Straight out of the opening, stocks prices rose and pushed the market index up nine points at the start and up 29 points just before half an hour of trading having elapsed on Tuesday. As the morning progressed, buying pressure constantly pushed the index along to close out just below the 3,000 points mark and the day’s peak of 2,983.41 on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange.
The Junior Market Index surged 35.57 points to close at 2,981.55, just 19 points adrift of the 3,000 mark and shy of the previous best close of 2,994.69 points, on February 10, last year and recording a gain of 12.8 percent for the year to date.
Trading ended with 33 securities changing hands, down from 37 on Monday and closed with the prices of 12 stocks rising, 12 declining and nine remaining unchanged.
The PE Ratio averaged 16.9 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Trading volume and vales rose 258 percent and 243 percent respectively above Monday levels with an exchange of 14,669,963 shares for $43,192,636, up from 4,093,792 units at $12,580,039 on Monday. Limners and Bards dominated trading with 74 percent of total volume in exchanging 10.92 million shares, followed by Jamaican Teas with 7.4 percent or 1.08 million units and Lasco Manufacturing with 5.7 percent for 839,196 units.
Trading averaged 444,544 units at $1,308,868, up from 110,643 at $340,001 on Monday. The month to date averaged 255,170 units at $741,265, versus 244,206 units at $708,404 on Monday. February averaged 365,365 units at $881,118.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows six stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Blue Power shed 50 cents in closing at $3.50, with 14,812 shares crossing the market, Cargo Handlers gained 7 cents to end at $8.57 with an exchange of 5,407 stocks, Caribbean Cream lost 18 cents to close at $4.82 trading 109,998 stocks, Caribbean Flavours gained 13 cents to end at $2.33 with 129,256 units clearing the market. Dolphin Cove rose 55 cents to $9 trading 3,205 stocks, Express Catering gained 20 cents in closing at $3.70 and transferring 13,176 units, GWest Corporation lost 6 cents to finish at 81 cents in an exchange of 18,382 shares. Indies Pharma closed 30 cents higher at a 52 weeks’ high of $4.50 with 294,303 stocks changing hands, Lasco Distributors shed 7 cents to $4.08 after trading 119,353 units, 
Limners and Bards slipped 10 cents to $2.70 after a transfer of 10,916,426 shares. Lumber Depot gained 5 cents to end at $2.50 in trading 52,534 stocks. Medical Disposables fell 58 cents to $4.15 with 892 shares clearing the market and tTech shed 14 cents to end at $4.70 with 48,759 units changing hands.
In the preference segment, CAC 2000 9.5% preference share fell 35 cents to $1.15 after exchanging 8,886 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading averaged 210,216 units at $782,800, versus 394,569 at $1,213,758 on Wednesday. The month to date, averaged 241,183 units at $698,505, compared to 243,736 units at $691,556 on Wednesday. February averaged 365,365 units at $881,118.
Lasco Financial dropped 13 cents to $2.51 with 31,375 stocks changing hands, Limners and Bards climbed 30 cents to $2.85, with 1,105,667 units traded, Lumber Depot rose 7 cents to $2.57 with a transfer of 384,692 shares. Main Event gained 5 cents to close at $3.20 with an exchange of 1,018,764 stocks, Paramount Trading fell 12 cents to $1.31 with 7,206 stock units changing hands, Tropical Battery lost 5 cents to end at $1.15 with 150,083 units traded and tTech rose 5 cents to $4.75 with 3,677 shares crossing the exchange.
Trading ended with 12 stocks rising, 17 declining and eight remaining unchanged. The average PE Ratio ended at 16.3 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
Lasco Financial slipped 5 cents to $2.64 after transferring 950 stock units, Lasco Manufacturing gained 15 cents to close at $4.55, with 8,900 units changing hands. Lumber Depot shed 10 cents to $2.50 with investors switching ownership of 422,039 shares, Stationery and Office Supplies dropped 98 cents to $4.61, trading 5,357 stock units and tTech lost 5 cents to end at $4.70 after exchanging 809 shares.
