Trading dropped on Wednesday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange compared with Tuesday but the Junior Market jumped sharply to recover losses incurred over the previous four days, the JSE Main Index rose but the all Jamaican Composite Index fell and the USD index climbed on a day that saw the value and volume of stocks traded falling compared with Tuesday.
At the close, the JSE Combined Market Index climbed 1,603.19 points to 332,958.27, the All Jamaican Composite Index shed 428.15 points to 351,020.99, the JSE Main Index rallied 1,282.67 points to 319,154.23, the Junior Market Index jumped by 44.40 points to 3,841.60 and the JSE USD Market Index rose 3.33 points to 238.46.
Trading of Preference shares ended, with Jamaica Public Service 7% falling $12.06 to $46.80.
Investors traded 16,064,814 shares on Wednesday, down from 23,495,915 stocks on Tuesday. The value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets ended at $85.26 million, down from $235 million on Tuesday. The JSE USD market closed on Wednesday with 136,351 shares being traded for US$23,735, up from 593,068 units at US$64,296 on Tuesday.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks ended at 17 on 2022-23 earnings and 11.7 times those for 2023-24 at the close of trading. ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily report charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
The PE ratio chart covers all ordinary shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange. It shows companies grouped by industry, allowing for easy comparisons between the same sector companies and the overall market. The EPS & PE ratios are based on 2023 and 2024 actual or projected earnings, excluding major one off items.
Investors need pertinent information to successfully navigate numerous investment options in the local stock market. The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily report charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
Investors should use the chart to help make rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the average for the sector and not going too far from it unless there are compelling reasons to do so. This approach helps to remove emotions from investment decisions and place them on fundamentals while at the same time not being too far from the majority of investors. Investors who buy when the price of a stock is close to the average will find that they are not inclined to overpay for a stock.
The net asset value of each company is reported as a guide to assess the value of stocks based on this measure quickly. The chart also shows daily changes in stock prices and the percentage year to date price movement based on the last traded prices.
Dividends paid or payable and yields for each company are shown in the Main and Junior Markets’ daily report charts along with the closing volume pertaining to the highest bid and the lowest offer for each company.
Rising Junior Market stocks outnumber decliners
Dolphin Cove dominated trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Tuesday, accounting for the largest block of shares changing hands that helped to push the volume of stocks traded up by 14 percent, with a 198 percent rise in value over Monday, with trading in 43 securities compared with 44 on Monday and ended with 22 rising, 14 declining and seven closing unchanged.
Investors traded 5,425,798 shares for $34,684,589, up from 4,765,501 units at $11,620,310 on Monday.
Trading averaged 126,181 shares at $806,618, compared to 108,307 units at $264,098 on Monday with a month to date, average of 186,095 units at $464,932 compared with 189,437 stock units at $445,875 on the previous day. July closed with an average of 326,541 units at $843,878.
Dolphin Cove led trading with 1.52 million shares for 28.1 percent of total volume, after one trade accounted for 1.5 million shares at $16.05, followed by Jamaican Teas with 760,932 units for 14 percent of the day’s trade and Derrimon Trading with 382,074 units for 7 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index fell 34.97 points to 3,797.20.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 10.9. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are calculated 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 ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial climbed $1.99 to close at $25 with traders dealing in 58 shares, Caribbean Cream lost 67 cents to end at $3.47 after 5,246 units were traded, Consolidated Bakeries rose 10 cents to end at $2.35 with investors transferring 16,955 stock units. Derrimon Trading dipped 7 cents and ended at $1.85 as 382,074 stocks passed through the market, Dolphin Cove skidded 45 cents to $16 with investors trading 1,523,001 shares, EduFocal added 14 cents to close at $1.44 after 199,769 stock units crossed the exchange. Elite Diagnostic fell 29 cents to $1.56 with shareholders swapping 33,695 stocks, Future Energy Source popped 9 cents in closing at $3.45, with 94,384 units crossing the market, General Accident gained 46 cents and ended at $4.89 after exchanging just 10 stock units. GWest Corporation rallied 14 cents to 98 cents in switching ownership of 2,817 shares, Indies Pharma rose 11 cents to $3.12, with 2,982 stocks changing hands, Iron Rock Insurance advanced 20 cents and ended at $2.30, with just 10 units crossing the market. 
