Market activity ended on Monday with only the All Jamaican Composite rising, after an exchange of 66 percent fewer shares valued 70 percent less than on Friday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market.
The All Jamaican Composite Index rose 603.81 points to 456,999.54, the JSE Main Index shed 210.23 points to end at 424,058.00 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.65 points to settle at 105.18.
Trading ended with 50 securities up from 45 on Friday, with 20 stocks rising, 21 declining and nine remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio, a measure that determines an appropriate relative value of each stock, averages 16.4 based on ICInsider.com forecast of 2021-22 earnings.
The market closed with 7,181,910 shares trading for $124,879,752 versus 21,218,791 units at $209,043,560 on Friday. Transjamaican Highway led trading with 10.9 percent of total volume for an exchange of 816,127 shares followed by Mayberry Jamaican Equities with 9.2 percent for 690,800 units and JMMB Group 7.35% – 2028 with 9.2 percent for 689,000 units changing hands.
Trading averaged 143,638 units at $2,497,595, compared to 471,529 shares at $4,645,412 on Friday. Trading month to date ended with a average of 235,716 units at $4,401,702, in contrast to 260,205 units at $4,908,113 on Friday. May closed with an average of 439,937 units at $4,698,961.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has 13 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Berger Paints advanced $2.07 to $15.95 with 186 stocks crossing the market, Caribbean Cement popped $3 higher to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $95 with an exchange of 38,686 shares. Carreras gained 41 cents to finish at $10.21 in switching ownership of 219,337 units, Eppley fell $1.25 to $35 after an exchange of 7,136 shares, First Rock Capital rallied 23 cents to $16.48 with 46,809 units clearing the market, Grace Kennedy slipped 40 cents to $87.60 after transferring 61,182 shares. Guardian Holdings dropped $20 to close at a 52 weeks’ low of $740 with an exchange of 43,023 stocks, Jamaica Broilers rallied $2.40 to $34.20 with swapping 89,510 units, Jamaica Producers lost 20 cents to end at $22.80 in transferring 176,363 stocks. Jamaica Stock Exchange slipped 36 cents to $17 with 241,255 shares changing hands, Margaritaville edged 90 cents lower to $14.30 in trading 11,343 units, Mayberry Jamaican Equities fell 35 cents to $8.50 in exchanging 690,800 shares, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy dipped $2 to $125 with an exchange of 18 units, NCB Financial spiked $2 higher to $143 in switching ownership of 216,520 stock units. 
Palace Amusement surged $153.56 to $1,148.56, after hitting $1,250 in early trading with a transfer of 663 units, Sagicor Real Estate Fund rose 64 cents to $8.99 in trading 10 shares, Scotia Group fell $1 to $41 after exchanging 8,110 stock units, Seprod advanced $1 to $72 in switching ownership of 16,611 shares and Sygnus Credit Investments shed 70 cents to finish at $14.30 in exchanging 94,468 units.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 9.5% dropped $10 to $1,690 with an exchange of 2,000 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
The All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 1,636.66 points to 456,395.73 after it hit 459,788.11 points at the market’s opening, the highest it had been since early March last year. The JSE Main Index fell 1,361.86 points to end at 456,395.73 and the JSE Financial Index slipped 0.7 points to settle at 105.83.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 13 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
Sterling Investments popped 23 cents lower to $3.06 after exchanging 185,283 shares, Supreme Ventures gained 35 cents in ending at $19.90, with 17,150 stocks clearing the market, Sygnus Credit Investments shed 30 cents to end at $15 after an exchange of 110,835 stock units. Victoria Mutual Investments rose 37 cents to $6.48 after transferring 209,147 shares and Wisynco Group fell 37 cents to $15.43 with 323,590 stocks crossing the market.
Trading averaged 175,326 units at $2,192,538, compared to 256,975 shares at $8,858,513 on Wednesday. Trading month to date averages 193,705 units at $4,990,781, in contrast to 202,991 units at $6,404,631 on Wednesday. May closed with an average of 439,937 units at $4,698,961.
Sygnus Credit Investments gained 30 cents to settle at $15.30 in trading 25,434 stock units, Victoria Mutual Investments slipped 39 cents to $6.11 in the transfer of 185,406 shares and Wisynco Group popped 60 cents to $15.80 with the swapping of 130,777 stocks.
The All Jamaican Composite Index declined 994.79 points to 451,670.82, the JSE Main Index lost 199.45 points to end at 420,160.07 and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.29 points to settle at 104.48.
Trading close with an average of 256,975 units at $8,858,513, compared to 150,132 shares at $4,001,871 on Tuesday. Trading month to date averages 202,991 units at $6,404,631, in contrast to 150,132 units at $4,001,871 on Tuesday. May closed with an average of 439,937 units at $4,698,961.
