Jamaican stocks mostly up – Friday

The main market of the Jamaican Stock Exchange, recovered some lost grounds on Friday, while the juniors and the US dollar market lost some ground as advancing prices were ahead of falling ones, on a day of moderate trading.
The market closed with trading in 46 securities with 23 stocks rising and 13 falling, in all markets. At the close, the main market had 24 stocks trading with 14 rising and 5 declining, the junior market had 18 securities trading with 8 stocks gaining and 8 declining, based on the last selling price and 2 traded in the US dollar market with one rising. Six stocks reached new 52 weeks’ high, five of these ended at their highs.
The JSE combined index rose 400.49 points, to close at 246,540.82, the All Jamaica Composite Index climbed 1,013.17 points to finish at 253,758.02 the JSE Market Index gained 905.95 points to end at 231,279.30. The junior market index had 42.53 points slashed off Thursday’s close to end at record 3,120.22 and the JSE US dollar market index eased 7.93 points, to close at 230.67.
Trading in the overall market reached 5,537,756 units valued at $81,543,783 compared with the previous day with 5,458,228 units valued at $114,968,563, having changed hands. The junior market accounted for for 1,700,678 units valued at over $11,745,304 of those trading. The US dollar market index traded 355,953 units valued at US$109,455.
The average trade for the day in the main market ended at 140,693 shares compared to an average of 154,908 units on Thursday. For the month to date, an average of 138,259 shares traded, compared to an average of 135,825 units up to the prior trading day. January ended with an average of 592,602 units.
The junior market ended trading with an average of 94,482 units for an average value of $652,517 traded, compared to of 52,582 units for an average value of $304,893 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for the month to date ended at 237,485 units and $1,461,383 compared to 246,757 units and $1,513,124 to the previous day. The average volume and value for January, ended at 165,547 units and $884,749.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 9 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 with lower offers.