Stocks gave back some of Tuesday’s gains bring the year to date gains to zero when the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended trading on Wednesday, with the market declining even as more stocks advanced than declined after an exchange of 15 percent more shares with an 11 percent lower value than on Tuesday.
The All Jamaican Composite Index fell 2,201.29 points to 433,411.08, the Main Index dropped 1,957.22 points to 395,223.27 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.51 points to settle at 100.07.
Investors traded 40 securities, down from 47 on Tuesday and closed with 18 rising, 12 declining and 10 remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio averages 19.2 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Traders exchanged 16,449,582 shares for $59,313,530 compared to 14,255,372 units at $66,739,337 on Tuesday. Wigton Windfarm led trading with 36.1 percent of total volume, after an exchange of 5.94 million shares, followed by Transjamaican Highway with 29 percent for 4.78 million units, QWI Investments chipped in with 10.1 percent after 1.66 million units traded and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 6.9 percent of the day’s trade for 1.14 million units.
Trading averaged 411,240 units at $1,482,838 for each security, compared to an average of 303,306 shares at $1,419,986 on Tuesday. Trading month to date averaged 358,582 units at $1,676,782 for each security, in contrast to 336,641 units at $1,757,591 on Tuesday. February closed with an average of 419,015 units at $2,509,660.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
Barita Investments rose $1.25 to end at $81.25 trading 3,179 shares, Berger Paints rose 24 cents in closing at $13.45, after exchanging 4,677 stock units, Caribbean Cement shed $2.30 to close at $67.20 in transferring 39,713 shares. Carreras gained 20 cents to finish at $7.73, with 53,050 units changing hands, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund advanced $1 to $41 after an exchange of 2,181 shares. First Rock Capital gained 25 cents to settle at $15.25 trading 56,515 stock units, Grace Kennedy rose $1.98 to $90.98, with the swapping of 119,902 shares, Jamaica Broilers ended 24 cents higher at $28.74 after the transfer of 25,562 units. JMMB Group rose 22 cents to $32.90 in an exchange of 55,700 units, Kingston Wharves shed 60 cents to $45, with shareholders switching ownership of 40,328 shares. 
NCB Financial declined $1 to $141, with 53,913 stock units crossing the market, Palace Amusement dropped $67.03 to $885, with 210 units changing hands, PanJam Investment finished 90 cents lower at $64.10 trading 8,674 stock units. Proven Investments advanced $1.75 to $39, with an exchange of 35,591 stocks, Sagicor Real Estate Fund rose 43 cents to $8.35 with the swapping of 15,997 shares, Salada Foods declined $2.99 to $38.51 with 8,295 units clearing the market. Stanley Motta gained 34 cents to close at $5.35 after exchanging 212 units and Supreme Ventures fell $1.20 to $15 in transferring 90,750 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
