The Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market suffered a second day of significant decline as Caribbean Cement’s price plunged again on Friday to sit at $78 after more than a million shares traded, with the price hitting $69, as investors sold the stock down, following disclosure that company is proposing to increase the payout to its Parent, by way of increased management and other fees, up to four percent of revenues.
The All Jamaican Composite Index plunged 7,346.88 points, following Thursday nearly 5,000 points drop, to close the week at 427,237.85, and the lowest point since late-December last year. The JSE Main Index dived 6,433.10 points to 386,813.17 and the JSE Financial Index declined 1.26 points to end at 94.49.
Traded volume declined moderately as the value slipped 28 percent below Thursday trades as 53 securities changed hands compared to 51 on Thursday, with 20 rising, 21 declining and 12 ending unchanged.
The PE Ratio, a formula in computing appropriate stock values, averages 15.5. The PE ratio for the JSE Main and USD Market closing quotes are based on earnings forecasted by ICInsider.com for companies with financial years ending between the current year and August 2022.
A total of 8,907,757 shares traded for $199,296,925 versus 8,679,973 units at $275,453,480 on Thursday. Caribbean Cement led trading with 15.6 percent of total volume with a transfer of 1.39 million shares, followed by Wigton Windfarm 10.8 percent with 958,831 units and JMMB Group 9 percent after trading 801,575 units.
Trading averages 168,071 units for $3,760,31 compared to 170,196 shares at $5,401,049 on Thursday $3,184,829, compared to 266,594 units at $3,142,230 on Thursday. October closed with an average of 251,350 units at $2,773,208.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 16 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with a lower offer.
At the close, Caribbean Cement dropped $3, to close at $78 in trading 1,393,328 shares, Eppley dipped 50 cents to $35.50 in an exchange of 954 units. First Rock Capital rallied 66 cents to $10.99 after trading 20,699 stock units, GraceKennedy climbed 50 cents to $98.50 in transferring 164,304 shares, Guardian Holdings advanced $3.30 to $529.30 with 22,141 stock units crossing the market. Jamaica Broilers declined $2.90 to close at $29 with the swapping of 3,590 units, JMMB Group lost 25 cents in closing at $38.50 in switching ownership of 801,575 stocks, Key Insurance shed 37 cents to end at $4.03 with the trading of 27,718 stock units. Kingston Properties rallied 31 cents to $8.85 with an exchange of 1,176 units, Kingston Wharves rose $1 to $46 with 11,717 shares changing hands, Margaritaville advanced $2.47 in closing at $22.99, with 1,551 units crossing the exchange. 
NCB Financial shed 98 cents to end at $117.02 with an exchange of 42,468 stocks, 138 Student Living rose 70 cents to $4.70 in transferring 4,360 shares, PanJam Investment lost 50 cents to close at $70 after exchanging 17,794 units, Portland JSX fell 89 cents to $6.61 with 500 shares clearing the market. Radio Jamaica lost 26 cents to close at $3.06 in switching ownership of 689,952 stock units, Sagicor Group shed 64 cents in ending at $52.21 while trading 103,931 shares, Seprod popped 65 cents to finish at $63.70 after exchanging 2,252 stocks. Supreme Ventures rose $1.48 to $18.48 with 66,957 units changing hands and Sygnus Real Estate Finance declined $1.93 to $14.05 after 1,700 stock units crossed the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
