Rising stocks beat out decliners

Market activity dropped sharply on Thursday with the volume of shares trading declining 73 percent and the value falling 38 percent from trading on Wednesday at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market and ending with rising stocks exceeding those declining by a decent margin.
The All Jamaican Composite Index dipped 275.56 points to close at 426,778.01, the Main Index fell 179.99 points to 386,329.25 and the JSE Financial Index rose 0.60 points to end at 95.32.
A total of 49 securities traded compared to 48 on Wednesday, with 25 rising, 18 declining and six ending unchanged.
The PE Ratio, a formula for computing appropriate stock values, averages 16. The PE ratios for the JSE Main and USD Market closing quotes report are based on earnings forecasted by ICInsider.com for companies with financial years ending between the current year and August 2022.
Trading ended with 20,045,378 shares changing hands for $339,681,628 down sharply from 74,732,134 units at $550,250,998 on Wednesday. Kingston Wharves led trading with 38.3 percent of total volume after an exchange of 7.67 million shares, followed by QWI Investments with 25 percent for 5.02 million units, Wigton Windfarm with 15.1 percent for an exchange of 3.03 million units and Caribbean Producers with 7.9 percent for 1.59 million units changing hands.
Trading averages 409,089 units at $6,932,278 compared to 1,556,919 shares at $11,463,562 on Wednesday and month to date, an average of 547,333 units at $5,479,377 versus 559,831 units at $5,348,026 on Wednesday. November closed with an average of 233,949 units at $2,695,416.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows nine stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Caribbean Cement advanced $1.43 to $75 trading 15,403 shares, Caribbean Producers rallied 85 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $10.85 in switching ownership of 1,585,550 stocks, Eppley spiked $3.50 to close at $38.50 in exchanging 53 stock units. Eppley Caribbean Property Fund advanced $2.50 to end at $42.50 with the swapping of 631 units, First Rock Capital popped 33 cents in closing at $10.40 after trading 1,000 stocks, GraceKennedy lost 47 cents after ending at $98.48 with 22,344 units changing hands. Guardian Holdings rose $1 to $519 with a transfer of 10,096 shares, JMMB Group lost 57 cents to close at $37.82 after 108,468 stock units crossed the market, Kingston Properties spiked $1.15 to end at $9.65 in exchanging 100 stocks. Mayberry Investments advanced $1 to close at $8 in transferring 15,178 units, NCB Financial popped $1.05 to close at $120.05 in an exchange of 15,930 shares, PanJam Investment gained 45 cents to finish at $63.50 with 15,670 stock units changing hands. Sagicor Group shed 46 cents to end at $51.14 with 34,253 stocks crossing the exchange, Scotia Group lost 35 cents in ending at $36.50 with the swapping of 1,161 units, Seprod declined $1 to $62 in trading 22,001 stocks. Stanley Motta gained 30 cents to close at $5.30 after exchanging 931 shares, Sygnus Credit Investments shed 37 cents in ending at $14.93, with 169,421 stocks changing hands, Sygnus Real Estate Finance advanced $1.71 to $17.72 with an exchange of 1,500 stock units and Wisynco Group gained 30 cents to end at $16.50 in trading 62,203 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.