Trading closed on Friday, moved the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market closer to the 3,600 points level ahead of the old record close of August 2019 of 3,662.94 points, with a rise of 16.13 points at the close of Friday to settle at 3,585.75 after trading up to 3,630 points in the early trading session.
Trading calmed, with Spur Tree slipping under 10 million units, but still played a big part in the 16,579,452 shares that traded for $57,855,045, down from 26,022,456 units at $87,517,746 on Thursday. Spur Tree Spices led trading with 8.57 million shares for 51.7 percent of total volume followed by Future Energy Source with 2.3 million units for 13.9 percent of the day’s trade and Jamaican Teas traded 765,118 units for 4.6 percent market share.
A total of 40 securities traded compared to 43 on Thursday and ended with 15 rising, 19 declining and six, closing unchanged.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 16. The PE ratio of each stock shown in the chart below is based on ICInsider.com earnings forecast for companies with financial years up to August 2022.
Trading averaged 414,486 shares at $1,446,376 in contrast to 605,173 shares at $2,035,296 on Thursday and month to date, an average of 332,829 units at $1,278,375, compared to 326,758 units at $1,265,884 on the prior trading day. December closed with an average of 409,209 units at $1,318,877.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one stock with a lower offer.
At the close, Access Financial rallied $1.27 to end at $26.28 after exchanging 3,509 shares, CAC 2000 rose 77 cents to close at $8.27 after trading 100 units, Cargo Handlers shed 28 cents to $7.20 with the swapping of 47,124 stock units. Caribbean Assurance Brokers dropped 13 cents in closing at $2.90 in switching ownership of 471,657 stocks, Caribbean Cream advanced 25 cents to $5.40 while exchanging 100 shares, Consolidated Bakeries fell 11 cents to close at 99 cents 313,892 units crossing the exchange. Dolphin Cove gained $2.25 to end at $22.25 in trading 698,461 stocks, Express Catering lost 25 cents in closing at $5.10, with 478,008 stock units clearing the market, Fosrich popped $2.44 to a record $14.49 after 5,368 units changed hands. Future Energy Source increased 25 cents ending at $3.45 after trading 2,299,167 stock units, General Accident declined 30 cents to close at $6 in an exchange of 28,495 shares, Honey Bun climbed 15 cents to end at $9.60, with 1,539 stocks crossing the market. iCreate shed 9 cents after ending at 79 cents in exchanging 378,448 units, Iron Rock Insurance gained 10 cents to $3, with 2,287 stocks changing hands, ISP Finance rallied $3.30 in closing at $36.30 trading 34 shares. Jamaican Teas increased 10 cents to $3.99 with an exchange of 765,118 stock units, KLE Group fell 15 cents in ending at $2.80 after exchanging 17,063 stock units, Lasco Financial popped 7 cents in closing at $3.03 with 59,980 shares changing hands. 
Limners and Bards lost 7 cents to close at $3.42 with an exchange of 40,153 units, Lumber Depot declined 9 cents to end at $2.90 after an exchange of 435,151 stocks, Main Event dropped 40 cents in closing at $3.98, with 32,127 units clearing the market. Spur Tree Spices fell 13 cents to $2.15 in trading 8,566,940 shares, SSL Venture popped 40 cents in ending at a 52 weeks’ high of $1.30 after exchanging 187,244 stock units and tTech declined 20 cents to close at $4 with 6,760 stocks changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Big surge in Junior Market on Thursday
The Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market index surged more than 114 points in early trading on Thursday and ended lower but with a healthy increase of 66.87 points, to end at 3,569.62, with the volume of stocks trading declining 52 percent and the value dropping 56 percent from Wednesday’s healthy 55 million units at nearly $200 million.
All 43 securities listed on the Junior Market traded on Thursday, up from 41 on Wednesday and ended with 18 rising, 17 declining and eight ending unchanged.
A total of 26,022,456 shares traded for $87,517,746 down from 54,515,428 units at $197,029,437 Wednesday. Spur Tree Spices led trading with 15.23 million shares for 58.5 percent of total volume, but the stock price pulled back from Wednesday’s record, followed by Express Catering with 2.87 million units for 11 percent of the day’s trade and Future Energy Source, 1.35 million units for 5.2 percent market share and Lumber Depot, 1.32 million units changing hands for 5.1 percent market share.
