The Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market suffered a sizable pull back at the close of the market on Friday, with the volume of stocks traded declining 34 percent less and the value falling 64 percent lower than on Thursday and leading the market index into a big fall at the close.
A total of 38 securities traded compared to 39 on Thursday and ended with 11 rising, 17 declining and 10, closing unchanged and the Junior Market Index losing 32.78 points to settle at 3,411.84.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 14.3, The PE ratio of each stock shown in the chart below is based on ICInsider.com earnings forecast for companies with financial years, up to August 2022.
A total of 3,426,726 shares changed hands for $11,765,999, down sharply from 5,199,743units at $33,066,923 on Thursday. Lumber Depot led trading with 1.2 million shares for 35.1 percent of total volume followed by Caribbean Assurance Brokers 635,609 units with 18.5 percent of the day’s trade and Indies Pharma 243,296 units for 7.1 percent market share.
Trading averaged 90,177 shares at $309,632 compared to 133,327 shares at $847,870 on Thursday and month to date, an average of 111,853 units at $480,609, against 117,381 units at $524,214 previously traded.
December closed with an average of 409,209 units at $1,318,877.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Access Financial dropped $3.67 in ending at $17.08 with the swapping of 2,738 shares, CAC 2000 fell 20 cents to end at $7.70 while exchanging 50 units, Cargo Handlers shed 39 cents in closing at $7.11, with 3,600 stock units crossing the market. Caribbean Assurance Brokers declined 27 cents to close at $2.48 trading 635,609 stocks, Dolphin Cove slipped 10 cents to $15.90 in switching ownership of 90,619 stocks, Fontana lost 6 cents at $7.40 trading 49,726 stock units. General Accident fell 25 cents to $6.35, with 52,292 shares crossing the market, GWest Corporation dropped 9 cents to end at 90 cents after 110 units passed through the exchange, Indies Pharma declined 13 cents in closing at $3.07 after trading 243,296 stocks. 
Jetcon Corporation shed 7 cents to close at 83 cents, with 24,059 shares changing hands, Lasco Distributors declined 15 cents in closing at $3.20 in an exchange of 19,141 units, Lasco Financial advanced 8 cents to close at $3.20 after trading 54,262 stock units. Lasco Manufacturing rallied 5 cents to $4.65 with an exchange of 1,717 stocks, Limners and Bards slipped 10 cents to $3.55 after trading 52,828 shares, Lumber Depot increased 6 cents to $3.03 in exchanging 1,202,497 stock units and Stationery and Office Supplies popped 5 cents to $5.70 in trading 5,581 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
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The All Jamaican Composite Index climbed 2,108.36 points to 443,270.70, the JSE Main Index popped 1,860.79 points to close at 400,653.10 398,792.32 and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.58 points to end at 98.62. Similar to Wednesday’s trading, 54 securities traded, with 24 rising, 17 declining and 13 ending unchanged.
Trading averages 118,286 units at $667,562, up from 100,923 shares at $497,100 on Wednesday and month to date, an average of 135,419 units at $919,405, compared to 141,026 units at $1,001,827 on the prior day. December closed with an average of 479,143 units at $6,686,322.
Seprod advanced $3.69 in closing at $65.79 after 5,711 stock units crossed the exchange and Stanley Motta spiked 77 cents to end at $5.88, with 4,000 shares clearing the market.
Trading on Thursday, ended with the volume of shares changing hands falling 23 percent less with the value slipping 10 percent lower than on Wednesday, at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market, resulting in three securities changing hands, versus six on Wednesday with none rising, two declining and one ending unchanged.
December ended with an average of 439,975 units for US$68,382.
Market activity led to 39 securities trading up from 36 on Wednesday and ended with 15 rising, nine declining and 15, closing unchanged.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows one stock ending with the bid higher than the last selling price and three with lower offers.
GWest Corporation rose 9 cents to 99 cents, with 15,724 shares changing hands, Indies Pharma increased 16 cents in closing at $3.20 after exchanging 9,011 stock units and Lasco Manufacturing declined 25 cents to close at $4.60 with an exchange of 22,106 stocks.
The All Jamaican Composite Index popped 2,785.64 points to 441,162.35, the JSE Main Index rallied 2,394.62 points to end at 398,792.32 and the JSE Financial Index increased 0.70 points to settle at 98.04.
