After two days of strong gains in the market indices, the market rose moderately on Thursday, with declining stocks just edging out those rising as 85 percent more funds changed hands than on Wednesday in moderate trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market.
The All Jamaican Composite Index advanced 187.57 points to 442,013.12, after hitting 443,387.95 just after midday. The Main Index rose 170.79 points to 402,637.35 and the JSE Financial Index added 0.06 points in settling at 100.22.
Trading ended with 49 securities, up from 46 on Wednesday and closed with 17 stocks rising, 19 declining and 13 remaining unchanged and three stock closed at 52 weeks’ high. The PE Ratio, based on ICInsider.com forecast of 2021-22 earnings, averages 16.
The market closed with 7,901,235 shares trading for $80,463,111 compared to 7,818,411 units at $43,587,684 on Wednesday. Wigton Windfarm led trading with 31.1 percent of total volume for 2.46 million shares followed by JMMB Group with 15.8 percent for 1.25 million units and Transjamaican Highway with 12.9 percent for 1.02 million units.
Trading averaged 161,250 units at $1,642,104, compared to an average of 169,965 shares at $947,558 on Wednesday. Month to date trading averages 232,142 units at $1,509,917, in contrast to 238,879 units at $1,499,367 on Wednesday. March averaged 354,304 units at $2,543,232.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Berger Paints rose $1.50 to $13.20 with 4,288 shares changing hands, Caribbean Cement gained 25 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $75.25 in the trading of 25,261 stocks, Grace Kennedy shed 50 cents to end at $87 with 93,905 stock units clearing the market. Jamaica Broilers slipped 35 cents to $29.15 in the transfer of 25,790 shares, Jamaica Producers gained 25 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $28.25 with an exchange of 17,108 units, NCB Financial Group declined $1.45 to $138.55 in switching ownership of 35,039 stocks, Palace Amusement advanced $20 in closing at $870 in an exchange of 401 shares, PanJam Investment ended 60 cents higher at $63.60 in transferring 34,829 stocks. 
Sagicor Group gained 50 cents to close at $50.50 in trading 8,039 shares, Salada Foods picked up 25 cents to settle at a 52 weeks’ high of $6.20 with the swapping of 96,977 stock units and Seprod declined $1.19 to $82.80 in switching ownership of 22,436 shares.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 7.25% lost 13 cents to close at $1.70, with an exchange of 40,064 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
The market continues to get support for the upward rise, from three technical indicators, with one of the most powerful that suggests big gains from the channel that it has been trading in for months. It has broken out of the range and is heading for a new one.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 26.2 percent for 2.05 million shares, followed by Wigton Windfarm with 24.1 percent for 1.88 million units and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 16 percent for 1.25 million units.
Proven Investments lost 39 cents to settle at $37.11 in the trading of 18,182 stocks, Salada Foods rose 65 cents to end at $5.95 with the swapping of 65,978 shares, Scotia Group shed 37 cents ending at $41.62 in transferring 8,910 stock units and Supreme Ventures rose 29 cents to close at $16.14 after 41,765 units crossed the market.
Trading averaged 359,225 units at $1,671,530, compared to 147,962 shares at $1,483,871 on Monday. Month to date trading averages 244,460 units at $1,544,056 in contrast to 232,625 units at $1,532,021 on Monday. March averaged 354,304 units at $2,543,232.
Sagicor Group fell 49 cents to $50 with 16,629 shares changing hands, Scotia Group gained 34 cents to end at $41.99 in the transfer of 37,458 stock units, Seprod advanced $1.08 to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $84 with the swapping of 127,859 shares, Stanley Motta rose 61 cents to finish at $5.91 after an exchange of 25,420 stock units. Supreme Ventures advanced $1.75 to $15.85, trading 104,384 shares and Sygnus Credit Investments gained 50 cents in ending at $15 with an exchange of 74,006 stock units.
The All Jamaican Composite Index increased 351.51 points to 436,947.49, the JSE Main Index carved out a gain of 316.37 points to close at 398,063.87 and the JSE Financial Index advanced 0.16 points to 99.60.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 46.2 percent of total volume for 3.49 million shares, followed by Wigton Windfarm with 17.6 percent for 1.33 million units and Caribbean Cement with 6.8 percent for 513,466 units changing hands.
Sagicor Group gained 49 cents to close at $50.49 after exchanging 12,602 units, Seprod jumped $6.32 higher to a 52 weeks’ high of $82.92 with 8,914 stock units clearing the market. Supreme Ventures shed $1.90 in closing at $14.10 in the trading of 422,951 stocks and Victoria Mutual Investments gained 45 cents in ending at $5.78 with 58,944 units changing hands.
which led to sharply reduced activity rising of 55 percent fewer shares with a value that was 49 percent less than on Thursday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market.
