After closing on Monday for the public holiday, market activity resumed on Tuesday and ended with a sharp fall in the volume and value of shares trading as 76 percent fewer shares changed hands valued 65 percent less than on Friday, on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market and leading to rising stocks exceeded those declining but with the market indices falling at the close.
A total of 4,884,545 shares traded for $52,813,077 down from 20,479,394 units at $151,854,299 on Friday. Transjamaican Highway led trading with 26.3 percent of total volume for an exchange of 1.28 million shares, followed by Ciboney Group with 20 percent after 979,186 units changed hands and Wigton Windfarm 12.7 percent after trading 620,768 units.
Trading averages 92,161 units at $996,473, versus 401,557 shares at $2,977,535 on Friday and month to date, an average of 240,412 units at $2,865,196, compared to 254,343 units at $3,040,805 on Friday. September closed with an average of 335,669 units at $7,507,404.
The All Jamaican Composite Index fell 1,959.88 points to 443,890.76, the JSE Main Index shed 1,325.80 points to 402,673.03 and the JSE Financial Index fell 0.94 points to settle at 97.09.
Trading ended with 53 securities compared to 51 on Friday, with 21 stocks rising, 12 declining and 20 ending unchanged. The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 15.5. The PE ratio of each stock, shown in the chart below, is based on earnings forecasted by ICInsider.com for companies whose financial year ends up to July 2022.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 15 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments spiked 50 cents in closing at $95.48 with an exchange of 33,360 shares, Berger Paints rallied 80 cents to $14.90 in trading 1,826 units, Caribbean Cement gained 39 cents to $118.39, with 11,972 stocks changing hands. Eppley Caribbean Property Fund lost 33 cents to close at $36.67 in switching ownership of 300 stock units, First Rock Capital dipped 25 cents to end at $12.40 in exchanging 16,070 units, GraceKennedy popped 60 cents to close at $99.84 in transferring 218,685 shares. Guardian Holdings dropped $25 to a 52 weeks’ low of $525 after exchanging 5,870 units, Jamaica Broilers rose 95 cents in ending at $30.95 after trading 3,148 stocks, JMMB Group fell 60 cents in closing at $37.60 with the swapping of 30,273 stock units. Kingston Wharves advanced $1.65 to end at $45 with 2,489 stocks changing hands, Margaritaville rose 70 cents in closing at $14.70 with an exchange of 251 shares, Mayberry Investments gained 48 cents to end at $5.99 with 21,664 units crossing the market. Mayberry Jamaican Equities rose 49 cents to $8.99 in an exchange of 950 stock units, NCB Financial declined $2.50 to close at $125.50 with 13,910 units clearing the market, Portland JSX gained 49 cents in ending at $8.94 after 36 shares crossed the exchange. 
Sagicor Real Estate Fund popped 40 cents to end at $8.40 in switching ownership of 357 stocks, Scotia Group declined $3.63, ending at a 52 weeks’ low of $33.02 in trading 148,478 stocks, making it an interesting stock to watch and Seprod gained 55 cents to close at $63.80 in a transfer of 11,013 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
