JSE Main Market slips to close Thursday

The Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended trading on Thursday, with the market declining after more stocks rose than declined, with investors exchanging 48 percent fewer shares than on Wednesday.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index dropped by 223.64 points to settle at 401,551.48, the Main Index declined by 383.35 points to end at 366,312.01, the JSE Financial Index lost 0.10 points to settle at 95.85.
Trading ended with 41 securities changing hands compared to 40  securities on Wednesday and ended with the prices of 20 stocks rising, 11 declining and 10 remaining unchanged. The average PE Ratio of the market ended at 15.4 based on IC Insider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with an exchange of 18,091,098 shares for $52,570,216  compared to 34,870,786 units at $314,992,214 on Wednesday.
Radio Jamaica led trading with 10.03 million shares for 55.4 percent of total volume, followed by Wigton Windfarm with 2.21 million units for 12.2 percent of the day’s trade and Transjamaican Highway with 2.0 million units for 11.1 percent market share. Pulse Investments was the only other stock to exceed a million shares and ended with 1.56 million units changing hands.
Trading ended with an average of 441,246 units changing hands at $1,282,200 for each security, in comparison to an average of 871,770 shares at $7,874,805 at the close on Wednesday. The average trade for the month to date ended at 479,152 units at $2,702,302 for each security, in contrast to 482,123 units at $2,813,629. Trading month to date compares well, with a July 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 six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Caribbean Cement fell 77 cents to settle at $42.50 and finishing trading of 8,842 shares, JMMB Group carved out a gain of 67 cents in ending at $30.70 after 55,121 stock units changed hands. Key Insurance declined by 30 cents in closing at $8.09 with investors swapping  4,549 stock units, Kingston Wharves gained $1 to close at $50 after trading at 4,058 shares, Mayberry Investments rose 39 cents to end at $6 and crossing the exchange, with 424,095 stocks.  Mayberry Jamaican Equities advanced 46 cents to $8.75, after exchanging 250 shares,  Palace Amusement rose $198 to settle at $1750, with 33 units clearing the market,  PanJam Investment fell 50 cents in closing at $64.50 in an exchange of 1,366 shares. Proven Investments increased $1.83 to settle at $35.85 in exchanging 3,100 stocks, Seprod carved out a gain of 85 cents to end at $55, after 9,670  shares passed through the market and Wisynco Group increased  85 cents to end at $17.40 in exchanging 9,404 stock units.
In the preference segment of the Main Market,  138 Student Living Preference share declined by 90 cents to end at $5.98, ith 1,349 units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.