JSE Main Market falls on reduced trading

Declining stocks dominated trading for a second day on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Friday after an 18 percent decline in the volume of stocks trading, with 54 percent less value than on Thursday, with trading in 49 securities down from 53 on Thursday, with 16 rising, 25 declining and eight ending unchanged.
A total of 8,629,483 shares were traded for $70,734,289 compared to 10,480,449 units at $152,509,794 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 176,112 shares at $1,443,557 versus 197,744 shares at $2,877,543 on Thursday and month to date, an average of 209050 units at $1,543,568 compared with 211,314 units at  1,550,441 on the previous day. October closed with an average of 231,243 stock units at $1,464,224.
Mayberry Jamaican Equities led trading with 1.70 million shares for 19.7 percent of total volume followed by Wigton Windfarm with 1.62 million units for 18.7 percent of the day’s trade and JMMB Group 7.35% – 2028 with 661,370 units for 7.7 percent market share.
The All Jamaican Composite Index shed 2,954.01 points to end at 380,361.84, the JS Main Index dipped 3,393.09 points to 335,377.03 and the JSE Financial Index fell 1.50 points to settle at 79.88.
The PE Ratio, a formula to ascertain appropriate stock values, averages 13.2 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios incorporate earnings forecasted by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending between November and August 2023.
The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows eight stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments rallied $1.08 to $87.08 in trading 6,208 shares, Caribbean Cement climbed 99 cents to $57.99 with a transfer of 152,435 stock units, Carreras lost 40 cents in closing at $8.60 with 133,530 stocks changing hands. Eppley dropped $5 to end at $34 with an exchange of 668 units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund popped $4.89 to finish at $44.89 with investors transferring 142 stocks, First Rock Real Estate declined 92 cents to $12.20 with the swapping of 12,491 shares. Guardian Holdings advanced $19 to close at $550 after 860 units crossed the market, Jamaica Broilers dipped $1.64 to $26.35 in trading 31,523 stock units, JMMB Group fell $1.50 to a 52 weeks’ closing low of $34 after a transfer of 78,044 stock units. Kingston Properties lost 97 cents to a 52 weeks’ closing low of $5.53 after exchanging 230,448 stocks, Kingston Wharves shed $1.40 to settle at $34 trading 7,960 units, Mayberry Investments gained 44 cents to end at $7 in switching ownership of 4,922 shares. NCB Financial rose $1.97 to close at $84.97 with 142,623 stock units clearing the market, PanJam Investment dropped $3.50 ending at $49 in an exchange of 1,159 stocks, Proven Investments declined $1 to a 52 weeks’ closing low of $26 in exchanging 16,676 shares. Sagicor Group fell 80 cents to a 52 weeks’ closing low of $49.20 as investors swapped 49,480 units, Scotia Group advanced $2.28 to close at $35.80 in trading 48,837 shares, Seprod rose $1 to end at $70 with 20,478 units changing hands and Supreme Ventures dropped $2.49 to $23.06 with 37,419 stock units crossing the market.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 9.5% rallied $530.77 to end at $2,830.77 with the swapping of one stock and JMMB Group 7.25% preference share lost 42 cents in closing at $2.68 in exchanging 1,002 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.