Stocks prices rose marginally after an exchange of 184 percent more shares traded on Thursday than on Wednesday, at the close of the US dollar market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange.
Five securities traded, up from three on Wednesday with two rising, none falling and three closing unchanged, leaving the JSE USD Equity Index gaining 0.30 points to 195.17.
The PE Ratio averages 13.6 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Investors exchanged 305,332 shares for US$28,042, up from 107,489 units at US$24,329 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 61,066 units at US$5,608, versus 35,830 shares at US$8,110 on Wednesday. Month to date trading averaged 70,676 units at US$9,645, versus 71,187 units at US$9,859 on the prior trading day. January averaged 121,154 units for US$15,408.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows one stock ending with the bid higher than the last selling price and one with a lower offer.
At the close of trading, First Rock Capital rose 0.1 of a cent to 9 US cents, with an exchange of 300,000 shares, Proven Investments ended at 25 US cents, with 1,947 stock units crossing the market, Sygnus Credit Investments closed at 14.02 US cents trading 843 stock units and Transjamaican Highway ended at 0.95 of a US cent transferring 2,121 shares.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 6% gained 10 cents to close at US$1.10 with the swapping of 421 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading ended with 12 active securities, down from 19 on Wednesday, with three rising, eight declining and one remaining unchanged. The Composite Index shed 1.54 points to 1,325.91, the All T&T Index declined 3.75 points to 1,759.22, and the Cross Listed Index gained 0.10 points to settle at 120.74.
First Citizens Bank shed 51 cents to end at $43.49, with the swapping of 1,922 stocks, Grace Kennedy lost 1 cent to $3.99, with 27,997 stock units changing hands, Massy Holdings declined $1.93 to $61.07, in trading 169 units. NCB Financial Group gained 35 cents to $8.85, with 40,014 shares crossing the market. One Caribbean Media lost 4 cents in closing at $4.81 after trading 200 stock units, Prestige Holdings ended at $7.50 in with 50 units changing hands. Republic Financial Holdings advanced 5 cents to $134.60, in exchanging 16,829 stocks, Scotiabank finished 5 cents lower at $55.95, in switching ownership of 27,554 units and Trinidad & Tobago NGL shed 25 cents to end at $15 with an exchange of 31,225 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 market indices all rose, with the Composite Index climbing 6.15 points to 1,327.45, the All T&T Index advanced 6.60 points to 1,762.97 and the Cross Listed Index gained 0.98 points to settle at 120.64.
JMMB Group remained at $1.85, after exchanging 50 stocks, National Enterprises rose 2 cents to $3.12, with the switching 9,201 shares, National Flour Mills exchanged 3,400 units at $2.35. NCB Financial Group ended at $8.50, with 31,228 stock units crossing the market, One Caribbean Media picked up 4 cents to close at $4.85 after transferring 4,411 stocks, Prestige Holdings closed at $7.50, after an exchange of 897 units. Republic Financial Holdings shed 45 cents to end at $134.55, with 621 shares changing hands, Scotiabank closed at $56 trading 478 stock units, Trinidad & Tobago NGL rose 25 cents to $15.25, in swapping 1,005 units and Unilever Caribbean gained 8 cents to finish at $16.33, in exchanging 1,000 shares.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows one stock ended with the bid higher than their last selling price and none with a lower offer.
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 ended with six securities changing hands at the close, compared to four on Monday and closed with the prices of two stocks rising, three declining and one remaining unchanged, with the JSE USD Equity Index gaining 0.54 points to end at 196.61. The PE Ratio averages 13.6 based on ICInsider.com forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
At the close of trading, First Rock Capital added 0.01 of a cent to close at 9 US cents in trading 31,935 shares, Proven Investments shed 0.15 of a cent to 25.85 US cents trading 18,047 units. Sygnus Credit Investments dropped 0.45 of a cent to close at 14.50 US cents, with 3,358 shares crossing the exchange and Transjamaican Highway squeezed out a gain of 0.01 of a cent to end at 0.95 US cents, in switching ownership of 203,258 stocks.
JMMB Group slipped 2 cents to $1.85, with an exchange of 10,000 stock units, Massy Holdings ended at $63 trading 73,723 units, National Enterprises lost 2 cents to close at $3.10 in swapping 400 stock units. National Flour Mills traded 50,000 shares at $2.35, NCB Financial Group ended at $8.50 in trading 2,000 stock units, One Caribbean Media ended at $4.81, with 600 units changing hands. Point Lisas closed at $3.01 after transferring 500 stocks, Republic Financial Holdings remained at $135 after 2,971 shares crossed the exchange, Scotiabank finished at $56 with 21,473 shares switching owners. Trinidad Cement shed 25 cents to $3.50, with the swapping of 23,846 stock units, Trinidad & Tobago NGL lost 10 cents to close at $15, after trading 2,000 units and Unilever Caribbean lost 8 cents, ending at a 52 weeks’ low of $16.25 in transferring 66 units.
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.