Trading averaged 605,173 shares at $2,035,296 compared to 1,329,645 shares at $4,805,596 on Wednesday, with the month to date, averaging 326,758 units at $1,265,884, versus 302,573 units at $1,199,046 on the previous day. December closed with an average of 409,209 units at $1,318,877.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two stocks with lower offers.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 16. The PE ratio of each stock in the chart below is based on ICInsider.com earnings forecast for companies with financial years up to August 2022.
At the close, Access Financial dropped $2.99 to end at $25.01 in exchanging 24,256 shares, AMG Packaging declined 20 cents to $3.10 trading 105,055 units, Blue Power popped 40 cents to close at $3.51 in an exchange of 6,121 stock units. CAC 2000 fell 50 cents to $7.50, with 312 stocks clearing the market, Caribbean Cream advanced 15 cents to $5.15 in trading 67,156 stocks, Caribbean Flavours increased 7 cents to end at $1.97, with 9,500 stock units changing hands. Dolphin Cove lost 50 cents in closing at $20 after 516,957 units crossed the exchange, Express Catering shed 25 cents to $5.35 trading 2,865,794 shares, Future Energy Source climbed 20 cents to close at $3.20 while exchanging 1,345,148 stocks. GWest Corporation rose 10 cents and ended at $1 as 460,890 stock units crossed the market, Honey Bun declined 35 cents to $9.45 after exchanging 11,532 shares, Iron Rock Insurance shed 20 cents to $2.90, with 1,600 units crossing the market. ISP Finance rallied $3 to end at $33 with an exchange of 120 stocks, Jamaican Teas gained 8 cents in closing at $3.89 after exchanging 698,854 shares, Lasco Distributors advanced 10 cents to close at $3.23 in switching ownership of 184,220 units.
Lasco Financial dropped 32 cents to $2.96 after 34,587 stock units changed hands, Lasco Manufacturing fell 10 cents to $4.55 with the swapping of 123,866 stock units, Main Event rose 40 cents to close at $4.38 with an exchange of 6,491 shares. Spur Tree Spices lost 37 cents in closing at $2.28 after exchanging 15,232,910 stock units, SSL Venture lost 8 cents to end at 90 cents, with 206 units crossing the exchange and tTech rallied 15 cents in closing at $4.20 trading 5,699 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Huge trading day for Junior Market stocks
The Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market sprang into serious action on Wednesday, with the overall volume of the market surging 182 percent after 240 percent more funds entered the market than on Tuesday and leading to a minor fall in the market index as Spur Tree Spices and Express Catering controlled 86 percent of the volume of stocks traded.
A total of 41 securities traded on Wednesday similar to Tuesday and ended with 18 rising, 13 declining and 10 closing unchanged. At the close, the Junior Market Index shed 15.44 points to settle at 3,502.75.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 15.8. The PE ratio of each stock shown in the chart below is based on ICInsider.com earnings forecast for companies with financial years up to August 2022.
A total of 54,515,428 shares traded for $197,029,437 versus 19,336,528 units at $57,883,987 on Tuesday. Spur Tree Spices led trading with 25.67 million shares for 47.1 percent of total volume followed by Express Catering, 21.21 million units for 38.9 percent of the day’s trade and iCreate with 1.47 million units for 2.7 percent market share. Future Energy Source was the only other stock to exceed a million shares and ended with 1.27 million units changing hands for 2.3 percent market share.
