Last minute trades save JSE Main Market

In a last minute fury of market activity, investors pushed some stocks prices higher in the last second before closing of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Monday and saved the market from a big decline with the All Jamaican Composite Index shedding 1,082.10 points to settle at3 97,208.39, after sitting at 393,717.87 points seconds before the close, the JSE Main Index dropped 575.09 points to settle at 347,650.98 after it was just over 343,000 points seconds before the close.
The JSE Financial Index declined 0.55 points to settle at 83.08.
Trading ended with the volume of stocks declining 20 percent with a 54 percent lower value than on Friday, following activity in 60 securities compared to 52 on Friday, with 22 rising, 20 declining and 18 ending unchanged.
A total of 42,372,789 shares were traded for $70,469,791, down from 53,225,427 units at $154,094,564 on Friday. Trading averaged 706,213 units at $1,174,497 compared with 1,023,566 shares at $2,963,357 on Friday and month to date, an average of 231,243 units at $1,464,224, compared to 204,684 units at $1,480,424 on the previous trading day. September closed with an average of 533,719 units at $5,494,282.
Wigton Windfarm led trading with 26.73 million shares for 63.1 percent of total volume followed by Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 11.77 million units for 27.8 percent of the day’s trade and Pulse Investments with 1.25 million units for 3 percent market share.
The PE Ratio, a formula to ascertain appropriate stock values, averages 13.7 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios incorporate earnings forecasted by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending between November and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 16 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
At the close,  Caribbean Cement rallied $3.25 to close at $60.75 in trading 43,191 units following the release of nine months’ results showing profit rising 36 percent over 2021 for the nine months to September. First Rock Real Estate shed 55 cents ending at $13.50, with 17,662 stocks changing hands. GraceKennedy lost $2.65 to end at $84.85, with 71,496 stock units crossing the market, Jamaica Broilers increased 70 cents in closing at $29.20 after an exchange of 23,028 shares, Jamaica Producers popped $2.15 in closing at $20, with 13,641 units clearing the market. Jamaica Stock Exchange rose $1.30 to close at $16.50 trading 43,919 stock units, JMMB Group advanced 80 cents to $37 in exchanging 40,954 stocks, Margaritaville fell $3.39 to $19.21, with just five stock units crossing the market. MPC Caribbean Clean Energy dipped $3.99 to end at $80 after 69 shares passed through the exchange, NCB Financial dropped $1 in closing at a 52 weeks’ closing low of $83.99 after hitting an intraday low of $80 and closed, with 154,927 shares changing hands, 138 Student Living gained $1.32 in ending at $6.95 after trading 8,099 stocks. PanJam Investment climbed $2.13 to end at $59 in exchanging 14,751 stocks, Sagicor Group increased $3 to close at $53 with a transfer of 66,120 shares, Scotia Group rallied 68 cents to $36.68 with the swapping of 32,744 units. Stanley Motta fell 60 cents in closing at $4 after a transfer of 13,007 stock units and Sygnus Real Estate Finance advanced $1.38 to $10.58 with investors transferring 941 stocks.
In the preference segment, 138 Student Living preference share climbed $9.76 to end at $55.80 in switching ownership of 652 stock units and Productive Business 10.5% declined $19.99 to $1,130.01 after an exchange of 272 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.