Scotia Group rose $1.01 to $41 after trading 47,810 stocks, Seprod gained 20 cents to close at $73 with the swapping of 12,488 units, Stanley Motta shed 20 cents to close at $5.80 after exchanging 10,000 shares. Sterling Investments picked up 29 cents to finish at $3.29 in switching ownership of 1,000 units, Supreme Ventures rallied 20 cents to $20 in trading 61,340 shares and Wisynco Group shed 30 cents in ending at $15.20 after an exchange of 121,439 stock units.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has 13 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
PanJam Investment declined $3.70 to close at $66 in transferring 7,312 units, Proven Investments lost 50 cents to close at $34.50 with 30,721 stock units clearing the market. Sagicor Real Estate Fund gained 20 cents ending at $8.50 and exchanging 2,000 shares. Seprod fell $1.30 to end at $72.80, with 55,443 shares crossing the exchange, Sygnus Credit Investments lost 20 cents to close at $15.05 in trading 510,516 stock units and Wisynco Group ended 29 cents lower at $15.50 in an exchange of 92,649 stocks.
Trading averaged 514,828 units on Monday at $6,289,666, compared to 2,443,892 shares at $12,234,637 on Friday. Trading month to date averages 439,937units at $4,698,961, in contrast to 436,367 units at $4,623,132 on Friday. April closed with an average of 234,200 units at $1,772,561.
Pulse Investments declined 40 cents to $4.40 in swapping 2,634,338 stocks, Sagicor Group slipped 25 cents to end at $52.50 with 2,835,484 stocks clearing the market, Seprod shed 90 cents to close at $74.10 with 13,279 units changing hands. Sygnus Credit Investments ended 25 cents lower at $15.25 in an exchange of 64,490 shares and Victoria Mutual Investments fell 45 cents to $6.51 after 85,621 stocks crossed the market.
The All Jamaican Composite Index rose 1,817.92 points to 454,375.81, the JSE Main Index gained 754.27 points to end at 422,066.55 and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.44 points to settle at 104.74.
Transjamaican Highway with 2.2 percent for 2.58 million and NCB Financial Group with 1.7 percent for 2.13 million units changing hands.
Pulse Investments gained 44 cents to end at $4.80 with 706,754 units crossing the market, Sagicor Group rose 74 cents to close at $52.75 in switching ownership of 12,435 stocks, Seprod advanced $1.49 to $75 after clearing the market with 27,751 shares, Sterling Investments shed 30 cents to close at $3 with an exchange of 94,051 stocks, Victoria Mutual Investments declined 5 cents to close at $6.96 after trading 137,328 stock units and Wisynco Group rose 65 cents to $15.75 with 28,000 shares changing hands.
The All Jamaican Composite Index gained 109.54 points to 452,557.89, the JSE Main Index shed 184.88 points to 421,312.28 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.05 points to settle at 104.30.
April closed with an average of 234,200 units at $1,772,561.
Proven Investments declined $1.99 to $35.01 with 251,559 stock units clearing the market, Seprod gained 51 cents in ending at $73.51 and switching ownership of 12,312 stocks, Stanley Motta lost 29 cents in closing at $5.95 with the swapping of 2,480 units, Sterling Investments gained 20 cents to end at $3.30 with an exchange of 172,032 shares. Sygnus Credit Investments finished 23 cents higher at $15.43 in transferring 21,885 stocks and Wisynco Group shed 77 cents to close at $15.10 with an exchange of 179,935 units.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 16 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
Palace Amusement dropped $20 to $910 in switching ownership of 219 stocks, Pan Jam Investment advanced $2.95 to $67.95 after trading 1,139 units, Scotia Group gained 20 cents in ending at $40 with 133,171 stocks crossing the market, Seprod lost 59 cents to finish at $73 in exchanging 10,376 stock units. Stanley Motta gained 24 cents in closing at $6.24 after exchanging 17,000 units, Sterling Investments
Trinis missing the salient points
Another Trinidad company (Massy Holdings) is set to list on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on the basis that the sophistication and growth opportunities are evident in the Jamaican securities market that has become increasingly more dynamic over the past few years.
They may be right about the Jamaican capital market, but they are missing the real issues. The stock prices of listed companies in T&T Stock Exchange have been priced out of the reach of the average Trinidadians and the directors don’t seem to understand that or worse seem to care about the smaller investors. Guardian Holdings with 232,024,923 million shares issued and Massy with nearly 98 million shares will just not have the liquidity to trade frequently in good volumes in either the Trinidad or Jamaican market. Unfortunately, those are not the only companies in that market that are so affected. The companies need to have the issued number of shares increased. for decent trading in the Jamaican market around two to three billion issued shares will be an appropriate level.
The other factor is the need to put the companies on a growth path for profits that investors can have confidence in acquiring and holding the shares. The weakness in this area of profitability, is not the sole purview of the companies, as the government has a role to play in this.
Guardian Holdings hit 52 weeks high on TTSE.
The evidence is crystal clear, investors love stock splits and they help move stock prices as investors buy up shares they previously ignore for being overpriced. This has been without a doubt the clear case in the Jamaican market. For years PanJam Investments directors resisted recommending to shareholders the splitting of the company’s stocks but relented a few years ago, with the stock price that was stagnant for years coming to life and rewarded shareholders with much higher value afterward. It is therefore difficult to understand why directors, with the evidence so clear, want to have elevated stock prices and limited liquidity of their stock. Last year Apple and Tesla sand split their stocks to much investors acclaim, just this week Nvidia Corporation in the USA, with the price jumping after announcing a four for one split.