Trading in the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Monday with a number of stocks declining out pacing those rising. The volume and value of stocks trading declined compared to that on Friday and the market indices trended lower.
The All Jamaica Composite Index declined 165.52 points to close at 258,454.14, the JSE Market Index fell 150.81 points to 235,480.98 and the JSE US dollar market index gained 3.32 points to close at 187.33.
At the close of trading, 23 securities changed hands in the main market, plus one bond and 1 stock in the US dollar market traded leading to 7 stocks advancing and 12 declining. Trading in the main market ended with 1,709,564 units valued at $44,534,888 changing hands compared to 2,161,083 units valued at $46,263,769 at the close on Friday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 203,960 units valued at US$48,949 and the bond market had 425,000 units trading at $42,500,000.
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 6 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 with lower offers.
The main market ended trading with an average of 74,329 units valued at a mere $1,781,396 for every security traded compared to an average of 77,182 units valued at a mere $5,040,005 on Monday. The average volume and value for the month to date ended at 252,609 units with an average value of $4,365,119 compared with an average of 263,096 units with an average value of $4,517,103 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for May ended at 358,008 units and $9,037,303.
In market activity, Berger Paints recovered $2.25 of last weeks’ losses to close at $14.30, while trading 27,337 shares, Cable and Wireless added 1 cent to close at $1.13, with 42,747 stock units changing owners, Caribbean Cement closed at $25, with a loss of $1 exchanging 144,428 shares, Carreras traded $1.80 higher to close at $86.80, with an exchange of 5,259 units, Grace Kennedy closed at $41, losing 50 cents with trades of 243,861 units, Jamaica Broilers closed at $17.51, with a loss of 49 cents trading 375,624 shares, Jamaica Producers exchanged 50,500 units to close at $16. Jamaica Stock Exchange closed at $7 trading 31,599 shares, JMMB Group lost 3 cents to close at $19.97, with 19,674 units trading, 
Kingston Properties closed at $9.95 losing 5 cents exchanging 2,000 shares, Kingston Wharves jumped $4 higher to close at $30 trading 3,402 shares. Mayberry Investments closed at $5, losing 19 cents with 2,000 shares traded, NCB Financial Group closed at $70, with a loss of $1.50 after exchanging 34,098 shares and falling to $68 in early morning trading. 1834 Investments closed at $1.45, losing 5 cents with 33,000 units changing hands, 138 Student Living exchanged 10,600 units at $4.50, PanJam Investment gained 10 cents to close at $34.10, with trades of 6,287 shares. Proven Investments traded $2 higher to close at record high of J$21, in exchanging 48,000 shares in the main market, Pulse Investments closed at $18, with an exchange of 4,048 shares, Radio Jamaica traded 185,000 shares at $1.50, Sagicor Group closed at $34.10, losing 9 cents trading 93,100 shares. Scotia Group dropped $2.19 to close at $42.51, exchanging 336,471 shares while Supreme Ventures closed at $7.41, losing 9 cents with 6,058 shares changing owners. Proven Investments US ordinary shares closed at 24 US cents, with trades of 203,960 units, JMMB Group 7.5% preference share closed at $1.13, gaining 1 cent with an exchange of 4,471 units and Jamaica Producers traded 425,000 units of corporate bond at $100 each.
