Trading jumps on Junior Market

Investors pushed trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Tuesday, with a 78 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded, following a 60 percent hike in the value compared with trading on Monday with trading in 46 securities compared with 45 on Monday and ending with prices of 14 rising, 20 declining and 12 closing unchanged.
The market closed with trading of 6,998,714 shares on Tuesday for $18,504,634 compared with 3,940,936 units at $11,557,517 on Monday.
Trading averaged 152,146 shares at $402,275, compared with 87,576 units at $256,834 on Monday with the month to date, averaging 209,355 units at $510,491 compared to 217,844 stock units at $526,549 on the previous day and February with an average of 253,246 units at $637,481.
Future Energy led trading with 2.27 million shares for 32.4 percent of total volume followed by EduFocal with 1.34 million units for 19.1 percent of the day’s trade and Fosrich with 573,092 units for 8.2 percent market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index skidded 30.03 points to close at 3,776.65.
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 three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial fell $3.30 to a 52 weeks’ low of $18.70 as investors exchanged 656 shares, AMG Packaging increased 6 cents in closing at $3.55 in switching ownership of 1,570 units, Cargo Handlers climbed $1.25 to end at $14.48 with just one share crossing the market. Dolphin Cove rose 8 cents to $19.97 after a transfer of 34,697 stock units, EduFocal declined 7 cents to $1.13 in exchanging 1,338,153 shares, Elite Diagnostic advanced 5 cents to $1.69 with investors swapping 22,287 stock units. Express Catering sank 12 cents to close at $3.87 in an exchange of 2,951 units, Fontana popped 17 cents and ended at $9.30, with 6,969 stocks changing hands, Future Energy lost 9 cents in closing at $3.47 in an exchange of 2,270,580 shares. Honey Bun dipped 19 cents to end at $7.07 with investors transferring 3,199 stocks, Indies Pharma skidded 5 cents in closing at $2.65 after exchanging 46,444 units, ISP Finance gained 40 cents to $28.50, with one stock unit clearing the market. Knutsford Express rallied 5 cents to end at $11.90 with an exchange of one share, Limners and Bards shed 14 cents and ended at $1.48 with 2,302 units, Lumber Depot dropped 28 cents to close at $2.50 after an exchange of 62,947 stocks. Mailpac Group fell 10 cents to $2.08 with investors dealing in 109,087 stock units, Main Event declined 65 cents to close at $13.60 with a transfer of 26,001 shares, following release of first quarter results showing revenues and profit declining compared with that of 2023. Medical Disposables sank 9 cents in closing at $2.58 after trading 2,779 stock units. MFS Capital Partners dipped 7 cents and ended at $1.90 with 452,187 stocks passed through the market, Regency Petroleum increased 5 cents to end at $2.20 with investors trading 172,740 units and Tropical Battery popped 5 cents to $2.20 with 49,523 shares crossing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.