JSE majors lose ground

The major indices on the Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange lost grounds on Monday, with the three indices followed falling on reduced trading volume.
At the close, the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index declined 1,707.65 points to close at 530,322.08, the JSE Market Index fell 1,546.68 points to 482,876.34 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.21 points to 130.75.
The market closed, with 42 securities changing hands in the Main and US dollar markets with the prices of 17 advancing, 16 declining and 9 trading firm. The JSE Main Market activity ended with 39 securities accounting for 25,245,816 units valued at $126,226,094 in contrast to 33,972,337 units valued at $135,349,407 from 37 securities on Friday.
Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 11.7 million shares dominated trading and accounted for 46 percent of Main Market stock changing hands. Wigton Windfarm with 5.1 million shares and 20 percent of total volume, followed by Sagicor Select Manufacturing and Distribution, with 4.4 million units for 17.5 percent of the day’s trade. QWI Investments with 1 million units was the only other stocks trading more than one million units.
 The Market closed with an average of 647,329 units for $3,236,567 for each security traded, in contrast to 918,171 units valued at $3,658,092 for each security, on Friday. The average volume and value for the month to date amount to 600,720 units valued at $2,828,391 for each security changing hands compared to 715,931 units valued at $2,747,993 for each security traded. Trading in January resulted in an average of 626,134 units valued at $3,511,981 for each security.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and five closing with lower offers. The PE ratio of the market ended at 19.3, while the Main Market ended at 18.5 times the 2019 earnings.
In the prime market, Barita Investments slipped $2 to $68, after exchanging 17,021 shares, Berger Paints closed 49 cents lower at $16.51 trading a mere 180 units, Grace Kennedy gained 60 cents to end at $69.20, after swapping 55,760 shares. Jamaica Broilers settled at $34, with gains of 99 cents exchanging 16,088 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange climbed $2 to $31, in transferring 7,590 shares. JMMB Group closed 80 cents higher to $44, with 191,897 shares trading, Kingston Properties shed $1 to end at $5, after exchanging 35,000 units. Kingston Wharves dropped $7.51 to $58.50, with 3,888 units changing hands, Mayberry Jamaican Equities fell by $1.12 to $9.88 after transferring a mere 242 shares, NCB Financial Group advanced to $184.99, with gains of $2.99 and 53,906 shares changing hands. PanJam Investment climbed $1.44 to settle at $100.95 after trading 61,440 units. Proven Investments gained $1.80 and ended at $48, in swapping 4,738 units, Pulse Investments ended at a 52 weeks’ high of $8.50, with gains of $1.50 with 335,014 shares changing hands, Sagicor Group closed $2.80 higher to end at $68.80, in swapping 35,213 shares. Sagicor Real Estate Fund lost 60 cents to end at $9 after trading 4,586 units, Scotia Group exchanged 944,499 shares at $53.45, after losing $1.05, Sygnus Credit Investments lost $1 to settle at $24, with 23,258 shares changing hands and Wisynco Group gained $1.09 to end at $22.65 trading 162,591shares.
Trading in the US dollar market ended with 76,891 units valued at over US$18,235. The market index declined 14.06 points to close at 216.52. JMMB Group 6% preference share lost one cent, trading 5,000 units and closed at 99 US cents. Proven Investments ended at 29 US cents, after losing 2 US cents exchanging 13,700 units and Sygnus Credit Investments closed one cent lower to 17 US cents, with 58,191 units changing hands.