The Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market hit a new closing high on Friday after ending at record highs for eight of the past nine trading days. At the close, the Junior Market Index climbed 42.27 points to settle at a record close of 4,451.62, up 29.85 percent for the year to date, thus surpassing the 29.7 percent rise for the entire 2021.
Trading ended on Friday with an exchange of 44 securities down from 45 on Thursday and finished with 20 rising, 18 declining and six were unchanged.
The PE Ratio, a measure for computing appropriate stock values, averages 14.2. The Junior Market PE ratios incorporate ICInsider.com projected earnings for companies with financial years closing up to the end of August 2023.
Volume of stocks traded fell 77 percent and the value dropped 79 percent from Thursday levels, with 10,594,910 shares traded for $46,967,519 compared to 46,371,367 units at $228,300,279 on Thursday. Lasco Manufacturing led trading with 2 million shares for 18.9 percent of total volume, followed by Future Energy Source with 1.08 million units for 10.2 percent of the day’s trade and Derrimon Trading with 1.01 million units for 9.5 percent market share.
Trading averaged 240,793 shares at $1,067,444 in contrast to 1,030,475 shares at $5,073,340 on Thursday with month to date, averaging 449,923 units at $1,781,786 compared to 461,796 units at $1,822,342 on the previous trading day. March closed with an average of 719,276 units at $2,636,802.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with a lower offer.
At the close, Access Financial rose 83 cents to $21.03, with 4,393 shares clearing the market, AMG Packaging popped 24 cents to $3.80, trading 52,828 units, CAC 2000 rallied 40 cents to end at $7 after exchanging 6,371 stocks. Cargo Handlers advanced $2.09 to close at $12.25 after 11,280 stock units changed hands, Dolphin Cove dropped 48 cents to $22 in trading 14,442 stocks, Express Catering climbed 16 cents to close at $6.16, with 18,272 units crossing the market. Fontana gained 34 cents in closing at $11.29 with the swapping of 352,809 stock units, General Accident increased 41 cents to end at $6.40 while exchanging 12,585 shares, Indies Pharma declined 14 cents to $3.15, with 110,478 stock units changing hands. Jetcon Corporation shed 12 cents in ending at $1.63, with 339,723 shares crossing the market, Lasco Manufacturing fell 45 cents to close at $5.25 after switching ownership of 2,001,922 stocks, Medical Disposables rallied 39 cents in closing at $6.89 with 15,015 units changing hands. 
Paramount Trading climbed 28 cents to end at $2.04 with an exchange of 151,045 shares, Spur Tree Spices lost 20 cents after finishing at $4.25 in exchanging 941,724 stock units, SSL Venture rose 15 cents to $1.75 after trading 50,512 units. Stationery and Office Supplies declined 35 cents to end at $9.30 in an exchange of 89,056 stocks, Tropical Battery shed 14 cents in ending at $2.85, with 647,853 stocks crossing the exchange and tTech fell 33 cents to close at $3.76 after exchanging 103,068 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading averaged 1,030,475 shares at $5,073,340, up from 369,428 units costing $1,397,363 on Wednesday, with the month to date, averaging 461,796 units at $1,822,342 versus 426,741 units at $1,621,938 on the previous trading day. Trading in March averaged 719,276 units at $2,636,802.
Lasco Manufacturing popped 60 cents ending at $5.70 with an exchange of 40,838 units, Medical Disposables lost 50 cents to close at $6.50 after 135,187 stocks changed hands, Paramount Trading shed 22 cents to end at $1.76 while exchanging 552,705 shares. Spur Tree Spices climbed 23 cents to close at a record high of $4.45 after an exchange of 679,715 stock units, SSL Venture dropped 15 cents in ending at $1.60, with 109,215 stocks crossing the market, Stationery and Office Supplies advanced 65 cents to end at $9.65 after 29,964 units crossed the exchange and tTech rallied 19 cents in closing at $4.09 with 10,000 shares traded.
Some 43 securities traded, up from 42 on Tuesday and ended with 25 rising, seven declining and 11 closing unchanged. Five stocks closed at 52 weeks’ highs and one at a 52 weeks’ low.
At the close, Access Financial rallied $1.12 to close at $21.50 while exchanging 24,946 shares
Medical Disposables climbed 95 cents to close at $7 after exchanging 1,128,190 units, Spur Tree Spices increased 31 cents in ending at a 52 weeks’ high of $4.22 after 1,754,659 stocks changed hands, SSL Venture popped 17 cents in closing at $1.75, with 175,106 shares clearing the market, Stationery and Office Supplies popped 75 cents to end at $9 trading 15,960 units and tTech rose 11 cents to $3.90 after 11,782 stock units passed through the exchange.
Some 42 securities traded against 43 on Monday, with 18 rising, 17 declining and seven unchanged.
