More retreat for JSE on Thursday

Investors pushed the Jamaica stock market down sharply again on Thursday as a wide cross section of the market showed weakness with declining stocks beating advancing ones by a good margin. Stock prices were widely down with 19 securities declining and the prices of 10 securities gaining as 45 changed hands in all market segments. Trading resulted in the while 3 stocks closed at 52 weeks’ high and two at intraday highs.
A total of 2,801,152 units valued at $40,035,868 changed hands in all markets. The junior market accounted for 876,572 units changing hands, valued at $3,718,863.
The JSE Market Index dived 913.83 points to 157,322.61 the all Jamaica Composite Index dropped 1,021.27 points to end at 174,773.18 and the JSE combined index dumped by 972.44 points to close at 168,580.74.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading was 15 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 5 with lower offers.
At the end of the market activities, Barita Investments ended with 119,000 units traded to close at $4.60, Berger Paints rose 20 cents to end at $4.70, with 13,950 units traded, Cable and Wireless closed with 58,929 units changing hands, with a loss of 1 cent at $1.59. Caribbean Cement jumped 50 cents to close at $30.50 with 11,868 shares changing hands, Carreras jumped $1.30 to close at $67, to end at a 52 weeks’ high while trading 150,641 units, Gleaner traded 57,510 shares but rose 5 cents to $2.50, Grace Kennedy ended with 2,449 shares trading to close at $82.25 after dropping 75 cents. Jamaica Broilers fell 75 cents with 244,239 units to close at $13.75, Jamaica Stock Exchange ended with 210,710 shares trading but lost 5 cents to close at $21.95, JMMB Group dropped 25 cents in trading 38,315 units at $11. Kingston Wharves had 5,900 shares trading at $11.40, Mayberry Investments traded 16,800 units to close at $4.80 for a rise of 30 cents, National Commercial Bank traded 45,262 shares to close at $40.30 after declining by $1.20, while 138 Students Living traded 146,285 shares with a fall of 10 cents to end at $5.60. Proven Investments traded 32,164 shares at 20 US cents, Radio Jamaica traded 17,651 units but fell 5 cents to $4.60, Sagicor Group fell 82 cents with 15,459 shares changing hands at $22.11, Scotia Group had 177,068 shares changing hands to close with a gain of 99 cents to end at $33. Scotia Investments had 1,200 units changing hands at $27 after dropping $3. Seprod closed at $22, with 104,200 shares trading, Supreme Ventures fell 10 cents to close at $5.90 with 48,200 units changing hands, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference share traded 66,900 at $2.15 and Proven Investments preference share traded 502,476 units at $5.