Trading averaged 76,636 units at $450,648, compared to 174,888 shares at $896,044 on Thursday. Trading month to date averaged 191,717 units at $981,567, in contrast to 222,197 units at $1,122,189 on Thursday. Trading month to date compares adversely to March with an average of 354,107 units at $2,572,127. 
Proven Investments fell 94 cents to $35 with 82 shares passing through the market, Sagicor Group declined by $1 to close at $50 with 13,238 units changing hands, Seprod climbed $1.40 to $73.50 with 5,127 shares traded. Supreme Ventures fell 60 cents to $15.50 with a transfer of 291,969 stocks and Wisynco Group gained 43 cents to finish at $15.60 with 36,182 units crossing the exchange.
Trading averaged 174,888 units at $896,044, compared to 251,043 shares at $1,365,250 on Wednesday. Month to date trading averaged 222,197 units at $1,122,189, in contrast to 238,773 units at $1,201,422 on Wednesday. March closed with an average of 354,304 units at $2,543,232.
NCB Financial declined $2.15 to $137.01 in exchanging 21,614 units, Palace Amusement climbed $47.99 to $797.99, with 59 stock units crossing the exchange, Proven Investments advanced $1.94 to $35.94, with 34,871 units changing hands. Sagicor Group advanced $1 to $51, with 149,134 stocks clearing the market. Scotia Group shed $1.01 to close at $40.75, with 22,768 stock units changing hands and Seprod fell 90 cents to $72.10 in trading 4,269 stocks.
The All Jamaican Composite Index declined 749.69 points to 432,767.21, the Main Index shed 681.03 points to 394,309.51 and the JSE Financial Index slipped 0.32 points to 99.18.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has ten stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
Proven Investments gained 30 cents to end at $34 with 14,564 units crossing the market, Sagicor Group declined $1 to $50 with the transfer of 44,058 shares. Scotia Group shed 24 cents to $41.76 after exchanging 414,769 stocks, Supreme Ventures advanced $1 to $16 in trading 227,034 stock units and Wisynco Group gained 32 cents to close at $15.35 with 154,453 units changing hands.
The All Jamaican Composite Index shed 2,556.74 points to close at 433,516.90, the Main Index declined 2,363.72 points to 394,990.54 and the JSE Financial Index fell 0.60 points to settle at 99.50.
Month to date trading averaged 232,155 units at $1,113,065 in contrast to an average of 354,304 units at $2,543,232 for March.
Palace Amusement climbed $74.35 to end at $799 in exchanging 160 stocks. Salada Foods shed 48 cents to $5.32 with an exchange of 573,683 shares, Scotia Group advanced $1.40 to $42 after transferring 301,254 stock units and Seprod fell $2 in closing at $73 in trading 16,367 units.
The All Jamaican Composite Index advanced 2,324.91 points to 432,859.15, the Main Index rose 2,055.33 points to 394,659.55 and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.40 points to settle at 99.63.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has twelve stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
Proven Investments shed 90 cents to close at $35 with an exchange of 11,160 stocks, Sagicor Group advanced $1.89 to close at $51.88 in trading 480,479 shares, Salada Foods rose $1.30 to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $6.75 with a transfer of 13,442 stocks, Scotia Group gained 37 cents to close at $41.52 trading 46,641 units. Supreme Ventures rose 40 cents to close at $15.40 with the swapping of 180,570 stock units, Sygnus Credit Investments declined 47 cents to $14.50 trading 34,579 units, Victoria Mutual Investments advanced 44 cents to $5.89 with the swapping of 122,135 shares, Wisynco Group shed 34 cents to close at $15.11 in exchanging 62,400 shares.
Trading averaged 739,966 units at $5,962,582, up from an average of 279,882 shares at $2,106,961 on Monday. Trading month to date averages 354,133 units at $2,532,457, up from 338,336 units at $2,392,022 on Monday. February closed with an average of 419,015 units at $2,509,660. 
NCB Financial rose $1.50 to $140 in exchanging 8,370 shares, Proven Investments gained $1.90 to $35.90 trading 53,710 stock units. Sagicor Group advanced 49 cents to $49.99 with the swapping of 7,945 units. Sagicor Real Estate Fund rose $1.11 to $8.31 after a transfer of 300 stocks, Salada Foods jumped $1.05 to a record close of $5.45, trading 41,837 stock units. Seprod shed $1.50 to close at $69.60 in an exchange of 7,052 stock units, Sygnus Credit Investments gained 37 cents in ending at $14.97 trading 90,548 units and Wisynco Group fell 25 cents to $15.45 after a transfer of 20,763 shares.