More retreat for Jamaican stocks – Wednesday

At the close of trading on the Jamaican Stock Exchange, the bias was in favour of falling prices on Wednesday as 53 securities changed hands in the overall market, ending with 18 stocks rising and 22 falling.
The market closed Wednesday, with 11 stocks gaining and 7 declining coming from the junior market as 5 securities ending at new 52 weeks’ closing highs.
The All Jamaica Composite Index dropped 1,229.08 points to close at 252,244.95, the JSE Market Index fell 1,099.01 points to finish at 229,926.34 and the JSE combined index lost 1,039.04 points, to close at 244,837.81.
At the close, 14,119,849 units valued at $235,690,329 changed hands, compared to 9,830,806 units valued at $174,930,678 changing hands on Tuesday. Of the stocks traded, the junior market accounted for 6,418,006 units valued at over $39,202,136.
The average trade for the day in the main market ended at 237,979 shares compared to an average of 210,760 units on Tuesday. For the month to date, an average of 213,191 shares compared to an average of 188,403 units up to the prior trading day. January ended with an average of 592,602 units.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 13 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 2 with a lower offers.
In market activity, Barita Investments lost 10 cents to close at $7.90 trading 2,835 units, Berger Paints closed at $12 with 7,273 shares changing hands, Cable and Wireless closed 1 cent lower to $1.28 with an exchange of 776,377 units, Caribbean Cement climbed to $33, gaining $2.70 trading 19,900 shares. Carreras closed higher by $1 to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $69, with 1,000 units traded, 1834 Investments lost 10 cents to close at $2.10 with trades of 27,610 shares, Grace Kennedy closed at $40, losing 50 cents with 203,000 units changing hands. Jamaica Broilers slid $2.15, closing at $14 trading 104,910 shares, Jamaica Producers closed at $18, losing $2.75 with 90,696 units changing hands, Jamaica Stock Exchange gained 49 cents to close at $9.99 with 178,875 shares traded, JMMB Group lost 5 cents to close at $19.50 with an exchange of 431,825 units. Kingston Wharves closed lower to $28.01 with a loss of $2.99 trading 1,397 units, Mayberry Investments closed at $5.73 with 8,343 shares changing hands and National Commercial Bank closed at $64, losing 89 cents, after swapping 28,465 shares. 138 Student Living gained 10 cents to close at $4.60 with 21,958 units traded, Pan Jamaican ended trading at $41 with gains of $1 and an exchange of 160,281 shares, Portland JSX lost 4 cents to close at $10.51 with an exchange of 2,537 shares, Pulse Investments closed at $6.50 with 410,470 shares changing hands. Radio Jamaica gained 7 cents and closed at $1.92 trading 197,732 units, Sagicor Group jumped $2.01 to $35, with trades of 3,572,539 units, Sagicor Real Estate fund closed at $11.50 after gaining 45 cents in exchange for 26,081 units, Scotia Group closed at $41, trading 26,977 shares. Scotia Investments dropped $2.50 to close at $40 trading 3,379 shares, Supreme Ventures closed at $5.70, gaining 2 cents with 123,500 shares traded, Proven Investments gained 2 US cents trading 810,942 ordinary shares to close at 32 US cents, JMMBGL7.25 closed at $1.50 trading 254 shares and JMMBGL 7.5% preference share gained 1 cent with trades of 461,687 units to close at $1.10.