JSE Main Market hit by falling prices

Declining stocks clobbered those rising at the close of trading activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Tuesday, with no stock gaining more than 65 cents while losers fell as much as $105 with Guardian Holding dropping to A 52 weeks’ low of $300, followed by Pan Jamaica with a loss of $5.41 and Seprod $4.70, on a day when the volume of stocks traded jumped 131 percent and the value surged 443 percent above Monday’s levels.
Trading ended with 55 securities changing hands compared with 53 on Monday and ended with prices of 16 rising, 29 declining and 10 unchanged, resulting in 13,023,036 shares traded for $151,822,598 up from 5,640,042 units at $27,974,248 on Monday.
Trading averaged 236,782 shares at $2,760,411 compared to 106,416 units at $527,816 on Monday and month to date, an average of 154,608 units at $1,308,437 versus 112,368 units at $562,096 on the previous day in contrast to November with an average of 275,587 units at $2,488,949.
Wisynco Group led trading with 5.18 million shares for 39.8 percent of total volume followed by General Accident with 1.46 million units for 11.2 percent of the day’s trade and Radio Jamaica with 1.01 million units for 7.7 percent of the day’s trade.
The All Jamaican Composite Index shed 3,347.62 points to end at 347,377.50, the JSE Main Index dumped 4,153.74 points to end trading at 310,988.80 and the JSE Financial Index skidded 1.25 points to lock up trading at 66.92.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.5. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are based on the last traded prices and earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 10 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
At the close, AS Bryden dipped $1.78 in closing at $28.22 with investors dealing in 567 stock units, Barita Investments lost 44 cents to close at $70.05 after a transfer of 4,128 shares, Caribbean Cement skidded $2.77 and ended at $54.21, with 1,443 units crossing the market. Caribbean Producers fell 30 cents to close at $9.18 with shareholders swapping 38,727 stocks, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund shed $4.30 to end at $35.20, with 860 shares changing hands, GraceKennedy declined $1.49 to $74.01 in an exchange of 87,234 stocks. Guardian Holdings dropped $104.99 to close at $300 with 200 units crossing the market, Jamaica Broilers lost 45 cents to end at $33.55 with a transfer of 34,649 stock units, Jamaica Producers dropped $1.30 in closing at $21.70 with an exchange of 1,347 shares. JMMB Group climbed 57 cents to $25.75 after investors traded 74,210 stocks, Key Insurance rose 49 cents to $2.49 after an exchange of 34,522 units, Kingston Properties advanced 65 cents in closing at $7.65 in trading 12,574 stock units. Massy Holdings fell 50 cents to close at $89.50 and closed with an exchange of 988 shares, NCB Financial skidded 52 cents to end at $67.98 with traders dealing in 19,128 stock units, Pan Jamaica declined $5.41 and ended at $45.02 in switching ownership of 111,040 stocks. Sagicor Group shed 50 cents to $41 after 32,712 units passed through the market, Sagicor Real Estate Fund dipped 40 cents in closing at $7.90 with investors transferring 20,295 shares and Seprod fell $4.70 and ended at $72.30 with just 3,104 units clearing the market.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% popped $1 to end at $46 with an exchange of 19 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.