Trading climbed on Friday with an exchange of 124 percent more shares valued 77 percent more than on Thursday as more stocks rose than declined on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market and ending with the market indices closing higher than the January close, almost wiping out the loss suffered since the start of the year.
The market should move higher during the coming week following record breaking results by Grace Kennedy with earnings of $6.26 that suggests the price should climb to over $100 and Caribbean Cement with record earnings of $3.76 and a likely price of $75. Technical indicators are also pointing to a run in the market to 437,000 points on the All Jamaica Composite Index in the short term.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index advanced 2,408.76 points to 432,649.72, the Main Index climbed 2,126.52 points to 394,528.81 and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.78 points to settle at 100.72.
Trading ended with 47 active securities, the same as on Thursday and closed with prices of 21 rising, 15 declining and 11 remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio averages 17.1 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Traders exchanged 35,675,257 shares for $112,526,954 compared to 15,923,380 units at $63,507,779 on Thursday. Wigton Windfarm led trading with 63.1 percent of total volume, after 22.50 million shares changed hands following comments from the company’s Managing Director, Earl Barrett, that the rate to be paid for energy produced by their phase two wind turbine will fall from 13 US cents to 5.6 us cents per Kilowatt hour effective April. Sagicor Select Financial Fund followed with 12.9 percent for 4.60 million units, Pulse Investments 8.1 percent, with 2.88 million units, Ciboney Group chipped in for 3.7 percent with 1.32 million units and Key Insurance 3.4 percent trading 1.23 million units.
Trading for the day averaged 759,048 units at $2,394,191, Thursday ended with an average of 338,795 shares at $1,351,229. Trading month to date averaged 419,015 units at $2,509,660 for each security, in contrast to 399,667 units at $2,516,231 on Thursday. January closed with an average of 311,275 units at $1,432,133.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close of trading, Barita Investments gained 36 cents to end at $81.50, after trading 10,772 shares, Caribbean Cement climbed $2.51 to $65, with the swapping of 60,748 stocks. Carreras lost 34 cents in closing at $7.41, in a transfer of 97,841 units, Ciboney Group dropped 36 cents to $1.44, with 1,316,248 shares crossing the exchange, Eppley fell $2.10 to $25, with the swapping of 21,424 units. Grace Kennedy advanced $3.50 to a 52 weeks’ high of $84.50, with 30,224 shares clearing the market, Jamaica Broilers gained 20 cents to close at $29, with 235,232 stock units changing hands, Jamaica Stock Exchange climbed $1.60 to $19.60, after the swapping of 61,828 stocks. Key Insurance shed 79 cents to $4.01, trading 1,226,874 stock units, Kingston Properties declined $1.33 to $5.84 in 5,835 units crossing the exchange. MPC Caribbean Clean Energy dropped $10 to $145 after exchanging 260 stocks, NCB Financial climbed $3 to close at $144, transferring 78,611 shares, 138 Student Living rose 90 cents to $6 exchanging 3,210 stock units, Sagicor Group rose 50 cents to $52.10, in switching ownership of 468,195 stock units. 
Sagicor Real Estate Fund picked up 48 cents to close at $8.30, after 155,883 shares crossed the market, Salada Foods climbed $3.50 to $44, exchanging 97 stocks. Scotia Group lost 50 cents in ending at $42.50 trading 34,852 units, Seprod shed 54 cents to $69, with the swapping of 8,011 shares, Stanley Motta gained 35 cents to settle at $5.35, with 50 units clearing the market. Sterling Investments ended 36 cents higher at $3 in an exchange of 33,207 stock units and Supreme Ventures climbed $1.60 to $16.90 with 138,316 units changing hands.
In the preference segment, Eppley 8.75% preference shares rose 55 cents to end at $7.40, in exchanging 153 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading ended with 37 securities changing hands compared to 41 on Thursday, with 17 stocks rising, 11 declining and nine ending unchanged. The market closed with Everything Fresh, Fosrich and iCreate, ending at 52 weeks’ highs.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows four stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
Lasco Manufacturing lost 9 cents in closing at $4.61, with 26,997 units changing hands, Limners and Bards rose 25 cents to $2.75, after trading 167,072 stock units, Mailpac Group lost 6 cents in closing at $3.56 with an exchange of 694,920 shares. Medical Disposables gained 10 cents to close at $4.30 after transferring 183,901 units, Paramount Trading lost 17 cents to end at $1.32 with the swapping of 5,800 units, SSL Venture rose 10 cents to 65 cents trading 916,152 shares and Stationery and Office Supplies shed 30 cents in closing at $4, with 57,150 stock units crossing the exchange.
Trading ended with 41 securities against 39 on Wednesday, with 13 rising, 16 declining and 12 ending unchanged.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than the last selling price and five with lower offers.
Lumber Depot climbed 8 cents to $2.55 with 193,170 stock units traded, Main Event shed 25 cents to close at $3.05 with a transfer of 2,111 stocks, Paramount Trading gained 17 cents to finish at $1.49 with 35,500 units passing through the market. Stationery and Office Supplies dropped 23 cents to $4.30 with 15,000 stocks changing hands and tTech shed 55 cents to end at $4.35 with 2,095 shares crossing the exchange.
The All Jamaican Composite Index inched 3.97 points up to 430,240.96 the Main Index rose 15.10 points to 392,402.29, and the JSE Financial Index rose 0.14 points to settle at 99.94.
Trading for the day averaged 338,795 units at $1,351,229, compared to an average of 626,545 shares at $3,374,266 on Wednesday. Trading month to date averages 399,667 units at $2,516,231, versus 403,340 units at $2,586,520 on Wednesday. Trading in January averaged 311,275 units at $1,432,133.
