
Freshly listed Future Energy Source dominated market activity with just over 75 percent of the total volume traded with a record closing price of $1.06 or 33 percent gain on the opening price of 80 cents after the total volume traded jumped 487 percent and the value, 157 percent above Thursday outturn at the close of the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Friday.
The market index ended with a gain of 13.99 points at 3,150.55, with an increase of 19 2 percent year to date. Trading ended with 34 securities changing hands compared to 35 on Thursday and closed with the prices of 12 stocks rising, 14 declining and eight closing unchanged. The PE Ratio, based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings, averages 12.9.
The market closed with an exchange of 26,069,242 shares for $47,035,182 upon the 4,442,267 units at $18,272,766 on Thursday. Following the volume leader are Lasco Distributors with 6.9 percent for 1.8 million units, Fosrich 4.4 percent with 1.15 million units and Fontana with 2.3 percent for 589,842 shares changing hands.
Trading averaged 766,742 units at $1,383,388 in contrast to 126,922 at $522,079 on Thursday. Trading month to date averages 227,626 units at $678,986, up from 190,819 units at $630,894 on Thursday. March closed with an average of 252,633 units at $733,196.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows two stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with lower offers.
At the close, Caribbean Cream rose 79 cents to $6.29, with 5,065 shares crossing the market. Caribbean Producers lost 10 cents in closing at $3.90, with an exchange of 324,420 stock units, Elite Diagnostic shed 14 cents to close at $3 in the transferring of 69,628 units, Everything Fresh ended 5 cents lower at $1 with the swapping of 700 units. Express Catering rose 34 cents to $4.45 in trading 91,353 shares, Fontana lost 5 cents to close at $5.75 with 589,842 stocks changing hands, Fosrich fell 48 cents, ending at $6.50 in switching ownership of 1,150,146 shares.
Future Energy Source advanced 26 cents to end at a record $1.06 with 19,680,813 stocks crossing the market, Indies Pharma picked up 7 cents to close at $4.19 trading 89,595 shares. Iron Rock Insurance rose 20 cents to $4 with 5,263 shares crossing the market, Jamaican Teas gained 10 cents to close at $3.60 in the swapping of 577,253 shares, Jetcon Corporation ended 6 cents lower at 78 cents after 4,000 stock units cleared the market, Lasco Manufacturing rose 75 cents in closing at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $5.45 with a transfer of 49,020 stocks. Lumber Depot carved out a gain of 2 cents to close at $2.49 after trading 505,232 units, Mailpac Group declined 8 cents to close at $3.42 with 305,323 stock units changing hands and Main Event dropped 40 cents to end at $4.05 after trading 36,163 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
After taking a battering in March last year with the market index dropping 39 percent from the end of 2019 to the bottom in March last year, junior Market stocks have put in a spirited recovery with the marketing adding 23.63 points to 3,136.56 on Thursday with a rise of 18.7 percent for 2021 to date and 54 percent from the March 2020 low point for the year for the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange.
The market closed with an exchange of 4,442,267 shares for $18,272,766, up from 4,400,394 units at $13,254,158 on Wednesday. Lasco Manufacturing led trading with 51.8 percent of total volume trading 2.3 million shares followed by Mailpac Group with 10.8 percent for 478,805 units and Derrimon Trading with 9.2 percent market share for 406,825 units for 9.2 percent.
Indies Pharma shed 13 cents to end at $4.12 after trading 84,271 units, Jetcon Corporation picked up 6 cents in closing at 84 cents with 5,120 stock units crossing the exchange, Knutsford Express fell 10 cents to close at $8.90 finishing with 1,210 stocks changing hands. Lasco Distributors shed 15 cents to end at $3.84 in switching ownership of 28,431 units, Lasco Manufacturing gained 5 cents to end at $4.70 with the swapping of 2,302,500 shares after it traded at a 52 weeks’ intraday high of $5. Mailpac Group lost 6 cents in closing at $3.50 in the trading of 478,805 stocks, Main Event shed 35 cents to end at $4.45 after clearing the market with 4,910 stock units, Medical Disposables closed 40 cents lower at $4.10 with 35,096 shares crossing the exchange, at the same time Stationery and Office Supplies lost 7 cents to end at $5.50 in the trading of 11,676 stock units.

Trading ended with 36 securities changing hands compared to 37 on Tuesday and closed with the prices of 16 stocks rising, 15 declining and five remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio, based on ICInsider.com forecast of 2021-22 earnings averages 13.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows three stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with lower offers.
Lasco Manufacturing picked up 6 cents to finish at $4.65 with 997,854 shares clearing the market, Main Event lost 12 cents to end at $4.80 in switching ownership of 2,128 units, Medical Disposables closed 15 cents lower at $4.50 with an exchange of 265 shares, Paramount Trading shed 8 cents ending at $1.33 after an exchange of 500 stocks. At the same time, Stationery and Office Supplies rose $1.03 in closing at $5.57, with investors switching ownership of 38,970 stock units.
