Trading drops on Junior Market

The Junior Market index slipped at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday, after a 19 percent slippage in the volume of stocks traded and a 16 percent fall in the value compared with trading on Tuesday, following trading taking place in 45 securities compared with 48 on Tuesday and ended with prices of 21 rising, 19 declining and five closing unchanged.
Investors traded 6,413,927 shares for $17,798,049, compared with 7,914,653 units at $21,222,090 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 142,532 shares at $395,512, compared to 164,889 shares at $442,127 on Tuesday, with the month to date averaging 419,861 units at $6,880,948, down from 478,177 stocks at $8,244,708 on the previous day. Trading in March averaged 509,288 units at $1,071,868.
Image Plus Consultants led trading with 697,690 shares for 10.9 percent of total volume followed by Lumber Depot with 543,873 units for 8.5 percent of the day’s trade and Lasco Financial with 495,090 units for 7.7 percent market share.
At the close, the Junior Market Index dipped 4.92 points to close at 3,698.57 after hitting the 3,780 mark in early trading.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 11. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded stock price in conjunction with ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial increased 51 cents to $24.99 as 53 shares passed through the market, Cargo Handlers advanced 51 cents in closing at $13.50 with the swapping of 11 stock units, Caribbean Cream popped 19 cents to $3.49 with a transfer of 51 stocks, Consolidated Bakeries gained 49 cents to end at $2.50 in exchanging 1,196 units. Dolla Financial rose 12 cents to close at $2.78 in trading 408,381 units, Dolphin Cove dipped 16 cents in closing at $14.34, with 24,586 stock units crossing the exchange, EduFocal fell 10 cents to close at $2 while exchanging 648 stocks, Express Catering rallied 49 cents to $5.94 after a transfer of 249,173 shares, following the release of third quarter results that showed continued recovery in revenues and profit. Fontana climbed 20 cents to end at $8.30 in an exchange of 31,707 stock units, General Accident gained 34 cents after ending at $5.05, with 454 units crossing the market, ISP Finance popped $2.50 to close at $21.20, with 83 stocks clearing the market, Jamaican Teas slipped 16 cents to $2.19, with 244,602 shares crossing the market. Knutsford Express declined $1.08 to $10.70 in switching ownership of 3,468 shares, Lasco Distributors lost 11 cents to close at $2.32 as investors exchanged 461,656 units, Lasco Financial dropped 15 cents to $2.40 with an exchange of 495,090 stocks, Lasco Manufacturing shed 10 cents to end at $4, with 419,157 stock units changing hands. Limners and Bards rose 20 cents after ending at $2.40 and closed with an exchange of 6,886 units, Main Event advanced 60 cents in closing at $12.30 after 4,593 stocks changed hands, MFS Capital Partners lost 10 cents to close at $3.40 trading 167,990 shares and Paramount Trading declined 23 cents to $2.17 with investors transferring 2,900 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.