Trading plunged as the Junior Market index jumps

Trading plunged on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Friday, with an 81 percent drop in the volume of stocks traded, with a 77 percent lower value than Thursday following trading in 44 securities as was the case on Thursday, with prices of 19 rising, 12 declining and 13 closing unchanged.
Trading closed with an exchange of 1,594,451 shares for $3,409,014 down sharply from 8,355,224 stock units at $15,074,942 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 36,238 shares at $77,478, compared with 189,891 units at $342,612 on Thursday with the month to date, averaging 217,407 units at $486,040 compared to 231,540 stock units at $517,914 on the previous day and March with an average of 221,659 units at $464,382.
Spur Tree Spices led trading with 344,879 shares for 21.6 percent of total volume followed by ONE on ONE Educational with 334,089 units for 21 percent of the day’s trade and Future Energy with 208,553 units for 13.1 percent market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index jumped 35.75 points, ending at 3,794.14.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.6, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2025.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows none ended with a bid higher than the last selling price and two with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial popped 12 cents to end at $21.12 after a transfer of 2,053 shares, AMG Packaging gained 18 cents to close at $3.59 with 199 units crossing the market, Cargo Handlers rose 98 cents in closing at $13.83 in an exchange of 103 stocks. Caribbean Flavours rallied 9 cents and ended at $1.68 with investors swapping 10,055 stock units, Dolphin Cove dropped 26 cents to close at $19.50 with a transfer of 6,983 shares, Everything Fresh fell 18 cents to finish at $1.56 with investors trading 1,016 stock units. Honey Bun shed 10 cents to end at $8 after an exchange of 1,344 units, Image Plus popped 6 cents to end at $1.93 with 4,867 stock units clearing the market, Jamaican Teas rose 6 cents to $2.50 in trading 3 shares. Jetcon Corporation increased 10 cents to end at 95 cents and closed after an exchange of 309 stocks, Knutsford Express sank 9 cents in closing at $11.41 after an exchange of 324 units. Lumber Depot popped 9 cents higher and ended at $2.65 with investors trading 45,776 stocks, Main Event dipped 9 cents to finish at $13.90 after an exchange of 5,640 shares. Spur Tree Spices advanced 8 cents to close at $2.50 in trading 344,879 stock units, Tropical Battery increased 5 cents to end at $2.20 with investors transferring 53,344 stocks and tTech shed 6 cents to close at $2.20 after trading 20 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.