Trading averaged 1,329,645 shares at $4,805,596 up from 471,623 shares at $1,411,805 on Tuesday with month to date, averaging 302,573 units at $1,199,046, compared to 209,819 units at $873,344 previously. December closed with an average of 409,209 units at $1,318,877.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows eight stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Access Financial climbed $4.50 to a 52 weeks’ high of $28 in an exchange of 11,960 shares, AMG Packaging dropped 30 cents to close at $3.30 after exchanging 185,768 stock units, Dolphin Cove popped 51 cents in closing at $20.50 in trading 520,727 units. Elite Diagnostic rallied 24 cents to $3.49 while exchanging 319,675 stocks, Fosrich increased 14 cents to end at $12, with 55,399 stocks crossing the market, GWest Corporation lost 10 cents in closing at 90 cents after an exchange of 5,487 units. Honey Bun rose 32 cents to $9.80, with 93,959 shares changing hands, Indies Pharma fell 15 cents to $3 in trading 144,474 stock units, Iron Rock Insurance declined 15 cents after ending at $3.10 with an exchange of 3,000 stock units. ISP Finance shed $8 to close at $30 in exchanging 1,900 units, KLE Group advanced 38 cents to $2.93 in switching ownership of 3,600 shares, Lasco Distributors dropped 17 cents to $3.13 clearing the market with 652,520 stocks. 
Limners and Bards gained 10 cents to close at $3.49 after trading 17,843 stock units, Medical Disposables fell 45 cents in closing at $7.50 with the swapping of 2,112 shares, Spur Tree Spices advanced 33 cents to end at 52 weeks’ high of $2.65 and closed with 25,673,548 stocks changing hands and tTech declined 25 cents in closing at $4.05 after exchanging 2,059 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Spur Tree spices up 132% since listing
Newly listed, Spur Tree Spices, rallied 30 percent in trading on Tuesday for a third consecutive day to gain 132 percent since the IPO in December, on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market, with investors exchanging nearly 11 million of the company’s shares in pushing the volume of stocks trading for the day up 92 percent and the value 80 percent higher than on Monday as the market index closed 15.21 points higher to 3,518.19.
Market activity led to 41 securities trading compared to 39 on Monday and ended with 17 rising, 16 declining and eight, closing unchanged.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 15.2. The PE ratio of each stock shown in the chart below is based on ICInsider.com earnings forecast for companies with financial years up to August 2022.
Overall, 19,336,528 shares traded for $57,883,987 up from 10,061,196 units at $32,241,574 on Monday. Recently listed Spur Tree Spices led trading with 10.69 million shares in controlling 55.3 percent of total volume followed by Lasco Manufacturing with 2.36 million units for 12.2 percent of the day’s trade and Future Energy Source with 1.57 million units for 8.1 percent market share.
Trading averaged 471,623 shares at $1,411,805 in contrast to 257,979 shares at $826,707 on Monday and month to date, averaging 209,819 units at $873,344, compared to 183,829 units at $819,889 on Monday. December closed with an average of 409,209 units at $1,318,877.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one stock with a lower offer.
At the close, Access Financial rose $2.75 ending at $23.50, the highest price since January 2021, with the swapping of 20,246 shares, AMG Packaging shed 5 cents to end at $3.60, with 535,137 stock units crossing the exchange, Blue Power declined 25 cents in closing at $3.10 after 23,354 units changed hands. CAC 2000 fell 30 cents to close at $8 while exchanging 2,401 stocks, Caribbean Assurance Brokers dipped 8 cents to $2.95 after trading 183,124 units, Caribbean Cream lost 30 cents to close at $5, with an exchange of 177,936 stocks. Fontana gained 10 cents in closing at $7.70 trading 86,777 stock units, Future Energy Source lost 6 cents after ending at $2.93 in exchanging 1,568,726 shares, General Accident popped 31 cents to $6.30, with 301 stocks clearing the market. Honey Bun climbed 28 cents to end at $9.48 in exchanging 39,155 shares, Indies Pharma rallied 15 cents to end at $3.15, with 60,470 units crossing the market, Iron Rock Insurance shed 16 cents at $3.25 with an exchange of 1,630 stock units. Jamaican Teas dropped 6 cents in closing at $3.79, with 430,951 stock units changing hands, Lasco Distributors advanced 5 cents to close at $3.30 in exchanging 35,410 units, Lasco Manufacturing gained 5 cents to end at $4.70 in switching ownership of 2,355,566 shares. 
