Trading closed on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Thursday, with the market slipping as declining stocks overpowered those rising following moderate price changes following a 15 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded with a value that was 11 percent more than on Wednesday after trading in 41 securities compared with 42 on Wednesday and ending with prices of eight rising, 18 declining and 15 closing unchanged.
The market ended with an exchange of 7,401,497 stock units at $21,829,864 versus 8,696,982 units for $19,603,907 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 180,524 shares at $532,436, compared with 207,071 units at $466,760, Wednesday. Trading for the month to date, averaged 165,048 stock units at $344,449 compared with 163,794 shares at $329,217 on the previous day and December with an average of 466,866 units at $1,111,272.
Future Energy led trading with 2.23 million shares for 30.1 percent of total volume followed by Derrimon Trading with 888,112 units for 12 percent of the day’s trade and Jamaican Teas with 641,782 units for 8.7 percent market share.
At the close of the market, the Junior Market Index slipped 9.51 points to wrap-up trading at 3,731.89.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.9, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows seven stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Caribbean Cream dipped 31 cents and ended at $3.41, with a mere 2,000 stock units crossing the exchange, Consolidated Bakeries fell 8 cents to end at $2.10, with 688 shares changing hands, Dolphin Cove shed 19 cents to end at $18.01 after 3,030 units passed through the market. Elite Diagnostic rallied 9 cents in closing at $1.60 after an exchange of just 785 stocks, Fontana declined 9 cents to close at $10.50 with 171,795 units clearing the market,
Honey Bun lost 8 cents to end at $6.17 with 1,000 stock units being traded. Lasco Distributors sank 10 cents to end at $4, with 55,480 shares crossing the market, MFS Capital Partners increased 7 cents in closing at $2.48 in switching ownership of 351,808 stock units, Paramount Trading popped 14 cents to close at $1.55 with investors trading 44,442 shares. Spur Tree Spices dropped 12 cents and ended at $2.34 in an exchange of 86,314 stock units and Tropical Battery skidded 17 cents to $2.13 with traders dealing in 64,785 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
At the close of trading, 17,340,719 shares were exchanged in all three markets, down from 26,660,691 units on Wednesday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $109.09 million, down from $154.59 million on Wednesday and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 156,654 shares for US$16,462 compared to 664,963 units at US$18,341 on Wednesday.
The major declining Main Market stocks include Pan Jamaica skidded $3.95 to $45.55, Sagicor Group fell 99 cents to end at $42 and Scotia Group dropped $2.34 in closing at $39.06.
The net asset value of each company is reported as a guide to quickly assess the value of stocks based on this measure. The chart also shows daily changes in stock prices and the percentage year to date price movement based on the last traded prices.
The market closed on Thursday with 80 percent fewer shares trading than were exchanged on Wednesday after 27,758 shares were traded with an 81 percent lower value of $381,991 compared to 141,099 stock units at $1,991,839 on Wednesday.
At the close, Agostini’s ended trading at $68.49 with investors trading 14 stocks, Angostura Holdings skidded 40 cents to $20.10, with 48 units clearing the market, First Citizens Group ended at $50.01 with 1,850 shares being traded. FirstCaribbean International Bank popped 5 cents in closing at $7.05, with 62 stock units crossing the market, JMMB Group sank 6 cents to $1.31 with an exchange of 5,000 shares, Massy Holdings ended at $4.44, with 9,104 stock units changing hands. 
National Flour Mills dropped 5 cents and ended at $1.95 in trading 5,643 units, Prestige Holdings rallied 4 cents to end at $9.30 after exchanging 176 stock units, Republic Financial rose 50 cents in closing at $121.50 with investors dealing in 1,643 shares. Scotiabank fell 50 cents to close at $69.50 in switching ownership of 99 stocks, Trinidad & Tobago NGL declined 56 cents to $10.11 as investors exchanged 500 units, Trinidad Cement shed 10 cents to close at $3.15 after 3,000 stock units crossed the market and Unilever Caribbean remained at $11.75 with a transfer of 619 shares.
The market ended with an exchange of 17,298,746 shares for $174,984,093 compared with 7,620,490 units at $62,076,383 on Tuesday.
The All Jamaican Composite Index shed 446.67 points to close trading at 358,938.90, the JSE Main Index climbed 237.24 points to settle at 323,070.15 and the JSE Financial Index increased 0.53 points to finish at 69.67.
