JSE majors climb on Thursday

Stocks closed higher on the second day of trading for the new year on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, but with very low volume even as the number of securities trading rose above Wednesday’s level.
The main and US dollar markets, had 32 securities changing hands with prices of 8 rising, 12 declining with 12 remaining unchanged, compared to 30 securities trading on Wednesday.
At the close of trading, the All Jamaican Composite Index gained 1,565.74 points to 417,788.14 and the JSE Index advanced by 1,426.57 points to close at 380,652.24. Trading ended with 1,104,557 units valued at $29,738,314 compared to a mere 854,686 units valued at just $19,069,873 changing hands on Wednesday.
JMMB Group 7.25% led trading with just 425,000 units and 38.5 percent of the day’s volume, followed by Kingston Wharves with 139,281 units or 12.6 percent of the volume changing hands and Victoria Mutual Investments with 137,604 units accounting for 12.5 percent of the day’s volume.
An average of 36,819 units valued at over $991,277, in contrast to 31,655 shares valued at $706,292 on Wednesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 34,373 units valued at $856,284. Trading for December ended, with an average of 835,037 units with a value of $25,906,477, for each security traded.
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In main market activity, Grace Kennedy lost $2 to close at $63, trading 5,966 shares, Jamaica Broilers traded 6,677 shares after rising $1 to close at $29. Jamaica Stock Exchange regained $1.10 in closing at $10.50 after 500 shares traded. Kingston Wharves declined by $1.50 and finished trading of 139,281 stock units at $76, NCB Financial Group lost 40 cents in trading 73,050 shares at $149.50, Sagicor Real Estate Fund declined $1.32 after trading just 100 shares to end at $12.75. Scotia Group  traded 30,397 shares with a gain of $2 to close at $56, Seprod  lost 90 cents to close at $30, with 6,075 shares changing hands and Supreme Ventures  rose $1 to close at $17.50 trading 18,987 shares.
Trading in the US dollar market amounted to 21,126 units valued at $22,035. JMMB Group 5.75% preference share lost 6 cents and ended at US$2 with 9,800 shares changing hands and Proven Investments traded 11,326 stock units and increased 1.5 cents to 21.50 US cents. The JSE USD Equities Index advanced by 5.94 points to close at 165.27.