Slight set back for JSE

The Jamaica Stock Exchange to a break from the record run it has been enjoying, at the close of trading on Wednesday as the market indices slipped modestly.
The market, closed with the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index declined by 857.98 points to close at 583,816.53, the JSE Index dropped 779.68 points to close at 531,524.65 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.69 points to close at 143.17.
Market activity resulted in 39 securities trading in the main and US dollar markets, leading to 15 securities advancing, 17 declining and 6 trading firm, compared to 39 securities trading on Monday. Trading ended with 11,378,883 units valued at over $167,438,830, compared to 19,470,666 units valued $144,572,102 changing hands on Monday.
Jamaica Broilers closed at 52 weeks’ high of $39.02 after trading at an intraday record of $43.63, Radio Jamaica ended at a 52 weeks’ high of at $1.65, Sagicor Group closed at record high of $75 after hitting an intraday high of $84.05 while Pulse Investments traded at an intraday high of $4.15.
Wigton Windfarm led trading with 6.5 million units for 57 percent of total volume, Victoria Mutual Investments followed with 1 million shares for 9 percent of the day’s volume and Radio Jamaica with 648,870 shares for 6 percent of total main market volume.
The market closed with average of 355,590 units valued $5,232,463 for each security traded, in contrast to 556,305 units valued $4,130,631 on Monday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts 1,135,145 shares with an average value of $5,543,313, compared to 1,496,677 units at $5,687,475 on the previous trading session. July closed with an average of 1,297,718 shares valued at $17,985,644 for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 6 stocks ending with bids higher than the last selling prices and none with a lower offer.
In the main market activity, Berger Paints traded 5,240 shares and lost 50 cents to close at $18.50, Caribbean Cement climbed $1.20 trading 168,404 units to close at $80, Grace Kennedy rose $2 in trading 65,768 units to close at $72, Jamaica Broilers exchanged 75,398 shares and rose $1.22 to close at record high of $39.02. Jamaica Producers declined $1.49 trading 31,928 units to close at $27.01, Jamaica Stock Exchange dropped $3.15 trading 506,514 shares to end at $24.85, JMMB Group rose $2 trading 246,497 shares to close at $53, Kingston Properties rose 60 cents trading 11,300 shares in closing at $6.60. Kingston Wharves jumped $4.16 while trading 695 shares to end at $70, NCB Financial rose $2 in exchanging 206,186 units to close $210, Pulse Investments exchanged 20,500 shares after falling 40 cents to close at $3.10, Sagicor Group jumped $2 in trading 348,243 shares to end at record closing high of $75. Scotia Group dipped $1 to close at $53 trading 206,422 shares and Seprod climbed $3 in trading 32,453 shares at $58.
Trading in the US securities market resulted in 193,550 units valued at US$32,924 changing hands. JMMB Group 6% preference share lost 3 cents and settled at 99 cents with 3,789 stock units trading, Proven Investments closed at 25 US cents with an exchange of 140,900 shares and Sygnus Credit Investments gained 1 cent trading 139,761 shares to end at 12 US cents. The JSE USD Equities Index advanced by 0.93 points to close at 188.30.