JSE majors down first trading day of 2019

Stocks closed down on the first day of the year on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, but only after rising in early trading during the day as the market adjusted for the usual end of year window dressing of prices of the last day of 2018.
At the close of trading on Wednesday, the All Jamaican Composite Index fell 620.33 points to 416,222.40 and the JSE Index declined by 565.19 points to close at 379,225.67. Trading ended with a mere 854,686 units valued at just $19,069,873, compared to 4,522,721 units valued at $121,494,950 changing hands on Monday.
Mayberry Investments led trading with 184,285 units 21.56 percent of the day’s volume, followed by Mayberry Jamaican Equities with 110,370 units 12.91 percent of the volume changing hands and Victoria Mutual Investments with 70,834 units 8.29 percent of the day’s volume.
The main and US dollar markets, had 30 securities changing hands with prices of 12 rising, 14 declining with 4 remaining unchanged, compared to 31 securities trading on Friday. Barita Investments moved to another record closing high, with the price moving to $54.20 at the close of trading.
An average of 31,165 units valued at $705,292, in contrast to 161,526 units valued at over $4,339,105 on Monday. Trading for December ended, with an average of 835,037 units with a value of $25,906,477, for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator|The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 11 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 closing with lower offers.
In main market activity, Barita Investments climbed $2.20 and ended at an all-time closing high of $54.20, with an exchange of 18,501 shares, Grace Kennedy jumped $4 to close at $65 in trading 24,340 units, Jamaica Broilers traded 54,550 shares after falling $1.50 to close at $28. Jamaica Stock Exchange fell $1.10 in closing at $9.40 after 10,638 shares were traded, JMMB Group gained $1.44 to close at $34, with 43,583 shares trading. Kingston Wharves declined by 50 cents and finished trading of 4,456 stock units at $76, PanJam Investment closed with 8,077 units trading but fell $2 to $72, Sagicor Group rose 99 cents to end at $39.99, trading 16,220 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund declined $1.63 after trading 63,513 shares to end at $14.07. Salada Foods traded 10,000 but fell $3.50 to close at $31.50, Scotia Group traded 1,620 shares with a loss of $1 to close at $54, Supreme Ventures lost $1.50 to close at $16.50 trading 13,430 shares and Wisynco Group lost 49 cents and ended at $10.50 with 25,118 shares changing hands.
Trading in the US dollar market amounted to 49,850 units valued at $6,170. JMMB Group 6% preference share ended at US$1.05 with 550 shares changing hands, Proven Investments traded 10,500 stock units and increased 2 cents to 20 US cents and Sygnus Credit Investments fell 2 cents cents and ended at 9 US cents with 38,800 shares changing hands. The JSE USD Equities Index declined by 0.28 points to close at 159.33.