Stocks put in modest gains for the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market at the end of trading on Thursday after an exchange of five times more shares than on Wednesday at nearly twice the value as rising stocks beat out declining ones.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index advanced by 626.97 points to 432,827.48, the Main Index rose 425.29 points to 394,786.75 and the JSE Financial Index inched 0.06 points higher to 102.60.
Trading ended with 44 securities changing hands compared to 46 on Wednesday and closed with prices of 18 stocks rising, 15 declining and 11 remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio closed with an average of 16.9 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Traders exchanged 42,478,328 shares for $63,599,694 up sharply from 8,061,938 units at $33,788,624 on Wednesday. QWI Investments led trading with 71.1 percent of total volume for 30.21 million shares, followed by Transjamaican Highway with 19.6 percent for 8.34 million units and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 2.2 percent for 947,698 units.
Trading averaged 965,417 units at $1,445,448 compared to 175,260 shares at $734,535 on Wednesday. Trading month to date averaged 361,424 units at $822,306 compared to 167,441 units at $622,172 on the prior trading day. Trading in December averaged 455,206 units at $7,774,631.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has seven stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At close of trading, Barita Investments lost 25 cents to close at $84.75, with an exchange of 2,952 shares, Berger Paints shed 89 cents to $13 in swapping 4,523 units, Caribbean Cement climbed $1.60 to $62, with investors swapping 1,610 units. First Rock Capital lost 70 cents in closing at $12.20, with 2,404 units changing hands, Grace Kennedy rose $1.50 to $65.50 trading 52,367 shares, JMMB Group closed $1.50 higher at $33.50, with 159,912 shares crossing the exchange. Kingston Wharves finished 50 cents lower at $46.50, after 1,753 units traded, NCB Financial shed 45 cents to $143.55 after trading 14,666 stock units, Palace Amusement climbed $194 to $1,300, in an exchange of 87 shares, Pan Jam Investment dropped $6.17 to close at $68.03, with investors swapping 1,468 units. 
Proven Investments rose 73 cents to finish at $35.13 in exchanging 2,960 units, Seprod fell $1 to $64, with a transfer of 13,722 stock units, Supreme Ventures gained 31 cents to close at $17.87, with 5,935 shares changing hands.
In the preference segment, Eppley 8.75% preference share shed 46 cents to close at $7.06, trading 3,438 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
