Market activity plunged on Tuesday, with the volume of shares trading declining 71 percent, with the value dipping 45 percent lower than on Monday, at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market. Trading ended, with rising stocks were just edged out by those declining, but the market closed with a strong bullish signal for Wednesday, as shown by the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator below.
The All Jamaican Composite Index declined 2,156.83 points to 444,028.97, the Main Index shed 355.00 points to 402,488.29 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.01 points to end at 97.42.
Trading ended with 47 securities compared to 52 on Monday, with 20 rising, 21 declining and six ending unchanged. The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 16. The PE ratio for the JSE Main and USD Market closing quotes are based on earnings forecasted by ICInsider.com for companies with financial years ending between the current year and August 2022.
Trading ended with 7,552,797 shares changing hands for $94,059,701 versus 26,109,974 units at $172,248,423 on Monday. Transjamaican Highway led trading with 21 percent of total volume for an exchange of 1.59 million shares, followed by Mayberry Investments, with 9.2 percent after trading 694,694 units and Wigton Windfarm with 9.2 percent for 691,775 units changing hands.
Trading averaged 160,698 units at $2,001,270, compared to 502,115 shares at $3,312,470 on Monday and month to date, an average of 340,028 units at $2,689,981. October closed with an average of 251,350 units at $2,773,208.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 17 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments fell 91 cents to close at $93.99 with an exchange of 29,632 shares, Caribbean Cement spiked 86 cents to $103.91 in trading 30,418 stocks, Carreras slipped 72 cents to $7.50 with the swapping of 468,011 units. Eppley lost 35 cents in ending at $37 after an exchange of 481 stock units, GraceKennedy fell $1.98 to $98.01 in transferring 19,668 stocks, Jamaica Broilers dropped $1.80 to $28 trading 117,395 shares. Jamaica Producers shed $1.50 in closing at $22 in switching ownership of 9,073 units, Kingston Wharves advanced $2.48 to close at $47 with 2,576 shares clearing the market, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy climbed $15 to $115 with the swapping of 3 units, but the price hit an all-time low of $95 during trading. NCB Financial popped $1.35 after ending at $126.50 in exchanging 292,713 stocks, Palace Amusement rallied $68 to $1,023 with 48 units changing hands, PanJam Investment fell $2 to end at $63 in trading 6,271 stock units. Proven Investments declined by $1.80 to $31.21 with a transfer of 2,647 stocks, Sagicor Group fell 75 cents in closing at $53 after owners of 148,959 units were switched, Salada Foods gained 29 cents to close at $6.54 after exchanging 110,207 shares.
Seprod picked up 25 cents to finish at $63.95 with 7,044 stocks crossing the market, Supreme Ventures popped 25 cents to $18 with 10,361 stock units changing hands, Victoria Mutual Investments rose 60 cents to $6.27 in trading 72,519 shares and Wisynco Group lost 30 cents to settle at $16.15 after an exchange of 49,323 units.
In the preference segment, Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference shares dropped $24 to end at a 52 weeks’ low of $80 with the swapping of 19,761 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.