Market activity ended on Thursday, with the volume of stocks traded declining modestly, but with 33 percent lower value than on Wednesday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market as rising stocks just edged out those falling.
The All Jamaican Composite Index declined 2,414.76 points to settle at 446,365.40, the JSE Main Index dipped 1,933.62 points to close at 391,263.08 and the JSE Financial Index shed 0.78 points to settle at 92.53.
Trading ended with 57 securities compared to 50 on Wednesday, with 23 rising, 22 declining and 12 ending unchanged.
The PE Ratio, a formula for computing stock values, averages 15.1. The JSE Main and USD MarketPE ratios are calculated based on ICInsider.com’s forecasted earnings for companies with financial years, ending up to the close of August 2023.
Overall, 17,737,465 shares were exchanged for $68,560,146 versus 17,842,696 units at $102,253,017 on Wednesday. Trading averages 311,184 units at $1,202,810, compared to 356,854 shares at $2,045,060 on Wednesday and month to date, an average of 332,525 units at $1,596,385. May closed with an average of 238,645 units at $3,561,016. Transjamaican Highway led trading with 3.24 million shares for 18.3 percent of total volume, followed by Wigton Windfarm with 2.73 million units for 15.4 percent of the day’s trade, Ciboney Group ended with 2.37 million units for 13.4 percent market share, Sagicor Select Financial Fund closed with 2.36 million units trading for 13.3 percent market share. Sagicor Select Manufacturing & Distribution Fund ended with 1.79 million units for 10.1 percent market share and JMMB Group 7.25% preference share due 2024, 1.21 million units for 6.8 percent market share. Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 11 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments rallied 91 cents to $88.01 in switching ownership of 12,725 shares, Berger Paints lost $1 to close at $11 in exchanging at 12,985 units, Caribbean Cement fell $2.70 to $67 after 32,147 stocks crossed the exchange. Carreras climbed 30 cents to end at $9.95 after exchanging 273,510 stock units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund increased $2 in closing at $47 in exchanging 7,404 units, First Rock Capital shed 43 cents in closing at $12, with 11,738 stock units changing hands. GraceKennedy advanced $1.40 to $109 in trading 39,512 shares, Jamaica Producers declined 30 cents to close at $22.50 after 369 stocks crossed the market, Jamaica Stock Exchange gained $1.60 to end at $19.30 trading 5,211 stock units. Mayberry Jamaican Equities rose 52 cents to $15, with 160,500 stocks crossing the market, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy popped $9.95 to $105 while exchanging 411 shares, Palace Amusement rallied $90 in closing at $990 and exchanging ten units. PanJam Investment dropped $1.50 in ending at $66, with 5,666 shares clearing the market, Portland JSX fell 45 cents to end at $10.25 with the swapping of 5,000 stock units, Scotia Group lost $1.20 to close at $35.60 with an exchange of 16,198 stocks. Seprod climbed $1.37 to end at $71.87, trading 11,616 units, Sygnus Credit Investments advanced 99 cents to close at $14.99 in an exchange of 97,609 stock units and Victoria Mutual Investments gained 37 cents in closing at $5.89 as 28,299 stocks changed hands.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.50% preference share declined $1.93 to $6.51 while exchanging 421,550 units, JMMB Group 7.25% preference share popped 42 cents to $3.21, with 10 shares changing hands and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share increased $2.75 to end at $109.75 in exchanging 404 stock units. Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.