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 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 6,594,218 shares for $17,769,680 compared with 9,341,590 units at $20,596,072 on Monday.
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.
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.
Trading closed with the volume and value of stocks traded declining 40 percent and 37 percent respectively, compared to Friday, following trading in 47 securities compared with 41 on Friday and ended with 13 rising, 27 declining and seven unchanged.
At the close, Access Financial increased $2.68 to $25 after an exchange of 35 shares, AMG Packaging fell 9 cents in closing at $2.58 after 1,806 stocks were traded, CAC2000 shed $1.09 to close at $6, with 36 units crossing the market, Cargo Handlers declined $3.59 to end at $15.61 as investors exchanged 65 stock units. Caribbean Cream rallied 74 cents to $3.94 after a transfer of 9,525 stocks, Caribbean Flavours gained 12 cents in ending at $1.36 after an exchange of 1,408 shares, Consolidated Bakeries fell 17 cents to $2.23 in switching ownership of 807 stock units, Dolla Financial fell 10 cents to $2.54 with a transfer of 565,488 units. Dolphin Cove dropped 69 cents in closing at $15.25 after an exchange of 4,653 stocks, Elite Diagnostic advanced 19 cents to close at $2.39 after 156 shares passed through the market, Everything Fresh fell 18 cents to close at $1.51 after 45,914 units crossed the market, Express Catering rose 8 cents to $4.98, with 17,892 stock units changing hands. 
Fontana dipped 17 cents in closing at $9.53 in an exchange of 145,680 stock units, Future Energy Source lost 11 cents to end at $4.01, with 203,561 stocks crossing the exchange, General Accident shed 53 cents and ended at $4.75 in trading 10 shares, iCreate climbed 31 cents to $1.26 in an exchange of 133,986 units. Jamaican Teas declined 14 cents to $2.08 while exchanging 25,550 shares, JFP Ltd dipped 10 cents to end at $1.65 with 519 units clearing the market, KLE Group lost 19 cents and ended at $1.61 with investors trading 50 stocks, Lasco Distributors dropped 16 cents to close at $3.15 after an exchange of 30,878 stock units. Lasco Manufacturing shed 20 cents and ended at $4.28 with shareholders swapping 479 shares, Limners and Bards declined 14 cents in closing at $2.21 with shareholders swapping 6,324 stocks, 
Main Event dipped 15 cents to close at $14.65, with 12,853 stock units crossing the exchange after hitting a 52 weeks’ intraday high of $14.89. Medical Disposables fell 30 cents to end at $4.20 after 3,389 units changed hands, Stationery and Office Supplies popped $5.01 to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $21 with 2,252 stocks clearing the market and tTech climbed 67 cents to end at $2.90, with 89,040 shares crossing the market.
Lasco Distributors climbed 19 percent following an 11 percent rise last week to close at $3.31 and is up 59 percent from the 2023 low of $2.08 in April. Five stocks rose 6 percent: Caribbean Assurance Brokers, 
The differences 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.
Trading closed with an exchange of 15,463,887 shares for $32,509,692 compared with 6,422,074 units at $16,407,108 on Thursday.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 10.4. 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.
Future Energy Source rose 8 cents to close at $4.12 with an exchange of 218,150 stocks, General Accident rallied 77 cents to $5.28 following an exchange of 179,497 shares, GWest Corporation popped 15 cents to close at $1.04 after investors exchanged 100,000 stock units, iCreate declined 27 cents and ended at a 52 weeks’ low of 95 cents trading 201,813 units. Iron Rock Insurance dropped 20 cents to $2.15 as investors traded 1,500 shares, ISP Finance advanced $5.49 to end at $26.49 in trading 1,122 stock units, JFP Ltd climbed 13 cents to $1.75 while exchanging 1,593,585 units, Lasco Distributors rose 29 cents to $3.31 in an exchange of 21,706 stocks. Lasco Manufacturing rallied 23 cents in closing at $4.48 with a transfer of just 1,532 stocks, Limners and Bards advanced 15 cents to close at $2.35 with investors transferring 10,118 stock units, Lumber Depot popped 9 cents and ended at $2.29 after closing with 9,045 shares changing hands, Main Event increased 30 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $14.80 after a transfer of 109,876 units. 
MFS Capital Partners dipped 9 cents to close at $3.10, with 288,337 stocks clearing the market, Regency Petroleum gained 11 cents to end at $2.99 with a transfer of 215,726 stock units and tTech fell 26 cents to $2.23 in trading 1,296 units.
Investors traded 6,422,074 shares for $16,407,108, up from 4,624,570 units at $10,856,038 on Wednesday.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows nine stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
Fosrich climbed 8 cents in closing at $2.23 in switching ownership of 1,798,858 stocks, Future Energy Source fell 8 cents and ended at $4.04 with investors transferring 470,127 stock units after trading at an intraday low of $3.90, iCreate dropped 8 cents to end at $1.22 in an exchange of 39,848 units. KLE Group rallied 15 cents to close at $1.80 with shareholders swapping 23,405 shares, Knutsford Express gained 24 cents in closing at $11.78, with 80 units crossing the exchange, Lasco Distributors lost 38 cents in closing at $3.02 after trading ended with 68,439 stock units changing hands. Lasco Manufacturing dipped 23 cents to close at $4.25 while exchanging 820 stocks, Mailpac Group shed 9 cents in closing at $1.86, with 150,533 units crossing the market, Main Event rallied 20 cents to end at $14.50 and closed after 25,948 shares were exchanged,
Medical Disposables declined 35 cents to $4.50, with 8 stock units clearing the market and Regency Petroleum dropped 10 cents and ended at $2.88 as investors exchanged 371,035 stocks.
