The Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed higher for the sixth time out of the last seven trading days and recovered 47,260.76 points of the losses in March, to be up 13 percent from the recent lows of 375,091.09 points, reached on 25th of March on the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index.
JSE Main market continuing to bounce off resistance at 375,000 points reached on March 25.
At the close of the market on Friday, the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index jumped 4,851.68 points to 422,351.85, the JSE Market Index climbed 4,394.76 points to 384,905.24 and the JSE Financial Index added 1.51 points to 105.44.
The market closed with 47 securities changing hands in the Main and US dollar markets with prices of 25 stocks advancing, 15 declining and 4 securities trading firm. The JSE Main Market activity ended with 42 securities accounting for 33,384,287 units valued at $221,730,878, in contrast to 19,058,509 units valued at $80,731,137 from 40 securities on Thursday.
Trans Jamaican Highway led trading with 21.5 million shares for 64.4 percent of total volume, followed by Wigton Windfarm with 2.6 million units for 7.9 percent of the day’s trade and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 1.9 million units for 5.6 percent market share. Sagicor Select Manufacturing & Distribution Fund ended with 1.1 million shares and was the only other stock trading more than one million units.
The Market closed with an average of 794,864 units valued at an average of $5,279,307 for each security traded, in contrast to 476,463 units valued at an average of $2,018,278 on Thursday. The average volume and value for the month to date amount to 613,607 units valued at $3,409,226 for each security changing hands. 
Trading in March resulted in an average of 1,146,245 units valued at $7,550,295 for each security.
IC bid-offer Indicator│ At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two stocks closing with lower offers. The PE ratio of the market ended at 14.2, while the Main Market ended at 14.4 times 2020/21 earnings.
In the Main Market, Barita Investments climbed $5 to reach $58, with 41,623 shares changing hands, Berger Paints fell $3 to $11.50, after trading 24,768 units, Caribbean Cement added 54 cents to close $43.49, in swapping 61,554 shares. Eppley closed $1 higher at $16, with14,000 units crossing the exchange, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund dropped $4 to end at $35, in trading a mere 200 units, First Rock Capital lost 50 cents to finish at $10, with a transfer of 17,200 units. Grace Kennedy shed 60 cents to close at $57 in exchanging 722,937 shares, Jamaica Broilers gained 52 cents, in swapping 291,710 shares to end at $32.52, Jamaica Producers picked up 41 cents to close at $19.11 after trading 5,891 units. Kingston Wharves closed 50 cents higher to finish at $44, with 21,556 units traded, 
MPC Caribbean Clean Energy advanced $5 to $140 after exchanging 1,512 stock units, NCB Financial Group climbed to $152.91, with gains of $2.66 with 265,789 shares changing hands. PanJam Investments fell by $2 to $76 in swapping 225,872 shares, Portland JSX shed 70 cents to finish at $7.30, with an exchange of 38,667 units, Proven Investments closed at $39.70, after rising $2.20 and trading 11,126 units. Sagicor Group picked up 81 cents to end at $48.75, in transferring 73,620 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund closed 45 cents lower at $7.25 with 81,200 stock units crossing the exchange, Salada Foods jumped $6 to $36, after exchanging 59,400 units. Seprod closed $1.50 higher to $49.50, with a transfer of 65,614 shares and Supreme Ventures gained 40 cents to end at $14.40, with 248,813 shares changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the day’s last transaction unless otherwise stated.
The JSE Market Index climbed 2,911.92 points to 380,510.48 and the JSE Financial Index adding just 0.30 points to 103.93.
Trading in March resulted in an average of 1,146,245 units valued at $7,550,295 for each security.
Jamaica Producers fell by $2.31 to $18.70 after trading 35,872 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange shed 50 cents to close at $22.50, with an exchange of 40,317 shares. JMMB Group closed 54 cents lower to $38, in swapping 171,356 shares, NCB Financial Group declined to $150.25, with a loss of $4.74 and trading 36,785 stock units. Proven Investments added 90 cents to finish at $37.50, with 11,664 units crossing the exchange, Scotia Group climbed $1.49 to $47.99 in transferring 18,664 units, Seprod closed 50 cents higher at $48, in exchanging 25,496 shares. Stanley Motta gained 80 cents in swapping 200 units and finished at $5.80, Supreme Ventures picked up 43 cents to end at $14, with 17,488 units changing hands, Sygnus Credit Investments closed at $18.90, with gains of $1.87 trading 12,280 stock units and Wisynco Group rose 60 cents to $13.90, with a transfer of 1,360,292 shares.
