group remained at $48 after 2,390 shares were trading, FirstCaribbean International Bank ended at $7.20 with a transfer of 50 units, GraceKennedy rose 2 cents to $3.43 after 28,413 stocks passed through the market, Guardian Holdings ended at $18.65 with shareholders swapping 127 stock units. JMMB Group rallied 4 cents in closing at $1.39 with an exchange of 2 stock units, L.J. Williams B share ended at $2.79 as investors traded 940 stocks, Massy Holdings ended at $4.85 after 11,858 units changed hands, National Enterprises popped 1 cent to $3.86 in trading 2,500 shares. 
National Flour Mills remained at $1.64 after exchanging 20,900 stocks, NCB Financial climbed 46 cents to $3.56 in trading 277 shares, Prestige Holdings remained at $8 with investors transferring 3,769 units, Republic Financial closed 1 cent higher to $128 after trading in 1,007 stock units. Scotiabank dropped 4 cents in closing at $75.86 after a transfer of 671 stocks, Trinidad & Tobago NGL shed 5 cents to end at $18.20 with an exchange of 5,942 stock units, Trinidad Cement lost 8 cents to close at $2.54, with stakeholders exchanging 2,010 units, Unilever Caribbean rallied 15 cents and ended at $12.25 while exchanging 539 shares and West Indian Tobacco rose 40 cents to $12 in an exchange of 8,465 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Gains continue for ICTOP10
The Junior Market wiped all 2023 losses this past week, with the market index reclaiming the 4,000 mark for the first time since January and wiping out all of the 2023 losses recorded up to Thursday. The Main Market continues to struggle and has remained down 8 percent for the year to date.
Jamaica Broilers is now in at 3 on ICTOP10.
The Junior Market is now up 11.6 percent since the low in March and is on what will be a big bull ride over the coming months that is signalled by two indicators. The Main Market is likely bottoming after a traditional sell off in May before settling off in the early summer ahead of a rebound later. The action is now with the Junior Market with more potential for growth.
The Junior Market had 5 stocks for the week, each rising and falling. The Main Market ended with 3 rising and three declining, with the most significant change being a loss of 9 percent for JMMB Group to $30 and Berger Paints with a five percent fall being the biggest losers as all other changes were just one percent.
In the Junior Market, iCreate rose 18 percent to $1.30, Dolla Financial rallied 8 percent to $2.43, Everything Fresh popped 5 percent to $1.60, and Edufocal and Image Plus rose 3 percent. OneonOne slipped 10 percent to $1.10, while Iron Rock Insurance and Caribbean Cream fell 4 percent.
During the week whole, year results came out for Jamaica Broilers, with earnings of $4.43 including the write off of the Haitian operations, with revenues rising 23 percent but excluding the Haitian operations, earnings were $5.40 per share, with just over $7 projected by ICInsider.com for the current year, making it a compelling buy at current prices. The stock now sits at the number 3 position on the ICTOP10.
Dollar Financial reported second quarter profit after trading ended on Friday, showing a profit of $105 million compared with $59 million in the 2022 June quarter and $227 million for the six months to June versus $119 million in 2022. Earnings per share ended at 4 cents in the latest quarter and 9 cents year to date. The period shows a small amount set aside for expected credit losses, but the cash flow shows that only 75 percent of interest earned was paid during the period, down from 77 percent for the 2022 first half and 80 percent for the 2022 full year.
At the end of the week, the average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP 10 is 6.1, well below the market average of 13.3. The Main Market TOP10 is projected to have an average of 252 percent, by May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings.
The 15 most highly valued Main Market stocks are priced at a PE of 15 to 110, with an average of 29 and 20 excluding the highest PE stocks, 23 for the top half and 18 excluding the stocks with the highest PEs.
The Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 5.9 compared with the market at 11.4. There are 10 stocks representing 21 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 44, averaging 21, well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 16, possibly the lowest fair value for Junior Market stocks currently. Junior Market is projected to rise by 240 percent by May 2024.
The divergence between the average PE ratio of the Main and Junior Markets and the overall market valuation are important indicators of the likely gains for ICTOP10 stocks.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners. Accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market but not always. 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 up to the end of 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, resulting 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.
