Declining Jamaica Stock Exchange securities edged out advancing ones on Wednesday with the value and volume of stocks trading, rising over Tuesday’s levels and leading to the first decline in the market index in seven days.
At the close of the market, the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index lost 1,208.25 points to end at 411,204.70, the JSE Market Index fell 981.01 points to 374,795.01 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.49 points to 100.48.
The market closed with 46 securities changing hands in the Main and US dollar markets with prices of 16 stocks advancing, 18 declining and 12 securities trading firm. The JSE Main Market activity ended with 42 securities accounting for 13,203,444 units valued at $113,823,838, in contrast to 10,234,687 units valued at $74,845,819 from 40 securities on Tuesday.
Trans Jamaican Highway led trading with 4.5 million shares for 34 percent of total volume followed by Sagicor Select Manufacturing & Distribution Funds with 3.9 million units for 29.6 percent of the trade and Pulse Investments with 1.1 million units for 8 percent market share.
The Market closed with an average of 314,368 units at $2,710,091 for each security traded, in contrast to 255,867 units at an average of $1,871,145 on Tuesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amount to 325,967 units valued at $2,801,767 for each security changing hands, compared to 327,294 units with an average of $2,813,578. 
Trading in April resulted in an average of 1,077,021 units valued at $3,829,201 for each security.
IC bid-offer Indicator│ At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows six stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and nine stocks closing with lower offers. The PE ratio of the market ended at 14.1, while the Main Market ended at 14.3 times 2020-21 earnings.
In the Main Market, Barita Investments fell $1 to $52 in trading 10,659 stock units, Berger Paints lost 50 cents transferring 500 units to end at $13.50, Caribbean Cement closed $2.99 higher at $49.99, with 34,511 shares changing hands. Eppley traded 17,578 stock units at $13.50, after losing $1.50, Jamaica Stock Exchange ended at $20.95, after rising $1.45 and swapping 10,006 units, Key Insurance shed 50 cents to finish at $9.70, in transferring 121,960 shares. Mayberry Jamaican Equities gained 69 cents and closed at $9.49, with an exchange of 10,238 units, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy jumped $20 to $170 in trading a mere 20 units, 
Pan Jam Investment climbed $2 exchanging 1,256 units to settle at $80. Portland JSX closed $1.40 lower at $7.30 with 100 units changing hands, Sagicor Group added 41 cents to reach $46.40, with 9,447 units passing through the market, Scotia Group ended at $45, with a loss of $3 trading 704,571 shares. Seprod exchanged 41,542 shares at $46.50, after shedding $2.50. Supreme Ventures advanced by $1.25 to $16.25, with 101,618 shares crossing the exchange, Sygnus Credit Investments shed 48 cents to end at $17, in trading 369,311 shares, VM Wealth Investments gained 70 cents exchanging 305,611 shares and closed at $$8 and Wisynco Group added 95 cents to end at $18.85, with 265,968 shares changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
