Stocks closed mixed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Monday, resulting in market indices rising moderately, with the volume of stocks traded remaining subdued with 49 percent more volume passing through the market compared to Friday, with the value of stocks traded dropping a sharp 51 percent.
Overall, 7,396,135 shares were exchanged for $31,788,226 versus 4,959,941 units at $65,424,573 on Friday. Trading averaged 125,358 units at $538,783 compared to 88,570 shares at $1,168,2961 on Friday and month to date, an average of 165,265 units at $1,157,389, compared to 169,983 units at $1,230,531 on the previous trading day. July averaged 173,643 units at $1,683,017.
Wigton Windfarm led trading with 3.4 million units for 46 percent of total volume, followed by Transjamaican Highway with 1.16 million shares for 15.6 percent of the day’s trade and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 610,087 units for 8.2 percent of market share.
Trading ended with 59 securities compared to 56 on Tuesday, with 25 rising, 29 declining and five ending unchanged. At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index rose 897.37 points to 419,448.06, the JSE Main Index gained 188.92 points to close at 367,524.60, and the JSE Financial Index inched 0.03 points higher to 88.44.
The PE Ratio, a formula to ascertain appropriate stock values, averages 13.6 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are computed based on ICInsider.com’s forecasted earnings for companies with financial years ending up to the close of August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows ten stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and six stocks with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments fell 98 cents to $86.30 after exchanging 3,282 shares, Caribbean Cement dropped $2.70 to close at $59.80 after an exchange of 8,073 shares, Eppley jumped $1.32 in closing at $39.39, with 313 stocks crossing the market. First Rock traded 24,359 shares after rising 55 cents to $12.45. GraceKennedy dropped $3.25 to end at $95.50, with 23,610 units changing hands, Guardian Holdings fell $1 to close at $505 after trading 292 stock units, Jamaica Broilers rose 35 cents to $29 after exchanging 5,664 stocks. Jamaica Producers fell 60 cents in closing at $20.15, with an exchange of 1,365 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange fell $2.26 to $16.70 after an exchange of 3,389 shares, Massy Holdings shed $1.10 in ending at $89, with 2,130 units crossing the exchange, Margaritaville climbed $2.20 to $24.20, with just two stocks changing hands. Mayberry Jamaican Equities fell 40 cents to close at $14.10 after trading 11,321 stock units. MPC Carib Energy fell $13.17 to close at a 52 weeks’ low of $71.83 after trading 185 shares, NCB Financial lost $2 to end at $94 with an exchange of 92,031 shares, PanJam Investment shed $3 in closing at $61 in an exchange of 8,350 units. 
Portland JSX jumped $2.49 to $11 in switching ownership of a mere four stocks, Scotia Group popped $2.43 to end at $36.50 with the swapping of 327 stock units, Seprod rose $1.92 to $69.99, with 4,631 stocks crossing the market, Supreme Ventures climbed $1.38 to close at $28.53 in exchanging 16,826 shares and Wisynco dropped $1.52 in closing at $10.21, in trading 87,422 stocks.
In the preference segment, Eppley 5% traded seven shares and rose $1.99 to $21.89, Eppley 7.5% rose 51 cents to $7.45 after an exchange of 119 shares, 138 Student Living preference shares fell $1.13 to end at $49.32 in an exchange of 46 units. Productive Business Solutions preference share surged $56.01 to a 52 weeks’ high of $165 with the swapping of 127 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
