JSE Main Market slips on Wednesday

Market activity ended on Wednesday with the volume of shares trading remaining fairly stable but with an 80 percent higher value than on Tuesday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market as the number of rising and declining stocks were almost equal.
The All Jamaican Composite Index shed 1,032.87 points to 440,504.10, the JSE Main Index fell 817.05 points to 388,729.80 and the JSE Financial Index slipped 0.24 points to end at 95.45.
Trading ended with 55 securities similar to Tuesday, with 20 rising, 21 declining and 14 ending unchanged.
The PE Ratio, a formula used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 16.1. The PE ratio for the JSE Main and USD Market closing quotes uses ICInsider.com earnings forecasts for companies with financial years ending up to August 2022.
Overall, 16,997,775 shares were exchanged for $448,161,608 versus 17,322,599 units at $249,225,504 on Tuesday. Wisynco Group led trading with 23.8 percent of total volume in exchanging 4.05 million shares followed by QWI Investments with 21.8 percent after trading 3.7 million units, Wigton Windfarm, 15.7 percent after trading 2.66 million units and Transjamaican Highway, 11.7 percent with a transfer of 1.99 million units.
Trading on Wednesday averaged 309,050 units at $8,148,393 compared to 314,956 shares at $4,531,373 on Tuesday and month to date an average of 532,587 units at $9,187,397, compared to 578,123 units at $9,399,046 on the previous trading day. February closed with an average of 392,520 units at $3,199,976.
The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 11 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with lower offers.
At the close, Berger Paints shed $1.13 to close at $11.85 in switching ownership of 4,213 shares, Caribbean Cement declined $2.97 to $71.02 with 3,984 stock units changing hands, Caribbean Producers advanced $2.88 to $15.93 in trading 328,419 units. Eppley popped $2.87 to $42.90 with 731 stocks clearing the market, Guardian Holdings advanced $2 to $552 in exchanging 13,656 shares, Jamaica Producers rose $1.55 in closing at $21.65 with the swapping of 2,771 stocks. JMMB Group fell $1.15 to end at $41 in trading 125,824 units, Key Insurance lost 60 cents after ending at $4.30 with 5,430 stock units crossing the market, Kingston Wharves rallied $1.46 to $42 with 1,033 shares changing hands. Margaritaville declined $3 to close at $18.90 in switching ownership of 2,388 units, Massy Holdings climbed $50 to close at $2,000 after exchanging 150,570 stock units, with the price adjusting for the 20 to one split effective at the commencement of trading on Thursday. Mayberry Investments gained 50 cents to finish at $7 with a transfer of 1,535 stocks, Mayberry Jamaican Equities popped 30 cents to end at $7.50 in trading 5,693 shares, PanJam Investment advanced $2.50 in closing at $69.50 with 1,448 stocks crossing the market, Portland JSX rose 81 cents to $8.86 with the swapping of 102 units. Proven Investments rallied $1 to $36, with 6,195 stock units changing hands, Sagicor Group fell $1.60 to end at $58.40 with an exchange of 237,461 stock units, Scotia Group lost 50 cents at $34.50 after swapping 134,753 stocks. Supreme Ventures lost 50 cents in closing at $18 after switching ownership of 19,897 shares, Sygnus Real Estate Finance rose 87 cents to close at $17.55 with a transfer of 450 units and Victoria Mutual Investments shed 50 cents to settle at $6.10 in an exchange of 279,035 stock units.
In the preference segment, 138 Student Living preference shares gained 50 cents ending at $7.50 in trading 717 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.