Stocks regained some of the ground lost in Monday’s trading when the market closed on Tuesday after an exchange of 65 percent fewer shares at 23 percent less value than on Monday at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market with more stocks rising than falling
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index advanced by 793.87 points to 419,405.38 and the Main Index rose 732.08 points to 382,649.18, and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.60 points to settle at 98.30.
Trading ended with 46 securities changing hands compared to 48 on Monday and closed with prices of 18 stocks rising, 12 declining and 16 remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio closed with an average of 16.5 based on ICInsider.com forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with 11,593,159 shares traded for $63,685,850 down from 32,802,782 units at $83,157,380 on Monday. Sagicor Select Financial Fund led trading with 18.3 percent of total volume after an exchange of 2.13 million shares followed by Wigton Windfarm with 16.4 percent for 1.90 million units, QWI Investments accounted for 16.2 percent with 1.88 million units, Carreras with 13.7 percent for 1.59 million units. Transjamaican Highway ended with 12.7 percent for 1.47 million units and Pulse Investments with a 9.2 percent market share for 1.07 million units.
Trading averaged 252,025 units at $1,384,475 for each security, compared to an average of 683,391 shares at $1,732,445 on Monday. The month to date averaged 328,085 units at $1,225,912, in contrast to 333,020 units at $1,215,624 on Monday. Trading in December averaged 455,206 units at $7,774,631.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has eight stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Eppley slipped 70 cents to $23, trading 11,150 shares, Grace Kennedy closed 38 cents lower at $67.60 with an exchange of 47,497 stock units, Jamaica Broilers rose $1.06 to $29.11, with 355 shares clearing the market. JMMB Group climbed $1.04 to $33 after 463,646 units crossed the market with, Key Insurance lost 40 cents to end at $6.30, in exchanging 49,080 stock units. Mayberry Jamaican Equities gained 81 cents to finish at $7.14 after 74,800 shares cleared the market, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy advanced by $14 to $156 trading 25 stock units, NCB Financial slid $1.50 to $136, transferring 24,191 units. 138 Student Living shed 45 cents to end at $4, after exchanging 500 stocks, Pan Jam Investment gained 50 cents to close at $66, in an exchange of 2,349 shares, Portland JSX declined $1.25 to $7.10, with 1,000 units crossing the market, Pulse Investments gained 27 cents to $4.80 in exchanging 1,067,423 shares. 
Sagicor Group rose 85 cents to $47.50, with 156,219 units crossing the market, Sagicor Real Estate Fund gained 70 cents to close at $8.95 trading 500 stocks, Salada Foods fell $3 to $33, with 966 stock units changing hands. Scotia Group fell 50 cents to $44 after the transferring of 20,375 units and Sygnus Credit Investments closed at $16.10, with a loss of $1.80 136,520 stock units changing hands.
In the preference segment, Eppley 8.75% preference share rose 49 cents to $7 trading 55 units.
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 32 on Monday and ended with the prices of 13 rising, 15 declining and nine remaining unchanged.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows one stock ended with the bid higher than the last selling price and two with lower offers.
Limners and Bards lost 5 cents to end at $2.70 with a transfer of 194,451 stocks, Lumber Depot exchanged 1,789,149 units and fell 11 cents to close at $1.79,Mailpac Group gained 5 cents to end at $3.85 with 761,818 stock units passing through the market. Main Event rose 9 cents to $3.24 with 6,300 shares changing hands, Paramount Trading rose 4 cents to $1.44 with a transfer of 2,004 units, Stationery and Office Supplies dropped 20 cents to $4.30 with 4,800 stocks traded and Tropical Battery closed 1 cent higher at $1.10 with 675,081 shares crossing the exchange.
Trading in December averaged 455,206 units at $7,774,631.
Sagicor Real Estate Fund shed 70 cents to settle at $8.25 trading 4,399 stock units, Salada Foods rose $1 to close at $36, in an exchange of 84 shares, Supreme Ventures shed 65 cents to $16.80, with 15,186 stocks crossing the market. Sygnus Credit Investments slipped 49 cents to $17.90 after transferring 18,380 stock units and Wisynco Group lost 33 cents in closing at $16 trading 84,310 shares.
December closed with an average of 263,428 units at $638,694.