Jamaica Producers rallied $3.50 to close at $26 after a transfer of 3,963,336 shares, JMMB Group rose 40 cents to $24.40, with 6,362 stock units crossing the exchange, Margaritaville advanced 50 cents and ended at $15.50 with investors transferring 8 units. Mayberry Group sank 85 cents in closing at $7.56 after an exchange of 1,224 stocks, NCB Financial declined $1 to end at $66, with 18,192 units crossing the market, Pan Jamaica fell 50 cents to close at $49.50 with an exchange of 2,136 shares. Proven Investments shed 64 cents to $21.31 with 1,836 stock units crossing the market, Sagicor Group gained 99 cents to end at $42.99 as investors exchanged 6,404 shares, Seprod fell $3.17 in closing at $83 with a transfer of 2,973 stocks and Wisynco Group dipped 48 cents and ended at $20.50 while exchanging 29,423 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
The market ended with 8,696,982 shares being traded for $19,603,907 compared with 11,812,842 units at $21,832,768 on Tuesday.
At the close, the Junior Market Index rose 17.68 points to finish trading at 3,741.40.
Fosrich fell 16 cents in closing at $2.22 with investors swapping 100,442 stocks, Iron Rock Insurance gained 44 cents to close at $2.51 in switching ownership of just one stock unit, ISP Finance rose $1.19 and ended at $22.64 while exchanging 1,435 shares. Knutsford Express declined $1.38 to end at $11 with traders dealing in 1,825 units, Lasco Distributors climbed 25 cents in closing at $4.10 in an exchange of 27,528 stocks, Lasco Manufacturing increased 9 cents to $4.61, with 32,190 stock units crossing the market. Main Event advanced 20 cents to end at $15 in an exchange of 30,918 shares, Spur Tree Spices rallied 10 cents to close at $2.46 and ended with an exchange of 82,607 stock units and Tropical Battery popped 17 cents and ended at $2.30 as investors exchanged 28,150 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
At the close of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index climbed 377.37 points to end at 335,755.48, the All Jamaican Composite Index shed 446.67 points to close at 358,938.90, the JSE Main Index advanced 237.24 points to end at 323,070.15. The Junior Market Index rose 17.68 points to 3,741.40 and the JSE USD Market Index slipped 1.17 points to end the day at 242.33.
In the Junior Market, Express Catering led trading with 2.12 million shares followed by EduFocal with 2.04 million units and iCreate with 971,348 units.
Investors should use the chart to help make rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the average for the sector and not going too far from it unless there are compelling reasons to do so. This approach helps to remove emotions from investment decisions and place them on fundamentals while at the same time not being too far from the majority of investors. Investors who buy when the price of a stock is close to the average will find that they are not inclined to overpay for a stock.
The market closed with trading in 141,099 shares at $1,991,839 down from 106,319 stock units at $3,759,336 on Tuesday.
At the close, Angostura Holdings rose 40 cents to close at $20.50 in an exchange of 27 stocks, First Citizens Group gained 1 cent to close at $50.01 with investors dealing in 18,029 units, GraceKennedy dipped 2 cents to end at $4.15 after an exchange of 88,464 shares. Massy Holdings popped 9 cents in closing at $4.44 and closed with an exchange of 11,625 stock units, National Enterprises fell 10 cents and ended at $3.80 with traders dealing in 1,180 shares, National Flour Mills increased 1 cent to $2 after a transfer of 100 stock units. One Caribbean Media remained at $3.50 in trading 1,420 units, Republic Financial ended at $121 with 1,107 stocks clearing the market, 
Scotiabank popped 1 cent higher in closing at $70 in an exchange of 5,689 units. Trinidad & Tobago NGL declined 10 cents to end at $10.67 with investors transferring 757 stocks, Unilever Caribbean rallied 10 cents to $11.75 in switching ownership of 3,002 shares and West Indian Tobacco sank 15 cents in closing at $8.75 with investors swapping 9,699 stock units.
The volume of stocks traded declined by 52 percent, but the value jumped by 54 percent than on Monday, after an exchange of 48 securities down from 55 on Monday, with prices of 19 rising, 18 declining and 11 ending unchanged as the market closed with an exchange of 7,620,490 shares for $62,076,383 compared with 15,892,941 units at $40,238,845 on Monday.
The All Jamaican Composite Index climbed 2,400.43 points to close at 359,385.57, the JSE Main Index advanced 1,467.74 points to end the day at 322,832.91 and the JSE Financial Index popped 0.81 points to wrap up trading at 69.14.
Jamaica Broilers dropped $1.02 to end at $32.50 with 20,709 shares crossing the exchange, JMMB Group sank 67 cents in closing at $24 with trading of 15,379 stocks. Margaritaville lost $2.58 to end at $15 in switching ownership of 31,000 units, Massy Holdings declined by $1 to $88 with investors swapping 211,913 stocks, Mayberry Group rose 86 cents to close at $8.41 after an exchange of 1,699 shares. NCB Financial shed 40 cents to $67 with investors trading 13,181 units, Pan Jamaica skidded 42 cents to $50 with an exchange of 92,892 stocks, Scotia Group jumped $2.47 to end at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $41.50, with 35,353 units crossing the market and Stanley Motta popped 88 cents in closing at $6.15 with investors dealing in 31,297 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
