Trading activity on Monday ended with more stocks declining than rising, with the market indices falling for a second consecutive day, with an exchange of slightly fewer shares than on Friday at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market.
The All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 1,195.51 points to 434,283.12, the Main Index declined 1,077.34 points to 395,960.93 and the JSE Financial Index slipped 0.03 points to 99.23.
Trading ended with 48 securities, up from 46 on Friday and closed with prices of 14 stocks rising, 22 declining and 12 remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio averages 19.4 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Investors traded 10,151,888 shares for $94,956,792 compared to 10,947,226 units at $107,461,042 on Friday. Sagicor Select Manufacturing & Distribution Fund led trading with 17.1 percent of total volume, in exchanging 1.74 million shares, followed by Transjamaican Highway with 16.8 percent for 1.71 million units and Wisynco Group with 10.6 percent after 1.07 million units changed hands.
Trading for the day averaged 211,498 units at $1,978,267, compared to an average of 237,983 shares at $2,336,110 on Friday. Month to date trading averaged 273,377 units at $2,408,769, in contrast to 280,192 units at $2,458,483 on Friday. February closed with an average of 419,015 units at $2,509,660.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has eight stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments shed 45 cents to close at $80.05, trading 3,386 shares. Berger Paints slipped 34 cents to end at $13.20 after an exchange of 2,430 stock units, Caribbean Cement finished 47 cents lower at $68.43 trading 7,500 units, Carreras fell 93 cents to $9.07 with 771,565 shares changing hands. Eppley rose 40 cents to $29.90, with switching ownership of 657 stocks, First Rock Capital shed 79 cents to $15.21, with 5,500 shares crossing the market. Grace Kennedy dropped $5.69 to $86.26 with the swapping of 89,880 stock units, Jamaica Broilers lost 20 cents in closing at $30 after 148,307 shares crossed the exchange, Jamaica Producers declined $1.10 to $21.75 trading 11,390 stocks. Jamaica Stock Exchange slipped 49 cents to $18.36 after a transfer of 7,606 units, JMMB Group fell $1.05 to $31.85 in an exchange of 607,113 shares, Kingston Wharves shed 99 cents to close at $44 in trading 7,807 shares, Mayberry Jamaican Equities rose 50 cents to $8.10 with 421 stock units changing hands. PanJam Investment climbed $6 to $68, with 542 stock units crossing the exchange, Sagicor Group declined $1.40 to $48.49, with 269,556 shares changing hands.
Salada Foods lost 25 cents to close at $42.50 in a transfer of 7,326 units, Seprod fell 30 cents to $70.70 with 12,198 stock units crossing the exchange. Supreme Ventures shed 54 cents to end at $15.41 in swapping 8,467 shares and Wisynco Group closed 25 cents lower at $15.60, trading 1,072,382 shares.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 7% rose 28 cents to $2.12 with an exchange of 32,878 stock units and JMMB Group 7.25% gained 14 cents to close at $1.86 trading 23,850 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.