At the close, the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index declined 1,819.45 points to 414,283.45, the JSE Market Index dropped 1,643.55 points to 377,598.56, but the JSE Financial Index rose 0.33 points to 103.63.
IC bid-offer Indicator│ At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows eight stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two stocks closing with lower offers. The PE ratio of the market ended at 14.2, while the Main Market ended at 14.5 times 2020/21 earnings.
PanJam Investment ended at $78, with a loss of $1 trading 63,834 units. Portland JSX gained 70 cents exchanging 2,090 units and closed at $8, Proven Investments ended at $36.60, after climbing $1.60 and transferring 14,113 stock units, Sagicor Group closed $4.40 lower to $48, in swapping 101,381 shares. Salada Foods ended the day at $30, after gaining $1 trading 200 units, Scotia Group dropped $1.49 to finish at $46.50, with 29,841 units changing hands, Seprod added 50 cents to transferring 254,512 shares and closed at $47.50. Stanley Motta shed 75 cents with an exchange of 6,000 units to end at $5, Supreme Ventures gained 57 cents and closed at $13.57, in swapping 561,955 shares, Sygnus Credit Investments ended at $17.03, with a loss of 97 cents trading 99,934 units and Wisynco Group closed $1.39 lower to $13.30 exchanging 1,657,479 shares.
At the close of trading for March and the end of the first quarter of 2020, the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index soared 15,152.90 points to 416,102.90, the JSE Market Index jumped 13,681.82 points to 379,242.11 and the JSE Financial Index gained 2.76 points to end at 103.30.
Trading in February resulted in an average of 624,731 units valued at $3,239,665 for each security.
Proven Investments ended at $35, after losing 94 cents while trading 36,309 shares. Pulse Investments added 32 cents to finish at $3.45, in transferring 17,162,610 shares, Sagicor Group leaped $8.40, in exchanging 341,368 shares and closed at $52.40, Salada Foods finished at $29, advancing $4 and trading 20,327 units. Scotia Group closed $3.98 higher at $47.99, with 155,932 shares changing hands, Seprod added $4.50 to end at $47, in swapping 51,191 units, Stanley Motta gained $1.14 exchanging 16,615 units and closed at $5.75. Supreme Ventures shed 50 cents to end at $13, with 177,935 shares traded, Sygnus Credit Investments ended at $18, with gains of $1.40 transferring 154,566 shares, Victoria Mutual Investments exchanged 560,714 shares at $7, after picking up 55 cents and Wisynco Group closed $1.44 higher at $14.69 after trading 501,240 shares.
Trading in February resulted in an average of 624,731 units valued at $3,239,665 for each security.
Kingston Wharves slid $1.50 to $42, trading 7,109 units, Mayberry Investments picked up 60 cents and closed at $5.60, with an exchange of 67,881 shares, Mayberry Jamaican Equities shed 36 cents with 16,100 units trading to end at $6.64. NCB Financial Group declined by $4 to close at $150, with 114,390 shares changing hands, 138 Student Living rose 81 cents to end at $5.50, in swapping a mere 86 units, Proven Investments ended at $35.94, after picking up 94 cents and transferring 35,465 shares. Pulse Investments ended at $3.13, with gains of 60 cents trading 1,882,701 shares, Sagicor Group dropped $2.60 to end at $44, with an exchange of 46,235 units, Sagicor Real Estate Fund closed $1.10 higher to $7.70 with the trading of just 1,901 units. Scotia Group a lost $3.49 and finished at $44.01 with 38,328 units changing hands, Seprod added $3.50 to end at $42.50, after transferring 73,476 units, Stanley Motta lost 39 cents swapping 1,000 units and closed at $4.61 and Supreme Ventures fell 49 cents to end at $13.50, with 253,252 shares traded.
Major uncertainties abound about the local and global economy and how each company may be affected. It is not possible to determine the exact fall out from the crisis and the impact on company earnings. Accordingly, actual earnings could vary materially from IC Insider.com’s forecast. In this regard, investors need to be alert to new information that will come to the fore on an ongoing basis and be prepared to adjust their investment decisions as time passes.
The Jamaica stock market suffered sustained pressure during March, leading to one of the most rapid falls in stock prices in the history of the market. In the past week, prices have bounced with the Main Market putting in strong gains on Thursday and Friday, but the market index is down by a sizeable 29.5 percent year to date.
The current year has changed markedly as the Corona Virus impact on countries worldwide has been significantly disruptive, inflicting significant damage to the individuals, businesses and economies. With the wipeout of fiscal deficits and debt to GDP set to be below 90 percent, the Jamaican economy is in a far better place than at the time of the 2008 crisis that severely tested the country and led to many measures that severely affected the economy from then until 2016.