ISP Finance rose $3 to $32.95 in trading 11 stock units, JFP Ltd rallied 9 cents to close at $1.65 with an exchange of 232,300 stocks, Knutsford Express declined 89 cents to end at $10.10 with a transfer of 1,983 units. Lasco Distributors dropped 15 cents to close at $4.20 after trading 36,603 shares, Limners and Bards increased 30 cents to $2 as investors exchanged 11,086 units, Lumber Depot shed 11 cents to close at $2.05, with 11,529 shares clearing the market. Main Event declined 48 cents to $16 while exchanging 68,579 stocks, Paramount Trading gained 25 cents and ended at $1.80 with investors dealing in 3,500 stock units, 
Spur Tree Spices climbed 8 cents to $2.20 after an exchange of 206,751 stocks and Tropical Battery skidded 10 cents and ended at $1.94 in an exchange of 27,480 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading surged on the Jamaica Stock Exchange
Trading surged on Tuesday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange compared with Monday after robust activity in Carreras, Jamaica Broilers, Stanley Motta in the Main Market and Dolphin Cove in the Junior Market and resulted in a jump in value and volume of stocks traded in all markets of the exchange compared with Monday.
At the close, the JSE Combined Market Index rose 502.75 points to 331,355.08, the All Jamaican Composite Index rallied 1,999.27 points to 351,449.14, the JSE Main Index climbed 881.84 points to 317,871.56, the Junior Market Index dropped 34.97 points to settle at 3,797.20, while the JSE USD Market Index popped 1.09 points to end at 235.13.
Trading of Preference shares ended, with Jamaica Public Service 7% rallied $8.86 in closing at $58.86.
At the close, investors traded 23,495,915 shares in all three markets, down from 10,494,639 stocks on Monday. The value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets ended at $235 million, compared to $71.6 million on Monday. Trading on the JSE USD market ended with investors exchanging 593,068 shares for US$64,296, up from 884,498 units at US$16,456 on Monday.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks ended at 16.8 on 2022-23 earnings and 11.6 times those for 2023-24 at the close of trading. ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily report charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
The PE ratio chart covers all ordinary shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange. It shows companies grouped by industry, allowing for easy comparisons between the same sector companies and the overall market. The EPS & PE ratios are based on 2023 and 2024 actual or projected earnings, excluding major one time items.
Investors need pertinent information to successfully navigate numerous investment options in the local stock market. The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily report charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
Investors should use the chart to help make rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the average for the sector and not going too far from it unless there are compelling reasons to do so. This approach helps to remove emotions from investment decisions and place them on fundamentals while at the same time not being too far from the majority of investors. Investors who buy when the price of a stock is close to the average will find that they are not inclined to overpay for a stock.
The net asset value of each company is reported as a guide to assess the value of stocks based on this measure quickly. The chart also shows daily changes in stock prices and the percentage year to date price movement based on the last traded prices.
Dividends paid or payable and yields for each company are shown in the Main and Junior Markets’ daily report charts along with the closing volume pertaining to the highest bid and the lowest offer for each company.
Junior Market consolidation continues
Trading slipped moderately on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Monday, as the market continued to trade in consolidation mode since the latter part of last week and ended the day with the volume of stocks traded declining 14 percent and the value 5 percent lower than Friday, after trading in 44 securities compared with 41 on Friday and ended with 12 rising, 22 declining and 10 closing unchanged.
Investors traded 4,765,501 shares for $11,620,310 compared with 5,520,175 units at $12,285,763 on Friday.
Trading averaged 108,307 shares at $264,098 down from 134,638 shares at $299,653 on Friday, with the month to date, averaging 189,437 units at $445,875 compared to 194,347 stocks at $456,877 on the previous trading day. Trading in July closed with an average of 326,541 units at $843,878.
