The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange dropped sharply on Tuesday, with 15 rising, 21 declining and 10 closing unchanged with the volume of stocks traded rising 23 percent and the value jumping 75 percent more than on Monday with trading in 46 securities compared with 45 on Monday, with the Junior Market Index dropping 51.89 points to end at 3,904.02, to be down 2.1 percent for the year to date.
Investors traded 7,980,472 shares for $32,399,094 up from 6,499,546 units at $18,510,251 on Monday.
Trading averaged 173,489 shares at $704,328 up from 144,434 units for $411,339 on Monday. The average trade for the month to date is 186,965 shares at $593,295 compared with 187,756 stock units at $586,780 on the previous day. May closed with an average of 239,954 units at $648,811.
Jetcon Corporation led trading with 1.58 million shares for 19.9 percent of total volume followed by Fosrich with 857,118 units for 10.7 percent of the day’s trade and ONE on ONE Educational with 624,896 units for 7.8 percent market share.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 11.2. 
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 four with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial climbed $2.80 to $25.30 with 25,006 shares clearing the market, Blue Power lost 35 cents to end at $2.30 after a transfer of 7,604 stock units, Cargo Handlers shed 50 cents to end at $21.50 with a transfer of 872 stocks, Caribbean Cream fell 79 cents to $3.91 and closed with 16 units changing hands. Consolidated Bakeries dropped 17 cents in closing at $2.25 with 67 units crossing the exchange, 
Dolphin Cove dipped 87 cents and ended at $16.10 with stakeholders exchanging 18,605 stock units, Fosrich rose 15 cents to end at $2.34 in an exchange of 857,118 stocks, Future Energy Source declined 11 cents in closing at $3.91 after an exchange of 229,536 shares. Honey Bun popped 10 cents to $6.65 as investors traded 2,966 stocks, Iron Rock Insurance increased 20 cents to close at $2.30 with a transfer of 1,000 units, Knutsford Express dipped 9 cents in closing at $11.90 with an exchange of 4,126 shares, Lasco Distributors rallied 18 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $3.58 with shareholders swapping 464,970 stock units. Lasco Manufacturing advanced 36 cents and ended at $4.88 in trading 81,749 units, Mailpac Group dropped 9 cents to close at $1.85, with 126,290 stocks crossing the market, 
Main Event gained 15 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $15.05 in trading 610,521 shares, Medical Disposables rose 57 cents to end at $4.82, with just one stock crossing the market and Stationery and Office Supplies declined $1.59 to $23.91 in switching ownership of 344,146 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market risers and losers shared honours
Trading closed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Monday, with the recent star Stationery and Office Supplies falling back sharply from the high of $35 it reached last week down to $25.50 as the volume of stocks traded declining 19 percent with a 39 percent lower value than Friday with 45 securities trading compared with 43 on Friday and ended with 18 rising, 18 declining and nine closing unchanged.
At the close, 6,499,546 shares were traded for $18,510,251, down from 8,041,831 units at $30,510,717 on Friday.
Trading averaged 144,434 shares at $411,339, compared with 187,019 shares at $709,552 on Friday with the month to date, averaging 187,756 units at $586,780 compared with 190,394 stock units at $597,463 on the previous day. Trading in May averaged 239,954 units at $648,811.
Image Plus Consultants led trading with 1.29 million shares for 19.9 percent of total volume followed by ONE on ONE Educational with 680,010 units for 10.5 percent of the day’s trade and Mailpac Group with 572,408 units for 8.8 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index popped 13.44 points to close at 3,955.91 and is now down less than one percent for the year to date and up 10 percent since the low in March and is fraction adrift of the 3,963.89 points reached on February 17, the previous high.
