Trading closed on Monday with the market volume retreating 38 percent from Friday’s trades, while the value fell 32 percent on a day when declining stocks outnumbered rising ones almost two to one and pressured the market index into a sizeable fall at the close of the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange.
The Junior Market Index dropped 40.82 points to settle at 3,017.44. The PE Ratio based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings averages 11.2.
Trading ended with 33 securities changing hands, down from 37 on Friday and closed with the prices of eight rising, 15 declining and 10 remaining unchanged.
The market closed with an exchange of 6,424,212 shares for $21,113,857, down from 10,384,599 units at $30,949,770 on Friday. Derrimon Trading led trading with 38.4 percent of total volume for 2.46 million shares, followed by Mailpac Group with 14.9 percent for 958,702 units and Jamaican Teas with 11.5 percent for 739,090 units.
Trading averaged 194,673 units at $639,814, in contrast to 280,665 at $836,480 on Friday. Trading month to date averages 210,513 units at $691,011, consistent with 213,535 units at $700,777 on Friday. Trading in March resulted in an average of 252,633 units at $733,196.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging lost 10 cents ending at $1.80 with the swapping of 4,875 shares, Caribbean Cream fell 96 cents to $5.40 in trading 11,152 stocks, Caribbean Flavours slipped 12 cents to $2.16 with 3,846 units changing hands. Consolidated Bakeries finished 5 cents lower at $1.33 with an exchange of 38,000 shares, Express Catering shed 23 cents to $4.55 in transferring 100 units. Fontana lost 5 cents to close at $5.70 trading 272,941 shares, Indies Pharma declined 5 cents to $4.40 with the swapping of 323,617 stocks. ISP Finance gained 20 cents to settle at $24 in switching ownership of 100 stock units, Jamaican Teas picked up 10 cents to close at $3.29 after an exchange of 739,090 shares, Lasco Distributors shed 16 cents to $3.83 with a transfer of 138,496 stock units, Lasco Manufacturing fell 5 cents to $4.54 in trading 11,549 units. Limners and Bards advanced 5 cents to close at $2.80 after exchanging 136,131 stock units, Lumber Depot gained 9 cents to finish at $2.40 with investors switching ownership of 283,488 stocks, SSL Venture rose 8 cents to 63 cents in trading 44,276 shares. Stationery and Office Supplies declined 10 cents to $5.40, with 20,100 units crossing the market and tTech advanced 20 cents to $4.60 with 100 shares clearing the market.
In the preference segment, CAC 2000 9.5% preference share gained 12 cents in closing at $1.50 in switching ownership of 32,327 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.