EduFocal led trading with 570,949 shares for 12 percent of total volume, followed by Stationery and Office Supplies with 501,609 units for 10.5 percent of the day’s trade and Mailpac Group with 456,078 units for 9.6 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index dropped 4.08 points with 3,832.17.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 10.6. 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 ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with a lower offer.
At the close, AMG Packaging skidded 32 cents to close at $2.27 in trading 82,359 shares, Blue Power advanced 7 cents to $2.08 after investors ended trading 279,750 stock units, Consolidated Bakeries declined 35 cents in closing at $2.25, with 65,955 stocks crossing the market. EduFocal dipped 15 cents to end at $1.30 with a transfer of 570,949 units, Express Catering rallied 10 cents and ended at $5.09 with investors dealing in 100,482 units, Fontana shed 25 cents and ended at $11, with 24,791 stocks crossing the exchange. Future Energy Source lost 9 cents to close at $3.36 after 146,911 shares passed through the market, GWest Corporation fell 15 cents to 84 cents with stakeholders exchanging 170,475 stock units, 
Image Plus Consultants dipped 10 cents to end at $2.05 after 39,803 units were traded. Indies Pharma lost 11 cents in closing at $3.01 after an exchange of 5,298 stocks, ISP Finance climbed $3.95 in closing at $29.95 as investors traded 100 shares, Lasco Distributors dipped 11 cents to $4.35 in switching ownership of 121,037 stock units. Limners and Bards fell 20 cents and ended at $1.70 after an exchange of 200,212 shares, Lumber Depot increased 7 cents to close at $2.16 after 26,516 stock units changed hands, Main Event rose $1.98 to end at $16.48 with an exchange of 107,706 stocks. MFS Capital Partners shed 27 cents to close at $2.15 while exchanging 5,015 units, 
Paramount Trading skidded 16 cents in closing at $1.55 in an exchange of 25,904 units and Spur Tree Spices dropped 8 cents and ended at $2.12 with investors transferring 39,557 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Meagre Jamaica Stock Exchange trading
Trading dropped on Monday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange compared with Friday and resulted in declines in all markets with the value and volume of stocks traded falling compared with Friday’s levels.
At the close, the JSE Combined Market Index dropped 3,153.87 points to 330,852.33 the All Jamaican Composite Index skidded 3,967.05 points to close at 349,449.87, the JSE Main Index dived 3,340.09 points to 316,989.72, the Junior Market Index continues to consolidate, dipping a mere 4.08 points to settle at 3,832.17, while the JSE USD Market Index slipped 4.53 points to end at 234.04.
Trading of Preference shares ended, with Productive Business Solutions 10.5 % preference share rallying $98 to close at $1,100.
At the close, investors traded 10,494,639 shares in all three markets, down from 16,261,370 stocks on Friday. The value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets ended at $71.6 million, compared to $75.96 million on Friday. Trading on the JSE USD market ended with investors exchanging 884,498 shares for US$16,456, up from 109,502 units at US$16,272 on Friday.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks ended at 16.6 on 2022-23 earnings and 11.4 times those for 2023-24 at the close of trading. ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily report charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
The PE ratio chart covers all ordinary shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange. It shows companies grouped by industry, allowing for easy comparisons between the same sector companies and the overall market. The EPS & PE ratios are based on 2023 and 2024 actual or projected earnings, excluding major one off items.
Investors need pertinent information to successfully navigate numerous investment options in the local stock market. The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily report charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
Investors should use the chart to help make rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the average for the sector and not going too far from it unless there are compelling reasons to do so. This approach helps to remove emotions from investment decisions and place them on fundamentals while at the same time not being too far from the majority of investors. Investors who buy when the price of a stock is close to the average will find that they are not inclined to overpay for a stock.
The net asset value of each company is reported as a guide to assess the value of stocks based on this measure quickly. The chart also shows daily changes in stock prices and the percentage year to date price movement based on the last traded prices.
Dividends paid or payable and yields for each company are shown in the Main and Junior Markets’ daily report charts along with the closing volume pertaining to the highest bid and the lowest offer for each company.
