Trading took a breather on Monday with the market declining after more stocks declined than rose after an exchange of 158 percent shares than on Friday in trading activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index shed 798.73 points to 431,249.12, the JSE Main Index fell by 720.19 points to 393,361.05 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.17 points to settle at 102.20.
Trading ended with 45 securities changing hands up from 40 on Friday and closed with 12 stocks rising, 22 declining and 11 remaining unchanged. The average PE Ratio ended at 16.8 based on ICInsider.com’s 2020-21 earnings forecast.
Traders exchanged 21,543,484 shares for $67,653,800 up from 8,357,028 units at $62,510,845 on Friday. 1834 Investments led trading with 46.5 percent of total volume for 10.02 million shares, followed by Pulse Investments with 17.5 percent for 3.77 million units. Wigton Windfarm took 16.2 percent of trading, with 3.48 million shares, Transjamaican Highway with 4.8 percent for 1.04 million units and Sagicor Real Estate Fund with 4.7 percent market share for 1.01 million units.
Trading for the day averaged 478,744 units at $1,503,418 for each security, compared to an average of 208,926 shares at $1,562,771 on Friday. Trading month to date averaged 358,339 units at $1,048,880 for each security, in contrast to 333,822 units at $956,327 on the prior trading day. Trading in December averaged 455,206 units at $7,774,631.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows ten stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close of trading, Barita Investments fell 75 cents to $84, in trading 59,373 shares, Berger Paints dropped by $1.10 to $13, with 2,010 stock units changing hands. Caribbean Cement climbed $1 to $61, after a transfer of 1,327 units, Eppley fell 99 cents to $27 trading 709 stocks, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund dropped $1.87 to $42.56 after exchanging 651 stock units. First Rock Capital advanced $1.15 to $13.75, in clearing the market with 54,287 units, Jamaica Broilers gained 65 cents in closing at $28 and exchanging 104,778 shares, Jamaica Producers dropped $1.33 to $19.77, with 12,260 units clearing the market. JMMB Group closed at $32.65, with a loss of 85 cents after exchanging 42,013 shares, Key Insurance slipped 17 cents to $6.18, in swapping 47,372 stock units. MPC Caribbean Clean Energy rose 47 cents to $157.47 in switching ownership of 10 shares, NCB Financial Group shed $1.70 to end at $142 after clearing the market with 30,449 stocks. 138 Student Living lost 34 cents to close at $4.51 exchanging 151 units, Palace Amusement slipped $5 to $1,295, trading 15 units, PanJam Investment shed 43 cents to end at $72.57, with the swapping of 137 stock units, Proven Investments slid 69 cents to $35.10 trading 22,684 units. 
Pulse Investments gained 8 cents in closing at $4.75, after exchanging 3,765,486 shares, Sagicor Group shed 95 cents to end at $49.50 in exchanging 9,798 units. Sagicor Real Estate Fund fell 73 cents to $8.25, with 1,010,838 stocks changing hands, Supreme Ventures shed 40 cents in closing at $17.50, after the transfer of 29,737 shares. Sygnus Credit Investments rose 57 cents to $17.27, in trading 9,730 units and Victoria Mutual Investments lost 9 cents in closing at $5.91, with an exchange of 46,532 stock units.
In the preference segment, Eppley 8.75% preference share rose 46 cents to settle at $7.52, with 373 shares crossing the exchange, Eppley 8.25% climbed $1 to $7, finishing with a transfer of 200 units and JMMB Group 7.5% gained 5 cents to close at 75 cents, in an exchange of 37,141 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
