Jamaican stocks cede ground on Tuesday

The main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, ceded some grounds to close out Tuesday ‘s trading. Advancing stocks being just below decliners.
At the close the All Jamaica Composite Index lost 118.15 points to close at 213,521.41 and is just 9 points adrift from the all-time high reached on January 6. The JSE Market Index slipped 105.65 points to finish at 195,300.68 and the JSE combined index fell 50.23 points to close at 209,536.40.
The market closed with 40 securities changing hands, 16 stocks gained and 11 declined in the overall market, including 6 stocks rising and 5 falling, in the junior market.
At the close with 4,982,675 units valued at $90,430,065 changed hands, compared to 24,599,887 units valued at $157,873,358 changing hands on Monday. Of the stocks traded, the junior market accounted for 1,234,173 units, changing hands, valued at $7,873,809.
The average trade for the day in the main market ended at 138,833 shares compared to an average of 688,233 units traded on Monday. The average for the month to date, is 489,448 versus 840,062 units on the previous trading day, well below the average of 549,379 units, December ended with.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 7 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 with lower offers.
In market activity, Berger Paints ended trading of 32,268 shares to close at $6, Cable and Wireless ended with 1,623,683 units at $1.30, after gaining 15 cents, Caribbean Cement ended with a fall of $1 while trading 255,458 shares to close at $32, Carreras closed at $66.50 with 7,191 shares changing hands after falling by 25 cents. Grace Kennedy had 112,010 units trading, with the price rising 55 cents, to close at $40.65, Jamaica Broilers fell 88 cents and closed at $14.62 with 54,101 shares changing hands, Jamaica Producers traded 30,807 shares to end at $9.50, Jamaica Stock Exchange traded 72,932 shares, to end at $5.60, JMMB Group traded 79,284 units to end at $15.20. Kingston Wharves gained 51 cents in trading 11,095 units to close at 52 weeks’ high of $25.51, National Commercial Bank fell 25 cents swapping 10,672 shares to close at $51.75, investors swapped 877,115 units of 138 Student Living at $4.50. Pan Jam Investment traded 47,415 units with the price jumping $3.40 to end at a $30, Portland JSX traded 3,242 units to end with a loss of 80 cents at a 52 weeks’ low of $10.20. Pulse Investments traded 24,651 units and gained 50 cents to close at $4.50, but ended trading with the offer at $4. Radio Jamaica traded 337,368 shares to close at $1.28, Sagicor Group closed with 4,900 shares changing hands with a rise of 9 cents at $28.30, Scotia Group with 49,400 shares changing hands, rose 50 cents to close at $36.50, Scotia Investments fell 1 cent with 16,232 units trading, to end at $32.49. Seprod traded 21,012 shares but lost 89 cents in closing at $29.51, Supreme Ventures lost 14 cents in trading 37,216 units at $5.15 and Proven Investments traded 14,970 ordinary shares to close at 21.99 US cents.