Knutsford Express shed 15 cents to close at $6.60, with the swapping of 3,055 shares, Lasco Financial rose 5 cents to $2.65 after investors swapped 41,352 stocks, Limners and Bards shed 5 cents in closing at $2.75 trading 102,847 shares, Lumber Depot lost 5 cents to end at $1.90, in switching ownership of 402,876 stocks. Mailpac Group closed 10 cents higher at $3.80 after trading 1,619,301 stock units and Main Event slipped 9 cents to $3.15, with 2,333 shares changing hands.
The rally for the year to date is not broad-based. It is driven by a small number of stocks, primarily, Express Catering, FoshRich, Jamaican Teas, Mailpac, Lumber Depot, Caribbean Cream and Lasco Manufacturing.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
Lasco Manufacturing climbed 39 cents to $4.11 with 44,773 shares traded, Limners and Bards advanced 19 cents to $2.80 with a transfer of 92,336 stocks, Paramount Trading increased by 14 cents to $1.44 with a transfer of 5,086 stock units and Stationery and Office Supplies advanced 15 cents to $4.50 with 87,147 shares passing through the market.
Sagicor Real Estate Fund advanced by 70 cents to close at $8.95, in clearing the market with 193 units, Salada Foods rose 99 cents to $35 while exchanging 300 stock units and Scotia Group finished 60 cents higher at $44.60, with 75,000 shares changing hands.
At the close, the market is down 2.7 percent for the year so far (39 percent annualized) as the All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 1,727.89 points to 421,858.35, the Main Index fell by 1,536.26 points to 384,842.53 and the JSE Financial Index lost 1.21 points to settle at 98.31.
Trading averaged 612,451 units at $1,184,975, versus 235,221 shares at $2,649,800 on Wednesday. Trading month to date averaged 310,349 units at $1,157,230, in contrast to 288,359 units at $1,155,210 on Wednesday. Trading in December averaged 455,206 units at $7,774,631.
Proven Investments finished 40 cents higher at $36.90, in an exchange of 5,239 stock units, Sagicor Real Estate Fund shed 70 cents in closing at $8.25, in clearing the market with 2,042 shares, Scotia Group slipped 30 cents to $44 while exchanging 7,718 stocks. Stanley Motta gained 39 cents to settle at $5.45, in trading 296 stock units, Supreme Ventures rose 50 cents to close at $17.50, with the swapping of 50,071 shares and Sygnus Credit Investments advanced by 99 cents to $18.39, with 5,816 units changing hands.
December averaged 263,428 units at $638,694.
Lasco Financial dropped 14 cents to $2.51 in exchanging 25,330 shares, Lasco Manufacturing slipped 18 cents to $3.72 trading 42,196 stock units, Limners and Bards lost 9 cents in closing at $2.61, with 44,572 shares crossing the market. Lumber Depot rose 22 cents to $1.93, in exchanging 153,241 stock units, Main Event added 24 cents to close at $3.24 trading 7,510 shares. Paramount Trading shed 14 cents to settle at $1.30, with 104,200 stocks crossing the exchange and Tropical Battery lost 6 cents to close at $1.04, with 316,244 shares changing hands.
Limners and Bards gained 10 cents to end at $2.70 with 4,426 units passing through the market, Lumber Depot advanced 17 cents to $1.71 with a transfer of 421,288 stock units, Mailpac Group exchanged 1,016,948 stocks and rose 9 cents to settle at $3.69. Paramount Trading increased by 14 cents to finish at $1.44 with 85 shares changing hands and Stationery and Office Supplies climbed 23 cents to $4.35 with a transfer of 30,685 units.
The All Jamaican Composite Index fell by 1,177.07 points to 423,586.24, the Main Index declined 925.66 points to 386,406.15 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.30 points to close at 99.52.
Trading for the day averaged 235,221 units at $2,649,800, compared to 130,214 shares at $830,150 on Tuesday. Trading month to date averaged 288,359 units at $1,155,210, in contrast to 292,746 units at $1,031,829 on Tuesday. Trading in December averaged 455,206 units at $7,774,631.
NCB Financial rose $1 in ending at $139, with the swapping of 25,215 shares, 138 Student Living rose 65 cents to $4, in exchange of 200 units, Pan Jam Investment gained 41 cents to settle at $68.50, after clearing the market with 5,825 units, Sagicor Group lost 75 cents to end at $49.25, with an exchange of 8,531 units. Scotia Group closed at $44.30, with gains of 30 cents after exchanging 12,713 shares, Supreme Ventures rose 35 cents to $17 trading 14,379 stocks, Sygnus Credit Investments finished 40 cents higher at $17.40, with the swapping of 74,012 stock units.
