Stocks stretched gains for another day at the close of trading on Tuesday, making it the eleventh day of unbroken gains as the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended with an exchange of very low volume of stocks trading that still ended 31 percent more, with the value up 14 percent compared to Monday’s trades.
The All Jamaican Composite Index rose 267.24 points to 443,431.43, the Main Index gained 235.50 points to 403,882.90, but the JSE Financial Index slipped 0.19 points to settle at 100.37.
Trading ended with 50 securities, down from 52 on Monday and closed with prices of 19 stocks rising, 18 declining and 13 remaining unchanged. One stock traded at an intraday 52 weeks’ high and one ended at a closing 52 weeks’ high. The PE Ratio averages 16.1 based on ICInsider.com forecast of 2021-22 earnings.
Investors traded 10,464,481 shares for just $56,687,872 up from a paltry 7,978,781 units at $49,570,730 on Monday. Transjamaican Highway led trading with 25.2 percent of total volume for an exchange of 2.63 million shares, followed by Wigton Windfarm with 18.6 percent for 1.95 million units, QWI Investments 11.3 percent, with 1.19 million units and Sagicor Select Financial Fund 10.1 percent with 1.06 million units.
Trading averaged 209,290 units at $1,133,757, up from 153,438 shares at $953,283 on Monday. Month to date trading averages 229,131 units at $1,490,898, in contrast to 230,425 units at $1,514,180 on Monday. March averaged 354,304 units at $2,543,232.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows ten stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments advanced 21 cents to $86.50 with an exchange of 4,593 shares, Berger Paints rose 80 cents to $13.50 after 5,678 stock units crossed the exchange, Caribbean Cement declined $1.70 to $74.25 with investors switching ownership of 7,814 units. Carreras gained 34 cents to close at $9.40 in the trading of 774,927 shares, Grace Kennedy fell $1 to close at $87 in the transfer of 76,808 shares, Jamaica Broilers rose $2.95 to a 52 weeks’ high of $32.15 in an exchange of 97,910 stocks, Jamaica Producers shed 80 cents to close at $27.70 with the swapping of 16,771 stock units. JMMB Group lost 50 cents to end at $32 after an exchange of 121,570 shares, Key Insurance rose 35 cents to $5.95 with 195,569 stocks changing hands, Kingston Properties picked up 20 cents in closing at $7.45 in trading 100 units. Margaritaville fell $1.01 to $28.99 with the swapping of 4,703 shares, Palace Amusement climbed $9 to $949 in switching ownership of 185 stocks, PanJam Investment declined $2.38 to $63.62 in the trading of 9,952 stock units,
Salada Foods shed 43 cents to end at $6.50 with 649,659 shares changing hands after trading at a 52 weeks’ intraday high of $7.43. Scotia Group gained 50 cents to finish at $43 with 6,799 stocks crossing the market and Seprod closed 50 cents higher at $82.50 with the swapping of 63,099 stock units.
In the preference segment, Eppley 8.75% preference share dropped $1.01 to $6.51, with 25 units crossing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading was halted towards the original close after the trading platform encountered problems, closing market activity until minutes to 3 pm ahead of the close for the day.
Trading averaged 153,438 units at $953,283, down from 272,764 shares at $2,129,432 on Friday. Month to date trading averages 230,425 units at $1,514,180, in contrast to 235,024 units at $1,554,972 on Friday. March averaged 354,304 units at $2,543,232.
Salada Foods gained 43 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $6.93 in the trading of 118,708 stock units. Scotia Group gained 60 cents to end at $42.50 after exchanging 53,675 units, Seprod fell 50 cents to $82 with the swapping of 6,856 stocks and Victoria Mutual Investments gained 52 cents to end at $6.45 with 254,746 stock units changing hands.
Newly listed Future Energy Source (Fesco) dominated trading on the Junior Market for the second trading day with just under 87 percent of the volume, with the price rising to $1.16 in early trading before pulling back, later on, to end at a record close of $1.09. 
The Junior Market Index climbed 23.96 points to settle at 3,174.51 after breaking through the 3,200 mark at the opening of the market and peaking at 3,203,03 after 9 minutes into trading. The PE Ratio based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings averaged 12.8.
