The Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended trading on Friday, with the index rising after the heavyweights, Caribbean Cement, NCB Financial, PanJam Investment and Scotia Group rose by a dollar or more, with more stocks falling than rising as investors exchanged 46 percent fewer shares than on Thursday.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index increased 1,974.17 points to settle at 403,525.65, Main Index gained 1,787.12 points to close at 368,099.13 and the JSE Financial Index advanced by 0.67 points to finish at 96.52.
Trading ended with 45 securities changing hands compared to 41 securities on Thursday and ended with the prices of 14 stocks rising, the prices of 17 declining and 14 remaining unchanged. The average PE Ratio of the market ended at 15.5 based on IC Insider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
he market closed with an exchange of 10,324,462 shares for $54,359,400 compared to 18,091,098 units at $52,570,216 on Thursday.
Wigton Windfarm led trading with 3.87 million shares for 39.8 percent of total volume, followed by Transjamaican Highway with 2.24 million units for 23.1 percent of the day’s trade and Pulse Investments with 1.88 million units for 19.4 percent market share. Jamaica Broilers Group was the only other stock to exceed a million shares and ended with 1.05 million units changing hands.
Trading for the day ended with an average of 229,432 units changing hands for the day at $1,207,987 for each security, in comparison to an average of 441,246 shares at $1,282,200 on Thursday. The average trade for the month to date ended at 460,700 units at $2,591,884, in contrast to 479,152 units at $2,702,302. Trading month to date compares adversely 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 three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Caribbean Cement climbed $1 to settle at $43.50 with an exchange of 15,441 shares, Eppley rose 32 cents to end at $17.82 with 1,000 stock units traded, Grace Kennedy fell 49 cents to finish at $56.01 with 30,079 stocks changing hands. Jamaica Broilers Group carved out a loss of $1.50 to close at $23 with investors transferring 1,049,111 stock units, Jamaica Producers Group jumped 98 cents to end at $22.98 in an exchange of 905 shares. 
Jamaica Stock Exchange fell 35 cents to settle at $20.14 with 3,815 stock units traded, JMMB Group advanced 60 cents to close at $31.30 with investors switching ownership of 38,865 units, Kingston Properties finished 40 cents higher at $7.60 with 250 stock units changing hands. Kingston Wharves declined by 90 cents to end at $49.10 with an exchange of 3,134 units, NCB Financial Group increased by $1 to close at $139, with 30,821 stocks traded, PanJam Investment climbed $3.50 to end at $68 with investors transferring 932 stock units. Proven Investments carved out a loss of $1.75 to finish at $34.10 with 40,514 stock units changing hands, Scotia Group climbed $1.75 to settle at $48 in the exchange of 27,903 stock units, Seprod dropped 50 cents to end at $54.50 with 5,874 stock units traded and Wisynco Group carved out a loss of 50 cents to close at $16.90 with 48,649 stock units crossing the exchange.
In the preference segment, Eppley 8.75% lost 53 cents to close at $7.47, with 101 shares changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
