Trading in the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange was hit hard with declining stock ending 2 to 1 over advancing ones leading to big fall in the main market indices. At the close on Thursday the All Jamaica Composite Index dropped 2,155.19 points to close at 256,762.81, the JSE Market Index tumbled 1,963.63 points to 233,940.00 and the JSE US dollar market index lost 5.48 points to 187.70.
At the close of trading, 27 securities changed hands with 2 trading in the US dollar market, leading to 8 stocks advancing and 16 declining. Trading in the main market ended with 12,639,003 units valued at $265,691,928 changing hands compared to 5,154,113 units valued at $53,288,691 at the close on Wednesday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 47,800 units valued at US$40,223.
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 8 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 1 with a lower offer.
The main market ended trading with an average of 468,111 units valued at $9,840,442 for every security traded compared to an average of 234,278 units valued at $2,422,213 on Wednesday. The average volume and value for the month to date ended at 217,644 units with an average value of $4,360,892 compared with an average of 192,597 units with an average value of $3,812,937 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for May ended at 358,008 units and $9,037,303.
In market activity, Barita Investments closed at $6, losing $1 trading 2,800 shares, Berger Paints traded 69 cents lower to close at $17.31 in exchanging 19,999 shares, Cable and Wireless closed at $1.20, with 126,884 stock units changing, Caribbean Cement closed at $26.50, after losing 10 cents trading 2,940 shares, Carreras advanced $4.90 to close at $86.90, with an exchange of 31,475 units, Grace Kennedy closed at $40.77, losing 23 cents with 196,826 units changing hands, Jamaica Broilers gained 5 cents exchanging 74,526 shares to close at $18, Jamaica Producers closed at $14.50, with gains of 10 cents trading 66,154 units. Jamaica Stock Exchange closed at $7, with an exchange of 31,000 shares, JMMB Group closed at $19.20, losing 30 cents trading 54,696 units, Kingston Properties traded $1.26 lower to close at $10 exchanging 10,000 shares, Kingston Wharves closed at $28.54 with 300 shares changing ownership, NCB Financial Group gained $1.95 and closed at $72, after exchanging 2,964,070 shares, 1834 Investments exchanged 10,473 units at $1.35, 138 Student Living closed at $4.48, with trades of 1,110 units. PanJam Investment lost 50 cents, closing at $33.50 trading 13,090 shares, 
Pulse Investments closed at $17, losing 40 cents with an exchange of just 607 shares, Radio Jamaica closed at $1.65, with a loss of 1 cent in exchanging 7,102,241 shares, Sagicor Group closed at $34.10, losing 10 cents trading 268,796 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 5 cents higher to close at $11.20 with 4,260 shares exchanged. Scotia Group closed at $43, with gains of 30 cents trading 313,510 shares, Scotia Investments lost 50 cents to close at $36.50, with 23,129 units changing hands, Seprod closed at $29.50, gaining 50 cents, with trades of 3,315 shares while Supreme Ventures closed at $7.26, with a loss of 9 cents and 255,820 shares changing hands. Proven Investments rose marginally in exchanging 15,300 ordinary shares at 24.01 US cents, JMMB Group USD 6% preference share closed at US$1.12 with trades of 32,500 units, JMMB 7.5% preference share lost 5 cents to close at $1.90, with an exchange of 60,000 units, JPS 9.5% preference share closed $23 lower, closing at $1,302 with 982 units and JMMB Group 7.5% preference share closed at $1.12, losing 3 cents with trades of 1,000,000 units.