At the close, Barita Investments spiked $3.87 to close at $96.87 in an exchange of 5,145 shares, Caribbean Cement popped 89 cents to $72.99 trading 52,388 units, Eppley climbed 50 cents to $36 after 970 stocks crossed the exchange. Guardian Holdings advanced $1.50 to end at $525 in exchanging 3,089 stock units, Jamaica Broilers declined 97 cents in closing at $29, with 3,174 shares clearing the market, Jamaica Producers dropped 50 cents in ending at $22.50 after trading 7,883 stocks. Jamaica Stock Exchange rose 50 cents to close at $17 with the swapping of 28,789 units, JMMB Group fell 38 cents to end at $39 with 20,280 stock units changing hands, Mayberry Jamaican Equities shed 35 cents to $9 trading 9,677 shares. NCB Financial rallied $3.49 in closing at $128.49 after exchanging 8,481 stock units, Palace Amusement gained $20 to end at $995 while 26 units changed hands, Sagicor Group climbed $1 to $54 in switching ownership of 9,100 stocks. 
Salada Foods lost 41 cents in closing at $6.57, with 12,580 units crossing the market, Scotia Group climbed 49 cents to close at $35.49 exchanging 16,850 shares, Seprod shed $3.30 to $62.10 12,582 after stock units crossed the market. Sygnus Real Estate Finance fell $2.48 to end at $15.52 after trading 500 stocks and Wisynco Group declined 45 cents to close at $17.35 with an exchange of 57,334 stock units.
Six securities traded down from eight on Tuesday with one rising, two declining and three ending unchanged.
At the close, First Rock Capital USD share ended unchanged at 6.95 US cents after 1,176 sharescleared the market, Proven Investments remained at 22.5 US cents in exchanging 35,326 units, Sterling Investments shed 0.04 of a cent in closing at 2.06 US cents with the swapping of 1,135 stock units. Sygnus Credit Investments USD share gained 0.4 of a cent to 13 US cents with an exchange of 580 stocks, Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share finished unchanged at 14 US cents with 90 shares crossing the market and Transjamaican Highway lost 0.06 of a cent to close at 0.84 of a US cent in exchanging 74,816 stocks.
The Junior Market Index popped 24.26 points to settle at 3,444.62 as 36 securities traded, down from 39 on Tuesday and ended with 11 rising, 14 declining and 11, closing unchanged.
Trading averaged 114,538 shares at $544,929, up from 95,732 shares at $263,196 on Tuesday and month to date, an average of 111,727 units at $409,463, compared to 110,359 units at $343,561 on Tuesday. December closed with an average of 409,209 units at $1,318,877.
Lasco Distributors shed 6 cents to end at $3.31 in trading 51,791 shares, Lasco Manufacturing climbed 28 cents to $4.85 with 127,945 stock units crossing the market, Limners and Bards declined 7 cents in closing at $3.69 trading 73,328 stocks. Main Event fell 49 cents to close at $4.01 in trading 6,383 stocks, Paramount Trading rallied 5 cents to end at $1.20 in exchanging 5,850 stock units and Stationery and Office Supplies dropped 20 cents to $5.65 in switching ownership of 200,353 shares.
It is worth noting that Jamaica in 2016 was planning to abolish the incentive, fortunately, that did not happen as such the Junior Market continues to grow and helps to strengthen the economic base of the country.
The All Jamaican Composite Index plunged 5,072.14 points to close at 438,376.71, the JSE Main Index dived 3,923.09 points to end at 396,397.70 and the JSE Financial Index declined 1.00 points to settle at 97.34.
Trading averages 153,546 shares at $819,770, down from 167,401 sunits at $1,667,335 on Monday and month to date, an average of 160,536 units at $1,247,370. Trading in December closed with an average of 479,143 units at $6,686,322.
MPC Caribbean Clean Energy popped $15 in closing at $115 in an exchange of 1,347 stock units, Palace Amusement shed $75 in ending at $975 while exchanging 40 stocks, Portland JSX climbed 58 cents to end at $7.50, with 5,865 units changing hands. Scotia Group slipped 50 cents to $35 trading 44,961 units, Stanley Motta fell 84 cents in closing at $5.11 with an exchange of 1,000 shares, Sygnus Real Estate Finance rose $2.49 to $18 in switching ownership of 1,329 stock units and Wisynco Group rallied 30 cents to $17.80 after exchanging 252,736 stocks.