Huge gains for TransJamaican directors
Directors and management at TransJamaican Highway (TJH) are enjoying a bountiful period of a fistful of dollars from their recent investment in the company’s shares fueled by a sharp cut in cost with the acquisition of the Subsidiary that was costing them around US$12 million per year and placing them in a position to enjoy a potential of more than tripling of profits over that generated in 2022 from ongoing operations.
Trades by directors and connected parties in listed companies may speak volumes about what is currently occurring in their operations and can be a short term signal to follow. Not all trades have immediate significance, as they may be for reasons unrelated to the company’s performance, like the need for cash or reallocation of investments; regardless, investors would be well advised to take a keen interest in such actions.
The latest announcement of worth is the sale of director TJH that sold 10,457,450 of the company’s shares on June 29, when the average price was $2.45 but traded as high as $2.50, this trade looks like profit taking and seems as if it connected with a big purchase by Steven Gooden who bought 20 million units on March 21, 2023 at a time when the stock was trading at an average of $1.35 with a total of 30.87 million being traded for the day, that included a 2.2 million purchase by a member of the Audit Committee and follows an 800,000 share purchase by a member of the Audit Committee on May 19, 2023. According to the financial report for March this year, John Bell, who previously owned 1.8 million shares, ended with 4.2 million shares, and Ian Dear owned 693,459 shares at the end of the quarter, with none in December. Susan Garriques moved her holdings from 5.042 million to 6.042 million.
Steven Gooden bought 20 million TJH shares in March 2023.
Gooden could have sold around 10.5 million units at $2.50 and fully paid for the 20 million he bought.
A senior manager bought 1,000,000 TJH shares on March 23 and March 24, a director bought 693,459 shares, this seems to be Ian Dear, and a member of the Audit Committee bought 200,000 TJH shares; the other previous trades took place between December 21 and 23, last year when the Chairman of the Audit Committee traded 1,091,164. Bell is the Chairman of the Audit Committee.
TJH released first quarter results with profit before tax of US$6.7 million, an increase of US$5.5 million compared to US$1.2 million for the first quarter of 2022. This increase in profitability mainly resulted from savings realized on the cost to operate the motorway following the acquisition of the Operator and now Subsidiary, plus higher revenues earned for the quarter. Net profit ended at US$5 million, up from just US$0.7 million for the 2022 quarter. ICInsider.com has projected earnings to 0.02 US cents per share or 31 Jamaican cents, indicating much more room for the price to run. At a price that is now less than ten times 2023 earnings, the stock is ICInsider.com Buy Rated.
JSE Main Market falls
Trading declined on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Friday, with the volume of stocks traded falling 39 percent with a 12 percent lower value than on Thursday, with trading in 57 securities similar to trading on Thursday and ended with 17 rising, 25 declining and 15 ending unchanged.
A total of 11,913,117 shares were traded for $42,086,420 compared to 19,516,550 units at $47,807,103 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 209,002 shares at $738,358 compared with 342,396 units at $838,721 on Thursday and month to date, an average of 473,702 shares at $3,295,648, compared with 540,168 units at $3,937,787 on the previous day. Trading in June closed with an average of 366,795 units at $6,952,581 including trading in Bonds.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 3.33 million shares for 27.9 percent of total volume followed by Wigton Windfarm with 1.99 million units for 16.7 percent of the day’s trade, Ciboney Group with 1.95 million units for 16.4 percent of market share and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 1.46 million units for 12.3 percent of total volume.
The All Jamaican Composite Index lost 2,051.59 points to end at 363,287.98, the JSE Main Index fell 1,305.66 points to finish at 326,625.92 and the JSE Financial Index shed 0.61 points to end at 71.45.
The PE Ratio, a formula used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 13.3 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are computed based on the last traded prices and earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending up to August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows eight stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments dipped 35 cents to close at $75.14 with investors transferring 8,178 shares, Berger Paints fell 34 cents to end at $7.70 as 400 units passed through the market, Caribbean Cement declined $3.20 to $54.50 after an exchange of 838 stocks, 
Ciboney Group shed 32 cents in closing at $1.33, with 1,948,280 stock units changing hands. Eppley lost $2.45 and ended at $34, with 107 stocks crossing the market, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund dropped $3.48 in closing at $39 with an exchange of 1,030 stock units, Guardian Holdings rose $8 to end at $420, with 283 shares crossing the market, Jamaica Broilers dipped $1.84 to close at $35.05 with 56,101 units clearing the market, Jamaica Producers gained 35 cents and ended at $20.50 as investors exchanged 2,200 shares. JMMB Group dropped $2.30 to $30 after a transfer of 22,542 stocks, Margaritaville increased $2.68 in ending at $17.98 in an exchange of 2 units, Mayberry Jamaican Equities popped 56 cents to close at $11.56 with a transfer of 75,240 stock units, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy lost 50 cents to end at $68.50 in an exchange of 1,545 stock units. 
