Market activity ended Wednesday with the volume and value of shares trading declining 62 percent and 68 percent, respectively, than on Tuesday, leading to a decline in the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market indices and ended with fewer rising stocks than those declining.
The All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 1,051.55 points to 458,791.09, the Main Index fell 396.65 points to 417,468.25 and the JSE Financial Index popped 0.49 points to end at 101.95.
The number of stocks trading remained high, with 55 securities compared to 50 on Tuesday, with 14 stocks rising, 26 declining and 15 remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio, a measure used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 15.9 based on ICInsider.com’s 2021-22 earnings forecast.
The market closed with 6,588,680 shares trading for $48,572,521 versus 17,371,190 units at $150,660,788 on Tuesday. Wigton Windfarm led trading with 45.3 percent of total volume for an exchange of 2.99 million shares, followed by Transjamaican Highway with 8.1 percent for 532,579 units and Sagicor Select Financial Fund 7.5 percent, with 493,056 shares.
Trading averages 119,794 units at $883,137, compared to 347,424 shares at $3,013,216 on Tuesday. August closed with an average of 480,039 units at $8,561,549.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows eight stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments fell $1.43 to $90.97 in switching ownership of 188,629 shares, Caribbean Cement rose $1.20 to $107.20 in exchanging 2,613 stocks, Caribbean Producers gained 29 cents to end at $4.64 with 16,300 shares crossing the exchange, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund dropped $6.75 to $40 in trading 8,108 stock units, GraceKennedy slipped 50 cents to $101.50 with a transfer of 38,713 stocks, Guardian Holdings spiked $9 to $599 with 892 units changing hands, Jamaica Broilers fell $1.45 to $33 with the swapping of 104,714 shares. Jamaica Producers declined $2.45 to $22.05 after 288,971 stocks cleared the market, Jamaica Stock Exchange shed 80 cents to close at $17.20 in transferring 3,410 stock units, Key Insurance popped 22 cents to $4.43 after exchanging 11,302 stocks. Mayberry Investments rallied 25 cents to $6 in exchanging 35,530 units, NCB Financial declined $2.99 to $130 in switching ownership of 5,487 shares, Palace Amusement dropped $135.99 to end at $999 with 152 stock units changing hands, Portland JSX shed 98 cents to $7.02 with the swapping of 23 stocks. 
Proven Investments fell 92 cents to $33.03 with 8,471 stock units crossing the market, Radio Jamaica rallied 25 cents to $3.75 in an exchange of 396,352 shares. Sagicor Group shed $1 in, ending at $57 after switching ownership of 10,741 stocks, Seprod popped $1.21 to $66 in trading 4,387 shares.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 7.25% spiked 20 cents to $1.50 after 8,797 stocks crossed the market and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share dropped $22.50 to close at $81.50, switching ownership of 1 share.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
