JSE Main Market pullback

Trading pulled back from Wednesday’s activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Thursday, with a decline in the market indices with the volume of stocks traded declining 50 percent with a 30 percent lower value than Wednesday, following trading in 56 securities down from 61 on Wednesday and ended with the prices of 22 rising, 21 declining and 13 ending unchanged.
At the close of trading, 9,017,684 shares valued at $47,750,582 were exchanged, down from 17,951,966 shares at $68,245,213 Wednesday.
Trading averaged 161,030 shares at $852,689, compared to 294,295 shares at $1,118,774 on the prior day and month to date, an average of 211,928 units at $1,297,068, compared with 214,851 units at $1,322,591 on Wednesday. April closed with an average of 264,549 units at $1,409,410.
Transjamaican led trading with 3.21 million shares for 35.6 percent of total volume, followed by Wigton Windfarm with 2.54 million units for 28.1 percent of the day’s trade and Stanley Motta with 798,674 units for 8.9 percent market share.
The All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 1,262.90 points to settle at 369,655.05, the JSE Main Index dipped 770.38 points to 334,401.18 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.19 points to conclude trading at 75.64.
The PE Ratio, a formula used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 13.4 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are computed based on the last selling prices of stocks and earnings forecasted by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending up to August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows eight stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Berger Paints dropped 41 cents and ended at $7.73 after an exchange of 96 shares, Caribbean Cement declined $3.85 to $52 while exchanging 3,962 stocks, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund rose $5.69 to end at $43.69 in switching ownership of 61 units, First Rock Real Estate gained $1.29 in closing at $11.40 in an exchange of 19 stock units. GraceKennedy increased 50 cents to close at $78, with 21,613 stocks changing hands, Jamaica Broilers shed 95 cents and ended at $35.50, with 26,914 units crossing the market, Jamaica Producers climbed 48 cents to end at $20.98 in an exchange of 32,507 stock units, Jamaica Stock Exchange fell 34 cents to $12.78 after an exchange of 57,726 shares after hitting an intraday low of $10. Key Insurance dipped 50 cents to $3.15 with shareholders swapping 255 shares, Kingston Properties popped 34 cents to close at $7.25 after a transfer of 1,229 stock units, Kingston Wharves gained 47 cents to end at $31 with 2,492 units being traded. Mayberry Investments rallied $1 to $9, with an exchange of 36,025 stocks, NCB Financial lost $1 to close at $71 as investors traded 94,523 shares, 138 Student Living popped 70 cents to $5.60, with 500 stock units crossing the exchange, Sagicor Group rallied 99 cents in closing at $50.49 following the trading of 111,688 units. Scotia Group advanced 50 cents to end at $34.50 and closed with an exchange of 16,948 stocks, Seprod climbed $2 in closing at $70 after trading 2,925 stocks and Supreme Ventures dropped 54 cents and ended at $27 with investors transferring 22,109 shares.
In the preference segment, Eppley 5% preference share gained $1.91 to close at $22.90, with 11 units clearing the market, Jamaica Public Service 7% dropped $19 to $60 after 11 stock units passed through the market and 138 Student Living preference share fell $1.67 to close at $105 with an exchange of 55 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.