Market activity ended with a big fall in the volume and value of shares trading by 50 and 71 percent respectively on Monday compared to Friday as declining stocks exceeded those rising at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market.
After spiking to 453,200.45 at the market’s opening, the All Jamaican Composite Index ended up falling 2,348.80 points to settle at 448,868.31, the Main Index declined 1,280.33 points to 407,110.52 and the JSE Financial Index popped 0.51 points to end at 98.86.
Trading ended with 56 securities compared to 52 on Friday, with 21 stocks rising, 24 declining and 11 ending unchanged. The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 15.4 based on ICInsider.com forecast of 2021-22 earnings.
A total of 8,028,740 shares traded for $74,362,299, down from 15,903,103 units at $253,773,021 on Friday. Wigton Windfarm led trading with 18.5 percent of total volume after exchanging 1.49 million shares, followed by Pulse Investments with 14.4 percent in trading 1.16 million units and Caribbean Producers, with 12.5 percent with 1 million units changing hands.
Trading averages 143,370 units at $1,327,898, compared to 305,829 shares at $4,880,250 on Friday and month to date, an average of 244,382 units at $3,661,653, compared to 262,689 units at $4,084,598 on Friday. September closed with an average of 335,669 units at $7,507,404.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows eight stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Berger Paints rallied $1 to $15 in exchanging 15,519 shares, Caribbean Cement advanced $1.98 to $117 with the swapping of 12,281 units, Caribbean Producers gained 38 cents in closing at a 52 weeks’ high of $6.98 in switching ownership of 1,004,775 stocks. Eppley fell $1.10 to $36.90 trading 6,338 units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund popped $1.47 to $40.27 after 441 shares crossed the market, GraceKennedy advanced $1.74 to $99.24 with an exchange of 24,377 stocks. Guardian Holdingsdeclined $17 to $560 with 1,169 shares crossing the exchange, Jamaica Broilers shed $1 in closing at $30 with 63,721 shares changing hands, Jamaica Producers lost 40 cents in trading 39,931 shares at $21.40. JMMB Group slipped 49 cents to $37.50 in switching ownership of 153,314 units, Kingston Properties shed $1.24 in closing at $8.76 with a transfer of 100 stock units, Kingston Wharves declined $1 to $44 with the swapping of 5,091 stocks. Margaritaville fell $1.60 to $13.40 with 674 stock units clearing the market, Mayberry Jamaican Equities gained 30 cents to end at $9 after crossing the market with 26,000 shares, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy declined $5 to close at $115 in trading 34 units. Palace Amusement dropped $94 to $930 after exchanging five stocks, Portland JSX lost 45 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ low of $6.50 with the swapping of 250 stock units, Proven Investments lost 50 cents in ending at $33 after transferring 3,740 units.
Pulse Investments dipped 53 cents to close at $4.50 with 1,157,544 shares crossing the market, Sagicor Group spiked $2.98 in closing at $55 after 92,433 stocks cleared the market, Scotia Group rose $1.84 to $38.94 with an exchange of 2,211 stock units. Seprod declined $5.98 to $57.12 with 76,822 units changing hands and Sygnus Real Estate Finance shed $1.35 to end at $17.60 in switching ownership of 1,645 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
