Jamaican stocks churning forward

The main market recorded another day of gains on Wednesday, but a negative advance decline ratio, the main indices enjoyed just moderate gains. The market closed with 5,617,754 units valued at $48,826,282 changing hands, in all market segments with 34 securities trading.
The junior market accounted for 2,721,358 units, valued at $9,118,051 as 11 stocks gained, 14 declined, 1 stock closed at a 52 weeks’ high and 2 traded at an intraday high but pulled back before the close.
While the main market indices rose, the gains were very low at under 300 points each with the JSE Market Index climbing just 53.41 points to 144,257.93, the all Jamaica Composite Index rose a mere 59.69 points to end at 160,172.67 and the JSE combined index added 287.46 points thanks to gains in the junior market to close at 150,737.24.
Notwithstanding today’s gains, the main market faces the next test at 165,000 points level, on the all Jamaica composite index.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator had a good reading of 15 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 with lower offers.
In trading, Cable and Wireless rose 1 cent with only 110,997 units changing hands to close at $1.31, Caribbean Cement closed trading at $18.20, with 25,936 shares changing hands. Carreras fell 85 cents in closing at $59.05 with a mere 250 units trading, Ciboney traded at 27 cents with 215,700 units changing hands, Grace Kennedy declined by $1, with 3,246 units changing hands, to finish at $78. Jamaica Broilers traded at a 52 weeks’ high of $10.50, by the close the price fell 65 cents in trading 65,576 shares, to close at $8.60, Jamaica Producers jumped $2.99 in trading 3,125 units at $31, the Jamaica Stock Exchange shares traded 23,288 units at $19, but traded at a new intraday 52 weeks’ high of $19.05. Kingston Wharves saw trading in 5,500 shares at $11.40 as the price slipped 10 cents, Mayberry Investments gained 30 cents with 400,114 units changing hands to end at $5, National Commercial Bank fell 14 cents and ended at $38.36 with 17,175 units changing hands, Pan Jamaican Investment had 4,581 units changing hands at $93. Radio Jamaica rose by 60 cents and landed at $3.60 with 24,000 shares trading, Sagicor Group closed with 1,867,437 units changing hands but the price fell by 25 cents to end at $16.75, Scotia Group dropped $1.89 with 55,916 shares changing hands at $28.11. Seprod traded 5,000 shares at $20.50, Supreme Ventures fell 30 cents to end at $4.35 with 61,988 units changing hands and Proven Investments fell 0.9 US cent as 37,468 shares traded to close at 22 US cents.