The PE Ratio a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 11.2. 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 ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging lost 37 cents in closing at $2.29 with a transfer of 1,275 shares, Cargo Handlers fell 9 cents to $22, with 4 stock units changing hands, Caribbean Assurance Brokers dropped 65 cents to end at $3.35 while exchanging 15,496 stocks. Caribbean Cream rallied 70 cents to end at $4.70 with an exchange of 11,619 units, 
Consolidated Bakeries gained 23 cents to close at $2.42 after 3,344 shares crossed the exchange, Dolphin Cove rose 97 cents in closing at $16.97 as 11,757 units passed through the market. Elite Diagnostic climbed 13 cents to $2.35 in an exchange of 208,580 stocks, GWest Corporation advanced 10 cents to close at $1.03 after 86 stock units changed hands, Honey Bun dipped 14 cents to end at $6.55 in switching ownership of 12,480 stocks. iCreate popped 14 cents and ended at $1.05 after a transfer of 389,514 stock units, Iron Rock Insurance increased 10 cents to end at $2.10 and closed with 2,954 units being trading, Knutsford Express climbed $1.16 to $11.99 with investors transferring 270 shares. Lasco Manufacturing declined 38 cents in closing at $4.52, with stakeholders exchanging 5,357 shares, Limners and Bards shed 9 cents to close at $2.11, with 3,794 stock units crossing the market, Main Event dipped 10 cents and ended at $14.90 in an exchange of 23,047 stocks. 
Medical Disposables popped 19 cents in closing at $4.25, with 4,596 units crossing the market, MFS Capital Partners dropped 15 cents to $2.85 as investors exchanged 17,000 shares and Stationery and Office Supplies fell $2.50 to $25.50 with shareholders swapping 188,272 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Carib Brokers gains 54% & drops ICTOP10
The Junior Market was buoyed by strong movement in shares of Stationery and Office Supplies following the announcement of a proposed stock split that turned out to be 9 for each outstanding share and following ICInsider.com report last week that the stock was a prime candidate for a stock split, the stock rated stock to watch in January, climbed 100 percent since the start of the year but pulled back on Friday following profit taking.
Elsewhere, Caribbean Assurance Brokers jumped 54 percent to close at $4 following the drying up of selling stocks being offered for sale. The stock dropped out of the ICTOP10 and is replaced by Dolla Financial. In the Main Market, Caribbean Cement dropped out of the TOP10 with a 3 percent rise to $50.90 and was replaced by Transjamaican following a fall in price from $2.39 to close the week at $2.24 after hitting a low for the week at $2.
The Junior Market reclaimed the 3,900 handle, following the reclaiming of the 3,800 at the end of the previous week and in the process is just one percent below the end of December last year and is close to retaking the 4,000 level, as technical indicators pointing to the market now at an early stage of a big rally in the second half of the year, following a 10 percent gain since the low for the year in March, suggesting a possible gain in excess of 30 percent for the year.
The Junior Market ended with 4 stocks rising and three declining during the week, with Caribbean Assurance Brokers the lead the stock, followed by One and One, that is up 8 percent to $1.12 and Caribbean Cream up 3% to $4, while iCreate dropped 24% to 91 cents and Consolidated Bakeries dropped 10% to end the week at $2.19. The Main Market had only moderate price movement with none exceeding 3%.
At the end of the week, the average PE for the JSE Main MarketTOP 10 is 5.8, well below the market average of 13.1. The Main Market TOP10 is projected to have an average of 253 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 98, with an average of 28 and 19 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 5.8 compared with the market at 11.3. There are 11 stocks representing 23 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 44, averaging 20 that are well above the average of the market. 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 276 percent to 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 level of likely gains for ICTOP10 stocks.
In the market generally, Investors continue to nibble away at a number of stocks and in the process gradually reduce the supply of several stocks that are attractively priced as the market moves toward the summer months, the start of the stock market year.
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 are likely to deliver the best returns up to the end of May 2023 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.
Junior Market trading increased
Trading closed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Friday, with the volume of stocks traded rising 37 percent and the value just 9 percent more than on Thursday following trading in 43 securities compared with 40 on Thursday and ended with 19 rising, 17 declining and seven closing unchanged.
