Stocks market activity ended September on a bullish note, as 141 percent more funds bought slightly fewer shares than on Wednesday at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market and ended with rising stocks exceeding those declining, greater than two to one ratio on Thursday.
The market closed lower than August, measured by the market indices but recorded gains for a fifth straight day, with the All Jamaican Composite Index climbing 4,591.49 points on Thursday to 456,691.93. The Main Index gained 3,991.06 points to end at 414,889.96 and the JSE Financial Index popped 0.96 points to end at 101.68.
At the end of the month, when some investors bid prices up for portfolio enhancement purposes, 52 securities traded similar to Wednesday, with 31 stocks rising, 14 declining and seven ending unchanged. The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 16.1 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings.
A total of 18,546,540 shares traded for $409,063,174 versus 18,954,825 units at $169,922,552 on Wednesday. Pulse Investments led trading with 38.3 percent of total volume for an exchange of 7.11 million shares, Transjamaican Highway followed, with 8.9 percent and 1.65 million units, Sagicor Select Financial Fund 8.8 percent with 1.64 million shares, Barita Investments accounted for 6.7 percent with 1.24 million units, GraceKennedy with 5.7 percent for 1.05 million shares and Sagicor Group with 5.6 percent after 1.05 million units changing hands.
Trading averages 356,664 units at $7,866,600, compared to 364,516 shares at $3,267,741 on Wednesday and month to date, an average of 335,669 units at $7,507,338, compared to 334,642 units at $7,489,764 on Wednesday. August closed with an average of 480,039 units at $8,561,549.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 15 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments spiked $1.10 to a record close of $108.09 after an exchange of 1,243,352 shares, Berger Paints rallied 98 cents to $14.48 in transferring one stock unit, Caribbean Cement popped $11 to $112 with 91,434 stock units crossing the market. Eppley gained 50 cents in closing at $40 and trading 2,720 stocks, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund spiked $2.80 to finish at $46.75 in exchanging 28,318 stock units, First Rock Capital jumped 40 cents to $13.30 with an exchange of 12,900 shares. Guardian Holdings advanced $4 in closing at $585 after trading 3,587 units, Jamaica Producers rallied $1.05 in ending at $23.75 with the swapping of 290,300 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange rose 75 cents to $17.60 in switching ownership of 54,295 stocks. JMMB Group gained 30 cents to close at $38 with 233,778 stock units crossing the market, Kingston Properties lost 50 cents after ending at $8.50 with 230 units changing hands, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy popped $4.99 to $119.99 with the swapping of 65 shares. NCB Financial shed 50 cents to end at $127 after exchanging 50,259 stocks, 138 Student Living gained 49 cents to close at $5 with a transfer of 11 units, Palace Amusement dived $260 to $770 with 146 stock units clearing the market. 
PanJam Investment climbed $1 to $64 after trading 7,022 units, Portland JSX rose $1 to close at $9 in exchanging 1,670 stocks, Proven Investments popped $1.59 to $33.75 in switching ownership of 17,756 units. Sagicor Group advanced $2 to $58 with 1,047,226 shares clearing the market, Sagicor Real Estate Fund shed 50 cents to $8 after 5,485 stock units crossed the market, Salada Foods rose 75 cents in closing at $6.90 with the swapping of 60,713 shares. Scotia Group gained 35 cents to finish at $38.75 after exchanging 33,237 stocks, Stanley Motta picked up 23 cents to $5.80 in switching ownership of 87,104 units and Sygnus Credit Investments rose 85 cents to $16.35 with 270,538 stock units crossing the exchange.
In the preference segment, Eppley 5% popped $1 to end at $20 in exchanging 2 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
