Twice as many Junior stocks fell but index rise

Trading activity rose sharply on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Junior Market on Friday, with the volume of stocks traded increasing 168 percent and the value climbing 93 percent higher than Thursday, but declining stocks beat out rising stocks by more than two to one.
A total of 42 securities traded similar to Thursday and ended with ten rising, 23 declining and nine closing unchanged.
At the close, the Junior Market Index rose 36.48 points to settle at 4,263.14.
The PE Ratio, a measure of computing appropriate stock values, averages 13.4. The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks incorporate ICInsider.com projected earnings for companies with financial year end that falls between September this year and August 2023.
Overall, 18,614,187 shares traded for $60,183,004 versus 6,943,963 units at $31,114,240 on Thursday. Trading averaged 443,195 shares at $1,432,929 in contrast to 165,332 shares at $740,815 on Thursday with month to date, averaging 285,898 units at $1,010,645 compared to 204,336 units at $791,683 on the previous trading day. May closed with an average of 376,907 units at $1,638,631.
Jamaican Teas led trading with 15.47 million shares for 83.1 percent of total volume, followed by JFP Limited with 368,755 units for 2 percent of the day’s trade and Elite Diagnostic, 342,875 units for 1.8 percent market share.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows one stock ended with a bid higher than the last selling price and three with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial shed 5 cents in closing at $21.80 after 21 shares were exchanged, AMG Packaging dropped 16 cents in ending at $3.51, with 6,643 units crossing the market, Blue Power gained 10 cents to close at $3.80 with the swapping of 667 stocks. CAC 2000 declined 39 cents to $7, with 5,000 stock units crossing the market, Caribbean Assurance Brokers fell 5 cents to end at $2.39 in an exchange of 61,885 shares, Caribbean Flavours lost 7 cents to close at $1.88, with an exchange of 109,959 stock units. Dolphin Cove shed 50 cents in closing at $16.50 after exchanging 121,049 stocks, Express Catering advanced 38 cents in ending at $5.99 with 1,500 units changing hands, Fontana fell 5 cents to end at $9.80 after exchanging 144,487 stocks. Fosrich lost 95 cents to close at $30, with 47,684 stock units clearing the market, Future Energy Source declined 18 cents to $6.05 in exchanging 241,603 shares, Honey Bun increased 70 cents in closing at $8.96 after trading 6,129 units. Indies Pharma dropped 15 cents to $3, with 36,801 stocks changing hands, Jamaican Teas shed 6 cents to close at $3.19, trading 15,472,600 units, Jetcon Corporation dropped 13 cents to end at $1.32, trading 24,007 stock units. Lasco Distributors popped 5 cents to $3.49 while exchanging 55,788 shares, Lasco Financial declined 8 cents in closing at $3.50 in switching ownership of 6,443 shares, Medical Disposables rallied 40 cents in ending at $7.85 after 24,822 stock units crossed the exchange. Paramount Trading lost 14 cents to end at $1.76, with 2,750 stocks clearing the market, Spur Tree Spices fell 5 cents to close at $3.90 after an exchange of 52,606 units, Stationery and Office Supplies climbed 22 cents to close at $12.30 in trading 3,047 shares and tTech fell 20 cents to $3.60 after exchanging 2,206 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.