JSE Main Market picks up 3,000 points

The Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Monday with gains in the two major indices as the market continues its daily seesaw movement.
At the close, the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index advanced 2,954.43 points to close at 547,940.90, the JSE Market Index gained 2,657.81 points to 499,019.14 and the JSE Financial Index climbed 1.53 points to 135.62.
The market closed with 45 securities changing hands in the Main and US dollar markets with the prices of 14 advancing, 20 declining and 11 trading firm. The JSE Main Market activity ended with 42 securities accounting 36,855,891 units for $103,713,861 in contrast to 22,042,921 units valued at $194,024,950 from 41 securities on Friday.
Sagicor Select Financial Fund dominated trading with 17.5 million shares for 47.5 percent of total volume, followed by Wigton Windfarm with 10.7 million units for 29 percent of the day’s trade and Sagicor Select Manufacturing and Distribution Fund with 3.3 million shares for 9 percent of the market’s volume. QWI Investments with 1.3 million shares and 3 percent of the market trade, was the only other stock trading more than one million units, as it closed at an all-time low of 93 cents.
The Market closed with an average of 877,521 units valued at an average of $2,469,378 for each security traded, in contrast to 537,632 units valued at an average of $4,732,316 on Friday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 579,074 units valued at $3,112,683 for each security changing hands, compared to 561,737 units valued at $3,152,220 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 ten stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two closing with lower offers. The PE ratio of the market ended at 19.8, while the Main Market ended at 19.1 times the 2019 earnings.
In the prime market, Barita Investments lost 35 cents to close at $71, in an exchange of 8,892 units, Caribbean Cement dropped $3 to $69 in trading 4,744 shares, Eppley closed 50 cents higher to $14, with 520,474 shares changing hands. Jamaica Broilers climbed $1.51 to $37, in swapping 201,824 shares, Jamaica Producers lost 49 cents to end at $26.01, transferring 100 units, Jamaica Stock Exchange closed at $33, after losing $1 exchanging 79,592 shares. JMMB Group
gained $2.50 trading 92,261 shares and closed at $47.50, Kingston Wharves tumbled $8 to $61, in exchanging 1,258 units, Mayberry Jamaican Equities rose 88 cents to $11.90, after transferring 5,280 units. NCB Financial closed at $189.50, after losing $3.50 in trading 70,527 shares, PanJam Investment closed $1 lower at $101, with 17,178 units changing hands, Portland JSX gained 58 cents to settle at $9, in swapping 5,000 units, Proven Investments closed $1.50 lower at $48, in an exchange of 6,879 shares. Pulse Investments gained 95 cents to settle at $6.65, in transferring 171,832 shares. Sagicor Group added 99 cents to end at $70.99, with a transfer of 195,354 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund lost 35 cents to settle at $9 trading 52,137 shares, Scotia Group advanced to $56.98, having gained $3.97 in exchanging 12,100 shares. Supreme Ventures closed $1 higher to end at $23, with 45,273 units changing hands, Sygnus Credit Investments lost 43 cents to close at $26.50, in swapping 46,961 shares, Victoria Mutual Investments closed 64 cents lower to $12.81 trading 391,531 units and Wisynco Group slipped $1.50 to $21, with 204,925 units changing hands.
Trading in the US dollar market ended with 25,203 units valued at over US$10,758. The market index advanced 8 points to close at 241.59. JMMB Group 5.75% traded 3,000 units at US$2.10, Proven Investments gained 1 US cents to close at 34 US cents in exchanging 4,714 shares and Sygnus Credit Investments lost 1 US cent to end at 16 US cents in swapping 17,489 shares.