Falling stocks dominant on JSE Main Market

Market activity ended on Thursday with the volume of shares traded declining 26 percent and theJ value 28 percent lower than on Wednesday at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market as stocks declining had the upper hand on those rising but leaving the market indices with modest movements.
The All Jamaican Composite Index rallied 128.30 points to 444,083.39, the JSE Main Index shed 748.16 points to end at 394,699.55 and the JSE Financial Index popped 0.01 points to 96.64.
Trading ended with 58 securities up from 57 on Wednesday, with 19 rising, 28 declining and 11 ending unchanged.
The PE Ratio, a formula used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 16.5. The PE ratio for the JSE Main and USD Market closing quotes are based on ICInsider.com earnings forecasts for companies with financial years ending up to August 2022.
Overall, 10,750,192 shares were exchanged for $118,283,579 versus 14,616,612 units at $163,291,537 on Wednesday. Wigton Windfarm led trading with 42.8 percent of total volume with a transfer of 4.6 million shares followed by Transjamaican Highway with 12.8 percent for 1.38 million units and Caribbean Producers, 10.6 percent with 1.14 million units changing hands.
Trading averages 185,348 units at $2,039,372, compared to 256,432 shares at $2,864,764 on Wednesday and month to date, an average of 245,893 units at $2,592,246, down from 276,696 units at $2,873,533 on the previous day. January closed with an average of 235,328 units at $2,397,571.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 11 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments fell $2.50 to $90.50 after swapping of 10,004 shares, Berger Paints rose $1 to $13.50 in exchanging one stock unit, Caribbean Cement shed $1.45 to end at $70.05 with 22,242 units changing hands. Eppley lost 49 cents to settle at $34.50 with a transfer of 1,468 stocks, Guardian Holdings declined $25 in closing at $535after exchanging 799 stocks, Jamaica Broilers lost 50 cents to end at $27 in trading 37,827 shares. Jamaica Producers slipped 37 cents after ending at $23, with ownership of 24,322 units switched, JMMB Group rose $1.10 in closing at 52 weeks’ closing high of $43 after exchanging 286,808 shares, Kingston Wharves shed $1.15 to end at $40.30 after 16,595 stock units crossed the market. Margaritaville advanced $2.92 to $23.95 with the swapping of 6,611 units, Massy Holdings dropped $100 to close at $2,100 in trading 3,379 shares, Mayberry Investments advanced $1.64 to $7.20 with 4,205 stocks clearing the market. Mayberry Jamaican Equities popped 43 cents to $8.95 in trading 26,825 units, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy climbed $5 to $120 in switching ownership of 2 stock units, NCB Financial fell 51 cents to $132.49 with the swapping of 279,319 shares. Palace Amusement rallied 52 cents to close at $930 in transferring 57 stocks, PanJam Investment popped 30 cents in closing at $65.80 after trading 7,461 units, Proven Investments declined 99 cents to end at $32.01 with 59,351 stock units changing hands. Sagicor Group advanced $1.25 to $53 with an exchange of 63,042 shares, Scotia Group rose 50 cents to $36 in trading 8,092 stocks, Seprod slipped 91 cents in closing at $59 with 10,603 stock units crossing the exchange. Supreme Ventures lost 30 cents to finish at $17.70 after exchanging 28,346 stocks, Sygnus Credit Investments gained 60 cents to end at $15.30 in switching ownership of 299,610 shares and Sygnus Real Estate Finance declined $1.50 to $15.50 in trading 12,100 units.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 7.25% preference share fell 51 cents to close at $3 with an exchange of 1,623 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.