Mailpac Group advanced 6 cents to $3.36 in an exchange of 403,848 stocks, Main Event fell 40 cents to $3.90 trading 26,432 stocks, Medical Disposables increased $1.84 to a 52 weeks’ high of $7.95, with 29,190 stock units crossing the exchange. Spur Tree Spices rallied 57 cents to end at $2.32 in trading 10,690,992 units and Stationery and Office Supplies popped 10 cents to close at $5.75 finishing at 5,105 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Spur Tree up 75% pushes Junior Market higher
Spur Tree Spices on the second day of trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market closed at a record $1.75 to be up 75 percent from the IPO price, with only a small fraction of the more than 23 million shares that were placed on the bid at $1.72 before trading opened on Monday, or the more than 29.6 million on the bid at a few minutes after 11 o’clock in the morning after 1.37 million shares were traded, at the close the bid ended at $1.75 to purchase 17.2 million shares, with just 24,113 on offer at $1.76.
Market activity ended with 39 securities trading compared to 40 on Friday, with the volume of stocks traded declining 49 percent and the value down by 74 percent from Friday activities. At the close 16 stocks gained, 15 declined and eight traded unchanged.
The Junior Market Index jumped 32.81 points to settle at 3,502.98. The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 14.8. The PE ratios stocks in the chart below are based on ICInsider.com earnings forecast for companies with financial year ends up to August 2022.
A total of 10,061,196 shares traded for $32,241,574 down from 19,875,289 units at $123,323,735 on Friday. Future Energy Source led trading with 1.93 million shares for 19.2 percent of total volume followed by Lumber Depot with 1.72 million units for 17.1 percent of the day’s trade and Spur Tree Spices with 1.37 million units for 13.6 percent market share.
Trading averaged 257,979 shares at $826,707 in contrast to 496,882 shares at $3,083,093 on Friday with the month to date, averaging 183,829 units at $819,889, compared to 176,097 units at $819,178 on the previous day of trading. December closed with an average of 409,209 units at $1,318,877.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three stocks with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial rose 75 cents ending at $20.75 with the swapping of 199,203 shares, as some of the long overhanging of selling seem to be easing, AMG Packaging advanced 25 cents in closing at a 52 weeks’ high of $3.65, with 410,066 stocks changing hands after posting an increase of 146 percent in profits for the first quarter to November after trading on Friday. Caribbean Cream lost 59 cents to $5.30 while exchanging 207,038 units as investors reacted negatively to a loss in the company’s November quarterly results. Consolidated Bakeries declined 23 cents to close at $1.10 after 281,574 stock units crossed the market, Dolphin Cove gained 95 cents to end at $20 in trading 130,426 shares, Express Catering climbed 31 cents to $5.51 trading 23,600 stocks. Fontana increased 20 cents to end at $7.60 in exchanging 182,312 stock units, Fosrich dropped 10 cents in closing at $11.89 after 13,625 units changed hands, General Accident shed 30 cents to close at $5.99 in an exchange of 3,300 stocks. Honey Bun popped 20 cents to $9.20, with 30,034 units crossing the exchange, Lasco Distributors rallied 15 cents to close at $3.25 after exchanging 57,411 stock units, Mailpac Group rose 20 cents to $3.30 with an exchange of 274,246 shares. 
Medical Disposables fell $1.29 to end at $6.11 with 31,057 shares changing hands, Spur Tree Spices rallied 43 cents ending at a 52 weeks’ high of $1.75 as 1,369,946 units traded and Stationery and Office Supplies fell 20 cents in closing at $5.65, with 6,830 stock units clearing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Gains for JSE Junior Market
Trading closed on Wednesday, with the volume of stocks traded jumping 92 percent higher and the value rising 100 percent higher than on Tuesday leading to rising stocks outdistancing those falling at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market.
Market activity led to 39 securities trading, up from 35 on Tuesday and ended with 15 rising, 12 declining and 12 closing unchanged as the Junior Market Index advanced 19.83 points to 3,420.49. The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 14.8. The PE ratio of each stock shown in the chart below is based on ICInsider.com earnings forecast for companies with financial years up to August 2022.
Trading saw an exchange of 8,986,092 shares for $33,239,994, up from 4,676,723 units at $16,609,083 on Tuesday. Lasco Manufacturing led trading with 3.44 million shares for 38.3 percent of total volume followed by Consolidated Bakeries with 1.09 million units for 12.1 percent of the day’s trade and Limners and Bards, 653,067 units, with 7.3 percent market share.