CPJ returns to ICTOP10
Caribbean Producers
Caribbean Producers (CPJ) returns to the TOP10 after a long period of absence, following the fall out of Berger Paints from the Main market Top10, even as CPJ earnings are based on June 2023 full year earnings with the company is yet to release these results.
Preliminary projection indicates earnings of $2.50 per share for the 2024 fiscal year that would put the stock into the third position on the TOP10 list. Until the full year results are in, the estimate for the 2023 year is used.
The Main and Junior markets closed the week with moderate changes in market indices, with a slight fall in the Junior Market and a modest increase in the other.
The Main and Junior markets closed the week with moderate changes in market indices, with a slight fall in the Junior Market and a modest increase in the other.
The Junior Market had one stock rising 10 percent and two falling 12 and 10 percent, with more modest changes in most of the rest. The Main Market had one stock climbing 10 percent and one falling 6 percent as the largest movers.
Caribbean Cream the leading mover in the Junior Market ICTOP10, climbed 10 percent to $4.15, followed by Edufocal rising 4 percent to $1.45. Iron Rock Insurance was the worst performer, falling 12 percent to $2.10 and was followed by general Accident, down 10 percent to $4.43, while Caribbean Assurance Brokers slipped just 4 percent to $2.87.
Berger Paints rose 10 percent to $7.76 in the Main Market, followed by Guardian Holdings with a 4 percent rise to $439.80, JMMB Group also gained 4 percent to close the week at $28.79, but 138 Student Living fell 6 percent to $4.35 and Caribbean Cement fell 4 percent to $50.
Investors should note that Margaritaville is listed on both the Main and USD markets, with similar values.
At the end of the week, the average PE for the JSE Main Market TOP 10 is 5.2, well below the market average of 12.6. The Main Market TOP10 is projected to have an average of 322 percent, to May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings.
The 2most highly valued Main Market stocks, representing 26 percent of the Main Market, are priced at a PE of 15 to 100, with an average of 31 and 20 excluding the highest PE ratios, with a PE of 23for the top half and 17excluding the stocks with the highest PEs.
The Junior Market Top 10 PE sits at 5.4 compared with the market at 10.7. There are 10 stocks representing 21 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 38, averaging 20, well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 15, possibly the lowest fair value for Junior Market stocks currently, and is projected to rise by 271 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 likely gains for ICTOP10 stocks.
The markets are not bullish, but there continue to be cases of slow upward movements in some prices as investors respond to some recent attractive results, leading them to quietly nibble away at a number of stocks, gradually reducing the supply of a number of them that are attractively priced. The list includes, Access Financial, AMG Packaging, Everything Fresh, Dolphin Cove, Caribbean Cream, Caribbean Assurance Brokers, Lasco Distributors and Lasco Manufacturing, Main Event and Transjamaican Highway.
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 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.
Lasco Manufacturing continues on growth path
Lasco Manufacturing‘s performance for the June 2023 quarter was subdued, with pretax profit rising a respectable 28 percent to $721 million and by 27 percent after tax to $526 million versus $414 million in 2022 from revenues of $2.83 billion, 7 percent more than 2022 sales of $2.6 billion, but that was slower growth than the profit for the 2023 fiscal year that jumped 37 percent after tax to $2 billion from revenues that rose 19 percent to $11.24 billion.
The 2023 full year results reflect a greater level of rebound from the declines suffered following the fallout in the economy as a result of the advent of covid-19 and, in particular, the fallout in the global market with higher input costs that flowed from supply disruptions as well as tourism sector that were still recovering during the 2023 fiscal year that ended in March.
Helped by a reduction in the cost of inputs, the cost of goods sold rose well below the growth in revenues by just 3 percent to $1.76 billion from $1.7 billion in 2022 and gross profit rose 19 percent to $1.07 billion from $898 million. Administrative costs rose 8 percent from $332.4 million to $360 million. Depreciation slipped 2 percent to $66.7 million, while finance cost was negligible at just $3 million.
The operations generated gross cash flow of $775 million, which grew to $960 million after movements in working capital.
