5 days of JSE declines end – Monday

The main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange broke the 5 consecutive days of decline on Monday, with the market indices recording modest gains as 31 securities traded compared to 33 that changed hands on Friday.
The main and US markets traded a total of 33 securities, with prices of 11 rising, 15 declining with 7 remaining unchanged, compared to 36 securities trading on Friday.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index gained 706.39 points to close at 401,354.81 and the SE Index advanced 642.91 points to 365,692.36.
Market activity ended with 7,589,172 units carrying a value of $145,956,290 compared to 4,205,246 units with a value of $112,762,089 on Friday.
Portland JSX led trading with 3,180,000 units for 41.90 percent of the day’s volume, followed by Grace Kennedy with 862,758 units accounting for 11.37 percent of the volume changing hands and 1834 Investments with 682,000 units and 9 percent of the day’s volume
IC bid-offer Indicator|The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator ended with the reading showing 14 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 closing with lower offers.
An average of 244,812 units valued at over $4,708,267 traded, in contrast to 127,432 units valued at over $3,417,033 on Friday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts 97,469 units valued at $2,670,351 compared to 89,414 units valued at $2,552,924, previously. Trading for December ended, with an average of 835,037 units with a value of $25,906,477, for each security traded.
In main market activity, Barita Investments gained 61 cents to end at $51.75, trading 46,940 stock units, Berger Paints rose 80 cents and ended trading at $19.80, with 3,071 stock units changing hands, Carreras lost 26 cents and concluded trading at $9.22, with 36,418 units, Caribbean Cement gained 20 cents and finished the trading of 678,084 shares at $41.20. Grace Kennedy lost 95 cents trading 862,758 stock units to close at $58.05, Jamaica Producers shed $1.20 and closed at $21.80, with 1,767 shares changing hands, JMMB Group rose 70 cents to close at $32.50 trading of 13,153 shares. Kingston Wharves lost $1 and settled at $69, with 15,416 units changing hands, 138 Student Living finished trading 511,594 shares with a fall of 9 cents to a 52 weeks’ closing low of $2, after falling to an all-time low of $1.60 earlier, Salada Foods dropped $2 to settle at $35, in trading of 3,900 shares. Scotia Group lost 50 cents to end trading of 24,561 shares to close at $51.50, Seprod lost 64 cents to end at $32.35 with an exchange of 382,779 shares. Sterling Investments rose 40 cents and ended at $4, with 7,632 shares trading, Supreme Ventures rose 50 cents and concluded trading of 76,609 stock units, at $18.50 and Sygnus Credit Investments Jamaica dollar denominated shares traded 34,667 units with a fall of $1.11 to close at $10.10.
Trading in the US dollar market resulted in 113,540 shares valued US$34,627, changing hands. JMMB Group 5.75% preference share rose 6 cents and ended trading at $2.06 with 5,900 units and Proven Investments concluded trading of 107,640 units at 21 US cents. The JSE USD Equities Index declined by 1.90 points to close at 164.43.