JSE Main Market jumps

Trading ended on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday, with the major market indices jumping sharply as advancing stocks had the upper hand over declining ones.
At the close, the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index advanced 4,438.41 points to close at 556,256.89, the JSE Market Index climbed 4,050.98 points to 506,534.88 and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.68 points to close at 138.30.
The market closed with 38 securities changing hands in the main and US dollar markets with the prices of 21 advancing, 8 declining and 11 trading firm. Main market activity ended with 37 securities accounting for 20,866,388 units valued at $599,874,907 in contrast to 17,575,871 units valued at $314,642,943 on Wednesday from 40 securities.
JMMB Group dominated trading with 11.1 million shares valued at $500 million for 53 percent of the day’s trade, followed by Sagicor Select Funds with 5.5 million shares and 26 percent and QWI Investments with 945,356 shares and 4.5 percent of the day’s volume.
he market closed with an average of 563,956 units valued at an average of $16,212,835 for each security changing hands, in contrast to 462,523 units valued at an average of $8,280,077 on Wednesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 605,631 units valued at $7,371,761 and previously, an average of 619,777 units valued at $4,370,662 for each security changing hands. The market closed out November with an average of 653,621 units valued at $8,699,916 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 13 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 with lower offers. The PE ratio of the market ended at 19.3, with the primary market ending at 19.1 times 2019 current year’s earnings.
In the premier market, Barita Investments gained 45 cents to close at $71 while trading 438,561 shares, Berger Paints closed 40 cents higher at $17, with 6,000 units changing hands, Caribbean Cement fell by 50 cents to $77, in swapping 25,468 units. Eppley Caribbean Property Fund gained 90 cents to end at $37.50, with 100 shares crossing the exchange, Grace Kennedy gained 99 cents to end at $65.99, in transferring 33,872 shares. Jamaica Broilers climbed $2 to $38, after swapping 7,377 stock units, Jamaica Stock Exchange added 89 cents to settle at $27.99 after trading 255,064 units, JMMB Group slumped to $45.01, after losing $2.99 while exchanging 11,092,457 shares, Kingston Wharves climbed to $55, with a gain of $1.95 in transferring 771 units. Mayberry Investments closed 30 cents higher to $9, with 10,996 shares changing hands, NCB Financial Group climbed $1.45 to end at $205.45, in swapping 23,453 shares, Proven Investments closed $1.38 higher to $47.38, with an exchange of 22,116 units, Pulse Investments gained 44 cents to settle at $4.74, with 24,000 units changing hands. Sagicor Group climbed $2.50 to $69.50, in transferring 30,005 shares, Scotia Group closed $1.80 higher at $56, in exchanging 30,005 shares, Stanley Motta rose 90 cents to end at $5.90 after exchanging just 200 shares. Supreme Ventures closed at $26 after gaining 99 cents and trading of 11,752 shares and Victoria Mutual Investments lost 31 cents to close at $8.59 in exchanging 210,710 shares.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 7.25% share added 38 cents to end at $1.98 in trading just 100 shares.
Trading in the US dollar market closed with 8,385 units valued at US$2,683, with the market index advancing 6.87 points to close at 214.09. Proven Investments, the sole trade and closed unchanged at 32 US cents.