Stocks surged 7,426 points at the opening of the market on Monday, with the All Jamaican Composite Index (AJI) shooting to 480,813.71, the highest level since the market close at just over 481,605 on March 5 last year, trading activity cooled off with the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market closing higher than on Friday with just over 2,200 points added to the AJI at the close.
Trading ended with 52 securities compared to 56 on Friday, with 22 stocks rising, 26 declining and four remaining unchanged.
At the close of trading, the All Jamaican Composite Index rose 2,222.03 points to 475,609.72, the JSE Main Index ended with a rise of 1,370.55 points to end at 438,692.66 and the JSE Financial Index added 0.57 points to finish at 109.72.
The PE Ratio, a measure that determines an appropriate relative value of each stock, averages 17 based on ICInsider.com forecast of 2021-22 earnings.
The volume of shares traded fell 31 percent and value 21 percent compared to Friday as 6,571,725 shares changed hands valued at $66,082,456 versus 9,586,037 units at $83,876,641 on Friday. Transjamaican Highway led with 23.9 percent of total volume for 1.57 million shares, followed by Wigton Windfarm 21 percent, with 1.38 million units and Mayberry Investments with 14.5 percent for 952,369 units.
Trading averaged 126,379 units at $1,270,816, compared to 171,179 shares at $1,497,797 on Friday. Trading month to date averages 249,510 units at $4,445,708, in contrast to 258,696 units at $4,682,573 on Friday. May ended with an average of 439,937 units at $4,698,961.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has 8 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments shed 54 cents in closing at $82.95 with an exchange of 32,000 shares, Berger Paints rose 24 cents to $14.09 in trading 930 units. Caribbean Cement lost 20 cents to settle at $93.80 with the swapping of 1,033 stock units, Carreras rallied 20 cents to $9.50 after transferring 8,405 stock units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund popped $1.99 to $38 with 420 stocks crossing the market, First Rock Capital picked up 20 cents to finish at $16 in swapping 19,316 units. Grace Kennedy climbed 54 cents to a 52 weeks’ high of $100, with 193,690 shares crossing the exchange, Guardian Holdings dropped $19.99 to a 52 weeks’ closing low of $725.01 in switching ownership of 9,328 units, Jamaica Broilers shed 97 cents to $35 transferring 37,072 stocks. Jamaica Producers popped 51 cents to $24.51, trading 12,114 shares, JMMB Group gained 30 cents in closing at a 52 weeks’ high of $38.75 with an exchange of 164,979 stocks, but only after trading at an intraday year’s high of $40. Kingston Properties closed 32 cents lower at $9.75, trading 4,000 units, Kingston Wharves spiked $1.45 to $47.95 in exchanging 12,832 stock units, Mayberry Jamaican Equities rose 97 cents to $9.48 with the swapping of 1,051 stocks. MPC Caribbean Clean Energy rallied $32.27 in closing at $148.50 after exchanging 59 units, NCB Financial dipped $2.29 to $144.71 in switching ownership of 21,120 shares, 138 Student Living lost 20 cents ending at $5.25 with an exchange of 4,194 stocks, Palace Amusement dived $65 to $1,100 with the transfer of 445 stock units. 
Pan Jam Investment fell $1 to $68 after 13,115 shares crossed the market, Proven Investments fell $1.87 to $35.03 with 14,943 stock units changing hands, Sagicor Group slipped $1 to $62.50 in exchanging 47,781 shares after trading at a 52 weeks’ high of $68. Sagicor Real Estate Fund rose 48 cents to $8.80 in trading 1,742 units, Scotia Group shed $1 to end at $41 in switching ownership of 2,691 stocks. Seprod popped $1 higher at $75 in exchanging 10,899 stock units, Supreme Ventures declined $1.58 to $19.50 with a transfer of 248,201 shares and Sygnus Credit Investments gained 20 cents to close at $15.20 with 47,134 stock units crossing the market.
In the preference segment, Eppley 8.25% shed 89 cents to end at $6.05, after 6,027 stocks were traded, JMMB Group 7% lost 40 cents to close at $1.60 in an exchange of 320 units and JMMB Group 7.25% finished 34 cents lower to a 52 weeks’ low of $1.10 with the swapping of 125,000 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
