Trading inched higher on Junior Market

Trading picked up moderately on Tuesday over Monday, with the volume and the value of stocks traded rising at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market, leading to the number of advancing and declining stocks closing almost even.
Market activity led to 36 securities trading compared to 35 on Monday and ended with 16 rising, 17 declining and three ending unchanged. The Junior Market Index slipped just 0.10 points to 3,382.40. The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock value, averages 4.3. The PE ratio of each stock is shown in the chart below, is based on earnings forecasted by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending up to August 2022.
Trading ended with 3,658,667 shares changing hands for $16,374,907 , up from 3,190,110 units at $12,896,482 on Monday. Express Catering led trading with 578,623 shares for 15.8 percent of total volume, followed by Mailpac Group with 508,966 units for 13.9 percent of the day’s trade and Derrimon Trading with 447,753 units for 12.2 percent market share.
Trading averaged 101,630 shares at $454,859 versus 91,146 shares at $368,471 on Monday and month to date, averaging 160,795 units at $601,848  compared to 164,399 units at $610,802 on Monday. October closed with an average of 162,777 units at $557,275.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four stocks with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial fell 50 cents to $20 in trading 109 shares, AMG Packaging increased 5 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $2.70 after hitting a high for the day of $2.89, with an exchange of 187,358 stocks, Blue Power gained 23 cents to close at $3 after exchanging 10,000 units, Caribbean Assurance Brokers dropped 10 cents ending at $2.40, with 179,965 stocks clearing the market. Caribbean Cream spiked 49 cents in closing at $6 after trading nine stock units, Derrimon Trading lost 10 cents to end at $2.21 in exchanging 447,753 units, Dolphin Cove shed 70 cents to $13.29, with 282,618 stocks changing hands. Elite Diagnostic fell 21 cents to $3.23, with 40,200 stock units crossing the market, Express Catering rallied 10 cents to $5.36 as 578,623 shares changed hands, Fosrich declined 37 cents to end at $8.45 after 19,955 shares crossed the market. Future Energy Source fell 15 cents to close at $2.68 after trading 336,563 units, General Accident shed 40 cents to close at $6.50 in an exchange of 16,431 stocks, Honey Bun popped $1.47 in closing at $11.72 in trading 69,284 stock units. Iron Rock Insurance advanced 70 cents to end at $4 in exchanging 30,000 units, KLE Group climbed 13 cents to $3.13 with 250 stock units changing hands, Knutsford Express increased 48 cents to $7.98 with an exchange of 600 shares. Lasco Distributors rose 15 cents in closing at $3.30, exchanging 35,264 stocks, Lasco Financial dropped 19 cents to $3 in switching ownership of 155,614 units, Limners and Bards gained 18 cents to end at $3.51 after trading 41,209 stocks. Lumber Depot slipped 12 cents to $2.85 in trading 185,841 stock units, Mailpac Group dropped 9 cents to close at $3.30 with 508,966 shares crossing the market, Medical Disposables increased $1.40 to end at $6.60 after trading 29,021 stock units. Stationery and Office Supplies lost 64 cents to close at $5.55 after exchanging 32,889 stocks and Tropical Battery shed 13 cents in ending at $1.22, with 31,261 shares crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.