Market activity ended on Monday with the volume of shares falling sharply by 68 percent and the value 65 percent lower than on Friday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market as rising stocks outpaced those declining and sending the main indices higher at the close to close off the first month of 2022, with overall gains of 1.5 percent.
The All Jamaican Composite Index rallied 3,483.91 points to 445,492.59, the JSE Main Index gained 1,195.33 points to end at 401,660.14 and the JSE Financial Index popped 0.27 points to 99.11.
Trading took place in 59 securities compared to 57 on Friday, with 28 rising, 22 declining and nine ending unchanged.
The PE Ratio, a formula for computing appropriate stock values, averages 16.4. The PE ratio for the JSE Main and USD Market closing quotes are based on ICInsider.com earnings forecasts for companies with financial years ending up to August 2022.
Overall, 13,983,941 shares were exchanged for $192,500,816 versus 43,055,439 units at $551,820,655 on Friday. Transjamaican Highway led trading with 37.3 percent of total volume after a transfer of 5.2 million shares followed by Caribbean Producers, 10 percent, with 1.4 million units, QWI Investments accounted for 9.4 percent with 1.32 million units, Wigton Windfarm controlled 8.9 percent after trading 1.24 million shares and Sagicor Select Financial Fund contributed 7.9 percent for an exchange of 1.1 million units.
Trading averages 237,016 units at $3,262,726, compared to 755,359 shares at $9,681,064 on Friday and month to date, an average of 235,328 units at $2,397,571, compared to 235,234 units at $2,349,866 on Friday. December closed with an average of 479,143 units at $6,686,322.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 14 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Caribbean Cement rallied 50 cents to $72 with 24,367 shares changing hands, Caribbean Producers advanced $2.90 to finish at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $22.90 with the swapping of 1,399,893 units, Eppley shed $1.30 to end at $35.20 trading 276 stocks. Eppley Caribbean Property Fund declined $4.36 in closing at $37.84 with an exchange of 434 stock units, GraceKennedy fell $3.50 to $100 in switching ownership of 208,862 shares, Guardian Holdings dropped $10.01 to close at $539.99 in exchanging 469 units. Jamaica Producers rallied 49 cents to $23.49 with a transfer of 49,196 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange rose $1.17 in closing at $17.94 with the swapping of 110,303 stocks, JMMB Group shed 99 cents to end at $40 with 226,181 shares clearing the market. Kingston Properties lost 65 cents in ending at $8.85 with 1,628 stock units changing hands, Kingston Wharves advanced $1.60 to $41.60 in trading 1,829 stocks, Margaritaville popped $2.50 to $21 in switching ownership of 94 units. Massy Holdings dropped $257 in closing at $2,463 after an exchange of 24,441 stocks, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy climbed $14.87 to close at $114.87 with 100 stock units crossing the market, NCB Financial declined $3 to $130 in transferring 159,694 units. Proven Investments lost 45 cents to settle at $32 with the swapping of 26,315 shares, Radio Jamaica gained 40 cents in closing at $4.48 in an exchange of 696,349 stock units, Sagicor Group popped $4.74 to finish at $58.25 with 340,252 units changing hands. 
Salada Foods gained 40 cents to close at $6.90 after 16,436 shares cleared the market, Scotia Group rose 94 cents to $35.50 in exchanging 35,368 stocks, Sygnus Credit Investments fell 71 cents to end at $15.13 in switching ownership of 152,529 units. Sygnus Real Estate Finance fell $2.18 to $16.02 with the swapping of 1,605 stocks and Wisynco Group gained 35 cents to close at $17.85 with an exchange of 152,587 shares.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 7.25% shed 78 cents in closing at $2.80 after trading 3,681 stock units and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share fell $20 to $100 in switching ownership of 5 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