Investors traded 8,041,831 shares for $30,510,717 compared with 5,875,457 units at $28,016,001 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 187,019 shares at $709,552, versus 146,886 shares at $700,400 on Thursday with the month to date, averaging 190,394 units at $597,463 compared to 190,602 stock units at $590,538 on the previous day. May closed with an average of 239,954 units at $648,811.
ONE on ONE Educational led trading with 2.95 million shares for 36.6 percent of total volume followed by iCreate with 927,345 units for 11.5 percent of the day’s trade and Fosrich with 756,741 units for 9.4 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index climbed 25.52 points to 3,942.47.
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.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Blue Power rose 56 cents to close at $2.65 after a transfer of 95,432 shares, Cargo Handlers popped 9 cents ended at $22.09 in an exchange of 1,914 units, Caribbean Assurance Brokers jumped $1 to 52 weeks’ high of $4 with trading of a moderate volume of 22,624 stocks. Caribbean Flavours increased 15 cents in closing at $1.35 in switching ownership of 40,974 stock units, Dolphin Cove gained 15 cents to end at $16 after an exchange of 22,547 shares, 
General Accident fell 25 cents to $5 after 2,501 units changed hands. GWest Corporation dipped 10 cents to end at 93 cents with an exchange of 51,347 stocks, Honey Bun shed 21 cents in closing at $6.69, with just 854 stock units crossing the market, iCreate lost 24 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ low of 91 cents as 927,345 units passed through the market. Indies Pharma rallied 9 cents and ended at $3.10 with shareholders swapping 13,685 stocks, Iron Rock Insurance declined 15 cents to close at $2 as investors exchanged 17 shares, ISP Finance climbed $5.09 to $25 after exchanging a mere 2 stock units. JFP Ltd popped 10 cents and ended at $1.65 with stakeholders exchanging 53,472 units, Knutsford Express dropped 17 cents to end at $10.83 with investors transferring 201 stock units, 
Lasco Manufacturing rallied 40 cents in closing at $4.90 after trading 200,915 shares. Main Event climbed 15 cents in closing at a 52 weeks’ high of $15 with 126,139 stocks clearing the market, MFS Capital Partners increased 20 cents to $3 with a transfer of 32,928 stock units. Paramount Trading shed 10 cents to $2.08, with 146,947 units crossing the exchange and Stationery and Office Supplies dipped $5.89 to close at $28 after an exchange of 491,029 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
SOS hits new high & pushed Junior Market higher
Stationery and Office Supplies boosted activity on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday with the price racing to another new record high of $34.98, as investors continued to respond aggressively to an announcement that directors would be considering a stock split and in the process pushed the price up 75 percent since Monday and just over 100 percent for the year to date, the move helped the Junior market advanced 25.03 points to 3,936.13.
Trading closed with a 15 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded, with 10 percent less value than on Tuesday after trading in 40 securities compared with 43 on Tuesday and ended with 12 rising, 17 declining and 11 closing unchanged.
A total of 10,079,171 shares were traded for $43,487,229 compared to 8,787,937 units at $48,253,320 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 251,979 shares at $1,087,181 compared to 204,371 stocks at $1,122,170 on Tuesday with the month to date, averaging 193,268 units at $583,839 compared with 189,456 stock shares at $551,155 on the previous day. May closed with an average of 239,954 units at $648,811.
