Rising stocks had upper hand Monday

Advancing stocks dominated market activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market Monday with the volume of shares trading dropping 87 percent and the value 69 percent lower than on Friday as the All Jamaican Composite Index rallied 1,395.95 points to settle at 444,574.70, the JSE Main Index dropped 70.06 points to 391,123.20 and the JSE Financial Index rose 0.68 points to close at 95.65.
Trading ended with 59 securities compared to 56 on Friday, with 29 rising, 24 declining and six ending unchanged.
The PE Ratio, a formula for computing appropriate stock values, averages 16.6. The PE ratio for the JSE Main and USD Market closing quotes are based on ICInsider.com earnings forecasts for companies with financial years ending up to August 2022.
Overall, 14,925,719 shares were exchanged for $141,613,197 versus 114,219,281 units at $449,573,144 on Friday. Wigton Windfarm led trading with 43.1 percent of total volume with a transfer of 6.44 million shares followed by Sagicor Select Manufacturing & Distribution Fund with 13.1 percent for 1.96 million units and Transjamaican Highway, 8 percent after trading 1.19 million units.
Trading averages 252,978 units at $2,400,224, down from 2,039,630 shares at $8,028,092 on Friday and month to date, an average of 392,520 units at $3,199,976, compared to 400,144 units at $3,243,666 on the previous trading day. January closed with an average of 235,328 units at $2,397,571.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 18 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments gained 50 cents to close at $90.40 with 238,943 shares crossing the market, Caribbean Cement dipped $9.99 to $65.01 after exchanging 226,274 stocks, First Rock Capital rallied 70 cents in closing at $11.70 in trading 109 stock units. Guardian Holdings dropped $25.99 to $535.01 with the swapping of 1,142 units, Jamaica Producers gained 50 cents in ending at $22.90 with 12,635 stocks clearing the market, Jamaica Stock Exchange rose $1 to $17.95 in switching ownership of 60,675 shares. JMMB Group advanced $1.05 to $44.15 in transferring 388,876 stocks, Kingston Properties lost 50 cents in ending at $8.50 with 655 units changing hands, Kingston Wharves declined $1.80 in closing at $40.50 in switching ownership of 7,093 stock units. Margaritaville gained 50 cents to end at $28 in trading 184 shares, Mayberry Jamaican Equities fell 90 cents in closing at $7.60 with a transfer of 73,002 units, NCB Financial popped 50 cents to $124 after exchanging 109,385 stocks. Palace Amusement climbed $5 to end at $950 in trading 3 shares, PanJam Investment gained 50 cents to close at $66 with 26,598 stocks changing hands, Portland JSX declined $1.05 to $8.05 in switching ownership of 28,000 stock units. Proven Investments fell $1.49 in closing at $33.81 after crossing the exchange with 43,638 units, Sagicor Group rose 90 cents to end at $57.90 with the swapping of 261,869 stocks, Seprod declined $3 to $57 in exchanging 14,195 shares. Stanley Motta gained 44 cents in ending at $5.70 after trading 4,100 stocks, Sygnus Credit Investments shed 45 cents to end at $15.05 in an exchange of 64,511 stock units, Sygnus Real Estate Finance fell 80 cents to $16.20 with the swapping of 3,000 shares and Wisynco Group advanced $1.68 to $19.88 in switching ownership of 146,027 units.
In the preference segment, 138 Student Living preference share rallied 75 cents to end at $7.75 with 124 stocks crossing the market and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference shares popped $8 to $108 with the swapping of 8 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.