The Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange continued its spirited run since it fell to under 40,000 points on April 28, after banking stocks got battered by the suspension of dividends, orchestrated by Bank of Jamaica.
At the close of trading, the market was enjoying its third straight day of gains, with the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index climbing 2,698.18 points to 404,587.50, the JSE Market Index added 2,528.96 points to 368,889.50 and the JSE Financial Index gained 1.05 points to 99.14.
The market closed with 46 securities changing hands in the Main and US dollar markets with prices of 17 stocks advancing, 16 declining and 13 securities ending unchanged. Two preference stocks closed at 52 weeks’ low. The JSE Main Market activity ended with 42 securities accounting for 22,545,407 units valued at just $84,409,280, in contrast to 13,244,349 units valued at $91,265,025 from 41 securities on Wednesday.
Trans Jamaican Highway led trading with 12.8 million shares for 57 percent of total volume followed by Pulse Investments with 3.9 million units for 17 percent of the day’s trade and Wisynco Group with 1.3 million units for just under 6 percent market share.
The market closed with an average of 536,795 units valued at $2,009,745 for each security traded, in contrast to 323,033 units valued at an average of $2,225,976 on Wednesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amount to 398,499 units valued at $2,361,153 for each security changing hands, compared to 362,134 units at an average value of $2,453,398. Trading in April resulted in an average of 1,077,021 units valued at $3,829,201 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 six stocks closing with lower offers. The PE ratio of the market ended at 14, while the Main Market ended at 14.2 times 2020-21 earnings.
In the Main Market, Eppley added 64 cents to end at $12, with 5,000 units changing hands, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund shed 99 cents trading 2,272 units to settle at $33.01, Grace Kennedy closed at $58, with gains of 65 cents in transferring 27,376 stock units. Jamaica Broilers finished the day $1.27 higher at $25.27, after swapping 62,448 shares, Jamaica Producers lost $1.54 and ended at $18.95, exchanging 5,120 units, Jamaica Stock Exchange gained 35 cents transferring 11,900 units and closed at $20.90. JMMB Group closed 49 cents lower to $33.51, in trading 165,473 shares, Key Insurance shed $1.03 to settle at $9.01 after it traded at an all-time high of $11.50, with an exchange of 535,846 shares, Mayberry Investments closed 60 cents lower at $5.20, in swapping 151,000 shares. Mayberry Jamaican Equities gained 51 cents to end at $8.50, with 1,700 units changing hands, 
MPC Caribbean Clean Energy soared $15.50 to $175.50, after swapping 110 units, NCB Financial Group advanced by $3 to $145, with a transfer of 21,887 stock units. Palace Amusement tumbled to $1,500, after sustaining a loss of $200 in trading 122 shares, PanJam Investment advance by $4.70 to $77.70, with an exchange of 155 units, Pulse Investments gained 39 cents to finish at $2.45, after transferring 3,855,905 shares, following the release of nine months results. Scotia Group closed at $44, with a loss of 90 cents trading 71,618 stock units, Seprod ended $2 higher at $46, with 9,465 units crossing the exchange, Stanley Motta rose 54 cents to $5.14, after swapping 9,473 units. Supreme Ventures fell $1.10 to $14 after transferring 225,244 shares and Wisynco Group ended 65 cents lower at $17, with 1,327,496 shares changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