Fosrich dropped 50 cents to $6 with 36,236 units changing hands, Indies Pharma rose 6 cents to $4.25 with 72,206 stocks traded, Iron Rock Insurance dropped $1.05 to $2.95 with a transfer of 1,850 stock units. Jamaican Teas lost 9 cents to end at $3.51 with 934,196 shares passing through the market, Jetcon Corporation gained 5 cents to close at 83 cents with an exchange of 11,700 units, Mailpac Group rose 12 cents to $3.54 with 88,702 stock units changing hands. Main Event jumped 65 cents to $4.70 with 13,526 shares traded, Medical Disposables rose 9 cents to $4.19 with a transfer of 68,372 stock units, Paramount Trading increased by 11 cents to $1.41 with investors switching ownership of 40,000 units and tTech advanced 19 cents to $4.60 with 568 shares crossing the exchange.
The market index ended with a gain of 13.99 points at 3,150.55, with an increase of 19 2 percent year to date. Trading ended with 34 securities changing hands compared to 35 on Thursday and closed with the prices of 12 stocks rising, 14 declining and eight closing unchanged. The PE Ratio, based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings, averages 12.9.
Future Energy Source advanced 26 cents to end at a record $1.06 with 19,680,813 stocks crossing the market, Indies Pharma picked up 7 cents to close at $4.19 trading 89,595 shares. Iron Rock Insurance rose 20 cents to $4 with 5,263 shares crossing the market, Jamaican Teas gained 10 cents to close at $3.60 in the swapping of 577,253 shares, Jetcon Corporation ended 6 cents lower at 78 cents after 4,000 stock units cleared the market, Lasco Manufacturing rose 75 cents in closing at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $5.45 with a transfer of 49,020 stocks. Lumber Depot carved out a gain of 2 cents to close at $2.49 after trading 505,232 units, Mailpac Group declined 8 cents to close at $3.42 with 305,323 stock units changing hands and Main Event dropped 40 cents to end at $4.05 after trading 36,163 stocks.
A total of 52 securities traded, up from 49 on Thursday, with prices of 22 rising, 19 declining and 11 remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio, based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings, averages 16.1.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has five stocks ending with bids higher than the last selling prices and three with lower offers.
Salada Foods picked up 30 cents to end at $6.50, with 174,920 shares changing hands, Scotia Group closed 34 cents higher at $41.90 after exchanging 27,609 stock units and Seprod fell 30 cents to $82.50 with 12,264 stock units changing hands.
After taking a battering in March last year with the market index dropping 39 percent from the end of 2019 to the bottom in March last year, junior Market stocks have put in a spirited recovery with the marketing adding 23.63 points to 3,136.56 on Thursday with a rise of 18.7 percent for 2021 to date and 54 percent from the March 2020 low point for the year for the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange.
The market closed with an exchange of 4,442,267 shares for $18,272,766, up from 4,400,394 units at $13,254,158 on Wednesday. Lasco Manufacturing led trading with 51.8 percent of total volume trading 2.3 million shares followed by Mailpac Group with 10.8 percent for 478,805 units and Derrimon Trading with 9.2 percent market share for 406,825 units for 9.2 percent.
Indies Pharma shed 13 cents to end at $4.12 after trading 84,271 units, Jetcon Corporation picked up 6 cents in closing at 84 cents with 5,120 stock units crossing the exchange, Knutsford Express fell 10 cents to close at $8.90 finishing with 1,210 stocks changing hands. Lasco Distributors shed 15 cents to end at $3.84 in switching ownership of 28,431 units, Lasco Manufacturing gained 5 cents to end at $4.70 with the swapping of 2,302,500 shares after it traded at a 52 weeks’ intraday high of $5. Mailpac Group lost 6 cents in closing at $3.50 in the trading of 478,805 stocks, Main Event shed 35 cents to end at $4.45 after clearing the market with 4,910 stock units, Medical Disposables closed 40 cents lower at $4.10 with 35,096 shares crossing the exchange, at the same time Stationery and Office Supplies lost 7 cents to end at $5.50 in the trading of 11,676 stock units.
Trading averaged 161,250 units at $1,642,104, compared to an average of 169,965 shares at $947,558 on Wednesday. Month to date trading averages 232,142 units at $1,509,917, in contrast to 238,879 units at $1,499,367 on Wednesday. March averaged 354,304 units at $2,543,232.
Sagicor Group gained 50 cents to close at $50.50 in trading 8,039 shares, Salada Foods picked up 25 cents to settle at a 52 weeks’ high of $6.20 with the swapping of 96,977 stock units and Seprod declined $1.19 to $82.80 in switching ownership of 22,436 shares.
