Stocks lost ground in trading on Monday ended with the market indices slipping even as almost half the number of stocks traded gained with the volume was similar to that of Friday with a 62 percent fall in the values at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market.
The All Jamaican Composite Index shed 888.44 points to 431,888.88, the JSE Main Index fell 893.61 points to 393,677.16 and the JSE Financial Index slipped 0.38 points to 98.92.
Trading ended with 48 securities compared to 50 on Friday and closed with prices of 22 stocks rising, 15 declining and 11 remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio averages 19.6 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Traders exchanged 8,031,792 shares for $47,508,810 compared to 8,079,230 units at $124,140,641 on Friday. Transjamaican Highway led trading with 30.3 percent of the volume traded for 2.44 million shares, followed by Ciboney Group 25.6 percent, with 2.06 million units and Wigton Windfarm with 19.3 percent market share for 1.55 million units.
Trading averaged 167,329 units at $989,767, compared to 161,585 shares at $2,482,813 on Friday. Trading month to date averaged 244,001 units at $2,148,902, versus 249,365 units at $2,230,008 on Friday. February closed with an average of 419,015 units at $2,509,660.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with lower offers.
At the close, Berger Paints rose 25 cents to $13.50, after 9,336 units crossed the market, Caribbean Cement climbed 60 cents to $70 after exchanging 17,986 stock units. Carreras ended 33 cents higher at $9 in switching ownership of 135,470 shares, Ciboney Group lost 23 cents to finish at 68 cents in trading 2,059,981 stocks, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund climbed $1.49 to $41.99 in the swapping of 3,383 units. First Rock Capital fell $1 to $17 in an exchange of 55,747 stocks, Jamaica Producers lost 20 cents to close at $21.80 trading 14,263 units, Jamaica Stock Exchange rose 77 cents to $18.91 in transferring 45,899 stocks. Key Insurance ended 31 cents lower at $5.15 after clearing the market with 23,717 units, Margaritaville dropped $6.42 to end at $37, with 131 stocks crossing the exchange. NCB Financial declined $2 to $142 after trading 28,442 shares, Palace Amusement climbed $30 to $670, finishing with a transfer of 396 units, Proven Investments shed 50 cents to $34 with the swapping of 34,378 stocks. Sagicor Group advanced $1.50 to $50 in exchanging 217,335 stock units, Salada Foods rose 30 cents to $44.50, with 4,603 units changing hands. 
Scotia Group shed 75 cents to $41.25 trading 21,626 stock units, Seprod slid 95 cents to $71.05 after exchanging 15,843 shares, Sterling Investments gained 31 cents to close at $2.91 after 2,950 stock units crossed the market and Wisynco Group gained 49 cents to close at $15.99 with a transfer of 29,860 units.
In the preference segment, Eppley 8.25% rose 50 cents to $7 in an exchange of 3,076 stocks and JMMB Group 7.25% gained 24 cents to close at $1.44 after exchanging 7,124 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.