Dolla Financial led trading with 2.77 million shares for 27.5 percent of total volume followed by 
Image Plus Consultants with 1.84 million units for 18.3 percent of the day’s trade and ONE on ONE Educational with 668,531 units for 6.6 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 eight stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial lost $1.20 in closing at $22 in an exchange of 15,750 shares, Blue Power shed 30 cents to close at $2.18 with 2,783 units changing hands, Cargo Handlers rallied $3.89 to end at $22.09 in trading 3,144 stock units, Caribbean Assurance Brokers gained 19 cents and ended at $2.69 with a transfer of 555,390 stocks, 
Caribbean Flavours popped 20 cents to $1.35 with investors trading 31,181 units, Dolla Financial dipped 14 cents in closing at $2.36 as shareholders swapped 2,774,569 stocks, Dolphin Cove rallied 28 cents to end at $15.28 and closed at 17,377 units, Express Catering rose 41 cents to $5.40 after investors exchanged 221 shares, Future Energy Source dipped 10 cents to close at $3.91, with stakeholders exchanging 174,638 stocks, iCreate rose 13 cents and ended at $1.20 after stakeholders trading 27,112 stock units, Indies Pharma fell 10 cents in closing at $3 as 352,201 shares passed through the market, Knutsford Express declined 80 cents to end at $11 12,605 units changing hands, Lasco Distributors dipped 17 cents to $3.21 crossing the market, with 72,561 stocks, Mailpac Group shed 10 cents to close at $1.85, with 256,349 units crossing the exchange, 
Medical Disposables dropped 19 cents to close at $4.06 after a transfer of 16,120 stock units, Spur Tree Spices fell 9 cents and ended at $2.33, with 50,188 shares clearing the market and Stationery and Office Supplies climbed $8.53 in closing at a record high of $34.98 in an exchange of 633,397 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated
SOS highlights Junior Market trading
Stationery and Office Supplies was the highlight of the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Tuesday with the price closing at a record high of $26.45 with more than 500,000 share trading and closed with bids at $26.45 to buy 220,709 shares and at $26 to buy 114,415 shares, in contrast, stocks offered at the close were light starting at $30.50. The sharp rally follows an announcement of a directors’ meeting on Wednesday to discuss a possible stock split.
Trading closed with the volume of stocks traded rising 53 percent, with an increase of 182 percent in value compared to Monday, following trading in 43 securities compared with 44 on Monday and ended with 14 rising, 18 declining and 11 closing unchanged.
Investors traded 8,787,937 shares for $48,253,320 up from 5,733,266 units at $17,140,162 on Monday.
Trading averaged 204,371 shares at $1,122,170, with 130,302 shares at $389,549 on Monday, with a month to date, average of 189,456 units at $551,155 compared to 188,336 stock units at $508,304 on the previous day. May closed with an average of 239,954 units at $648,811.
Image Plus Consultants led trading with 1.28 million shares for 14.6 percent of total volume followed by Dolphin Cove with 1.17 million units for 13.3 percent of the day’s trade and Fosrich with 935,005 units for 10.6 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index advanced 31.19 points to settle at 3,911.10 and reclaimed the 3,900 mark, the highest since Mid-February.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 11 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 six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Cargo Handlers declined $3.80 to close at $18.20 in trading 275 shares, Caribbean Assurance Brokers fell 10 cents to end at $2.50 in an exchange of 97,168 stock units, Caribbean Cream dropped 17 cents to $4 with stakeholders exchanging 95,150 units.
Caribbean Flavours dipped 21 cents in closing at $1.15, with 111,166 stocks crossing the exchange, Dolla Financial shed 9 cents and ended at $2.50 as investors exchanged 481,548 stocks, Elite Diagnostic rose 27 cents to close at $2.30 with a transfer of 692 units. Express Catering lost 21 cents to close at $4.99, with 105,200 stock units crossing the market, Fosrich fell 23 cents to $2.30 after 935,005 shares were traded, Honey Bun rallied 46 cents and ended at $6.96 with 8,515 stocks clearing the market. iCreate lost 18 cents to end at $1.07 in switching ownership of 118,688 units, Iron Rock Insurance climbed 15 cents to $2.15 as 237 shares passed through the market, ISP Finance dipped $6.49 to $19.91 after an exchange of 5,211 stock units. JFP Ltd shed 11 cents and ended at $1.57 in an exchange of 930,469 units, Lasco Manufacturing advanced 10 cents to close at $4.50 with investors transferring 344 shares, 
Main Event increased 86 cents in closing at $14.75, with 55,905 stocks crossing the market, Regency Petroleum declined 20 cents to close at $2.60 while exchanging 705,529 stock units and Stationery and Office Supplies gained $6.45 in closing at a record high of $26.45 with shareholders swapping 523,811 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Kremi heads ICTOP10 after gaining 22%
The performance this past week in the Junior and the Main Market diverged significantly the Junior Market recorded gains in the week and put it back at early March levels this year while the main market declined further continuing negative performance since the beginning of June and is now back at August 2018 levels and is providing investors with a great opportunity to add some of these stocks to their early Christmas shopping at bargain prices.
