Stocks enjoyed another bounce at the end of trading on Friday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market, but the number of stocks declining almost doubled those rising ones, with the volume of trades falling 28 percent while values were 54 percent higher than on Thursday.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index rose 1,230.66 points to 428,244.36and the Main Index gained 1,046.02 points to 390,476.71, with a 1.3 percent decline for the year to date. The JSE Financial Index added 0.75 points to settle at 99.99.
Trading ended with 45 securities changing hands, up from 44 on Thursday and closed with 12 stocks rising, 22 declining and 11 remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio now averages 16.5 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with an exchange of 8,950,572 shares for $95,033,632 compared to 12,425,485 units at $61,762,267 on Thursday. Pulse Investments led trading with 28.6 percent of total volume, after an exchange of 2.56 million shares followed by QWI Investments with 19.4 percent for 1.74 million units after trading at a 52 weeks’ high of $1.03 and Wigton Windfarm with 10 percent market share for 898,219 units.
Trading for the day averaged 198,902 units at $2,111,858, compared to 282,397 shares at $1,403,688 on Thursday. The month to date averaged 396,747 units at $2,501,656, in contrast to 445,935 units at $2,598,567 on the prior trading day. Trading in January closed with an average of 311,275 units at $1,432,133.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has 11 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Berger Paints shed 69 cents to settle at $13.20, with an exchange of 3,000 shares. Ciboney Group rose 9 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of 35 cents with an exchange of 6,000 shares, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund fell $1.94 to $41.06 after trading 210 units, Grace Kennedy slid 90 cents to $73.70, in switching ownership of 105,823 stocks, Jamaica Broilers shed 20 cents in closing at $29, with 34,308 units changing hands. Jamaica Stock Exchange picked up 24 cents to close at $19.24 after investors swapped 110 shares, JMMB Group rose 45 cents to finish at $32.95, in trading 17,345 stocks. Kingston Wharves slipped 50 cents to $46.50 after exchanging 33,960 stock units, Palace Amusement dropped $250 to $850 after trading 89 shares. Pan Jam Investment declined by $2.30 to $64, with 4,741 units clearing the market, Proven Investments climbed $1.90 to $38.90, with switching ownership of 155,015 stocks, Pulse Investments lost 22 cents to close at $4.68, with 2,555,612 shares crossing the exchange.
Salada Foods advanced by $3.90 in closing at $49.90, with 28,895 units changing hands, Seprod rose 51 cents to $71.51 trading 20,987 stock units, Supreme Ventures gained 50 cents to end at $17.40, with 4,427 units crossing the market and Sygnus Credit Investments picked up 34 cents to settle at $15.09, in an exchange of 77,107 shares.
In the preference segment, Community & Workers Credit Union closed 23 cents lower at $1.85, with 28,899 stock units crossing the exchange and JMMB Group 7.25% shed 46 cents in closing at $1.38, with 71,623 units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
