The Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange declined on Tuesday as NCB financial dropped from $150 down to a day’s low of $140 and was the main stock that inflicted the bulk of the damage to the market index.
At the close, the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 4,151.98 points to 409,869.77, the JSE Market Index declined by 3,680.65 points to 373,751.19 and the JSE Financial Index shed 2.12 points to close at 98.86.
The market closed with 49 securities changing hands in the Main and US dollar markets with prices of 20 stocks advancing, 18 declining and 11 securities trading firm. The JSE Main Market activity ended with 45 securities accounting for 17,254,018 units valued $121,600,273, in contrast to 20,915,712 units valued at $107,984,225 from 42 securities on Monday.
Trans Jamaican Highway led trading with 8 million shares for 46.4 percent of total volume followed by Wigton Windfarm with 4 million units for 23.4 percent of the day’s trade and JMMB Group 7.25% preference share with 1.5 million units for 8.7 percent market share.
The Market closed with an average of 383,423 units valued $2,702,228 for each security traded, in contrast to 497,993 units valued at an average of $2,571,053 on Monday. The average volume and value for the month to date amount to 359,042 units priced at $2,811,232 for each security changing hands, compared to 356,991 units with an average value of $2,844,401. 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 seven stocks closing with lower offers. The PE ratio of the market ended at 14.4, while the Main Market ended at 14.8 times 2020-21 earnings.
In the Main Market, Caribbean Cement lost 50 cents to close at $51.50, in transferring 9,923 units, Eppley ended 50 cents higher at $15.50 after exchanging 2,060 units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund added $1.89 to finish at $37.39, with 1,532 units changing hands. First Rock Capital closed at $11, with a loss of 40 cents swapping 5,465 units, Jamaica Stock Exchange picked up 80 cents trading 12,496 stock units to close at $20.80. JMMB Group transferred 158,678 shares at $34, after losing 51 cents, Key Insurance fell 80 cents to $6.20, with an exchange of 97,758 shares, Kingston Wharves jumped $6.02 to $54 trading 60,956 stock units. Mayberry Investments gained 40 cents to end at $6, in transferring 145,068 shares, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy declined $5 to end at $170, after exchanging 1,327 units, 138 Student Living gained $1 swapping 108 units and closed at $8. Palace Amusement ended the day $140 lower at $1,360, with 141 units changing hands, 
PanJam Investment shed 45 cents to settle at $75.75, in trading 9,717 units, Portland JSX picked up 94 cents swapping a mere five units to end at $8.60. Sagicor Group finished 50 cents lower at $45, with an exchange of 80,664 shares, Salada Foods added $1 to end at $28, in transferring 420 units, Scotia Group closed at $44, with a loss of $1 in trading 95,850 shares. Seprod gained 91 cents to reach $51, after exchanging 27,258 stock units, Supreme Ventures advanced $1.99 to $16 with 685,165 shares changing hands, Victoria Mutual Investments gained 31 cents in swapping 18,768 stock units to finish at $7.48 and Wisynco Group rose 30 cents to $18, with 108,499 shares crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
