Main Market breaks losing streak decisively

Stock prices bounced at the close of trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday with the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index surging 4,721.23 points to 531,327.44, the JSE Market Index climbed 4,335.34 points to 483,867.88 and the JSE Financial Index rose just 0.70 points to end at 131.32.
Thursday’s gains were only the second day since February started that the Main Market indices recorded gains. The market closed with 42 securities changing hands in the Main and US dollar markets with the prices of 18 advancing, 17 declining and 7 trading firm. The JSE Main Market activity ended with 40 securities accounting for 32,214,496 units valued at $74,997,715 in contrast to 47,859,089 units valued at $86,800,194 from 42 securities on Wednesday.
Wigton Windfarm dominated trading with 14.4 million shares for 45 percent of total volume, followed by Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 12.7 million units for 39 percent of the day’s trade and QWI Investments with 1.7 million shares for 5 percent of the market’s volume.
 The Market closed with an average of 805,362 units valued at an average of $1,874,943 for each security traded, in contrast to 1,139,502 units valued at an average of $2,066,671 on Wednesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amount to 690,207 units valued $2,559,814 for each security changing hands compared to 677,341 units valued at $2,646,233 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 three closing with lower offers. The PE ratio of the market ended at 19.5, while the Main Market ended at 18.7 times the 2019 earnings.
In the prime market, Barita Investments closed $1 lower to $69, with an exchange of 8,842 shares, Caribbean Cement climbed $2.91 to $70, after trading 28,342 shares, Eppley lost 50 cents to end at $13.50, in transferring 1,845 units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund advanced to $42, with gains of $5 after exchanging 6,791 shares. Grace Kennedy lost 50 cents and closed at $68, with 9,357 units changing hands, Jamaica Broilers ended at $33.80, with a loss of 60 cents trading 33,073 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange rose $1.99 to settle at $30.99 in transferring 26,431 shares. JMMB Group lost $1 to close at $43.50, with 156,628 units trading. Kingston Wharves advanced by $6.85 to $61.85, with a mere 150 units traded, Mayberry Investments gained 92 cents to end at $8.10, in exchanging 75,325 shares, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy tumbled by $14.50 to $180, after swapping 298 units. NCB Financial settled at $184.50, with a loss of 50 cents transferring 49,078 shares, Pulse Investments ended $1.08 higher to $9.98, with 285,756 shares changing hands, Sagicor Group closed at $68.75, losing $1.25 in trading 46,397 shares. Scotia Group gained 50 cents to end at $54, in transferring 86,072 units, Seprod closed 99 cents higher to $46.99, with 12,565 shares traded, Supreme Ventures ended at $21.70, after losing 30 cents exchanging 90,508 units. Sygnus Credit Investments gained 78 cents trading 24,120 units in closing at $24 and Wisynco Group ended the day’s trade 40 cents higher at $23, with 197,788 units changing hands.
Trading in the US dollar market ended with 24,037 units valued at over US$6,341. The market index soared 13.22 points to close at 230.01. Proven Investments gained 4 cents to close at 31 US cents in trading 16,635 units and Sygnus Credit Investments lost 1 cent to end at 16 US cents, with an exchange of 7,402 units.