JSE Main Market enjoys bounce

Grace Kennedy put on $7 to recover from a big drop on Wednesday, but Scotia Group dropped $2.95 and, along with sixteen other rising stocks, helped to push the JSE Main Market Index up 3,600 points.
Market activity resulted in the primary indices regaining almost half of the ground lost on Wednesday. At the close, the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index jumped 4,003.98 points to close at 548,733.81. The JSE Market Index climbed 3,628.22 points to 499,677.72 and the JSE Financial Index rose 1.55 points to 136.32.
The market closed with 47 securities changing hands in the Main and US dollar markets with the prices of 18 stocks advancing, 16 declining and 13 trading firm. The JSE Main Market activity ended with 42 securities accounting for 28,467,668 units valued at $102,258,217 in contrast to 49,953,294 units valued at $104,735,667 from 42 securities on Wednesday.
Wigton Windfarm dominated trading with 17.6 million shares for 62 percent of total volume, followed by Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 6.3 million units for 22 percent of the day’s trade and QWI Investments with 1.1 million shares for 4 percent of the market’s volume.
The Market closed with an average of 662,039 units, valued at an average of $2,378,098 for each security traded, in contrast to 1,218,373 units valued at an average of $2,554,528 on Wednesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 546,633 units valued at $2,234,657 for each security changing hands, compared to 535,146 units valued at $2,218,923 for each security traded. Trading in December resulted in an average of 595,143 units valued at $9,344,514 for each security.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows six stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and eight closing with lower offers. The PE ratio of the market ended at 19.5, while the Main Market ended at 18.7 times the 2019 earnings.
In the prime market, Barita Investments lost $1 to close at $73, with 3,100 shares changing hands, Berger Paints gained 50 cents to settle at $17 trading 884 units, Grace Kennedy jumped $7 to close at $78, after swapping 112,533 stock units. Jamaica Producers Group dropped 97 cents to end at $24.53, in exchanging 3,752 shares, JMMB Group closed $1.70 higher to $48.45 with an exchange of 196,144 units, Mayberry Jamaican Equities lost 55 cents to settle at $11.30 in trading 56,800 units. NCB Financial Group declined by 50 cents to close at $193, in an exchange of 74,576 shares, Sagicor Group climbed $1.80 to $70.80, in swapping 9,434 shares, Scotia Group ended $2.95 down at $55, with 34,209 shares changing hands, Seprod slipped 94 cents and closed at $48, in trading 35,213 shares. Supreme Ventures slid to $23, after a loss of $2 in transferring 147,830 shares, Victoria Mutual Investments closed 50 cents lower at $10.50, with an exchange of 297,116 shares and Wisynco Group gained $1.25 to end at $23.25, in swapping 188,582 shares. In the preference sector, JMMB Group 7.25% preference share lost 39 cents in closing at $1.59 with just 535 units changing hands.
Trading in the US dollar market ended with 223,639 units valued at over US$55,813. The market index advanced 3.06 points to close at 235.51. Margaritaville Turks exchanged 122,500 shares at 35 US cents after rising a fraction of a cent. Sygnus Credit Investments gained 3.7 US cents trading 56,225 shares to end at 18 US cents, Sterling Investments closed at 3 US cents with 36,382 units changing hands. Productive Business Solution rose 5 US cents to 75 US cents, with a transfer of 123 units and Proven Investments lost half of a cent to end at 32 US cents while exchanging 8,409 shares.