Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market closed higher for the third time this week to end up 7,400 points higher than at the close of last week on the back of moderate trading levels after NCB Financial bounced from declines to a recent 52 weeks’ low of $130 on July 7, to close at $140.
NCB Financial Montego Bay branch
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index climbed 1,431.82 points to 410,054.04, and the Main Index rose 1,234.14 points to 374,142.73, while the JSE Financial Index inched up by 0.33 points to 96.96.
Trading ended with 41 securities changing hands, down from 42 on Wednesday and closes with the prices of 20 stocks rising, the prices of 18 declining and three remaining unchanged.
The average PE Ratio of the Main Market ended at 15 based on IC Insider.com’s forecasted 2020-21 earnings. The market closed with an exchange of 14,547,430 shares for $117,545,736 compared to 8,833,133 units at $194,889,167 on Wednesday.
Wigton Windfarm led trading with 8.5 million shares for 58.5 percent of total volume followed by Transjamaican Highway with 2.4 million units for 16.5 percent of the day’s trade and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 549,697 units for 4 percent market share.
The average trade for the day ended at 354,815 units at $2,866,969 in contrast to an average of 210,408 at $4,640,489 on Wednesday. An average of 399,294 units traded for the month to date at $3,005,630 for each security, in contrast to 403,250 units at $3,017,962. In contrast, June ended with an average of 818,748 units at $7,498,308.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the Main market shows seven stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Barita Investments declined by $1.59 in closing at $55.01, with 583 units changing hands, Berger Paints lost 92 cents to end at $11.90 in an exchange of 29,478 units. First Rock Capital dropped 75 cents to close at $13.25, in trading 1,000 units, Jamaica Producers Group rose 99 cents to end at $23.50, with 1,189 units clearing the market, Jamaica Stock Exchange lost 39 cents to finished at $21.50 in an exchange of 42,315 stock units. JMMB Group rose 35 cents after closing at $31.45, with 311,065 shares changing hands, Key Insurance gained 40 cents to $5.50 in clearing the market with 21,043 stock units, Kingston Properties dropped by $1.69 to $6.11 after 2,383 shares crossed the exchange. Kingston Wharves rose $2.50 in ending at $52.50 and trading 14,251 stock units, Mayberry Investments climbed 67 cents to $5.99 in trading of 100 stock units, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy declined by $11 to close at $160 in an exchange of 100 stock units. 
NCB Financial Group rose $1 to $140 after trading 231,287 stock units, 138 Student Living added 50 cents to end at $6.50 with investors switching ownership of 500 shares, Proven Investments increased $1 to $33 with 7,091 stock units changing hands. Sagicor Real Estate Fund rose 74 cents to settle at $8.49 after 338 shares changed hands, Salada Foods ended rising $2.98 to settle at $30.98 with investors swapping 25 shares, Seprod rose $1 in closing at $53, with 51,568 units clearing the market. Sterling Investments shed 35 cents to settle at $2.50 in trading 39,166 shares. Sygnus Credit Investments increased 48 cents to close at $16.35, with 12,806 stock units changing hands and Victoria Mutual Investments rose 30 cents to end at $7.50 with an exchange of 106,100 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
