JSE indices in big dive on Monday

The main market indices of the Jamaica Stock Exchange dropped sharply at the close on Monday with a number of stocks declining out pacing those advancing by some distance. The All Jamaica Composite Index declined 2,339.28 points to close at 258,282.96, the JSE Market Index fell 2,131.35 points to 235,325.03 and the JSE US dollar market index gained 0.45 points to 200.45.
At the close of trading, 26 securities changed hands in the main market with 1 trading in the US dollar market, leading to 7 stocks advancing and 12 declining and one traded at a 52 weeks’ intraday high. Trading in the main market ended with more shares traded on Monday than on Friday but with less value. The volume traded ended with 5,146,243 units valued at $51,796,808 changing hands compared to 3,645,879 units valued at $88,098,872 at the close on Friday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 2,720 units valued at US$707.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and US dollar markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 10 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 1 with lower offers.
The main market ended trading with an average of 197,932 units valued at $1,992,185 for every security traded compared to an average of 140,226 units valued at a mere $3,388,418 on Friday. The average volume and value for the month to date ended at 147,042 units with an average value of $3,957,530 compared with an average of 139,772 units with an average value of $4,238,293 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for May ended at 358,008 units and $9,037,303.
In market activity, Barita Investments closed at $7 exchanging 10,000 units, Berger Paints closed at $19, with gains of 25 cents trading 5,555 shares, Cable and Wireless traded 9 cents lower to close at $1.16, with an exchange of 37,000 stock units, Caribbean Cement closed at $26.35, with a loss of $1.65 trading 31,186 shares, Carreras exchanged 8,057 shares at $89, Grace Kennedy closed at $40.90, losing $2.10, trading 231,886 units, Jamaica Broilers gained 35 cents to close at $18, with 130,40 shares changing hands, Jamaica Producers closed at $14.10, with a loss of $1.90 trading 51,088 units. Jamaica Stock Exchange traded 20 cents lower to close at $7, with an exchange of 86,306 shares, JMMB Group lost 50 cents to close at $20.50, exchanging 24,890 units, Kingston Wharves closed at $30.50, with 14,734 shares traded, Mayberry Investments lost 57 cents to close at $4.50, with trades of 15,000 units, NCB Financial Group closed at $71.50, after exchanging 206,040 shares, 1834 Investments closed at $1.30, losing 15 cents with 931,796 shares changing hands. PanJam Investment closed at $33, with a loss of $1 trading 4,200 shares, Portland JSXtraded 5 cents lower to close at $9.95, with an exchange of 1,000 units, Pulse Investments lost 40 cents, closing at $16.10 trading 5,520 shares, Radio Jamaica closed at $1.66 exchanging 936,672 shares, Sagicor Group closed at $34.25, losing 13 cents with trades of 21,918 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund traded 30 cents higher to close at $10.70 with 25,561 shares being exchanged. Salada Foods gained $1, closing at a 52 weeks’ high of $11 with 220 units changing hands, Scotia Group closed at $42.60, with gains of 59 cents exchanging 195,958 shares, Seprod closed at $29.50 trading 200,548 shares, Sterling Investments exchanged 3,100 units at $15.50 while Supreme Ventures traded 1 cent higher to close at $7.50, with 65,203 shares changing hands. Proven Investments gained 0.02 US cents trading 2,720 ordinary shares to close at 26 US cents and JMMB Group 7.5% preference share closed at $1.15, with trades of 1,902,400 units.