Trading averaged 230,413 shares at $852,308 compared to 133,621 shares at $474,545 on Tuesday and month to date, an average of 133,915 units at $515,440, compared to 119,440 units at $464,910 on Tuesday. December closed with an average of 409,209 units at $1,318,877.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two stocks with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial popped 51 cents to end at $17.60 after an exchanging of 1,036 shares, AMG Packaging increased 23 cents ending at $2.85 after trading 318,761 stock units, CAC 2000 gained 30 cents in closing at $8 while exchanging 1,110 stock units. Caribbean Assurance Brokers climbed 23 cents to a 52 weeks’ high of $2.97 with 197,240 units changing hands, Caribbean Cream declined 55 cents to close at $5.20 after trading 37,054 stock units, Derrimon Trading lost 6 cents to close at $2.17 with 208,244 shares crossing the market. Dolphin Cove rose 40 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $19.60 in exchanging 249,869 stocks, Express Catering dropped 5 cents in closing at $5.35 trading 63,402 units, General Accident shed 35 cents in ending at $6 with 34,138 stocks crossing the market. Honey Bun fell 21 cents to $9.48 in switching ownership of 70,350 shares, Iron Rock Insurance popped 31 cents to close at $3.41 following an exchange of 2,013 units, Jamaican Teas dropped 7 cents in closing at $3.90 after 168,702 stock units cleared the market. 
Jetcon Corporation advanced 7 cents to 92 cents as 15,073 units changed hands, KLE Group rallied 5 cents to $2.55 with an exchange of 1,077 stock units, Knutsford Express climbed 45 cents to end at $8 in trading 8,237 shares. Lasco Distributors fell 5 cents to end at $3.15 with the swapping of 163,671 stocks, Lasco Financial declined 5 cents to $3.29, with 4,619 stocks changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing shed 9 cents in closing at $4.50 after an exchange of 3,442,151 stock units. Main Event increased 25 cents to $4.75 in exchanging 17,000 units and tTech gained 45 cents to close at $4.70, with 3,500 shares clearing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
More risers than decliners but index slips
Fewer companies’ stocks traded on Tuesday, leading to a slippage in the volume by 14 percent but the value rising by 15 percent higher than on Monday at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market.
Dolphin Cove closed at a 52 weeks’ high on Tuesday.
Market activity led to 35 securities trading compared to 38 on Monday and ended with 15 rising, nine declining and 11 closing unchanged. The Junior Market Index dropped 16.62 points to settle at 3,400.66.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 14.5. The PE ratio of each stock in the chart below is based on ICInsider.com earnings forecast for companies with financial years up to August 2022.
Trading ended with 4,676,723 shares for $16,609,083 compared to 5,461,309 units at $14,393,557 on Monday. Jamaican Teas led trading with 1.24 million shares for 26.4 percent of the total volume followed by Future Energy Source, 838,006 units for 17.9 percent of the day’s trade and Tropical Battery, 526,823 units with 11.3 percent market share.
Trading averaged 133,621 shares at $474,545 compared to 143,719 shares at $378,778 on Monday and month to date, an average of 119,440 units at $464,910, versus 117,234 units at $463,411 on Monday.December closed with an average of 409,209 units at $1,318,877.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows one stock ended with the bid higher than the last selling price and two with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging fell 28 cents to $2.62 in trading 1,483 shares, Dolphin Cove rose $2.45 in ending at $19.20 with an exchange of 164,259 stocks, Everything Fresh climbed 6 cents to end at 98 cents in switching ownership of 45,928 units. Express Catering advanced 5 cents to $5.40 trading 13,925 stock units, Fontana popped 15 cents to close at $7.25 after 62,032 stocks changed hands, Fosrich rallied 50 cents to end at $11.50 after exchanging 38,098 stock units. Future Energy Source gained 5 cents to end at $2.99, with 838,006 units clearing the market, Honey Bun dropped 6 cents in closing at $9.69 with the swapping of 9,875 shares, Indies Pharma popped 10 cents to close at $3.20 after trading 10,747 units. Jetcon Corporation fell 5 cents to 85 cents in exchanging 22,000 stocks, KLE Group gained 25 cents in closing at $2.50, with 2,742 stock units changing hands, Knutsford Express declined 45 cents to close at $7.55 in trading 728 shares. 
