Trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange suffered its worst decline ever, on Monday, with a fall of 137.68 points to close at 2,396.82 in the market Index as the prices of 24 declined, just seven securities advancing and six closing unchanged.
The fall in the market took the 2019 losses to 28.4 percent and the fall from the peak to whopping 35 percent.
Caribbean Assurance Brokers started trading after a heavy oversubscription in the issue of shares to the public and rose 54 cents to close at $2.45 after exchanging 204,158 shares. The market closed with six stocks trading at 52 weeks’ lows, while three traded at intraday lows during the day.
Market activity finished with 37 securities changing hands, resulting in an exchange of 13,538,971 units valued at $24,108,315 compared to 3,023,002 units valued at $8,414,790 from 36 securities on Friday.
Trading ended with an average of 365,918 units for $651,576 for each security traded, in contrast to 83,972 units for an average of $233,744 on Friday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to units 165,898 valued at $384,243 and previously 112,656 units valued at $313,082. In contrast, February closed with an average of 167,673 units valued at $488,098 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close of the market, Access Financial gained $1.25 to end at $25 with 8,472 stock units trading, AMG Packaging closed with a loss of 20 cents at $1.60, in swapping 59,917 shares, Caribbean Cream declined by 2 cents to settle at $3.07, with an exchange of 10,028 stock units. Cargo Handlers lost 30 cents to end at $6.70 trading 1,545 shares, Caribbean Flavours ended with a loss of 1 cent at $10.15 with 3,350 stock units changing hands, Consolidated Bakeries closed 3 cents higher at $1.63, with 9,572 stock units trading. Derrimon Trading closed 12 cents higher at $1.92, with 7,188 stock units changing hands, Dolphin Cove dropped $1.70 to settle at a 52 weeks’ low of $8.30 in transferring 98,419 units, Elite Diagnostic ended market activity exchanging 79,540 shares to close at $3.30 after falling 40 cents. Express Catering closed trading of 158,444 units and gained 25 cents after trading at an intraday 52 weeks’ low of $3.50 to end at $4, Fontana lost 25 cents in trading 416,795 shares to close at $4.75. Fosrich ended market activity, exchanging 69,044 shares to close at $2.75, after falling 58 cents. General Accident dropped $1.49 trading of 155,750 units at $4.50, GWest Corporation lost 2 cents in trading of 123,368 units at 98 cents, Honey Bun lost $1.01 trading 96,150 shares to close at $5.29. iCreate ended with a loss of 1 cent to settle at 62 cents with 12,400 stock units changing hands, Indies Pharma dipped 18 cents in trading 26,145 units at $2.02, Iron Rock Insurance declined by 70 cents to close at 52 weeks’ low $2.30, with 5,381 units changing hands. Jetcon Corporation closed 5 cents lower in exchanging 28,900 shares to end at $1.25, but only after hitting a 52 weeks’ intraday low of $1,
Knutsford Express closed with a loss of $1.10 at $9 swapping of 7,100 shares. Lasco Financial shed 64 cents in exchanging 190,506 units at a 52 weeks’ low of $2.46, Lasco Manufacturing closed 15 cents higher at $3.15, with 191,907 stock units trading after falling to an intraday low of $2.50. Limners and Bards fell 4 cents in transferring 123,710 units at $2.40, Lumber Depot ended market activity exchanging 775,632 shares to close at $1.25, after falling 12 cents, MailPac lost 20 cents in trading of 10,135,145 units at $1.50. Main Event fell 89 cents to end at $5.10, after trading 29,501 shares, Medical Disposables closed trading of 5,240 units and gained 7 cents to end at $6.30. Paramount Trading fell 24 cents in an exchange of 100,000 units at $1.70, SSL Venture closed with a loss of 10 cents at $1.02, after swapping 106,000 shares and tTech fell 70 cents to $4, after transferring 7,357 stock units.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