Investors traded 4,624,570 shares for $10,856,038 compared with 5,101,812 units at $15,733,543 on Tuesday.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 10.4. 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.
Caribbean Flavours rose 10 cents and ended at $1.36 in trading 202,848 units, Dolla Financial advanced 8 cents to end at $2.70 in an exchange of 609,509 shares, Dolphin Cove dipped 82 cents and ended at $15.16 with shareholders swapping 22,245 stock units, Elite Diagnostic declined 21 cents in closing at $2.19, with 22,858 stocks changing hands. Everything Fresh lost 9 cents to $1.69 clearing the market with 56,968 units, Express Catering dropped 10 cents to close at $4.89 after a transfer of 6,742 shares, Future Energy Source rallied 8 cents in closing at $4.12 after exchanging 107,745 stock units, General Accident lost 54 cents to close at $4.51 after an exchange of 1,571 stocks. Indies Pharma shed 19 cents to end at $3.11 with the swapping of 15,321 stocks, Lasco Distributors gained 10 cents and ended at $3.40 while exchanging 177,266 shares, Lasco Manufacturing increased 23 cents to $4.48, with 29,284 stock units crossing the market. Limners and Bards dipped 19 cents and ended at $2.20 as investors exchanged 165,470 units, 
Lumber Depot declined 9 cents to close at $2.20 in switching ownership of 62,243 shares, Mailpac Group climbed 10 cents to $1.95 with investors transferring 7,489 stocks. Main Event advanced 30 cents in closing at $14.30, with 2,875 stock units crossing the market and Paramount Trading fell 9 cents to end at $2.10 after closing with an exchange of 61,886 units.
Investors traded 5,101,812 shares for $15,733,543 compared to 10,566,673 units at $45,598,816 on Monday.
ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Indies Pharma gained 24 cents in closing at $3.30 after investors traded 12,528 units, Iron Rock Insurance rose 35 cents to 2.35 in switching ownership of 500 stocks, ISP Finance lost $5.49 to end at $21 after an exchange of 2,212 shares, KLE Group shed 28 cents and ended at $1.65 as investors exchanged 2,208 units, Knutsford Express fell 28 cents to $11.50 in an exchange of 49 stock units, Lasco Distributors advanced 30 cents to close at $3.30 with 1,076,231 stock units changing hands, Mailpac Group lost 10 cents in closing at $1.85 after 164,015 stocks were exchanged, Main Event shed 69 cents to close at $14 with investors transferring 64,505 shares, Medical Disposables climbed 67 cents in closing at $4.85 with shareholders swapping 500 units, Paramount Trading rose 9 cents to $2.19 after an exchange of 2,663 stocks, Regency Petroleum rallied 8 cents to close at $2.98 while exchanging 83,796 shares, 
Stationery and Office Supplies dipped $1.01 to end at $15.99 in trading 9,503 stock units and Tropical Battery rose 18 cents and ended at $2.07 with an exchange of 149,371 units.
Investors traded 10,566,673 shares for $45,598,816, up sharply from 5,098,602 units at $13,005,135 on Friday.
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.
Elite Diagnostic gained 27 cents ended at $2.40, with 20,385 stocks crossing the market. Fontana rose 15 cents to close at $9.75 after 75,641 shares crossed the exchange, General Accident dipped 53 cents in closing at $4.47 in switching ownership of 1,000 units, Indies Pharma shed 34 cents to end at $3.06 10,893 shares clearing the market with, Iron Rock Insurance fell 10 cents to end at $2 in an exchange of 3,932 stock units. Knutsford Express increased 78 cents to close at $11.78 in exchanging 40,290 stocks, Lasco Distributors advanced 23 cents and ended at $3 with investors trading 70,083 stock units, Lasco Financial lost 12 cents to close at $2.34 after an exchange of 103,131 shares, Limners and Bards climbed 17 cents in closing at $2.39 with trading in 4,003 stocks. Lumber Depot increased 8 cents to $2.29, with 15,933 units changing hands, Main Event rose 39 cents to end at $14.69 in an exchange of 6,410 units, Regency Petroleum shed 8 cents to close at $2.90 with a transfer of 124,924 shares. 
Stationery and Office Supplies jumped $1.50 to $17 as investors exchanged 1,505,819 stock units and left just 1,880 units on offer between $17.96 and $18.75, with the next amount offered for sale being 42,277 shares at $34.97, all that could change on Tuesday when the wider investing public is updated on developments in trading on Monday. Tropical Battery dropped 11 cents in closing at $1.89 after trading 112,891 stocks and tTech advanced 29 cents to $2.49 after just one share crossed the market.