Investors dumped stocks to buy IPO

Prices plunged on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market Tuesday after 56 securities traded compared to 58 on Friday, leading to a mere five rising, 46 declining and five ending unchanged market activity ended, with the volume of stocks traded surging 264 percent and the value climbing 155 percent more than on Friday as investors sold stocks to raise funds to purchase shares in the latest IPO – Dolla Financial, hitting the market later this week.
At the close, five stocks, including PanJam Investment, ended at a 52 weeks’ low. The All Jamaican Composite Index plunged 7,520.59 points to settle at 442,250.18, the JSE Main Index dived 6,564.71 points to 385,333.83 and the JSE Financial Index slipped 1.13 points to 92.59.
The PE Ratio, a formula for computing appropriate stock values, averages 14.1. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are computed based on ICInsider.com’s forecasted earnings for companies with financial years ending up to August 2023.
A total of 24,048,471 shares were exchanged for $165,423,987 up from 6,597,987 units at $64,884,016 on Friday. Trading averages 429,437 units at $2,954,000, versus 113,758 shares at $1,118,690 on Friday and month to date, an average of 242,561 units at $4,088,390, compared to 229,769 units at $4,160,020 on the previous trading day. April closed with an average of 532,209 units at $5,709,319.
Wigton Windfarm led trading with 6.0 million shares for 24.9 percent of total volume, followed by Transjamaican Highway with 3.97 million units for 16.5 percent of the day’s trade, QWI Investments chipped in with 2.71 million units for 11.3 percent market share, Sagicor Select Financial Fund ended with 2.48 million units for 10.3 percent of the day’s trade and 1834 Investments, 1.16 million units for 4.8 percent of trading.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 11 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
At the close, Berger Paints dropped $2.21 to close at a 52 weeks’ low of $10.01 after an exchange of 16,122 shares, Caribbean Cement shed $1.49 to end at $60.51, with 126,043 units crossing the market, Caribbean Producers lost 55 cents in closing at $14.30, with 626,248 stocks changing hands. Carreras popped 60 cents to $9.90, trading 149,627 stock units, Eppley fell $6.50 to close at $43 after 5,479 stocks passed through the exchange, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund declined $7.27 to close at $40 in exchanging 12,460 units. First Rock Capital declined 64 cents to $11.52 after an exchange of 32,461 stock units, GraceKennedy dropped $2.67 in ending at $107.32, while exchanging 151,958 shares, Guardian Holdings fell $19 to end at $511 in switching ownership of 3,283 stocks. Jamaica Broilers increased $1.20 in closing at $28.30 in an exchange of 76,347 stock units, Jamaica Stock Exchange shed 95 cents to close at $19.05 after 14,387 units crossed the market, JMMB Group lost $2.25 in ending at $43 after exchanging 452,538 shares. Key Insurance declined 68 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ low of $3.60, trading 128,492 stocks, Kingston Wharves shed $2.09 to $36.11 with the swapping of 9,310 stock units, Mayberry Jamaican Equities lost $1 in closing at $13 with an exchange of 793,609 units. 138 Student Living fell 82 cents in closing at $4.35, with 98,926 shares clearing the market, Palace Amusement dropped $90 to $950, trading 51 stocks, PanJam Investment lost $13.50 to close at a 52 weeks’ low of $53 in trading 22,176 units. Proven Investments shed $2.50 to end at $36 after exchanging 42,595 shares, Pulse Investments dropped 40 cents to $3.59 with an exchange of 170,274 stock units, Sagicor Group advanced $1.40 to $56, with 211,959 stock units crossing the market. Scotia Group fell 60 cents in closing at $35.20 with an exchange of 87,916 stocks, Seprod declined 49 cents to end at $71.50 after exchanging 22,654 shares, Stanley Motta dropped 40 cents to close at $5.10, with 3,885 units clearing the market. Supreme Ventures fell $2.05, ending at $27.95 while exchanging 525,207 units, Sygnus Credit Investments shed 70 cents to close at $15.50 in exchanging 308,530 stock units, Sygnus Real Estate Finance lost $1 to end at a 52 weeks’ low of $14 after trading 4,006 stocks. Victoria Mutual Investments declined 36 cents in closing at a 52 weeks’ low of $5.21 in switching ownership of 449,801 shares and Wisynco Group fell $1.48 to $20, with 247,442 stocks crossing the market.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 7.25% preference share lost 40 cents after ending at $2.85, trading 145 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.