Stocks bounced back on Friday from the previous day’s loss, with more Junior Market stocks rising than falling after an exchange of 63 percent more shares than on Thursday with 58 percent higher value and the market being up 10 percent for the year.
Trading ended with 35 securities changing hands, down from 37 on Thursday, with prices of 14 stocks rising, 10 declining and 11 remaining unchanged. The Junior Market Index advanced 21.44 points to 2,899.13. The average PE Ratio ends at 15.3 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Traders exchanged 8,506,807 shares for $25,313,437 compared to 5,225,893 units at $16,022,590 on Thursday. Indies Pharma led trading with 40.6 percent of total volume, after exchanging 3.45 million shares, followed by Lumber Depot with 13.6 percent for 1.15 million units and Jamaican Teas with 8.4 percent of the day’s trade for 715,546 units.
Trading averaged 243,052 units at $723,241 up from 141,240 at $433,043 on Thursday. Trading month to date averaged 397,540 units at $962,554, down slightly from 408,900 units at $980,150 on Thursday. Trading in January averaged 232,651 units at $569,885.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows one stock ending with the bid higher than the last selling price and three with lower offers.
At the close of trading, Blue Power gained 24 cents in closing at $3.10, with 14,856 shares changing hands, Cargo Handlers finished 30 cents higher at $7.01 trading 2,000 shares, Elite Diagnostic lost 23 cents to end at $2.76, exchanging 16,231 units. General Accident picked up 15 cents to $5.30, with a transfer of 211,709 stocks, Indies Pharma gained 6 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $3.20, in crossing the exchange with 3,450,757 units, Jamaican Teas fell 13 cents to $3.37, in exchanging 715,546 stock units. Lasco Distributors gained 8 cents to end at $3.68, with 4,400 shares changing hands, Lasco Financial lost 8 cents to end at $2.70 after clearing the market with 219,250 stocks. Lasco Manufacturing rose 15 cents to $4.75, with 11,720 stock units crossing the market, Limners and Bards fell 14 cents to $2.50 in exchanging 151,567 stocks, Lumber Depot slipped 14 cents to $2.50, trading 1,153,959 stock units.
Mailpac Group lost 4 cents to close at $3.75 while exchanging 502,880 shares, Paramount Trading gained 21 cents to close at $1.50 with 51,390 units crossing the exchange and Stationery and Office Supplies rose 31 cents to $4.53 after exchanging 259 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading closed with the prices of two stocks rising, one declining and four remaining unchanged, with the JSE USD Equity Index losing 1.15 points to end at 192.08. The PE Ratio averages 13.7 based on ICInsider.com forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
At the close of the market, First Rock Capital shed 0.08 of a cent to close at 8.9 US cents, in exchanging 3,767 stocks, Margaritaville settled at 11 US cents with the transfer of 3,500 stock units, Proven Investments gained 0.29 of a cent to close at 25.99 US cents trading 2,255 units. Sterling Investments ended at 2.39 US cents, with 1,000 stock units changing hands, Sygnus Credit Investments remained at 14.95 US cents after transferring 16,675 shares and Transjamaican Highway gained 0.06 of a cent in closing at 0.91 of a US cent, trading 510,377 shares.
The Composite Index rose 3.34 points to 1,325.38, the All T&T Index gained 6.13 points to close at 1,764.47 and the Cross Listed Index inched 0.07 points higher to 119.86.
Guardian Media traded 1,000 shares at $3.25, JMMB Group rose 4 cents to close at $1.89 while exchanging 17,245 stocks, Massy Holdings climbed 43 cents to $62.45 exchanging 2,791 stock units, NCB Financial Group investors exchanged 3,864 units at $8.50, National Enterprises traded 6,322 shares at $3.11, Prestige Holdings traded 1,928 shares after rising one cent to $7.50. Scotiabank fell 30 cents to $56 in exchanging 9,609 shares, Trinidad & Tobago NGL rose 4 cents to $15.54 trading 7,032 stock units, Trinidad Cement rose 34 cents to $3.75, trading just one stock unit and West Indian Tobacco dropped $1.73 to $33.10 while exchanging 1,947 shares.
