Trading in the main market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Monday with a sharp fall in volume and value traded and a drop in the market indices. The All Jamaica Composite Index declining 1,197.69 points to close at 262,775.04, the JSE Market Index fell 1,091.23 points to 239,417.82 and the JSE US dollar market index closed at 215.54.
At the close of trading, 31 securities changed hands with 2 trading in the US dollar market, leading to 10 stocks advancing and 9 declining. Trading in the main market ended with 1,059,661 units valued at just $8,670,794 changing hands, compared to a much higher, 3,774,318 units valued at $94,412,872 at the close on Friday. Trading in the US dollar market accounted for 98,500 units valued at US$28,311.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and US dollar markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 7 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 with lower offers.
The main market ended trading with an average of 36,540 units valued at a mere $298,993 for every security traded, compared to an average of 145,166 units valued at $3,631,264 on Friday. The average volume and value for the month to date ended at 97,758 units with an average value of $2,120,059 compared with an average of 128,368 units and $3,030,592 on the previous trading day. The average volume and value for May ended at 358,008 units and $9,037,303.
In market activity, Berger Paints closed at $18, with a loss of 64 cents exchanging 41,750 shares, Cable and Wireless closed at $1.30 trading 62,785 stock units, Caribbean Cement traded 99 cents lower to close at $29, with an exchange of 3,486 shares, Carreras lost $5 with 950 shares changing hands and closed at $84, Grace Kennedy advanced $2.01 to close at $43, trading 28,738 units, Jamaica Broilers closed at $17.96, gaining 6 cents with 38,773 shares being exchanged, Jamaica Producers lost 50 cents to close at $16 trading 43,524 units. Jamaica Stock Exchange closed at $7.39 with an exchange of 21,947 shares, JMMB Group traded 36,475 units at $20.50, Kingston Properties traded 49 cents higher to close at $11.49, with 1,224 shares changing owners, Kingston Wharves exchanged 1,108 shares at $32, Mayberry Investments lost 5 cents to close at $4.70, with an exchange of 50,700 shares, NCB Financial Group closed at $70.55, losing 44 cents after exchanging 6,431 shares, 138 Student Living exchanged 2,900 stock units at $4.49 and 1834 Investments gained 10 cents to close at $1.50 trading 16,000 shares. 
PanJam Investment closed at $35 trading 3,430 shares, Portland JSX lost 35 cents to close at $10.15, with 3,700 shares changing hands, Pulse Investments traded $2 lower to close at $16, with 9,313 shares, Radio Jamaica exchanged 145,825 shares at $1.70, Sagicor Group added 5 cents to close at $34.25 trading 39,824 shares and Sagicor Real Estate Fund rose 82 cents to close at $11.50, with 2,177 shares changing hands. Salada Foodsgained 55 cents, closing at $9.02, with an exchange of 350 shares, after trading at a 52 weeks’ intraday high of $10. Scotia Group dropped $2.10 and closed at $43.80, exchanging 6,424 shares, Scotia Investments traded $1.35 lower to close at $36.50, with 750 shares changing ownership, Seprod closed at $29.90, with gains of 38 cents trading 500 shares, Sterling Investments closed at $16.90, gaining $1.40 with 5,000 shares changing hands while Supreme Ventures added 29 cents to close at $7.49 exchanging 62,690 shares. Margaritaville Turks exchanged 4,500 units at 34 US cents, Proven Investments traded 94,000 ordinary shares at 28.49 US cents, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.5% preference share closed at $2 with trades of 5,984 units and JMMB Group 7.5% preference share closed at $1.15 exchanging 415,000 units.
