Rising stocks outnumbered declining ones almost two to one on a day of subdued trading on the Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange ended trading on Thursday with the market rising after an exchange of 26 percent more shares but at 14 percent lower value than on Wednesday.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index advanced by 1,444.54 points to 427,013.70, the Main Index rose 1,182.10 points to 389,430.69, and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.45 points to settle at 99.24.
Trading ended with 44 securities changing hands, down from 47 on Wednesday and closed with 21 rising, 12 declining and 11 remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio averaged 16.6 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with trading of 12,425,485 shares for $61,762,267 compared to 9,831,136 units at $72,026,838 on Wednesday. QWI Investments led trading with 27.8 percent of total volume, after an exchange of 3.46 million shares with the stock trading at a 52 weeks’ high of $1.02, followed by Wigton Windfarm with 27.2 percent for 3.38 million units and Pulse Investments with 22.7 percent of the day’s trade for 2.82 million units.
Trading for the day averaged 282,397 units at $1,403,688, compared to 209,173 shares at $1,532,486 on Wednesday. The month to date averaged 445,935 units at $2,598,567, down from 498,459 units at $2,982,324 on Wednesday. Trading in January closed with an average of 311,275 units at $1,432,133.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Barita Investments fell $1.02 to $80.98 trading 126,472 shares, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund declined by $3.80 to $43, with 1,000 stocks crossing the market, First Rock Capital rose 54 cents to $13.75, with 52,061 stock units changing hands. Jamaica Broilers climbed $3.20 to $29.20 in exchanging 47,488 shares, JMMB Group gained 50 cents in closing at $32.50 trading 34,987 stock units, Kingston Properties lost 25 cents to settle at $7, with 6,600 shares crossing the market. Kingston Wharves finished 50 cents higher at $47, with an exchange of 3,643 stock units, Margaritaville rose 43 cents to $43.42, with a transfer of just 8 stock units, NCB Financial Group gained 50 cents to end at $137.50, with 21,786 units clearing the market. Palace Amusement advanced $250 to $1,100, with a transfer of 50 stock units, Pan Jam Investment closed $2.30 higher at $66.30, after 4,779 shares crossed the market, Sagicor Group climbed $3 to $52, with investors switching ownership of 84,688 stock units. 
Salada Foods closed at a 52 weeks’ high of $46, with a gain of $3.25 in exchanging 23,970 stocks, Scotia Group shed 70 cents in closing at $43, with 23,045 shares crossing the market, Seprod dropped $2.50 to finish at $71, with an exchange of 11,519 stock units. Sygnus Credit Investments shed 77 cents to close at $14.75, in switching ownership of 217,838 shares and Victoria Mutual Investments gained 40 cents to close at $5.85, after transferring 2,355 stock units.
In the preference segment, Eppley 8.75% preference share shed 51 cents in closing at $6.59, after 1,719 stock units cleared the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