Trading for the day averaged 240,393 units at $954,393 for each security, compared to an average of 218,699 units at $2,129,289 on Tuesday. Month to date averages 399,327 units at $2,608,760 for each security, in contrast to 413,643 units at $2,752,324 on the prior trading day. Trading in January closed with an average of 311,275 units at $1,432,133.
Proven Investments increased $1.49 to $37.99 with 600 stocks traded, Sagicor Group shed $1.70 in closing at $50 with 50,015 units changing hands, Seprod gained $2 to settle at $69 with an exchange of 29,388 stock units. Sygnus Credit Investments rose 35 cents to $14.90, trading 54,293 units and Victoria Mutual Investments advanced 27 cents to $5.80 with 139,146 shares crossing the exchange.
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 $4.22 with the trading of 60,168 shares.
Seven securities changed hands, the same as Tuesday, with four rising, two declining and one remaining unchanged, with the JSE USD Equity Index losing 6.76 points to end at 193.23. The PE Ratio averages 13.6 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Sygnus Credit Investments J$ stock dropped 2.5 cents to 12 US cents trading just 4 stock units. Sygnus Credit Investments US$ stock rose 0.45 of a cent to 14.95 US cents with 38,258 stock units changing hands and Transjamaican Highway slipped 0.09 of a cent to 0.85 of a US cent with 434,924 units crossing the exchange.
First Citizens Bank increased 25 cents to $43, with 4,634 stock units changing hands. FirstCaribbean International Bank fell 5 cents to $7 with 5,378 stocks crossing the market, Grace Kennedy fell 20 cents to $3.70 trading 7,500 stock units, Guardian Holdings closed at $21.03 after 5,000 units traded. JMMB Group fell 4 cents to $1.85 in exchanging 5,150 stocks, Massy Holdings rose 2 cents to $62.02 trading 40,770 stock units, National Enterprises added one cent to close at $3.11 in trading 100 stock units, Prestige Holdings traded 50 shares after rising 24 cents to $7.49. Republic Financial Holdings declined 2 cents to $134.95 in swapping 63,914 units Scotiabank rose 20 cents to $56.30 in exchanging 69,763 shares, Trinidad & Tobago NGL slipped 4 cents to $15.50 trading 1,072 stock units, Trinidad Cement rose 6 cents to $3.41 after exchanging 16,080 stock units and West Indian Tobacco slipped 2 cents to $34.83 with 45,726 shares changing hands.
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.
The All Jamaican Composite Index fell 686.84 points to 429,363.77, the Main Index lost 618.66 points to 391,508.19 and the JSE Financial Index rose 0.43 points to 100.29.
Trading averaged 218,699 units at $2,129,289, compared to 468,946 shares at $2,041,431 on Monday. The month to date averaged 413,643 units at $2,752,324, close to the average of 431,223 units at $2,808,510 on Monday. Trading in January closed with an average of 311,275 units at $1,432,133.
Proven Investments slipped $1.48 to $36.50 trading 1,513 units, Radio Jamaica gained 6 cents to close at $1.56 with the swapping of 554,673 shares, after traded as high as $1.80 during the morning session. Sagicor Group rose 70 cents to $51.70, with 18,406 stocks clearing the market. Scotia Group finished 97 cents lower at $42, after 18,751 shares crossing the market and Seprod gained $1 to end at $67, in an exchange of 14,613 units.
One Caribbean Media ended at $4.81 in an exchange of 1,556 shares, Republic Financial Holdings closed at $134.98 after exchanging 477 stock units, Scotiabank lost 85 cents at $56 in an exchange of 1,166 stock units. Trinidad & Tobago NGL ended at $15.50 with an exchange of 2,400 stock units, Trinidad Cement closed at $3.75 trading 3,920 shares, Unilever Caribbean lost 9 cents in closing at $16.40 with 20 stock units clearing the market and West Indian Tobacco dropped 15 cents to close at $34.85 after exchanging 25 units.