Trading averaged 262,826 units at $1,007,522 and on Monday 66,662 at $226,935. The month to date averaged 201,838 units at $661,964, compared to 196,052 units at $629,180 on Monday. March closed with an average of 252,633 units at $733,196.
Knutsford Express jumped $1.40 to $8.30 with an exchange of 92 units, Lasco Distributors lost 24 cents to end at $3.75 with 34,324 shares changing hands. Main Event climbed 22 cents to close at $4.92 with 250 stocks traded, Medical Disposables advanced 15 cents to $4.65 with 12,010 units transferred, Paramount Trading gained 11 cents to settle at $1.41 with investors switching ownership of 41,276 stocks. Stationery and Office Supplies dropped 26 cents to $4.54 with 136,528 units changing hands and tTech fell 19 cents to close at $4.41 with 500 shares crossing the exchange.
Volume and value of trades dropped 84 percent and 83 percent, respectively with more stocks rising than falling versus Friday, on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange.
Trading averaged 66,662 units at $226,935 in contrast to 468,107 at $1,520,701 on Friday. The average month to date is 196,052 units at $629,180, compared to 210,840 units at $675,151 on Friday. March closed with an average of 252,633 units at $733,196.
Honey Bun picked up 5 cents to finish at $5.09 with the trading of 55,600 shares, Indies Pharma closed 12 cents higher at $4.36 with an exchange of 71,313 units, Jamaican Teas gained 9 cents to end at $3.38 trading 541,001 units, Knutsford Express advanced 55 cents to $6.90 after a transfer of 43,806 shares Mailpac Group gained 9 cents in closing at $3.54 with 555,210 stock units changing hands and Medical Disposables rose 35 cents to $4.50 with the swapping of 5,560 units.
Overall, 36 securities changed hands compared to 37 on Thursday, ending with the prices of 11 stocks rising, 15 declining and 10 trading unchanged as Consolidated Bakeries traded at a 52 weeks’ high of $1.80 and at a closing high of $1.75 and Fosrich closed at a 52 weeks’ high of $6.
The day’s average trade is 468,107 units at $1,520,701, compared to 122,950 units at $353,242 on Thursday. The average month to date is 210,840 units at $675,151, compared to 181,344 units at $578,209 on Thursday. March closed with an average of 252,633 units at $733,196. Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than the last selling prices and none with lower offers.
Indies Pharma lost 6 cents to settle at $4.24 with investors switching ownership of 34,215 units, Lasco Distributors advanced 24 cents to $3.99, with 270 stocks traded, Lumber Depot rose 6 cents to $2.47 with, 180,752 shares changing hands. Main Event dropped 18 cents to $4.74 in with a transfer of 5,000 units, Paramount Trading slipped 10 cents to $1.32 with investors switching ownership of 15,000 stock units and tTech gained 18 cents to close at $4.59, with 2,092 stocks crossing the exchange.
Overall, 37 securities traded up from 35 on Wednesday and concluded with the prices of 18 stocks rising, 11 falling and eight remaining unchanged.
Trading averaged 122,950 units at $353,242 versus 160,988 at $485,606 on Wednesday. The month to date averaged 181,344 units at $578,209, compared to 189,144 units at $608,258 on Wednesday. March closed with an average of 252,633 units at $733,196 trading.
KLE Group rose 22 cents to $1.40 in trading 11,999 units, Lasco Distributors rose 12 cents to $3.75 with an exchange of 896,501 shares, Lasco Financial climbed 25 cents to $3.10 with 8,613 stock units changing hands. Lasco Manufacturing rose by 9 cents to $4.59 with 47,215 units passing through the market, Limners and Bardsfell 10 cents to $2.80 trading 21,200 stocks, Lumber Depot declined by 8 cents to end at $2.41 with a transfer of 354,836 shares. Mailpac Group advanced 24 cents to $3.49 with investors switching ownership of 151,017 units, Main Event jumped $1.22 to close at $4.92 with 6,637 stocks changing hands, Medical Disposables fell 10 cents to $4.15 with 3,800 stock units traded and tTech lost 19 cents to close at $4.4 with 1,000 shares crossing the exchange.
Trading in March averaged 252,633 units at $733,196.
Lasco Distributors declined 13 cents to end at $3.63 with 34,120 stock units clearing the market, Lasco Financial shed 20 cents to close at $2.85 after 15,880 shares crossed the exchange and Lasco Manufacturing lost 9 cents to settle at $4.50 after the transfer of 15,424 stocks.
Trading ended with 36 securities changing hands compared to 33 on Monday and closed with the prices of 13 stocks rising, 15 declining and eight remaining unchanged.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
Lasco Financial fell 5 cents to $3.05 after exchanging 3,171 shares, Lasco Manufacturing gained 5 cents to finish at $4.59 trading 25,371 stock units, Lumber Depot picked up 9 cents to end at $2.49, trading 688,898 stocks. Medical Disposables fell 25 cents in closing at $4.25 in the swapping of 3,202 stocks and Stationery and Office Supplies gained 9 cents to end at $5.49 with an exchange of 185 units.