Limners and Bards increased 15 cents to end at $3.70 with an exchange of 44,053 units, Main Event rose 30 cents to $4.50, with 2,470 stock units crossing the market, Medical Disposables climbed 21 cents in ending at $6.70 after exchanging 65,529 stocks. Stationery and Office Supplies advanced 9 cents to $5.70 while trading 5,600 shares and tTech shed 53 cents to close at $4.25 in an exchange of 1,579 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market suffers sharp fall
The Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market suffered a sizable pull back at the close of the market on Friday, with the volume of stocks traded declining 34 percent less and the value falling 64 percent lower than on Thursday and leading the market index into a big fall at the close.
A total of 38 securities traded compared to 39 on Thursday and ended with 11 rising, 17 declining and 10, closing unchanged and the Junior Market Index losing 32.78 points to settle at 3,411.84.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 14.3, The PE ratio of each stock shown in the chart below is based on ICInsider.com earnings forecast for companies with financial years, up to August 2022.
A total of 3,426,726 shares changed hands for $11,765,999, down sharply from 5,199,743units at $33,066,923 on Thursday. Lumber Depot led trading with 1.2 million shares for 35.1 percent of total volume followed by Caribbean Assurance Brokers 635,609 units with 18.5 percent of the day’s trade and Indies Pharma 243,296 units for 7.1 percent market share.
Trading averaged 90,177 shares at $309,632 compared to 133,327 shares at $847,870 on Thursday and month to date, an average of 111,853 units at $480,609, against 117,381 units at $524,214 previously traded.
December closed with an average of 409,209 units at $1,318,877.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Access Financial dropped $3.67 in ending at $17.08 with the swapping of 2,738 shares, CAC 2000 fell 20 cents to end at $7.70 while exchanging 50 units, Cargo Handlers shed 39 cents in closing at $7.11, with 3,600 stock units crossing the market. Caribbean Assurance Brokers declined 27 cents to close at $2.48 trading 635,609 stocks, Dolphin Cove slipped 10 cents to $15.90 in switching ownership of 90,619 stocks, Fontana lost 6 cents at $7.40 trading 49,726 stock units. General Accident fell 25 cents to $6.35, with 52,292 shares crossing the market, GWest Corporation dropped 9 cents to end at 90 cents after 110 units passed through the exchange, Indies Pharma declined 13 cents in closing at $3.07 after trading 243,296 stocks. 
Jetcon Corporation shed 7 cents to close at 83 cents, with 24,059 shares changing hands, Lasco Distributors declined 15 cents in closing at $3.20 in an exchange of 19,141 units, Lasco Financial advanced 8 cents to close at $3.20 after trading 54,262 stock units. Lasco Manufacturing rallied 5 cents to $4.65 with an exchange of 1,717 stocks, Limners and Bards slipped 10 cents to $3.55 after trading 52,828 shares, Lumber Depot increased 6 cents to $3.03 in exchanging 1,202,497 stock units and Stationery and Office Supplies popped 5 cents to $5.70 in trading 5,581 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market inches higher
The Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market rose moderately at the close of trading on Thursday with the volume of stocks traded rising 26 percent and the value up 69 percent from Wednesday levels as the number of securities changing hands rose.
Market activity led to 39 securities trading up from 36 on Wednesday and ended with 15 rising, nine declining and 15, closing unchanged.
At the close, the Junior Market Index rose 3.95 to end at 3,448.57. The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 14.5. The PE ratio of each stock shown in the chart below is based on ICInsider.com earnings forecast for companies with financial years up to August 2022.
Trading ended with 5,199,743 shares changing hands for $33,066,923 against 4,123,382 units at $19,617,436 on Wednesday. Honey Bun led trading with 3 million shares for 57.7 percent of total volume followed by Caribbean Flavours with 297,998 units for 5.7 percent of the day’s trade and Future Energy Source with 294,424 units for 5.7 percent market share.