Proven Investments shed $1.59 to $22.12 in trading 46,772 shares and Seprod fell $2.82 in closing at $70.18 with shareholders swapping 181 units.
In the preference segment, Productive Business 10.50% preference share declined $99.99 in closing at $1100.01 in switching ownership of 100 stocks and Jamaica Public Service 7% declined $6.21 to close at $50 after 18 stock units crossed the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading surges for JSE USD Market
Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market ended on Friday with a 157 percent jump in the volume of stocks changing hands with the value surging 502 percent more than on Thursday, resulting in the trading of six securities, compared to four on Thursday with one rising, two declining and three ending unchanged.
Overall, 684,072 shares were traded for US$37,141 compared to 266,681 units at US$6,174 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 114,012 units at US$6,190 versus 66,670 shares at US$1,544 on Thursday, with a month to date average of 100,856 shares at US$3,326 compared with 97,424 units at US$2,578 on the previous day. June ended with an average of 60,969 units for US$3,967.
The US Denominated Equities Index climbed 0.94 points to close trading at 243.84.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 8.9. The PE ratio is computed using the last traded price divided by ICInsider.com’s projected earnings done for companies with their financial year ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, First Rock Real Estate USD share ended at 4 US cents while exchanging 31,000 shares, Proven Investments dipped 1.9 cents in closing at a 52 weeks’ low of 13 US cents, with 138,000 stocks crossing the exchange, 
Sterling Investments remained at 1.6 US cents after an exchange of 41,950 units and Transjamaican Highway climbed 0.11 of a cent to 1.81 US cents with shareholders swapping 467,858 stock units.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 5.75% ended at US$1.90 after a transfer of 3,264 units and JMMB Group 6% slipped 13 cents in closing at US$1.05, with an exchange of 2,000 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market jumps into black
Investors pushed the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange index over the 4,000 points mark for the first time since the end of January and moved it back into the black for the first time since, with the market rising 11.6 percent from the low point in February this year at the close, the Junior Market Index rose 27.22 points to close at 4,011.23.
Trading on Friday ended with the volume of stocks traded rising 32 percent valued 27 percent more than Thursday with 42 securities changing hands compared with 44 on Thursday and ended with 18 rising, 11 declining and 13 closing unchanged.
A total of 6,035,265 shares were traded for $17,244,300 compared with 4,560,776 units at $13,565,316 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 143,697 shares at $410,579 up from 103,654 shares at $308,303 on Thursday with the month to date, averaging 167,368 units at $603,757 compared to 172,891 stocks at $648,832 on the previous day. June closed with an average of 319,230 units at $854,456.
Dolla Financial led trading with 1.31 million shares for 21.6 percent of total volume followed by MFS Capital Partners with 1.21 million units for 20.1 percent of the day’s trade and Fosrich with 1.13 million units for 18.7 percent of the day’s trade.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 11.4. 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 seven stocks mended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Blue Power lost 57 cents in closing at $3 after 11,020 shares were traded, Cargo Handlers shed 30 cents and ended at $18 with shareholders swapping 3,000 units, Caribbean Cream advanced 49 cents to close at $4.52 in an exchange of 61,951 stock units, Caribbean Flavours dipped 8 cents to $1.22 with stakeholders exchanging 5,000 stocks. Consolidated Bakeries declined 19 cents to end at $2.80 with a transfer of 20,185 stock units, 
Dolla Financial rose 8 cents to $2.43 with investors trading 1,305,738 stocks, Express Catering popped 15 cents to close at $5.40 with an exchange of 3,024 shares, Fontana dropped 89 cents to end at $11.21 with investors transferring 37,362 units. iCreate gained 13 cents to end at $1.30 after 359,406 stock units crossed the market, Image Plus Consultants climbed 12 cents in closing at $2.19 after 201,444 stocks passed through the market, ISP Finance fell $4.39 in closing at $20.01 with an exchange of 16,187 shares, Lasco Distributors rallied 47 cents to $4.07 with 26,347 units clearing the market. Lasco Manufacturing increased 29 cents and ended at $4.79 with 1,276 units changing hands, Limners and Bards rallied 8 cents to close at $2.20 after an exchange of 77 stock units, Main Event advanced 49 cents to end at $16.49 as investors exchanged 1,000 stocks, 
MFS Capital Partners fell 18 cents after it ended at $2.70 with a transfer of 1,214,901 shares. Paramount Trading popped 10 cents to close at $2.10, with 316 units crossing the market, Stationery and Office Supplies lost $1.40 to end at $27 in trading 86,722 shares and tTech increased 24 cents to $2.25 while exchanging 4 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Gains for Trinidad Stock Exchange
Trading ended with nine stocks rising, four declining and seven ended unchanged on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange on Friday, following trading in 20 securities up from 17 on Thursday and ended with the market indices bouncing even with the volume of stocks traded declining 35 percent with the value 9 percent lower than on Thursday.
