Stocks closed out the start to the second half of 2021 with moderate trading leading to rising prices outdoing declining ones on Thursday and leading to gains in the market index, with the volume and value of shares traded declining 60 percent and 68 percent respectively compared to Wednesday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market.
At the close of trading, the All Jamaican Composite Index rose 632.10 points to 463,173.10, the JSE Main Index popped 987.23 points to end at 426,551.38 and the JSE Financial Index popped 0.12 points to 105.19.
Trading ended with a total of 51 securities similar to Wednesday, with 22 stocks rising, 18 declining and 11 remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio, a measure that determines an appropriate relative value for a stock, averages 17.3 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings.
Trading tallied 4,808,070 shares for $51,284,621 versus 11,971,431 units at $162,261,125 on Wednesday. Sagicor Select Financial Fund led trading with 19.5 percent of total volume for 937,064 shares followed by Wigton Windfarm with 16.3 percent from 782,105 units and Transjamaican Highway with 10 percent after exchanging 482,279 units.
Trading averaged 94,276 units at $1,005,581, compared to 234,734 shares at $3,181,591 on Wednesday. Trading in June averages 249,610 units at $3,877,606.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has seven stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments fell $1.05 to $81.95 with an exchange of 10,953 shares, Caribbean Cement declined $2.98 to $92 in switching ownership of 2,107 stock units. Carreras rallied 20 cents to $9.50 with a transfer of 242,839 stocks, Eppley shed 65 cents to $42, with 1,925 units clearing the market, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund spiked $3.79 to $49.99 in exchanging 4,350 shares. First Rock Capital gained 29 cents to end at $15.99 with the swapping of 4,236 stock units, Grace Kennedy sprung $3 higher to $100 with 119,597 shares crossing the exchange, Guardian Holdings dropped $8.01 to close at $690.99 with 8,181 stock units changing hands. Jamaica Broilers spiked 98 cents to $36 with the swapping of 4,092 shares, Jamaica Producers rose $1.10 to $24.60 after exchanging 40,153 stock units, Jamaica Stock Exchange gained 25 cents to finish at $17.50 in switching ownership of 8,038 units. JMMB Group picked up 26 cents to end at $37.99 trading 51,048 stocks, Mayberry Investments shed 75 cents to close at $5.70 with the swapping of 28,827 stock units. Mayberry Jamaican Equities popped $1.38 to $9.90 after 5,374 units crossed the market, 138 Student Living rallied 20 cents to $5.20 in exchanging 1,035 stock units, Palace Amusement spiked $50 to $1,500 in trading 200 units, Sagicor Group fell $2.15 to $55 with 143,472 shares changing hands, Salada Foods rallied $1.20 to $8.20 with 6,191 units clearing the market, Scotia Group fell $1.65 to $40 with an exchange of 14,205 stock units. Seprod gained 45 cents to finish at $72.90 with the swapping of 13,546 shares, Sygnus Credit Investments rose 26 cents to $15.16 after trading 96,399 shares and Wisynco Group spiked 30 cents to $15.80 in switching ownership of 53,694 stocks.
In the preference segment, Eppley 8.75% preference share lost 49 cents to end at $6.51 after an exchange of 322 units and Eppley 8.25% gained 30 cents to close at $7.20 with 100 stocks crossing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.