The Junior Market has broken through the downward-sloping resistance line of the wedge. The Junior Market reclaimed the 3,800 handle last week and is close to retaking the 3,900 level shortly, with the market set for a big rally in the second half of the year a position supported by technical analysis of the market. The Main Market seems to be weighed down by concerns relating to inflation and interest rates, if so the reading is wrong as inflation is well under control and interest rates will start dropping before the year ends.
Against the background, the Junior Market recorded gains for six stocks during the week with iCreate jumping 26 percent to $1.20, Caribbean Cream moving up 22 percent to $3.89 and Edufocal putting on 6 percent to end the week at $1.89 hey worst performer was Iron Rock Insurance down 7 percent to $2 and General Accident fell 5 percent to $5, while One and One lost 3 percent to close the week at $1.04.
The Main Market had one price movement of note with Transjamaican rising 13 percent to close the week at $2.39. Declining are 138 Student Living down 11 percent to $4.60, Guardian Holdings, with a loss of 7 percent to $450.01 and Caribbean Producers lost 5 percent to end the week at $9.48.
Transjamaican moved out of the Main Market TOP10, with a gain of 27 percent since entering the TOP10 and 35 percent since it was added to Stocks to Watch at $1.77 in April, is replaced by Caribbean Cement, with projected earnings of $6.50 notwithstanding for the first quarter profit and in the Junior Market, Edufocal moved out while Everything Fresh returns after a brief absence to the TOP10 with the price having fallen to $1.50.
Transjamaican, although out of the top 10 has much more room to grow with the potential for an additional 200% increase in the stock price. A look at the order book for Transjamaican suggests that demand is likely to overwhelm supply over the next two to three weeks with a likely price target then of $3. Even then the potential dividend yield that could be 8 percent at that price could result in the price going higher.
Recent developments for some stocks – Lasco Distributors and Lasco Manufacturing increased dividends to 10 cents and 12 cents respectively, with both to be paid in July, while Stationery and Office Supplies hit a record high in the week at $24 but closed the week at $20 for a 17 percent gain for the year. The stock is now a prime candidate for a stock split. Earnings for Berger Paints were adjusted down to $1 per share for 2023.
At the end of the week, the average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP 10 is 5.8, well below the market average of 13.1. The Main Market TOP10 is projected to have an average of 254 percent, to May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings.
The 15 most highly valued Main Market stocks are priced at a PE of 15 to 98, 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 5.8 compared with the market at 11.1. There are 11 stocks representing 23 percent of the market, with PE from 15 to 42, averaging 21 that are well above the average of the market. 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 270 percent to May 2024.
The divergence between the average PE ratio of the Main and Junior Markets and the overall market valuation is an important indicator of the level of likely gains for ICTOP10 stocks.
In the market generally, Investors continue to nibble away at a number of stocks and in the process gradually reducing the supply of several stocks that are attractively priced as the market moves toward the summer months, the start of the stock market year.
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.
ICTOP10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns up to the end of May 2023 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 jump in Junior Market Index
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.
Trading climbs on the Junior Market
The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed higher Wednesday with a 76 percent jump in the volume of stocks traded accompanied by a 58 percent rise in funds entering the market compared with that on Tuesday, following trading in 43 securities compared with 48 on Tuesday and ending with 14 rising, 19 declining and 10 closing unchanged as Stationery and Office Supplies traded at a record high of $24.40 and closed at $24 after rising $3 for the day and cementing the potential for a stock split this year.
