Jamaica’s main market in sharp retreat

The main market of the Jamaica Stock exchange retreated sharply on Thursday with the All Jamaica Composite Index dropping 2,885.94 points to close at 185,589.12, bringing the year to date gains to 10.9 percent. The JSE Market Index dived 2,580.55 points to finish at 166,991.45 and the JSE combined index collapsed 2,311.22 points to end at 180,210.50 and gained at 13.9 percent for the year to date.
At the close 3,333,891 units valued at $23,300,182 changed hands, compared to 8,751,466 units valued at $70,052,498 changing hands on Wednesday. The junior market accounted for 2,322,147 units trading valued at $11,077,945 of the stocks traded.
The average trade for the day in the main market ended at 330,400 and month to date 312,605 units. On Wednesday, an average of 294,810 units traded. The average for the October was 220,811 units.
The market closed with 34 securities trading as the prices of 11 gained while 10 declined in the overall market, including 4 stocks rising and 2 falling, in the junior market.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 12 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 with lower offers.
In market activity, Berger Paints traded 5,670 shares to end at $6.05 after rising 5 cents, Cable & Wireless rose 1 cent to close at 85 cents with 152,000 units trading. Caribbean Cement dropped $1.85 with 250 units changing hands to close at $29, Carreras traded 1,655 shares to end at $66. Grace Kennedy lost 25 cents in trading 13,630 units at $41.50, Jamaica Broilers closed at $14.50 with 175,869 shares changing ownership, Jamaica Producers gained 10 cents to end at $8.30 with 71,668 units trading, Jamaica Stock Exchange rose 48 cents and ended at $27.98 while trading 29,463 shares. JMMB Group traded 23,167 shares and rose 21 cents, to end at $14.20, Kingston Wharves traded 2,600 shares and lost 31 cents to close at $17.19, Mayberry Investments ended with 19,020 shares trading at $3.65, National Commercial Bank rose 49 cents in trading 5,915 shares to close at $44.99. Pan Jamaican Investment lost 15 cents and closed at $23 after trading 165,986 shares, Sagicor Group had 64,289 shares changing hands and dropped $1 to close at $22.50. Scotia Group dived $1.93 in trading 5,200 shares to close at $31.05, Seprod traded 9,110 shares to end at $24.15, Proven Investments traded 5,215 units at 19.90 US cents and JMMB Group 7.50% preference shares fell 1 cent and traded 235,175 units at $1.08.