JSE Main Market volume drops

Volume trading on the Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange fell sharply to half of Wednesday’s level while the value of all stocks trading fell to just 15 percent of that on Wednesday.
The JSE Main Market activity ended with 38 securities accounting for 15,500,355 units valued at just $47,239,549 in contrast to 31,689,008 units valued at $315,401,563 from 37 securities on Wednesday.
At the close, the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index advanced 2,193.77 points to 547,774.28, the JSE Market Index added 1,969.79 points to close at 498,765.77 and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.22 points to end at 134.87.
Trading closed with 42 securities changing hands in the Main and US dollar markets with the prices of 8 advancing, 26 declining and eight trading firm.
Wigton Windfarm dominated trading with 7.6 million shares for 49 percent of total volume, followed by Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 3.7 million units for 24 percent of the day’s trade and Sagicor Select Manufacturing and Distribution Fund with 1.2 million shares for 7.6 percent of market volume. QWI Investments, with 1.015 million shares, was the only other stock trading more than one million units.
The market closed with an average of 407,904 units at $1,243,146 for each security traded, in contrast to 856,460 units valued at an average of $8,524,367 on Wednesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 626,696 units valued at $3,584,638for each security changing hands, compared to 636,606 units valued at $3,530,001 for each security traded. Trading in December resulted in an average of 595,143 units valued at $9,344,514 for each security.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows eleven stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three closing with lower offers. The PE ratio of the market ended at 19.5, while the Main Market ended at 18.7 times the 2019 earnings.
In the Main Market, Barita Investments climbed $2 to $72 in transferring 42,496 shares, Berger Paints lost 50 cents to close at $16.50, with an exchange of just 90 units, Caribbean Cement settled at $69, having lost $1 in trading 2,432 shares. Grace Kennedy lost 39 cents to close at $74.61, with 5,584 units changing hands, Jamaica Producers gained 50 cents to end at $25, after transferring 3,024 units, Jamaica Stock Exchange dropped $2.30 to settle at $30.50 trading 98,732 shares. JMMB Group slipped $1 to $46, with an exchange of 86,252 shares, Mayberry Jamaican Equities closed $1 lower to $10.50 transferring 21,350 shares, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy fell $6 to end at $202, after swapping 106 units. NCB Financial Group declined by 25 cents to  $189.55, after exchanging 20,814 shares, Sagicor Group ended at $69, after a loss of $1, in trading 71,403 stock units, Sagicor Real Estate Fund gained 80 cents to settle at $9.80, with 204,747 shares changing hands. Seprod lost $1 transferring 10,826 shares to close at $47, Sygnus Credit Investments closed 50 cents lower to $26, with an exchange of 2,474 shares and Victoria Mutual Investments ended the day’s trade at $9.78, after losing 75 cents in trading 329,895 units.
Trading in the US dollar market ended with 34,345 units valued at over US$11,249. The market index declined 5.47 points to close at 232.21. JMMB Group 5.75% preference share closed at US$2.10, with 1,600 units changing hands. Margaritaville Turks traded 14,000 units at 32 US cents, Proven Investments lost 2 US cents to settle at 31 US cents after transferring 3,745 units and Sygnus Credit Investments gained just under 1 US cent in trading 15,000 units to end at 16 US cents.