At the close, Access Financial declined 69 cents in closing at $20.38 in switching ownership of 3,206 shares, CAC 2000 gained 20 cents to close at $7.40 in trading 65 units, Caribbean Assurance Brokers shed 34 cents, to end at $2.56, with the swapping of 37,066 stock units. Consolidated Bakeries rallied 10 cents to $1.30 in an exchange of 513,167 stocks, Dolphin Cove dropped 40 cents to $23 after exchanging 5,524 stocks, EduFocal lost 17 cents to end at $3.22 with an exchange of 859,952 stock units. Express Catering increased 32 cents in ending at $6.49 while exchanging 11,127 units, Fontana fell 29 cents in closing at $11 after finishing trading 207,790 shares, Fosrich rose 35 cents to $28.35 after trading 151,846 stock units. Honey Bun climbed 27 cents to close at $9.30, with 21,470 shares clearing the market, iCreate dropped 73 cents to $2.33, with 1,442,863 stocks crossing the market, Indies Pharma popped 14 cents to end at $3.29, with 55,131 units crossing the market. Jetcon Corporation advanced 30 cents to close at $1.80 after 823,775 shares crossed the exchange, Lasco Manufacturing climbed 10 cents in closing at $5.10 after trading 26,510 stocks, Lumber Depot advanced 11 cents to $3.56 in exchanging 1,124,459 units. 
Main Event increased 58 cents to close at $9.58, with an exchange of 98,341 stock units, Spur Tree Spices popped 21 cents to $3.91, with 1,339,807 shares changing hands, SSL Venture lost 10 cents in closing at $1.58, with 21,001 stock units clearing the market. Stationery and Office Supplies declined 85 cents ending at $8.25, trading 27,093 units, Tropical Battery rose 11 cents to end at $2.85, with 2,822,833 stocks crossing the market and tTech fell 26 cents and ended at $3.79 after an exchange of 1,556 shares.
A total of 43 securities traded versus 44 on Friday and ended with 18 rising, 17 declining and eight closing unchanged. The Junior Market Index shed 21.68 points to settle at 4,348.26 at the close.
At the close, AMG Packaging increased 30 cents to $3.80 with an exchange of 68,423 shares, Blue Power lost 50 cents to end at $3.50, with 300 stocks changing hands, CAC 2000 fell 20 cents to end at $7.20 in trading 3,548 units. Cargo Handlers advanced $1.05 to close at $12, with 35,218 stock units clearing the market, Caribbean Cream gained 19 cents in closing at $5.19 after exchanging 61,480 units, Dolphin Cove popped $1.40 to $23.40 with the swapping of 95,344 stocks. Everything Fresh rose 16 cents to end at $1.46 in exchanging 8,452 stock units, Fontana climbed 29 cents to $11.29 after trading 137,061 shares, Fosrich shed 13 cents to close at $28 and closed with the trading of 397,141 stocks after the price hit an intraday record high of $29.25. General Accident dropped 19 cents in closing at $5.98, with 11,000 shares crossing the market, Honey Bun declined 94 cents to $9.03, after 34,453 stock units crossed the market, Indies Pharma shed 10 cents to end at $3.15 while exchanging 400,386 units. 
Jamaican Teas lost 23 cents to close at $3.56 after finishing trading of 572,462 stock units, Jetcon Corporation rallied 10 cents in closing at $1.50 in switching ownership of 857,533 stocks, Lasco Financial advanced 12 cents to $3.40 after exchanging 62,597 units. Lasco Manufacturing fell 33 cents in closing at $5 in an exchange of 26,238 shares, Lumber Depot declined 13 cents to close at $3.45 with 279,132 shares changing hands and Main Event gained 82 cents to $9 in exchanging 37,940 stock units.
The Junior Market ended with three stocks rising from 8 to 15 percent. Caribbean Assurance Brokers climbed 10 percent for the week while Jetcon Corporation rose 8 percent to close at $1.40. Declining were Lasco Financial, down 8 percent and Access Financial and AMG Packaging, down 5 percent, as buying eased markedly following improved results released at the close of the market ahead of the Easter weekend. Investors seem not to be factoring in cost savings and increased efficiency that the newly installed machine brings to the business following the close of the recent quarter. With a 5 percent rise, Guardian Holdings was the biggest mover in the Main Market.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners; accordingly, the list may or may not include the best companies in the market. ICInsider.com ranks stocks based on projected earnings to highlight winners from the rest, allowing investors to focus on potential winning stocks and helping to remove emotional attachments to stocks that often result in costly mistakes.
At the close, Access Financial rose $1 to $21, after 19,254 shares crossed the market, Blue Power popped 20 cents to close at $4, with 29,889 stock units clearing the market, Cargo Handlers climbed 80 cents in closing at $10.95 after exchanging 500 stocks. Caribbean Assurance Brokers increased 35 cents ending at $2.85 with the swapping of 135,650 units, Dolphin Cove gained 40 cents to end at $22, with 65,079 stock units changing hands, Elite Diagnostic rallied 19 cents to $3.79 in an exchange of 209,048 shares. Fontana advanced 11 cents in closing at $11 after trading 134,843 units, Fosrich dropped $1.07 after ending at $28.13 in switching ownership of 105,699 stocks, iCreate rallied 59 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $3.10 after exchanging 1,789,801 stock units. Indies Pharma gained 15 cents to close at $3.25 while trading 2,391,948 shares, Iron Rock Insurance lost 25 cents in closing at $3.50, with 3,587 units crossing the exchange, Jetcon Corporation increased 11 cents to end at $1.40, with 515,419 stocks crossing the market.