Investors traded 11,588,780 shares for $28,016,741 compared with 6,594,218 units at $17,769,680 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 269,507 shares at $651,552 compared to 137,380 shares at $370,202 on Tuesday with the month to date, averaging 199,552 units at $536,788, up from 191,918 stock units at $524,263 on the previous day. Trading in May ended with an average of 239,954 units at $648,811.
Tropical Battery led trading with 3.13 million shares for 27 percent of total volume followed by Fosrich with 2.89 million units for 24.9 percent of the day’s trade and Spur Tree Spices with 1.50 million units for 13 percent of the day’s trade.
At the close, the Junior Market Index climbed 22.06 points to end trading at 3,866.96.
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.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging advanced 20 cents to $2.45 after 105,783 shares changed hands, Blue Power gained 14 cents to end at $2.20 while exchanging 27,422 stocks, Caribbean Cream rose 43 cents to close at $3.98 with shareholders swapping 31,523 stock units, Consolidated Bakeries declined 10 cents and ended at $2.30 after stakeholders traded 8,893 units, Dolphin Cove popped 21 cents in closing at $15.93, with 5,807 shares crossing the market,
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.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market heads north
Trading levels fell on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Tuesday, with a 29 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded, with the value 14 percent lower than on Monday with trading in 48 securities compared with 47 on Monday and resulting in prices of 23 rising, 18 declining and seven closing unchanged.
Investors traded 6,594,218 shares for $17,769,680 compared with 9,341,590 units at $20,596,072 on Monday.
Trading averaged 137,380 shares at $370,202 compared to 198,757 shares at $438,214 on Monday with the month to date, averaging 191,918 units at $524,263 compared to 199,484 stock units at $545,636 on the previous day. Trading in May averaged 239,954 units at $648,811.
Indies Pharma led trading with 1.76 million shares for 26.6 percent of total volume followed by Image Plus Consultants with 901,230 units for 13.7 percent of the day’s trade and Lasco Financial with 575,734 units for 8.7 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index popped 42.50 points to end trading at 3,844.90, the highest close since March 8 this year, but the market has broken a downward sloping trendline that suggests a rising market ahead.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 10.5. 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 no stock ending with a bid higher than the last selling price and four with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging dropped 33 cents in closing at a 52 weeks’ low of $2.25 with shareholders swapping 85,524 shares, Blue Power dipped 24 cents and ended at $2.06 in an exchange of 23,107 stocks, CAC 2000 climbed $1.09 to close at $7.09 after an exchange of 200 units. Cargo Handlers climbed $3.59 to $19.20 with 200 stock units being traded, Caribbean Cream shed 39 cents to end at $3.55 with 847 units changing hands, 
Consolidated Bakeries rose 17 cents to close at $2.40, 2,756 shares crossing the market. Dolphin Cove popped 47 cents to end at $15.72 as investors exchanged 2,039 stocks, Elite Diagnostic dipped 19 cents to $2.20 with investors transferring 21,085 stock units, Express Catering fell 10 cents and ended at $4.88 after an exchange of 28,333 stock units. Fontana gained 25 cents in closing at $9.78, with 66,824 shares clearing the market, Future Energy Source shed 8 cents and ended at $3.93 while exchanging 114,480 units, General Accident rallied 55 cents to end at $5.30, with 20,029 stocks crossing the exchange. Honey Bun declined 44 cents in closing at $6.51 after shareholders ended trading 1,937 stocks, Jamaican Teas increased 9 cents to close at $2.17 with a transfer of 500 stock units, 
KLE Group rallied 16 cents to $1.77 after a transfer of 6,296 units. Lasco Manufacturing rose 20 cents to end at $4.48 in trading 100 shares, Main Event gained 25 cents in closing at $14.90 as 29,817 units passed through the market and MFS Capital Partners lost 10 cents in closing at $3 in switching ownership of 422,182 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