Portland JSX declined $1.20 to $7.10 in trading 8,000 stocks, Proven Investments closed $1.20 lower at $36 after exchanging 4,285 units, Sagicor Group gained 29 cents to close at $51.60, with the swapping of 4,089 shares. Salada Foods dropped $1 to $40.50 with a transfer of 2,182 shares, Scotia Group gained 50 cents to end at $43, with 15,411 stock units crossing the exchange. Sterling Investments shed 36 cents to $2.64 in exchanging 62,320 stocks, Supreme Ventures dropped 60 cents to close at $15.30, after a transfer of 527,323 units and Sygnus Credit Investments lost 54 cents to close at $14.95 in trading 14,288 shares.
Trading for the day averaged 626,545 units at $3,374,266, compared to 440,155 shares at $4,160,882 on Tuesday. Trading month to date averaged 403,340 units at $2,586,520 for each security, in contrast to 389,008 units at $2,535,940 on the prior trading day. Trading in January closed with an average of 311,275 units at $1,432,133.
Palace Amusement fell $199.90 to a 52 weeks’ low of $800, with 380 stocks crossing the market, Sagicor Group gained 31 cents to end at $51.31, in an exchange of 12,316 stocks, Salada Foods rose $1.51 to $41.50, with the swapping of 4,036 shares. Scotia Group closed 75 cents higher at $42.50, with 267,313 stock units crossing the exchange, Seprod advanced $1.54 to $69.54 trading 26,590 shares, Stanley Motta lost 35 cents to close at $5 in exchanging 31,207 units. Sygnus Credit Investments advanced 99 cents to $15.49 after transferring 70,560 stock units and Wisynco Group rose 90 cents to $16.45, with investors switching ownership of 73,639 shares.
The Junior Market Index rose 10.75 points to close at 2,918.23 to be up 10.4 percent for the year to date. Early in the morning session, the index hit a 2,949.48 points level that is higher than the close on February 21, last year.
Trading averaged 173,371 units at $458,568 in contrast to 328,973 at $1,043,523 on Tuesday. Trading month to date averages 363,591 units at $903,906, down from 376,123 units at $933,244 on Tuesday. January closed with an average of 232,651 units at $569,885.
Lasco Distributors climbed 22 cents to $3.87 with a transfer of 136,000 shares, Lasco Financial rose 10 cents to $2.60 with an exchange of 19,750 units, Lasco Manufacturing fell 12 cents to $4.26 with 282,351 units changing hands. Mailpac Group gained 13 cents to finish at $3.62 with 480,450 stock units passing through the market, Main Event fell 27 cents to $3.30, trading 9 shares, Stationery and Office Supplies increased by 18 cents to settle at $4.53 with a transfer of 300 stock units and tTech advanced 20 cents to close at $4.90 with 4,201 shares crossing the exchange.
Trading ended with stocks playing hopscotch, one day up one day down, on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market, with the market declining after almost the same number of stocks rose as fell. The value of trading climbed 202 percent, with only 23 percent more shares exchanged than on Monday.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 24.1 percent of total volume, after an exchange of 4.88 million shares followed by Sagicor Select Financial Fund 16.9 percent with 3.41 million units, Wigton Windfarm 11.3 percent for 2.29 million units. QWI Investments ended with 9.8 percent of the day’s trade for 1.99 million units, Ciboney Group 7.1 percent for 1.44 million units, Sagicor Manufacturing & Distribution Fund with 6 percent for 1.22 million units and Grace Kennedy with 5.2 percent market share for 1.05 million units.
138 Student Living rose 45 cents to $6.50 after exchanging 8,916 units, PanJam Investment shed 50 cents to end at $65, in switching ownership of 43,014 shares, Proven Investments lost 33 cents to $37.20 trading 11,441 stock units, Sagicor Group fell 70 cents to $51 with 20,215 stocks clearing the market. Salada Foods advanced $2.99 to $39.99, with the swapping of 40,380 units, Scotia Group declined by $1.25 to $41.75, after exchanging 132,995 shares, Seprod shed $1 in closing at $68 with 3,164 stock units changing hands. Sygnus Credit Investments fell $1.10 to $14.50, in exchanging 51,037 units and Wisynco Group shed 95 cents to close at $15.55, with 94,561 shares changing hands.
Trading averaged 328,973 units at $1,043,523 well upon 150,842 at $445,771 on Monday. The month to date averaged 376,123 units at $933,244, close to the 379,631 units at $925,038 on Monday. Trading in January averaged 232,651 units at $569,885.
Jetcon Corporation gained 13 cents to 79 cents, with 145,898 shares changing hands, KLE Group picked up 17 cents at $1.33 after a transfer of 749 stock units, Lasco Distributors gained 5 cents to end at $3.65, in swapping 28,720 stocks. Lasco Financial lost 20 cents to close at $2.50, trading 135,748 units, Lasco Manufacturing shed 35 cents to end at $4.38, with an exchange of 33,412 shares, Mailpac Group lost 15 cents to close at $3.49, in trading 665,514 units. Main Event shed 42 cents to end at $3.03 after crossing the market with 14,500 shares and Stationery and Office Supplies ended 18 cents lower at $4.35 in the transfer of 25,000 stock units.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows five stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
Medical Disposables shed 25 cents in ending at $4.20, with 103,359 stock units crossing the market, Paramount Trading dipped 21 cents to $1.29 trading 8,970 stocks and tTech advanced 59 cents to $4.70, trading 3,369 shares.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
Seprod climbed $2.15 to $69, with 16,385 stock units changing hands, Stanley Motta lost 25 cents in closing at $5.20 trading 418 shares and Sygnus Credit Investments rose $1.17 to $15.60, in transferring 69,924 stocks.
