Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market activity ended with the market index declining for a second day, just ahead of the final trading day for May as investors exchanged more shares than on Wednesday.
At the close, the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index declined by 1,262.37 points to 416,829.26, the JSE Market Index fell 1,326.12 points to 379,887.20 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.90 points to 99.68. The PE ratio of the market ended at 14.4, while the Main Market ended at 14.6 times 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with 46 securities changing hands in the Main and US dollar markets with prices of 14 stocks advancing, 16 declining and 16 securities trading firm. The JSE Main Market activity ended with 40 securities accounting for 21,505,791 units valued at $167,719,708, in contrast to 18,437,961 units valued at $158,788,476 from 44 securities on Wednesday.
Trans Jamaican Highway led trading with 7.3 million shares for 34 percent of the total volume, followed by Wigton Windfarm with 6.5 million units for 30.4 percent of the day’s trade and Supreme Ventures with 1.7 million units for 7.8 percent market share. Other stocks trading over 1 million units were Sagicor Select Financial Fund and Wisynco Group, with 1.15 million units and 1.1 million units, respectively.
The average trade for the day was 537,645 units at $4,192,993 each, in contrast to 419,045 units for $3,608,829 on Wednesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amount to 369,670 units valued at $2,994,834 for each security changing hands, compared to 361,176 units with an average value of $2,930,932. 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 twelve stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two stocks closing with lower offers.
In the Main Market, Barita Investments gained 60 cents to close at $51 in trading 3,456 units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund dropped $4 to $33, with an exchange of 2,310 units, First Rock Capital ended $1.75 lower at $13 after transferring 3,153 units. Jamaica Broilers shed 39 cents exchanging 13,765 stock units to settle at $26.11, Jamaica Producers slipped 50 cents to $20.80, in transferring 229,065 shares. Jamaica Stock Exchange dropped $1.90 to finish at $21, with 40,537 stock units changing hands. Mayberry Jamaican Equities closed 40 cents lower at $9.80, in switching ownership of 22,088 stock units, 
MPC Caribbean Clean Energy tumbled $16 to $160 trading 1,501 units, NCB Financial Group climbed $1.01 to end at $148, with 476,923 shares changing hands. 138 Student Living gained 81 cents and transferred 71,160 stock units in closing at $7.50, Palace Amusement dived $100 to end at $1,200 trading 144 units, Sagicor Group rose 39 cents to $46.40 exchanging 34,761 stock units. Sagicor Real Estate Fund added 84 cents to finish at $7.94, with 600 units changing hands, Seprod climbed $1.39 to close at $54.95, in trading 141,419 shares and Supreme Ventures slid $1.20 transferring 1,674,041 shares and closed at $14.50.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
