Investors pushed stocks higher in early trading Monday, on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market, but the market pulled back by the close, with the volume of shares changing hands rising just 7 percent above Friday level with the value up 116 percent higher as losing stocks outpaced those gaining.
The All Jamaican Composite Index rose 77.65 points to 457,532.39, the JSE Main Index skidded 2,186.81 points to 399,554.57 and the JSE Financial Index declined 0.79 points to settle at 93.63.
Trading ended with 54 securities compared to 53 on Friday, with 18 rising, 28 declining and eight ending unchanged.
The PE Ratio, a formula for computing appropriate stock values, averages 14.6. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are computed based on ICInsider.com’s earnings forecast for companies with financial years, ending up to the close of August 2023.
Overall, 16,226,995 shares were traded for $199,541,155 versus 15,175,474 units at $92,468,488 on Friday. Radio Jamaica led trading with 2.87 million shares for 17.7 percent of total volume followed by Transjamaican Highway with 2.13 million units for 13.1 percent of the day’s trade and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 2.05 million units for 12.6 percent market share. Wigton Windfarm ended with 1.78 million units for 11 percent market share and Pulse Investments exchanged 1.37 million units for 8.4 percent market share.
Trading averages 300,500 units at $3,695,207, compared to 286,330 shares at $1,744,688 on Friday and month to date, an average of 612,101 units at $6,348,614, compared to 633,240 units at $6,528,619 on the previous trading day. March trading averaged of 610,787 units at $6,967,031.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 12 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Caribbean Cement declined $1.30 to $69.70 in an exchange of 36,677 shares, Eppley dropped $4.75 to close at $38 after exchanging 3,280 stock units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund fell $3 to end at $42 with the swapping of 3,478 units. First Rock Capital shed 64 cents to close at $11.65 in switching ownership of 18,984 stocks, GraceKennedy lost $1.09 after ending at $104.08 after 850,418 units crossed the market, Guardian Holdings shed $45 to close at a 52 weeks’ low of $500 in trading 41,380 stocks. Jamaica Producers fell $1.50 in closing at $21.50, with 39,313 stock units crossing the exchange, Jamaica Stock Exchange lost $1.80 in ending at $20.20 while exchanging 23,033 shares, Kingston Properties dropped 30 cents to $7.50 after exchanging 82,311 stock units. Kingston Wharves declined $1 to end at $39 in trading 8,542 units, Mayberry Investments fell 50 cents to end at $8.50, with 135,684 stocks crossing the market, Mayberry Jamaican Equities dropped 45 cents in closing at $12 and trading 52,157 shares. NCB Financial declined $2 to close at $114 with an exchange of 43,690 shares, 1834 Investments, fresh after the announcement of a proposed scheme of arrangements between themselves and Radio Jamaica traded 511,310 after the price jumped 28 cents to a 52 weeks’ high of $1.13, Palace Amusement lost $80 to end at $920, with 139 units clearing the market, PanJam Investment shed $1.01 in ending at $64 in exchanging 13,857 stock units. 
Proven Investments fell 82 cents to close at $37, with 31,375 stocks changing hands, Radio Jamaica rallied 43 cents to $3.19 after trading 2,867,013 stocks, following the announcement of a proposed scheme of arrangements between themselves and 1834 Investments that will see RJR absorbing the assets and liabilities of 1834. Salada Foods popped 34 cents ending at $6.42 while exchanging 155 units. Scotia Group shed 30 cents to end at $34.90 after 104,230 stock units crossed the exchange, Seprod lost 50 cents to end at $61.30 trading 1,170 shares and Supreme Ventures dropped $2.45 to end at $29.55 after exchanging 462,521 stock units.
In the preference segment, 138 Student Living Preference shares dropped $2.05 in closing at $10.50, with 381 stocks clearing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
