Barita at record high on Monday

The main market stocks of the Jamaica Stock Exchange declined for the second consecutive day with moderate fall in the indices at the close on Monday. Barita Investments, the subject of a proposed takeover bid closed at a new all-time high of $10.80 at the close.
The All Jamaica Composite Index declined 515.97 points to close at 274,561.37, the JSE Market Index declined 470.10 points to 250,156.51 and the JSE US dollar market index lost 2.04 points to close at 186.22.
At the close of trading, 26 securities changed hands in the main market with 2 trading in the US dollar market, leading to 8 stocks advancing and 9 declining. The main market ended with 6,318,090 units valued at $56,287,458 changing hands compared to 7,902,262 units valued at $237,278,617 at the close on Friday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 243,556 units valued at US$58,933, bringing the total of all trades to J$63,830,938.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and US dollar markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 4 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 with lower offers.
The main market ended trading with an average of 243,003 units valued at $2,164,902 for each security traded compared to an average of 395,113 units valued at $11,863,931. The average volume and value for the month to date ended at 161,636 units with an average value of $3,152,342 compared with an average of 150,012 units with an average value of $3,293,405 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for July ended at 160,668 units with an average value of $2,691,438.
In market activity, Barita Investments traded $1.40 higher to close at an all-time high of $10.80 with 30,000 shares changing hands, Berger Paints gained 95 cents and closed at $16.95 trading 1,218 shares, Cable and Wireless closed at $1.23, after gaining 16 cents with an exchange of 3,513,068 shares, with investors reacting positively to the report of profit in the June quarter. Caribbean Cement lost 51 cents to end at $27.50 with 16,500 shares,Carreras closed at $108, with 88,618 shares switching owners, Grace Kennedy jumped $1.15 to close at $41.15 trading 20,997 shares. Jamaica Broilers lost 50 cents exchanging 332,468 shares to close at $17.50, Jamaica Producers closed at $14.66, with a loss of 44 cents trading 42,186 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange closed at $6.48 with 13,000 shares changing hands, JMMB Group lost 28 cents to close at $20.22, with 341,624 shares. Kingston Properties exchanged 1,000 shares at $8, Kingston Wharves traded $1 higher to $30, with an exchange of 7,000 shares, Mayberry Investments gained 21 cents to close at $4.70, with 465,061 shares changing hands, NCB Financial Group dipped 50 cents to $90.50, after exchanging 111,568 shares, 1834 Investments lost 5 cents to close at $1.35 while trading 1,834 shares, 138 Student Living traded 26,498 shares at $5.50, PanJam Investment closed $1 higher to $31 trading 127,297 shares,Proven Investments exchanged 26,560 shares at $25.02, Pulse Investments closed at $1.86 trading 39,165 shares, Radio Jamaica lost 20 cents exchanging 52,658 shares to close at $1.40, Sagicor Group closed $2.36 lower to $31.99, with 142,899 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund exchanged 18,151 shares at $12.05, Scotia Group closed at $45.90 with trades of 28,304 shares, Supreme Ventures traded 468,136 shares at $8. Margaritaville Turks US ordinary share was down 3 US cents to 33 US cents trading 5,000 units, Proven Investments US ordinary share closed at 24 US cents with 238,566 units changing hands, JMMB Group 7.5% preference share gained 4 cents, closing at $1.15, with 399,500 units changing owners and Proven 8.25% preference share closed at $4.99 exchanging 2,780 units.