Winners hard to find on Junior Market

A mere five stocks recorded gains on Tuesday, following trading in 41 securities up from 43 on Monday with prices of 22 declining and 14 closing unchanged, however, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator is flashing positive developments for trading activity on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday, as the market ended with a 132 percent surge in the volume of stocks traded, with a 331 percent greater value than Monday.
The market closed on Tuesday with trading of 9,854,162 stock units for $24,889,108 compared to 4,251,907 shares at $5,779,055 on Monday.
Trading averaged 240,345 shares at $607,051 up from 98,882 units at $134,397 on Monday with the month to date, averaging 409,509 units at $842,354 compared to 421,225 stock units at $858,650 on the previous day and June with an average of 318,732 units at $696,979.
JFP Ltd led trading with 2.40 million shares for 24.4 percent of total volume followed by EduFocal with 2.26 million stocks for 22.9 percent of the day’s trade, Fontana ended with 1.72 million units for 17.4 percent market share and Dolla Financial with 1.03 million shares for 10.4 percent of total volume.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index dropped 30.30 points to close at 3,640.76.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.4, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for financial years ending around August 2025.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 10 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial shed $3.44 to end at $18.51 with investors dealing in 1,500 stock units, Cargo Handlers sank 40 cents to $12 with 2,100 shares crossing the market, Caribbean Assurance Brokers dipped 20 cents to $3.40 as investors traded 5,120 stocks. Dolla Financial sank 11 cents to finish at $2.77 and closed with an exchange of 1,026,165 units, Express Catering climbed 11 cents and ended at $4 with investors trading 115,457 shares, Fontana slipped 10 cents to close at $7.95 after 1,717,590 stocks passed through the market. Honey Bun fell 30 cents to $8.25 in trading 9,696 units, Indies Pharma skidded 30 cents to close at $2.30, with 158,642 stock units crossing the exchange, following the lifting of the suspension of trading, Iron Rock Insurance increased 12 cents to finish at $2.30 with traders dealing in just one stock with the company posting big gains in profit for the 2023 fiscal year and the first quarter to March. ISP Finance lost $5 and ended at $20, with 2,000 stocks clearing the market, JFP Ltd declined 10 cents in closing at $1.04 with an exchange of 2,402,260 units, Limners and Bards dipped 9 cents to end at $1.50 after investors ended trading 5,000 stock units. Main Event fell 20 cents in closing at $12.50 with a transfer of 30,021 shares and Regency Petroleum dropped 14 cents to $2.26, with 24,424 stocks changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.