The Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended trading on Friday with the market rising in the last few minutes ahead of the close after more stocks rose than declined as investors exchanged 47 percent fewer shares with a value that was 67 percent greater than on Thursday.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index gained 833.71 points to settle at 404,181,98, the Main Index carved out a rise of 772.67 points to end at 368,870.639 and the JSE Financial Index added 0.05 points to close at 95.70.
Trading ended with 44 securities changing hands compared to 43 securities on Thursday and ended with the prices of 19 stocks rising, the prices of 14 declining and 11 remaining unchanged. The average PE Ratio of the market ended at 15.5 based on IC Insider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with an exchange of 20,605,919 shares for $226,351,750 compared to 39,119,819 units at $135,564,924 on Thursday.
Wigton Windfarm led trading with 10.3 million shares for 50 percent of total volume followed by Pulse Investments with 3.3 million units for 16 percent of the day’s trade and Kingston Wharves with 1.9 million units for 9.3 percent market share. The only other stock trading over a million shares is Transjamaican Highway, with 1.3 million units.
Trading ended with an average of 468,316 units changing hands, for the day at $5,144,3583 for each security, in comparison to an average of 909,763 shares at $3,152,673 on Thursday. The average trade for the month to date, ended at 409,246 units at $2,120,026, for each security, in contrast to 401,777 units at $1,737,639 on Thursday. Trading month to date compares well to July, with an average of 392,128 shares for $2,444,356.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows seven stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Berger Paints gained $1.44 to end at $12.44 with an exchange of 2,044 stocks, Caribbean Cement gained $2 to settle at $44, with 20,410 shares changing hands, Eppley carved out a gain of $2.38 to close at $17.50 in trading just ten stock units. Eppley Caribbean Property Fund increased $2.10 after closing at $49.10, trading 23,400 units, First Rock Capital lost 73 cents to close at $12.26 in an exchange 0f 31,493 shares. Jamaica Broilers Group added 26 cents to end at $26 and clearing the market, with 366,302 stock units, 
Jamaica Producers increased 90 cents to end at $22.90 and finishing with 8,565 shares changing hands, Jamaica Stock Exchange lost 54 cents to close at $20 in trading 130,275 stock units. JMMB Group rose $1.15 to settle at $31.15, trading 23,103 shares, Key Insurance gained 92 cents to end at $7.99 in exchanging 19,577 stock units, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy carved out a gain of $2 in ending at $152 and finishing trading of 800 stock units. Palace Amusement dropped $93.83 to close at $1,690 with investors switching ownership of 10 units, PanJam Investment jumped $3.50 to $72 with an exchange of 86,201 stock units, Proven Investments carved out a gain of 21 cents to close at $34.01 in trading 12,430 stock units. Scotia Group carved out a loss $1.95 in ending at $44.05 in exchanging 102,735 shares, Seprod climbed 99 cents to $54.99, with 7,744 stocks changing hands and Wisynco Group lost 29 cents to end at $17.50 clearing the market with 177,442 stock units.
In the preference segment of the Main Market, Eppley 8.75% gained 97 cents to end at $7.47 with 2,000 stock units .crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
