Trading activity contracted Wednesday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market, with the volume of stocks trading declining 53 percent and the value dropping 41 percent lower than on Tuesday, with 44 securities changing hands against 43 on Tuesday, with 20 rising, 17 declining and seven closing unchanged.
At the close, the Junior Market Index fell 38.57 points to 4,336.16 and is down 228 points after declining for five straight days.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 13.6. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks incorporate ICInsider.com projected earnings for companies with financial years closing up to the end of August 2023.
Overall, 6,419,876 shares traded for $28,806,239 versus 13,653,490 units at $48,511,390 on Tuesday. Trading averaged 145,906 shares at $654,687 in contrast to 317,523 shares at $1,128,172 on Tuesday with month to date, averaging 445,304 units at $1,954,279 compared to 470,540 units at $2,063,823 on the previous trading day. April closed with an average of 449,923 units at $1,781,786.
Spur Tree Spices led trading with 946,973 shares for 14.8 percent of total volume, followed by JFP Limited with 848,378 units for 13.2 percent of the day’s trade and Tropical Battery, 624,509 units for 9.7 percent market share.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial slipped 18 cents to $23.15, with ten shares changing hands, Blue Power advanced 24 cents to $3.94 in an exchange of 110 stock units, Cargo Handlers rose 93 cents in closing at $11.86 after an exchange of 55 units. Derrimon Trading gained 11 cents to end at $3.07, trading 170,395 stocks, Dolphin Cove dropped $1.20 to close at $19.50, with 26,607 shares crossing the exchange, Elite Diagnostic declined 37 cents to close at $3.78 in switching ownership of 340,612 stock units. Fosrich fell $1.69 to $28.30 with an exchange of 234,432 units, Future Energy Source climbed 31 cents to end at $6.20 in exchanging 494,350 stocks, Honey Bun rallied 10 cents to $9.30 after 18,462 units crossed the market. iCreate shed 25 cents in closing at $3.55 while exchanging 191,897 stocks, Iron Rock Insurance increased 14 cents in ending at $3.30 after trading 125 stock units, Jetcon Corporation lost 10 cents to close at $1.45 after 438,574 shares changed hands. Knutsford Express popped 20 cents in closing at $7.80 in trading 18,743 shares, Lasco Distributors gained 17 cents to $3.50 with the swapping of 226,885 units, Main Event climbed 73 cents to end at $8.99 with 43,200 stock units clearing the market. Spur Tree Spices increased 12 cents ending at $3.90, with 946,973 stocks crossing the market, Stationery and Office Supplies shed 49 cents to $13.01 in swopping ownership of 79,888 shares and Tropical Battery dipped 14 cents to close at $2.61, with 624,509 units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.