The Junior Market recorded gains at the close of trading on Wednesday, with the prices of the two largest Lasco companies rising, following the release of positive first-quarter profit results.
Lasco Manufacturing rose on Junior Market on Wednesday following Q1 profit release.
Trading ended, with 33 securities changing hands, one more than on Tuesday, with the prices of 17 stocks rising, eight stocks declining and eight remaining with unchanged prices.
At the close, the market Index rose 31.93 to close at 2,564.93 and the average PE Ratio of the Junior Market ended at 10.8 based on IC Insider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with an exchange of 2,711,361 shares for $8,041,179 compared to 7,640,477 units at $18,768,624 on Tuesday.
Lasco Distributors led trading with 444,945 shares for 16.4 percent of total volume, followed by Caribbean Producers with 441,603 units for 16.3 percent of the day’s trade and Fosrich with 306,610 units for 11.3 percent market share.
An average of 82,162 units changed hands at $243,672 on Wednesday, in contrast to an average of 238,765 at $586,519 on Tuesday. An average of 267,316 units traded at $728,746 for the month to date, in contrast to 277,046 units at $745,046. 
In comparison, June ended, with an average of 245,049 units trading at $689,955.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
At the close of the market, AMG Packaging fell 2 cents to end at $1.63, with 8,471 stock units changing hands, Blue Power added 1 cent to close at $3.30 with investors swapping 69,984 units, Cargo Handlers climbed 60 cents to $7.10, with 500 shares changing hands. Caribbean Assurance Brokers lost 10 cents in closing at $2.15 in trading 6,100 units, Caribbean Cream shed 27 cents ending at $3.58 with investors switching ownership of 57,700 stock units. Caribbean Flavours climbed 57 cents in closing at $12.07 and trading 800 units, Caribbean Producers ended 1 cent higher at $2.39 with an exchange of 441,603 shares, Everything Fresh rose 2 cents to 67 cents in trading 161,764 stock units. 
Express Catering carved out a gain of 9 cents to close at $4.09, with 7,900 stock units crossing the exchange, Fontana gained 5 cents in closing at $5.05 with an exchange of 33,420 units, General Accident rose 20 cents to close at $7.15 after exchanging 116,000 stock units. GWest Corporation gained 2 cents to settle at 89 cents, with 2,098 shares changing hands, iCreate shed 2 cents to end at 54 cents in trading 45,143 units and Iron Rock Insurance shed 9 cents to end at $3.80 with investors swapping 3,100 stock units.
In the preference share segments, CAC 2000 9.5% fell 5 cents to settle at 95 cents and clearing the market with 51,000 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
The market closed, with eight securities changing hands, five less than on Tuesday, and resulting in the prices of three stocks rising, none declining and five remaining unchanged.
Stocks gaining| Clico Investment Fund gained 49 cents to end at $25.50 exchanging 42,144 stocks, First Citizens Bank climbed $2.30 to settle at $48.80 trading 63 shares and Guardian Holdings rose 50 cents in closing at $19.70 in trading 210,000 units.
Proven Investments shed 2.5 cents and closed at 23 US cents after finishing trading 775,788 units and Sygnus Credit Investments gained one-tenth of a cent and ended at US 14.1 cents, with 6,880 stock units crossing the market.
Trading ended with 41 securities changing hands, two less than on Monday and the average PE Ratio of the market ended at 15 based on IC Insider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
An average of 374,764 units traded for the month to date at $2,500,318 for each security that traded, in contrast to 379,528 units at $2,567,817. In comparison, June ended with an average of 818,748 units at $7,498,308.
Jamaica Stock Exchange carved out a loss of 45 cents to settle at $21.50 with an exchange of 64,430 stock units changing hands, JMMB Group gained 40 cents to end at $31.40 with 60,637 shares traded, Key Insurance advanced $1 to close at $7, with investors transferring 43,499 units. Kingston Wharves shed $2.49 to finish at $49.01 with 2,285 shares changing hands, Mayberry Investments fell 75 cents to settle at $5.75, with an exchange of just 100 stock units, Mayberry Jamaican Equities dropped $1.19 to finish at $8.75 in a transfer of 49,886 units. NCB Financial declined by $1.94 to close at $138 trading 43,164 shares, PanJam Investment fell $1.06 to end at $64.99 with an exchange of 12,874 stock units, Proven dropped 99 cents, to finish at $32.51, with 3,100 stock units changing hands. Sagicor Group lost $1.74 to end at $42 while exchanging 13,987 units, Scotia Group declined $1.20 to finish at $43 with investors swapping 40,961 units, Sterling Investments fell 45 cents in ending at $2.75 with 23,215 stock units passing through the market and Supreme Ventures dipped 60 cents to close at $14.50 with 290,089 shares crossing the exchange.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading was flashing negative signal, with only two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and seven with lower offers.