Current assets ended the period at $9 billion inclusive of trade and other receivables of $2.77 billion, down from $3.35 billion in 2022 and Investment and bank balances of $4.1 billion, up from $1.8 billion in 2022.
Lasco’s ICool drinks.
Current liabilities ended the period at $1.68 billion. Net current assets ended the period at $7.38 billion, up from $5.25 billion in 2022.
At the end of June, shareholders’ equity amounts to $11.65 billion, up from $9.5 billion in 2022, with borrowings at just $122 million.
Earnings per share for the quarter was 13 cents, while a dividend of 12 cents per share was paid in July, totalling $490 million. The company usually pays one dividend per annum, so this is likely to be the last payment until 2024, but with profits on the rise, the next payment seems set to be increased.
IC Insider.com computation projects earnings of 70 cents per share for the fiscal year ending March 2024, with a PE of 7.4 times the current year’s earnings based on the price of $5.35, the stock traded recently on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market. The PE compares favourably with an average of 11 for the Junior Market, an indication that the stock price will be heading higher going forward. Net asset value ended the period at $2.83, with the stock selling at just under twice book value.
Junior Market in consolidating mood
Trading closed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Friday, with the volume of stocks traded rising 22 percent and the value marginally less than Thursday, after trading in 41 securities compared with 42 on Thursday and ended with 15 rising, 16 declining and 10 closing unchanged.
Investors traded 5,520,175 shares for $12,285,763 versus 4,522,157 units at $12,393,874 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 134,638 shares at $299,653 compared with 107,670 units at $295,092 on Thursday, with the month to date, averaging 194,347 units at $456,877 compared to 197,915 stock units at $466,274 on the previous day. July closed with an average of 326,541 units at $843,878.
Jamaican Teas led trading with 2.44 million shares for 44.2 percent of total volume, followed by EduFocal with 543,288 units for 9.8 percent of trading and ONE on ONE Educational with 386,208 units for 7 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index rallied 0.28 points to 3,836.25.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 10.7. 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 one stock ended with a bid higher than the last selling price and four with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging rose 30 cents to close at $2.59 after an exchange of 151 shares, Blue Power dropped 51 cents and ended at $2.01, with 252,544 units changing hands, Caribbean Assurance Brokers rose 9 cents in closing at $2.87 after 2,000 stock units were swapped. Consolidated Bakeries rallied 33 cents to $2.60 with a transfer of 7,042 stocks, Dolla Financial dipped 7 cents to end at $2.63 as investors exchanged 29,027 stock units, 
Dolphin Cove fell 49 cents in closing at $16.51 with an exchange of 5,233 stocks. Express Catering rallied 49 cents and ended at $4.99 with investors trading 700 shares, Fontana popped 25 cents to end at $11.25, with 35,057 units crossing the exchange, Fosrich shed 11 cents to close at $1.95 with traders dealing in 41,048 units. Indies Pharma advanced 11 cents to $3.12 in an exchange of 10,015 shares, ISP Finance skidded $5 to $26 with investors dealing in 1,430 stocks, Lasco Distributors declined 24 cents to $4.46 after 84,480 stock units passed through the market. Lasco Financial gained 12 cents in closing at $1.95, with 13,366 stock units changing hands, Limners and Bards skidded 10 cents to end at $1.90 after exchanging 7,290 units, MFS Capital Partners rose 12 cents and ended at $2.42 with investors transferring 14 stocks. 
Spur Tree Spices climbed 7 cents to close at $2.20, with 137,150 shares clearing the market, Stationery and Office Supplies declined 14 cents in closing at $1.81 trading 117,757 stock units and tTech popped 15 cents to $2.35, with 12,606 shares crossing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Mixed trading for JSE Markets
The markets of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed mixed on Friday following declines on Thursday in all markets and ended with increases in the value and volume of stocks traded compared with Thursday’s levels.
At the close, the JSE Combined Market Index rose 24.06 points to 334,006.20, the All Jamaican Composite Index skidded 1,591.81 points to settle at 353,416.92, the JSE Main Index popped 23.12 points to 320,329.81, the Junior Market Index just popped 0.28 points to 3,836.25, while the JSE USD Market Index slipped 1.59 points to end at 238.57.