Investors exchanged 211,397 shares for $2,148,592 compared to 327,395 units at $2,368,865 on Thursday.
An average of 10,570 shares were traded at $107,430 down from 19,259 shares at $139,345 on Thursday, with trading month to date averaging 10,742 shares at $178,114 compared with 10,790 units at $197,748 on the previous day. The average trade for June ended with 23,515 shares at $224,325.
The Composite Index rose 7.85 points to 1,234.94, the All T&T Index increased 10.70 points to 1,880.48, the SME Index gained 0.58 points to end at 70.71 and the Cross-Listed Index rose 0.67 points to 76.14.
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, Agostini’s ended at $68.50, with 223 shares crossing the market, Angostura Holdings climbed 10 cents and ended at $23.10 in switching ownership of 54 units, Ansa McAl rallied 30 cents to close at $51 after trading of 16,090 stock units, Ansa Merchant Bank dropped $1 to $47 with a transfer of 200 stocks. CinemaOne advanced 50 cents to $7.60 as investors exchanged 575 stocks, First Citizens Group remained at $48 in an exchange of 1,971 units, FirstCaribbean International Bank remained at $7.20 after investors traded 68 shares, Guardian Holdings popped $1.30 to end at $18.65 with 100 stock units crossing the market. Massy Holdings dipped 3 cents to $4.85 with stakeholders exchanging 5,000 units, National Enterprises ended at $3.85 while 100,000 shares passed through the market, National Flour Mills remained at $1.64, with 1,107 stock units changing hands, 
NCB Financial ended at $3.10 with an exchange of 7,793 stocks. One Caribbean Media increased 10 cents to end at $3.75 with investors transferring 655 shares, Prestige Holdings ended at $8, with 70,060 stocks clearing the market, Republic Financial rose 9 cents to $127.99 after a transfer of 310 stock units, Scotiabank declined 9 cents to $75.90 in trading 695 units, Trinidad & Tobago NGL gained 25 cents and ended at $18.25 in an exchange of 5,837 stock units. Trinidad Cement rose 11 cents to close at $2.62, with 410 units crossing the exchange, Unilever Caribbean fell 10 cents in closing at $12.10 with shareholders swapping 200 stocks and West Indian Tobacco advanced 60 cents to end at $11.60 in trading 49 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Winners & losers shared JSE Main Market
Trading activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended on Thursday, with the volume of stocks traded rising 13 percent and the value 43 percent lower than on 
Wednesday, after trading took place in 57 securities compared with 56 on Wednesday, with prices of 21 rising, 21 declining and 15 ending unchanged.
A total of 19,516,550 shares were traded for $47,807,103 compared with 17,334,420 units at $83,845,979 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 342,396 shares at $838,721 in comparison with 309,543 stocks at $1,497,250 on Wednesday and month to date, an average of 540,168 units at $3,937,787compared to 606,480 shares at $4,976,885 on the previous day. Trading in June closed with an average of 366,795 units at $6,952,581 including trading in Bonds.
Sagicor Select Financial Fund led trading with 7.61 million shares for 39 percent of total volume followed by Wigton Windfarm with 3.62 million units for 18.6 percent of the day’s trade,
Transjamaican Highway closed with 3.16 million units for 16.2 percent of market share and Ciboney Group ended with 3.06 million units for 15.7 percent of total volume.