Jamaican Teas fell 1 cent to $4.99 trading 119,441 stock units, Jetcon Corporation gained 10 cents to close at $1.02 with an exchange of 6,800 units, Lasco Distributors advanced 15 cents to settle at $3, trading 429,766 stock units. Lasco Financial fell 14 cents to close at $2.41 with 20,750 units traded, Lasco Manufacturing declined by 10 cents to close at $3.55 with an exchange of 92,236 stock units, Lumber Depot declined by 5 cents to end at 99 cents after investors transferred 191,852 stock units. Mailpac Group increased 12 cents to close at $2.12, with 314,557 units passing through the market, Main Event slipped 1 cent to settle at $3.99 in exchanging 96,123 shares, Medical Disposables dropped 90 cents to close at $5 with 239,464 stock units changing hands and Stationery and Office Supplies fell 38 cents to end at $5.60 with 56,101 units crossing the exchange.
The market closed with an exchange of 136,951 shares, accounting for US$11,645 compared to 687,485 units at US$14,428 on Monday. An average of 27,390 units at US$2,329 traded for Tuesday, in contrast to an average of 229,162 at US$4,809 on Monday. For the month to date, an average of 138,111 units traded at US$17,776 in contrast to 144,624 units at US$18,685. By comparison, June ended with an average of 281,680 units valued at US$46,787.
One Caribbean Media dipped 10 cents to settle at a 52 weeks’ low of $5.15, with 1,200 units crossing the exchange.
,517 units for 12.8 percent of the day’s trade and iCreate with 345,873 units for 6.2 percent market share.
GWest Corporation lost 1 cent to close at 88 cents trading 200 shares, Honey Bun advanced by 10 cents to settle at $5.40, with 23,860 stock units changing hands, Indies Pharma declined 10 cents to $2.90 in an exchange of 35,676 units. ISP Finance dropped by 5 cents after closing at $15.80 and trading 100 shares, Jamaican Teas added 1 cent to close at $5 with investors switching ownership of 37,131 shares, Jetcon Corporation fell 2 cents to settle at 92 cents to finish with 65,662 stock units changing hands. Lasco Financial increased 5 cents to settle at $2.55 with 1,550 stock units crossing the exchange, Lasco Manufacturing climbed 9 cents to $3.65 in trading 200,000 units, Limners and Bards dropped 5 cents to end at $2.60, with 716,517 shares changing hands. Lumber Depot lost 1 cent to close at $1.04 trading 224,046 shares, Mailpac Group fell 14 cents to settle at $2 in trading 2,842,033 stock units, Medical Disposables increased 70 cents in closing at $5.90 with 13,488 shares clearing the market. Stationery and Office Supplies gained 8 cents and ending at $5.98 in trading 481 units and tTech carved out a gain of 67 cents to settle at $6.67 in trading 213,193 shares.
At the close, the prices of 16 stocks rising, the 17 stocks declining and ten remaining unchanged, with the average PE Ratio of the market, ending at 15.3 based on IC Insider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings. In the end, the All Jamaican Composite Index just carved out a gain of 234.59 points to 406,241.88, the Main Index squeezed out a rise of 434.91 points to at 370,741.73, while the JSE Financial Index slipped 0.20 points to 95.91.
June ended with an average of 818,748 units at $7,498,308.
Jamaica Stock Exchange advanced by 45 cents to $21.95, with 11,122 stock units crossing the market, JMMB Group declined by 50 cents to end at $31 after exchanging 74,555 stock units, Key Insurance climbed $1 in closing at $6 and clearing the market with 49,631 shares. Mayberry Investments increased $1.20 t $6.50 with investors switching ownership of 10,421 shares, Palace Amusement jumped $232.50 to close at $1782.50 with investors trading just stock unit, PanJam Investment fell 96 cents after closing at $66.05 and exchanging 3,087 shares. Portland JSX declined by $1.10 to close at $7.25 trading 80,000 units, Proven Investments gained 50 cents to end at $33.50 with 18,517 stock units changing hands, Sagicor Real Estate Fund carved out a gain of $1.17 in ending at $8.92 with an exchange of 1,217 units. Scotia Group lost 30 cents closing at $44.20 with investors swapping 155,653 stock units and Seprod gained $1 to close at $57, with 24,527 shares changing hands.
