Main Market pulls back after month end rally

Market activity ended on Friday, with the volume of shares trading declining by 70 percent less compared to Thursday with a 55 percent lower value at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market and ended with rising stocks exceeding those declining.
The All Jamaican Composite Index lost 1,990.84 points to settle at 440,667.38, the JSE Main Index lost 2,207.57 points to end at 389,773.53 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.63 points to settle at 93.82. Trading ended with 58 securities compared to 53 on Thursday, with 22 rising, 20 declining and 16 ending unchanged.
JMMB Group, 138 and Transjamaican Highway ordinary shares while Student Living preference share all ended at 52 weeks’ closing highs.
The PE Ratio, a formula for computing appropriate stock values, averages 14.4 based on ICInsider.com earnings forecasts for companies with financial years ending in 2022 and up to August 2023.
Overall, 13,111,195 shares traded for $173,675,934 versus 44,141,890 units at $386,345,334 on Thursday. Transjamaican Highway led trading with 3.49 million shares for 26.6 percent of total volume followed by Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 2.01 million units for 15.3 percent of the day’s trade, Wigton Windfarm traded 1.25 million units for 9.5 percent market share and Seprod ended with 1.01 million units changing hands for 7.7 percent market share.
Trading averages 226,055 units at $2,994,413, compared to 832,866 shares at $7,289,535 on Thursday. March closed with an average of 610,787 units at $6,967,031.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows ten stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments declined $2.50 in closing at $91 in exchanging 196,248 shares, Eppley dropped 80 cents to close at $41 with the swapping of 2,259 stock units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund lost $2.07 to end at $44.50 in an exchange of 1,270 units. First Rock Capital rallied 30 cents to $12.50, with 8,135 stocks clearing the market, GraceKennedy fell $1.99 after ending at $102.01 in switching ownership of 109,011 stocks, Guardian Holdings shed $24 to $526 after 1,547 units crossed the exchange. Jamaica Broilers lost $1.75 to end at $27.25 in exchanging 96,988 shares, Jamaica Producers increased 51 cents to $22.01 while exchanging 7,753 stock units, JMMB Group advanced 95 cents to close at 52 weeks’ high of $45.95 after exchanging 141,857 shares. Kingston Properties fell 93 cents in closing at $8.57, with 8,100 stocks crossing the market, Kingston Wharves popped $1 to close at $41, with 5,095 stock units changing hands, Margaritaville gained $3.64 to end at $25.64 in trading 11 units. Massy Holdings dropped $1 ending at $101, with 38,448 stocks crossing the market, Mayberry Investments climbed 62 cents in closing at $7.12 with an exchange of 10,059 units, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy rose $1.50 to $101.50 after trading 105 shares. NCB Financial shed $8.80 to end at $110.20 with 35,065 stock units changing hands, Palace Amusement popped $20 to close at $1000 in trading 4 units, PanJam Investment climbed $1.01 in ending at $66.01 after exchanging 9 shares. Portland JSX declined $1.50 to $10, with 1,000 stock units crossing the exchange, Proven Investments dropped 55 cents in closing at $35.75 with an exchange of 23,019 stocks, Pulse Investments fell 36 cents in ending at $3.98 with 700,893 shares clearing the market. Sagicor Group shed $2.30 to $55.20, with 251,459 stocks changing hands, Seprod declined $1.60 in closing at $57.50 while exchanging 1,012,623 stock units and Supreme Ventures advanced 35 cents to close at $19.50 with the swapping of 628,975 units.
In the preference segment, 138 Student Living Preference shares surged $3.02 to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $16.50 after 880 units crossed the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.