The All Jamaican Composite Index rose 655.47 points to close at 365,339.57, the JSE Main Index dipped 445.92 points and closed at 327,931.58 and the JSE Financial Index rallied 0.13 points to end at 72.06.
The PE Ratio, a formula used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 13.5 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are computed based on last traded prices and earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending up to August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows seven stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments rose 49 cents to close at $75.49 after trading 2,266 shares, Eppley gained $2.45 to end at $36.45 in switching ownership of 100 stocks, 
Eppley Caribbean Property Fund advanced $3.48 to $42.48, with 11,384 units changing hands, First Rock Real Estate increased 73 cents in closing at $9.75 after a transfer of 71 stock units. Jamaica Stock Exchange rallied 79 cents and ended at $11 after closing with 2,144 stock units changing hands, Massy Holdings dipped $2.20 to $98.80 with a transfer of 167 shares, Mayberry Jamaican Equities shed 56 cents and ended at $11, with 33,200 units crossing the exchange, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy climbed $8.99 to close at $69 in an exchange of 387 stocks. NCB Financial declined 30 cents in closing at $65.20 in an exchange of 51,169 stock units, Proven Investments dropped 35 cents to $23.71 with an exchange of 2,154 stocks, 
Sagicor Group lost 47 cents in closing at $47.53 in trading 122,107 units and Seprod popped $2.99 to $73 with 6,267 shares clearing the market.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% popped $1.21 in ending at $56.21 while exchanging 252 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Highest close for Junior Market in 5 months
Trading declined on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday, with the volume of stocks traded falling 17 percent, with the value 26 percent lower than on Wednesday as the market consolidates to move higher after trading in 44 securities down from 46 on Wednesday and ended with 22 rising, 16 declining and six closing unchanged. 
The Junior Market Index traded in the 4,040 points region late in the trading session and ended adding just 3.37 points to conclude trading at 3,984.01, just 2.43 points below the close at the end of 2022 and the highest end of day finish since the start of February this year.
Investors traded 4,560,776 shares for $13,565,316 down from 5,502,698 units at $18,254,039 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 103,654 shares at $308,303 compared with 119,624 shares at $396,827 on Wednesday, with the month to date, averaging 172,891 units at $648,832 compared to 195,291 stock units at $759,003 on the previous day, well below trading in June with an average of 319,230 units at $854,456.
ONE on ONE Educational led trading with 865,723 shares for 19 percent of total volume followed by Dolla Financial with 758,319 units for 16.6 percent of the day’s trade and Fosrich with 466,664 units for 10.2 percent market share.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 11.4. 
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 three stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging popped 16 cents to $2.51 with 3,804 shares clearing the market, Blue Power rallied 27 cents in closing at $3.57 after an exchange of 163 stock units, CAC 2000 gained $1.40 and ended at $7, with stakeholders exchanging 200 stocks, Cargo Handlers advanced $3.26 to $18.30 while exchanging 236 units, Caribbean Flavours increased 8 cents to end at $1.30 after 203,100 stocks changed hands. Consolidated Bakeries climbed 48 cents and ended at $2.99, with 17,210 shares crossing the exchange, Dolphin Cove rose 31 cents to end at $16.80, with 5,212 stock units crossing the market, Fontana lost 40 cents in closing at $12.10 in trading 297,841 units, Fosrich climbed 12 cents to close at $2.46 with investors transferring 466,664 shares, 
General Accident gained 15 cents to end at $5, with 17,224 units crossing the market. Iron Rock Insurance declined 31 cents to $2.49 with a transfer of 11,900 stock units, ISP Finance climbed $4.40 to close at $24.40 after an exchange of 5 stock units, JFP Ltd shed 11 cents to end at $1.63 after a transfer of 15,453 units, Knutsford Express fell 30 cents in closing at $11.65 with shareholders swapping 2,428 stock units. Lasco Distributors shed 54 cents to close at $3.60 after investors exchanged 204,660 stocks up to an intraday 52 weeks’ high of $4.19, Main Event dropped $1.40 to close at $16 in switching ownership of 1,158 shares, Medical Disposables rose 44 cents in closing at $4.74 after five shares passed through the market. Paramount Trading dipped 10 cents and ended at $2 with an exchange of 15,000 stock units, 
Stationery and Office Supplies advanced $1.40 to $28.40 and closed with 24,703 units changing hands and Tropical Battery popped 12 cents to end at $2.02 in an exchange of 99,807 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