At the close, investors traded 16,261,370 shares in all three markets, up from 14,063,900 stocks on Thursday. The value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets ended at $75.96 million, up from $47.66 million on Thursday. Trading on the JSE USD market ended with investors exchanging 109,502 shares for US$16,272 up from 389,899 units at US$37,298 on Thursday.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks ended at 16.9 on 2022-23 earnings and 11.7 times those for 2023-24 at the close of trading. ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily report charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
The PE ratio chart covers all ordinary shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange. It shows companies grouped by industry, allowing for easy comparisons between the same sector companies and the overall market. The EPS & PE ratios are based on 2023 and 2024 actual or projected earnings, excluding major one off items.
Investors need pertinent information to successfully navigate numerous investment options in the local stock market. The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily report charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
Investors should use the chart to help make rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the average for the sector and not going too far from it unless there are compelling reasons to do so. This approach helps to remove emotions from investment decisions and place them on fundamentals while at the same time not being too far from the majority of investors. Investors who buy when the price of a stock is close to the average will find that they are not inclined to overpay for a stock.
The net asset value of each company is reported as a guide to assess the value of stocks based on this measure quickly. The chart also shows daily changes in stock prices and the percentage year to date price movement based on the last traded prices.
Dividends paid or payable and yields for each company are shown in the Main and Junior Markets’ daily report charts along with the closing volume pertaining to the highest bid and the lowest offer for each company.
More Junior Market stocks rose than fall
Trading closed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Thursday, with the volume of stocks traded declining 32 percent, with 36 percent lower value than Wednesday, following trading in 42 securities similar to trading on Wednesday and ended with 18 rising, 11 declining and 13 closing unchanged.
Investors traded 4,522,157 shares for $12,393,874 from 6,681,293 units at $19,409,351 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 107,670 shares at $295,092, compared with 159,078 shares at $462,127 on Wednesday. Trading for the month to date averages 197,915 units at $466,274 compared to 203,801 stock units at $477,438 on the previous day. Trading in July closed with an average of 326,541 units at $843,878.
Jamaican Teas led trading with 1.32 million shares for 29.2 percent of total volume followed by Dolla Financial with 409,080 units for 9 percent of trading and Future Energy Source with 396,488 units for 8.8 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index dipped 4.93 points to 3,835.97.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 10.8. 
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 ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Blue Power rallied 25 cents to close at $2.52 after an exchange of 2,068 shares, CAC 2000 dropped $1.04 to end at $5.86 with traders dealing in 6,927 stocks, Caribbean Assurance Brokers rose 25 cents to $2.78 in an exchange of 2,176 units, Caribbean Cream climbed 33 cents in closing at $4.15 after a transfer of 16,688 stock units. EduFocal advanced 13 cents and ended at $1.45 with shareholders swapping 372,002 units, but only after trading at an intraday 52 weeks’ low of $1.22. 
Elite Diagnostic increased 19 cents in closing at $1.87, with 1,230 stock units crossing the market, Express Catering popped 23 cents to $4.50 and closed with 47,400 stocks changing hands, Image Plus Consultants gained 8 cents to end at $2.20, with 12,480 shares crossing the market. ISP Finance dipped 12 cents to close at $31 with investors dealing in 4,790 units, Lasco Distributors fell 24 cents and ended at $4.70 in switching ownership of 268,731 stock units, Lasco Manufacturing lost 49 cents to end at $5.20 with stakeholders exchanging 216,718 stocks. Limners and Bards rallied 19 cents in closing at $2 as investors exchanged 147,091 shares, Lumber Depot rose 8 cents to close at $2.04 with 18,654 units clearing the market, MFS Capital Partners gained 10 cents and ended at $2.30 trading 44,020 stocks.
Stationery and Office Supplies increased 15 cents to $1.95 with a transfer of 146,374 stock units and Tropical Battery shed 7 cents in closing at $1.98, with investors trading 20,003 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.