Moderate gains for JSE Main Market

Trading on the Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange resulted in moderate gains for the two primary market indices on Monday as rising stocks edged out decliners after trading declined again following a sharp drop on Friday.
At the close of trading, the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index gained 930.77 points to 554,872.73, the JSE Market Index added 798.17 points to close at 505,039.87 and the JSE Financial Index dropped 1.19 points to 136.78.
The market closed, with 43 securities changing hands in the Main and US dollar markets, with 18 advancing, 16 declining and the prices of 9 stocks closed unchanged. JSE Main Market activity ended, with 39 securities accounting for 15,783,620 units for a consideration of $75,868,401.70, in contrast to 37,939,404 units with a consideration of $92,284,016, on Friday, from 41 securities changing hands.
Sagicor Select – Financial fund was the market leader with 3.7 million shares and 3 percent of the volume traded, closely followed by Sagicor Select – Manufacturing and Distribution fund with 3.5million shares and 22 percent of the day’s trade. JMMB Group rounded out the top three with 3.1 million units and 19 percent of the market share.
The market closed, with an average of 404,708 units valued at an average of $1,945,344 for each security traded, in contrast to 925,351 units at $2,250,830 on Monday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 485,179 units for $8,886,686 and previously, an average of 490,445 units for $9,371,834 for each security changing hands. The market closed out November, with an average of 653,621 units valued at $8,699,916 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 11 stocks ending, with bids higher than their last selling prices and two closed, with lower offers. The PE ratio of the market ended at 19.2, with the Main Market ending at 18.8 times the current year’s earnings.
In the JSE Main Market, Caribbean Cement jumped $2.50 to end at $77.50 with a transfer of 2,410 stock units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund traded 1,070 units and rose 95 cents to close at $32, Grace Kennedy lost 80 cents to end at $68.20, after exchanging 2,050 shares. Jamaica Producers gained $1 to end at $24.50 with 55,9161 stock units trading, JMMB Group fell 65 cents to settle at $47.15, with 85,373 shares changing hands, units. Mayberry Jamaican Equities gained 75 cents to end at $12.75, with 15,000 stock units trading, MPC Caribbean dived $36 to end at $195 with an exchange of 627 stock units, NCB Financial Group declined by $2 to close at $201, in swapping 74,987 shares. PanJam Investment fell 99 cents to end at $101, with 17,366 shares crossing the exchange, Proven Investments dropped $4 to land at $50 while trading 4,696 stock units, Sagicor Group jumped $3.99 to $69.99 with 25,664 shares changing hands. Sagicor Real Estate Fund gained $1.20 to $10 with 36,350 shares, Scotia Group gained $1.50 to end at $55.50, in transferring 339,093 shares, Seprod lost $1.50 in trading 53,370 units to close at $48.50 and Supreme Ventures shed 56 cents to end at $25 while trading 24,197 stock units.
Trading in the US dollar market closed with 459,916 units amounting to $158,311, with the market index losing 1.33 points to close at 220.80. Productive Business Solution traded 60 shares to end at 63 US cents, a decline of 2 cents, Proven Investments lost 2 cents after exchanging 363,839 shares to close at 32 US cents, Sygnus Credit Investments exchanged 81,017 stock units, to close at 14 US cents and  JMMB Group 5.5% preference share traded 15,000 units at US$2.02.