Trading averaged 133,327 shares at $847,870 in contrast to 114,538 shares at $544,929 on Wednesday and month to date, averaging 117,381 units at $524,214, compared to 111,727 units at $409,463 on Wednesday. December closed with an average of 409,209 units at $1,318,877.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows one stock ending with the bid higher than the last selling price and three with lower offers.
At the close, AMG Packaging rallied 13 cents to close at $2.35 after exchanging 15,409 shares, Blue Power lost 20 cents to end at $3.35 while 215 units changed hands, CAC 2000 spiked 70 cents to end at $7.90 trading 1,450 stock units. Caribbean Assurance Brokers increased 5 cents in closing at $2.75 with an exchange of 44,671 stocks, Caribbean Cream advanced 39 cents to $5.73, trading 1,028 units, Dolphin Cove climbed 50 cents in closing at $16 with the swapping of 29,920 shares. Express Catering shed 24 cents in ending at $5.35 after 12,991 stocks crossed the exchange, Fosrich popped 16 cents to close at $11.96 in trading 22,455 stock units, General Accident gained 60 cents to end at $6.60 and closed with an exchange of 8,240 units. 
GWest Corporation rose 9 cents to 99 cents, with 15,724 shares changing hands, Indies Pharma increased 16 cents in closing at $3.20 after exchanging 9,011 stock units and Lasco Manufacturing declined 25 cents to close at $4.60 with an exchange of 22,106 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Sharp jump in trading for Junior Market
The volume of stocks trading surged on the final day of 2021 on Friday, with the volume of stocks traded spiking 1,366 percent, with the value rising by 994 percent higher than on Thursday as Future Energy Source 30.3 million shares at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market.
Fesco up 266% since April listing on The Junior Market.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index fell 12.61 points to end at 3,428.30 and gained 29.7 percent for the year, in the process wiped out the 21.1 percent fall suffered in 2020 as the market ended 2021 moderately up from the 2019 close of 3,348.97 points.
A total of 39 securities traded up from 37 on Thursday of which 12 rose, 17 declined and 10 closed unchanged.
The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 14.8. The PE ratio of each stock is shown in the chart below, is based on earnings forecast by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending up to August 2022.
A total of 36,836,465 shares traded for $111,353,786, up from 2,513,010 units at $10,180,362 on Thursday. Future Energy Source controlled 82.2 percent of total volume with 30.29 million shares followed by Mailpac Group with 1.38 million units for 3.7 percent of the day’s trade and iCreate with 1.01 million units for 2.7 percent market share.
Trading averaged 944,525 shares at $2,855,225, up from 67,919 shares at $275,145 on Thursday and month to date, an average of 409,209 units at $1,318,877, compared to 381,298 units at $1,238,760 on Thursday. November closed with an average of 409,209 units at $1,318,877.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Blue Power fell 62 cents to $2.98 with the trading 6,500 shares, CAC 2000 dropped $1.10 to close at $7.20 with an exchange of 450 units, Cargo Handlers climbed 90 cents to $8.25 in an exchange of 13,724 stock units. Caribbean Flavours declined 6 cents in closing at $1.91 after an exchange of 231,187 stocks, Dolphin Cove shed 40 cents to end at $15, with 112,620 stocks changing hands, Elite Diagnostic lost 13 cents to close at $2.85 after 36,055 stock units crossed the market. Express Catering declined 37 cents to $5.45 after an exchange of 958,700 shares, Fosrich rallied $1.28 in closing at a 52 weeks’ high of $10.20 in trading 439,682 units, Future Energy Source popped 10 cents to end at $2.93 while exchanging 30,289,019 shares. 
General Accident slipped 10 cents to $6 in exchange for 734 units, Honey Bun gained 65 cents to end at $9.25 in trading 2,470 stocks, Indies Pharma increased 45 cents to $3.50 in exchanging 172,196 stock units. Jetcon Corporation popped 13 cents to 93 cents, with 32,136 stock units crossing the market, Limners and Bards rose 7 cents in closing at $3.87 in swapping 161,315 stocks, Lumber Depot advanced 13 cents to $3.11 after trading 829,315 shares and Mailpac Group rose 28 cents in closing at $3.78 with 1,378,158 units clearing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
