Jamaica Stock Exchange’s main market lost altitude in Thursday’s trading as declining stocks edged out advancing ones on a day with moderately less volume trading at a higher value than on Wednesday.
At the close, the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index declined 505.76 points to 416,769.58, the JSE Market Index shed 457.79 points to close at 379,953.77 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.99 points to end at 99.73.
The market closed with 43 securities changing hands in the Main and US dollar markets with prices of 17 stocks advancing, 19 declining and seven securities trading firm. The JSE Main Market activity ended with 41 securities accounting for 11,035,315 units valued $112,835,625, in contrast to 11,610,708 units valued at $178,231,093 from 46 securities on Wednesday.
Trading was more evenly spread among stocks, than for some time and ended, with Wigton Windfarm trading 2.4 million shares for 21.5 percent of total volume. Trans Jamaican Highway followed with 2.05 million units for 18.6 percent of the day’s trade and Sagicor Select Financial Fund, with 2 million units for 18 percent market share.
The Market closed with an average of 269,154 units of $2,752,088 for each security traded, in contrast to 283,188 units valued at an average of $4,347,100 on Wednesday. 
The average volume and value for the month to date amount to 348,777 units valued at $2,908,729 for each security changing hands, compared to 354,034 units with an average value of $2,919,802. Trading in April resulted in an average of 1,077,021 units valued at $3,829,201 for each security.
IC bid-offer Indicator│ At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows eight stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and eight stocks closing with lower offers. The PE ratio of the market ended at 14.4, while the Main Market ended at 14.8 times 2020-21 earnings.
In the Main Market activity, Barita Investments closed 50 cents lower at $50.50, in exchanging 6,647 units, Caribbean Cement shed 49 cents trading 9,810 units and closed at $49.50, Jamaica Producers fell $1.40 to $20.10, with a transfer of 168,477 shares. Jamaica Stock Exchange added $1.07 to end at $22.97, after swapping 66,339 shares, Key Insurance declined to $4.50, with a loss of $1 after exchanging 97,762 shares, Kingston Properties gained 30 cents to finish at $6.30, in transferring 6,000 units. Kingston Wharves climbed $4.25 to $58.25, with 1,327 units changing hands, 
Mayberry Investments lost 40 cents to close at $5.60 with 30,485 stock units changing hands, Mayberry Jamaican Equities exchanged 27,317 stock units after shedding 60 cents to end at $9.40, and is trading at an 11.5 percent premium to the Net Asset Value as of May 18, of J$8.15. Palace Amusement closed $200 lower to $1,100, in trading 81 units, Proven Investments lost 50 cents to settle at $34.50 in swapping 2,417 units, Salada Foods declined to $26, with a loss of $2 after transferring 9,397 units. Scotia Group closed at $44, after losing $1 and exchanging 5,173 units and Sygnus Credit Investments ended the day 90 cents higher at $16, with 4,069 units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