The Market Index rose 24.73 points to 2,897.33 for a gain of 9.6 percent for the year to date. Similar to Thursday, 34 securities changed hands, with 19 rising, 12 declining and three remaining unchanged. The average PE Ratio ended at 16.4 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
Knutsford Express slipped 51 cents to $6 in trading 18,167 shares, Lasco Distributors rose 14 cents to $3.74, with 4,197 stock units changing hands. Lasco Manufacturing gained 8 cents in ending at $4.34 after a transfer of 23,242 units, Lumber Depot gained 4 cents to close at $2.68 in an exchange of 522,779 units, Main Event fell 6 cents to $3.40 in an exchange of 14,000 stocks and Paramount Trading rose 18 cents to $1.50 in the switching of ownership of 37,500 stock units.
Trading ended with 40 securities compared to 36 on Monday and closed with the prices of 14 stocks rising, 20 declining and six ending unchanged. The average PE Ratio ended at 16.3 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
At the close, Access Financial shed 15 cents to close at $23 with 446 shares changing hands, Cargo Handlers dropped $1.51 to $7.20 after trading 32,684 stock units. Caribbean Cream fell 14 cents to $4.65 after exchanging 69,212 stocks, Caribbean Flavours rose 20 cents to $2.10, in transferring 641,175 shares, Caribbean Producers picked up 8 cents at $3.03, in switching ownership of 37,966 stocks. Dolphin Cove advanced $1 to $9, after an exchange of 600 units, Everything Fresh shed 21 cents to close at $1 in exchanging 244,987 stocks, after the company reported poor 2020 results with a big loss, Express Catering fell 55 cents to close at $3.07 trading 35,200 stock units, Fontana declined 7 cents to $5.89, with 70,801 units changing hands. Fosrich lost 5 cents to close at $4.60, in trading 3,117,229 shares, General Accident gained 5 cents to close at $5.55 in exchanging 14,000 units, GWest Corporation ended 9 cents higher at 91 cents, with the swapping of 2,437 units. iCreate lost 10 cents in closing at 80 cents after trading 644,148 stock units, Iron Rock Insurance rose 20 cents to end at $3.80 with 41 shares crossing the exchange. Knutsford Express fell 10 cents to $6.70 in transferring 34,497 stocks, Lasco Manufacturing lost 7 cents to close at $4.26 with 95,408 shares crossing the exchange, Limners and Bards dipped 14 cents to $2.65 in trading 47,543 units, Lumber Depot picked up 8 cents to end at $2.65, with the swapping of 582,767 shares. 
Mailpac Group shed 21 cents to end at $3.35, exchanging 1,054,580 stock units, Main Event gained 10 cents to end at $3.15, with 2,990 stocks changing hands, Medical Disposables fell 20 cents to $4.30 in transferring 174 units. SSL Venture lost 6 cents to close at 64 cents, after an exchange of 999,222 stock units, Stationery and Office Supplies rose 53 cents to $4.53 trading 320 stocks and tTech lost 5 cents in closing at $4.30, in switching ownership of 72,465 stocks.
The Junior Market Index rose 10.75 points to close at 2,918.23 to be up 10.4 percent for the year to date. Early in the morning session, the index hit a 2,949.48 points level that is higher than the close on February 21, last year.
Trading averaged 173,371 units at $458,568 in contrast to 328,973 at $1,043,523 on Tuesday. Trading month to date averages 363,591 units at $903,906, down from 376,123 units at $933,244 on Tuesday. January closed with an average of 232,651 units at $569,885.
