Stocks mostly fall on JSE Main Market

Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market activity ended on Monday, with the volume of stocks traded declining 43 percent and the value falling 64 percent compared to trading on Friday as the market slipped in overall value.  
At the close, 10,753,625 shares were exchanged for $57,897,672, down from 18,706,267 units at $161,301,374 on Friday. Trading averaged 182,265 units at $981,316, compared to 366,790 shares at $3,162,772 on Friday and month to date, an average of 324,185 units at $1,476,401, compared to 228,567 units at $1,609,780 on the previous trading day. July closed with an average of 173,643 units at $1,683,017.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index fell 493.11 points to 423,057.22, the JSE Main Index slipped just 29.08 points to close at 372,907.71 and the JSE Financial Index as rose 0.21 points to 89.64.
Trading ended with 59 securities compared to 51 on Friday, with 18 rising, 28 declining and 13 ending unchanged.
The PE Ratio, a formula to ascertain appropriate stock values, averages 13.9 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are computed based on ICInsider.com’s forecasted earnings for companies with financial years ending up to the close of August 2023.
Wigton Windfarm led trading with 4.99 million units for 46.4 percent of total volume followed by Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 1.2 million units for 11.2 percent market share and Supreme Ventures with 576,472 shares for 5.4 percent of the total.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows eight stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one closing with a lower offer.
At the close, Barita Investments fell 67 cents to $86.31 after switching ownership of 54,553 shares, Caribbean Cement dropped $1.70 to $60 after trading 2,657 stocks, Eppley popped $2.25 to end at $41 in an exchange of three units. Eppley Carib Fund exchanged 3,204 shares and gained $2 to end at  $42, GraceKennedy popped $2.68 in closing at $98.98 with 69,100 stock units crossing the exchange, Guardian Holdings gave back $139.99 of what was gained on Friday to close at $510.01 with 137 stocks crossing the market, Jamaica Broilers fell 73 cents to $28.67 after trading 8,253 shares. MPC Caribbean Clean Energy added $1 in closing at $85, with 5,583 units changing hands, NCB Financial decreased $2.50 in ending at $96.50 while exchanging 59,105 shares, 138 Student Living gained $1.05 to close at $5.10 with 610 shares changing hands, Palace Amusement rallied $119 to close at $760 in exchange of 37 units. PanJam traded 220 units and fell $4.35 at $63.95, Portland JSX rose 50 cents to $10 after exchanging 16,903 stock units, Supreme Ventures rose 62 in closing at $28.50 in trading 576,472 stocks, Sygnus Credit Investments shed 39 cents to close at $13.21 in exchanging 136,945 shares and Sygnus Real Estate Finance fell 50 cents in ending at a 52 weeks’ low of $10.50, with 185 units clearing the market.
In the Preference segment, Eppley 7.25% jumped $1.50 to $21.50 after trading 220 shares and JMMBG7.25C due 2025 fell 44 cent to $2.46, with 1,500 units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.