Future Energy Source (Fesco) continues to dominate headlines and trading on the Junior Market on Thursday as it commanded the lion’s share of the market for the fifth consecutive day after listing last week Friday, with buyers and sellers in the stock appear evenly matched.
Fesco led trading with 77.5 percent of total volume after an exchange of 10.12 million shares and was followed by Lumber Depot, exchanging 5.2 percent, with 674,611 units as the price ended at a 52 record closing high and Mailpac Group with 563,991 units for 4.3 percent.
The market index rose 23.98 points to close above the 3,200 points mark for the first time since January last year to end at 3,202.45 to be up 21 percent for 2021 to date. The PE Ratio based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings averaged 13.
The day ended with 34 securities changing hands compared to 37 on Wednesday and concluded with 15 stocks rising, 15 declining and four remaining unchanged.
The market closed with an exchange of 22 percent fewer shares and a 456 percent reduction in value than on Wednesday after the trading of 13,061,149 shares for $19,126,005, compared to 16,660,091 units at $35,210,071 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 384,151 units $562,530 compared to 450,273 at $951,624 on Wednesday. Trading month to date averaged 287,738 units at $706,338, compared to 282,671 units at $713,895 on Wednesday. March averaged 252,633 units at $733,196.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, CAC 2000 dropped 50 cents to end at $9.50 with a transfer of 1,000 shares, Caribbean Assurance Brokers slipped 5 cents to end at $2 with 43,820 units traded, Caribbean Cream jumped 58 cents to $6.19 with 3,489 stocks passing through the market. Express Catering lost 5 cents to close at $4.35 with an exchange of 7,838 stock units, General Accident rose 6 cents to $5.82 with 2,303 shares passing through the exchange, Honey Bun rose 19 cents to $5.29 with a transfer of 12,035 units. iCreate gained 6 cents to finish at 79 cents with investors swapping 10,800 stocks, Indies Pharma lost 6 cents to close at $4.25 with 121,558 stock units traded, Jamaican Teas advanced 5 cents to a record close of $3.90 with 228,466 shares passing through the market. Jetcon Corporation rose 5 cents to end at 90 cents with an exchange of 10,490 units, Lasco Financial gained 11 cents to end at $3.10 with 134,347 stocks changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing rose 39 cents to $5.19 with a transfer of 15,149 shares. 
Limners and Bards slipped 8 cents to $2.72 with 114,579 units traded, Lumber Depot advanced 22 cents to a record close of $2.80 with an exchange of 674,611 stocks, Mailpac Group gained by 11 cents to settle at $3.61 with 563,991 shares passing through the market. Main Event fell 50 cents to finish at $4.20 with 21,073 units changing hands, Paramount Trading fell 9 cents to $1.31 with a transfer of 23,100 stock units and Stationery and Office Supplies shed 67 cents to close at $5.70 with 1,035 shares crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Following Fesco’s lead, Lasco Manufacturing chipped in with 1.79 million shares accounting for 10.7 percent of the day’s trade. Jamaican Teas garnered a 9.5 percent market share, with a transfer of 1.58 million units as the stock hit a record high ahead of second quarter results due in May and Tropical Battery ended with 1.45 million units changing hands, for 8.7 percent of the market.
The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
Lasco Distributors increased 14 cents to $3.99 with a transfer of 34,686 stocks, Lasco Financial rose 9 cents to $2.99 with 8,711 shares passing through the market, Lasco Manufacturing dropped 45 cents to $4.80 with an exchange of 1,788,059 stock units. Lumber Depot gained 8 cents to close at $2.58 with investors switching ownership of 375,943 units, Main Event advanced 60 cents to settle at $4.70 with 3,000 stocks changing hands, SSL Venture rose 7 cents to 62 cents with 150,285 stock units traded. Stationery and Office Supplies jumped 77 cents to finish at $6.37 with a transfer of 33,573 units and tTech fell 10 cents to $4.50 with 510 shares crossing the exchange.
Overall, 40 securities traded, up from 38 on Monday and ended with the prices of 18 rising, 14 declining and eight, with closing unchanged.
At the close, Caribbean Assurance Brokers advanced 21 cents to $2.15 with an exchange of 10,458 shares, Caribbean Cream shed 58 cents to finish at $5.61, with 675 units changing hands, Caribbean Flavours fell 21 cents to $2 with a transfer of 2,619,470 stocks. Consolidated Bakeries increased 25 cents to $1.80, with 3,700 stock units traded, Express Catering rose 5 cents to $4.50 with ownership of 35,909 shares changing, Fontana dropped 23 cents to $5.76 with 51,671 units passing through the market. Fosrich gained 20 cents to settle at $6.20 with an exchange of 16,079 stock units, Future Energy Source slipped 5 cents to $1.02 with 13,571,032 stocks changing hands, General Accident lost 8 cents to finish at $5.76 with a transfer of 500 shares. Iron Rock Insurance rose 15 cents to $3.10 with 11,000 units traded, Jamaican Teas climbed 18 cents to $3.69 with investors switching ownership of 1,202,096 stocks, Jetcon Corporation gained 15 cents to close at 98 cents, with 51,874 shares passing through the market. KLE Group declined by 34 cents to end at $1.05 with an exchange of 175 units, Knutsford Express shed $1.91 to settle at $7 with 425 stocks changing hands, Lasco Distributors rose 5 cents to $3.85 with a transfer of 219,103 shares.
Lasco Financial fell 15 cents to $2.90 with 1,596 units traded, Lasco Manufacturing lost 20 cents to finish at $5.25 with investors switching ownership of 122,158 stock units, Main Event dropped 60 cents to $4.10 with a transfer of 9,210 stocks and Stationery and Office Supplies gained 10 cents to close at $5.60 with 7,281 shares crossing the exchange.
Newly listed Future Energy Source (Fesco) dominated trading on the Junior Market for the second trading day with just under 87 percent of the volume, with the price rising to $1.16 in early trading before pulling back, later on, to end at a record close of $1.09. 
The Junior Market Index climbed 23.96 points to settle at 3,174.51 after breaking through the 3,200 mark at the opening of the market and peaking at 3,203,03 after 9 minutes into trading. The PE Ratio based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings averaged 12.8.
Fosrich dropped 50 cents to $6 with 36,236 units changing hands, Indies Pharma rose 6 cents to $4.25 with 72,206 stocks traded, Iron Rock Insurance dropped $1.05 to $2.95 with a transfer of 1,850 stock units. Jamaican Teas lost 9 cents to end at $3.51 with 934,196 shares passing through the market, Jetcon Corporation gained 5 cents to close at 83 cents with an exchange of 11,700 units, Mailpac Group rose 12 cents to $3.54 with 88,702 stock units changing hands. Main Event jumped 65 cents to $4.70 with 13,526 shares traded, Medical Disposables rose 9 cents to $4.19 with a transfer of 68,372 stock units, Paramount Trading increased by 11 cents to $1.41 with investors switching ownership of 40,000 units and tTech advanced 19 cents to $4.60 with 568 shares crossing the exchange.
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 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.