KLE Group rose 31 cents to $2.67 in exchanging 305 stocks, Lasco Manufacturing climbed 33 cents to close at $5.33 with 42,274 stock units changing hands, Mailpac Group rose 14 cents to $3.27 with an exchange of 180,175 shares and Stationery and Office Supplies popped 31 cents in ending at $9.11 after trading 40,070 units.
Market activity led to 44 securities trading compared to 42 on Wednesday and ending with 17 rising, 17 declining and 10 closing unchanged.
At the close, Access Financial shed $1 to end at $20, with 35,750 shares clearing the market, AMG Packaging dropped 45 cents in closing at $3.50 with the swapping of 149,520 stock units, CAC 2000 fell 10 cents to close at $7.40 with an exchange of 1,055 stocks. Dolphin Cove climbed 10 cents to $21.60, with 896 units changing hands, EduFocal declined 19 cents in ending at $3.48 while exchanging 546,443 stock units, Elite Diagnostic lost 57 cents in closing at $3.60 after trading 773,735 units. Fontana advanced 44 cents to close at $10.89, with 100,573 stocks crossing the market, Fosrich rose $2.30 to a record $29.20 after exchanging 198,511 shares, Honey Bun gained 30 cents after ending at $9.90, with 32,555 units crossing the market. iCreate rallied 57 cents to end at record $2.51 trading 1,676,041 stock units, Lasco Financial fell 12 cents to $3.28 after trading 735,706 stocks, Lasco Manufacturing dropped 19 cents to $5 in an exchange of 138,845 shares. Mailpac Group declined 15 cents to close at $3.13 units 385,703 crossing the exchange, 
Main Event popped 20 cents to $8.10 in exchanging 113,177 shares, Paramount Trading shed 23 cents in closing at $1.91 in switching ownership of 54,862 stocks. SSL Venture increased 35 cents to end at $1.75 trading 570 stock units, Stationery and Office Supplies lost 30 cents to close at $8.80 after exchanging 937,462 shares and tTech rallied 30 cents to $4.05 in switching ownership of 3,800 stocks.
Elite Diagnostic traded 1.53 million units for 8.9 percent of market share. Tropical Battery had an exchange of 1.33 million units for 7.7 percent market share and Derrimon Trading ended with 1.03 million units for 6 percent market share.
Lasco Financial dropped 10 cents to close at $3.40 in switching ownership of 2,103 stocks, Lasco Manufacturing climbed 19 cents to end at $5.19 after trading 98,218 units, Mailpac Group gained 14 cents ending at $3.28 after trading 382,107 stock units. Main Event shed 10 cents to close at $7.90, with 110,989 shares clearing the market, Spur Tree Spices rose 10 cents to end at $3.70 as 559,615 shares changed hands, SSL Venture lost 42 cents in closing at $1.40 in switching ownership of 524,914 stock units and Stationery and Office Supplies rallied $1.18 to $9.10 while exchanging 55,375 stocks.
At the close, Access Financial dropped 50 cents to $21.50 in switching ownership of 858 shares, AMG Packaging rose 30 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $4 after trading 572,834 stocks after trading at an intraday record high of $4.50, following the release of a continued surge in profit for the current fiscal year. Blue Power lost 49 cents in closing at $3.60 in exchanging 246 units. CAC 2000 advanced 50 cents to close at $7.50, with 71 stock units clearing the market, Cargo Handlers fell 85 cents to $10.15 with 332 shares changing hands, Caribbean Cream increased 20 cents to end at $5, with 91,196 stocks changing hands. Dolphin Cove declined $1.12 to $21.75 in trading 171,740 stock units, Elite Diagnostic rallied 93 cents in closing at 52 weeks’ high of $4.60 with the swapping of 1,669,094 units, Express Catering shed 21 cents to close at $6.22 after exchanging 36,254 stocks. Fosrich dropped 11 cents to $22 after finishing trading 10,434 units, Honey Bun popped 25 cents in closing at $9.85after exchanging 11,638 stock units, iCreate gained 26 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $1.62 after trading 1,167,102 shares. Indies Pharma climbed 15 cents in ending at $3.15 with an exchange of 51,451 shares, ISP Finance shed 45 cents to close at $29.50, with 20 stocks crossing the market, Jamaican Teas fell 13 cents to end at $3.41 while exchanging 489,230 stock units. 
Lasco Manufacturing declined 20 cents to $5, with 158,121 units crossing the market, Main Event popped 15 cents to $8 in an exchange of 18,153 units, Paramount Trading increased 42 cents in closing at $2.18 in exchanging 800,157 stocks after the company posted nine months results showing continued improvement in earnings. Tropical Battery gained 17 cents to close at $2.68 in switching ownership of 503,264 stock units and tTech lost 20 cents in ending at $3.80 after 2,218 shares changed hands.