Lasco Distributors climbed 22 cents to $3.87 with a transfer of 136,000 shares, Lasco Financial rose 10 cents to $2.60 with an exchange of 19,750 units, Lasco Manufacturing fell 12 cents to $4.26 with 282,351 units changing hands. Mailpac Group gained 13 cents to finish at $3.62 with 480,450 stock units passing through the market, Main Event fell 27 cents to $3.30, trading 9 shares, Stationery and Office Supplies increased by 18 cents to settle at $4.53 with a transfer of 300 stock units and tTech advanced 20 cents to close at $4.90 with 4,201 shares crossing the exchange.
Trading averaged 328,973 units at $1,043,523 well upon 150,842 at $445,771 on Monday. The month to date averaged 376,123 units at $933,244, close to the 379,631 units at $925,038 on Monday. Trading in January averaged 232,651 units at $569,885.
Jetcon Corporation gained 13 cents to 79 cents, with 145,898 shares changing hands, KLE Group picked up 17 cents at $1.33 after a transfer of 749 stock units, Lasco Distributors gained 5 cents to end at $3.65, in swapping 28,720 stocks. Lasco Financial lost 20 cents to close at $2.50, trading 135,748 units, Lasco Manufacturing shed 35 cents to end at $4.38, with an exchange of 33,412 shares, Mailpac Group lost 15 cents to close at $3.49, in trading 665,514 units. Main Event shed 42 cents to end at $3.03 after crossing the market with 14,500 shares and Stationery and Office Supplies ended 18 cents lower at $4.35 in the transfer of 25,000 stock units.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows five stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
Medical Disposables shed 25 cents in ending at $4.20, with 103,359 stock units crossing the market, Paramount Trading dipped 21 cents to $1.29 trading 8,970 stocks and tTech advanced 59 cents to $4.70, trading 3,369 shares.
Trading ended with 37 securities changing hands compared to 39 on Tuesday and concluded with the prices of 16 stocks rising, ten declining and 11 remaining unchanged.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
Lasco Manufacturing climbed 28 cents to $4.60 with 23,605 stock units changing hands, Limners and Bards advanced 14 cents to $2.64 with an exchange of 61,986 shares, Mailpac Group rose 14 cents to $3.79 with 481,324 units passing through the market and Stationery and Office Supplies dropped 31 cents to $4.22 with the trading of 60,168 shares.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers. At the 1 o’clock close, AMG Packaging rose 14 cents to $1.80 trading 2,404 shares, Blue Power dropped 30 cents to $2.85 in an exchange of 1,234 stock units, Cargo Handlers climbed 19 cents to $6.71 with 7,904 stock units trading. Caribbean Assurance Brokers lost 7 cents to finish at $1.73 trading 8,412 stocks, Caribbean Flavours fell 15 cents to $1.95 after a transfer of 72,479 shares, Consolidated Bakeries gained 14 cents to close at $1.45 with 13,770 shares changing hands. Dolphin Cove climbed 45 cents to $7.50 with an exchange of 18 stocks, Elite Diagnostic advanced 25 cents to $3 with 6,160 stock units crossing the exchange, Express Catering dropped 18 cents to $3.50 with 3,136 shares traded. Fontana slipped 7 cents to $6.13 with a transfer of 214,490 shares, Fosrich fell 19 cents to $4.11 with 212,281 stock units changing hands, General Accident lost 12 cents to close at $5.31 with an exchange of 158,474 shares. Indies Pharma rose 8 cents to $3.05 trading 189,042 units, Jamaican Teas climbed 31 cents trading 1,364,296 stock units to close at a record high of $3.68, KLE Group advanced 22 cents to $1.40 with a transfer of 2,750 shares. 
Lasco Financial climbed 9 cents to $2.78 with 565,521 stock units changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing rose 6 cents to $4.32 with an exchange of 222 stock units, Lumber Depot rose 18 cents to $2.68 with 1,068,851 shares passing through the market. Mailpac Group gained 16 cents trading 987,293 shares to settle at $3.65, Main Event lost 9 cents to close at $3.01 with a transfer of 2,029 shares and Stationery and Office Supplies climbed 25 cents $4.53 with 810 stocks crossing the exchange.