Prices of stocks mostly rose in early trading Friday, pushing the All Jamaican Composite Index up by more than 1,300 points, after 30 minutes of the opening of trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market. The gains eventually gave way to a small loss at the close, after an exchange of 80 percent more shares than on Thursday.
At the close of trading, the All Jamaican Composite Index fell by 779.63 points to 432,047.85, the JSE Main Index shed 705.51 points to 394,081.24 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.23 points to end at 102.37.
Trading ended with 40 securities changing hands compared to 44 on Thursday and closed with prices of 18 stocks rising, 14 declining and eight remaining unchanged. The average PE Ratio sits at 17 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Traders exchanged 8,357,028 shares for $62,510,845 compared to 42,478,328 units at $63,599,694 on Thursday. Pulse Investments led trading with 23.9 percent of total volume for 1.99 million shares, followed by Transjamaican Highway with 23.6 percent for 1.97 million units, Carreras with 18.3 percent for 1.53 million units and Wigton Windfarm with 13.2 percent of the day’s trades for 1.1 million units.
Trading averaged 208,926 units at $1,562,771 compared to 965,417 shares at $1,445,448 on Thursday. Trading month to date averaged 333,822 units at $956,327, in contrast to 361,424 units at $822,306 on Thursday. Trading in December averaged 455,206 units at $7,774,631.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has seven stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the market’s close, Berger Paints gained $1.10 in closing at $14.10, with 6,614 stock shares crossing the market, Caribbean Cement declined by $2 to $60, with investors swapping 6,491 stock units, First Rock Capital gained 40 cents in ending at $12.60, after exchanging 2,100 units. Grace Kennedy shed 50 cents in closing at $65, with a transfer of 27,899 shares, Jamaica Broilers declined by $2.15 to $27.35, in exchanging 385,609 shares, Jamaica Producers closed $1.05 higher at $21.10, with 10,506 stock units clearing the market. Jamaica Stock Exchange shed 72 cents to settle at $19.20 after trading 6,732 units, Kingston Wharves gained 50 cents in closing at $47 in an exchange of 3,090 stock units, Mayberry Investments picked up 32 cents to end at $5.97 after clearing the market with 14,716 shares. 
Pan Jam Investment climbed $4.97 to $73, with 11,719 stock units changing hands, Proven Investments gained 66 cents to end at $35.79, with 9,626 shares crossing the market, Sagicor Real Estate Fund rose 71 cents to $8.98 trading 2,121 stock units. Salada Foods climbed $3.75 to $28.75, transferring 33 units, Scotia Group fell by $1 to $43, with 175,560 shares crossing the market and Sygnus Credit Investments lost 40 cents to close at $16.70, clearing the market with 51,777 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