The Group consists of Caribbean Producers, Dolphin Cove, Everything Fresh and Express Catering. Entertainment company Main Event and restaurant operator KLE Group will be hurt from patrons staying home as well as fewer tourists visiting Montego Bay and patronizing the restaurant in that town. Some major contributors to the tourism market are Grace, Jamaica Broilers and Wisynco. The results for some companies are hit by falling stock and bond prices. The results for the 2020 first quarter will show the impact of the recent market decline. The latter includes JMMB Group, Proven, NCB Financial Group, Barita Investments, VMBS Investments, Jamaican Teas, QWI Investments and Sagicor Group. Banks may have to increase loan loss provisions as businesses encounter cash flow problems and defaulting on loan payments.
The PE ratio of the market ended at 14.9, while the Main Market ended at 13.8 times 2019 earnings.
Portland JSX closed $1.60 higher to $8.90 after the transferring of 2,005 units. Proven Investments jumped $3.50 to $36, after exchanging 51,818 shares, Sagicor Group advanced by $2.40 to $42.40, in swapping 608,061 shares, Scotia Group regained ground with gains of $7 to settle at $44, with 170,469 shares changing hands. Seprod added $1 to end at $37, in trading 30,390 units, Stanley Motta shed 74 cents with a transfer of 7,500 units to end at $5. Sterling Investments closed 40 cents lower at $2.50 trading 68,830 units, Supreme Ventures ended at $14, with a loss of 99 cents exchanging 252,623 shares, Sygnus Credit Investments closed 53 cents lower to $16.50, trading 22,971 units and Wisynco Group swapped 840,773 shares at $14, after gaining $1.30.
The average volume and value for the month to date amount to 899,129 units valued at $6,578,450 for each security changing hands compared to 775,631 units valued at $6,653,987 for each company traded. Trading in February resulted in an average of 624,731 units valued at $3,239,665 for each security.
Kingston Wharves closed, with gains of $2 at $44 in trading 2,440 stock units, Mayberry Investments lost 50 cents transferring 27,849 shares to end at a 52 weeks’ low of $5. NCB Financial advanced $5 to $145, trading 67,140 units, 138 Student Living gained 39 cents to close at $4.50, with an exchange of 481 shares, PanJam Investment declined $2 to $78, with 49,817 units crossing the exchange. Portland JSX shed 50 cents trading 17,000 stock units and closed at $7.30, Proven Investments fell $4.98 to $32.50, after transferring 9,581 units, Sagicor Real Estate Fund lost 40 cents to close at $7.40, in swapping 900 stock units. Scotia Group closed 99 cents lower to end at $37, in exchanging 117,469 shares, Seprod ended the day’s trade at $36, with gains of $1 after 10,932 shares changed hands, Stanley Motta added 44 cents with a transfer of 25,175 units to end at $5.74. Sterling Investments closed 65 cents higher to $2.90, trading 116,210 shares, Supreme Investments ended at $14.99, after gaining 99 cents exchanging 433,163 stock units and Wisynco Group closed at $12.79, with a loss of 79 cents after trading 161,608 shares.
The other big move for the day, was the substantial fall of $16 in the shares of NCB Financial to close at $140, the lowest price of in a year.
The Market closed with an average of 1,817,851 units valued $11,653,928 for each security traded, in contrast to 640,893 units valued at an average of $8,466,980 on Monday. The average volume and value for the month to date amount to 775,631 units valued at $6,653,987 for each security changing hands compared to 708,783 units valued at 6,313,433 for each security traded. Trading in February resulted in an average of 624,731 units valued at $3,239,665 for each security.
NCB Financial dropped $16 to a 52 weeks’ low of $140, after trading 2,289,514 units, 138 Student Living lost 30 cents to close at $4.11, with 36,389 shares crossing the exchange, Proven Investments slid to $37.48, after losing $1.02 with 21,006 stock units changing hands. Sagicor Group shed $3 after exchanging 186,808 units and closed at $40, Scotia Group fell by $2.01 to close at a 52 weeks’ low of $37.99, in trading 138,446 shares, Seprod ended at $35, with a loss of $2 in swapping 94,065 units. Stanley Motta closed 30 cents higher with a transfer of 11,000 stock units $5.30, Supreme Investments ended at $14, after a loss of $1 and trading 206,576 shares. Sygnus Credit Investments lost 55 cents to close at $17, in transferring 202,528 stock units, Victoria Mutual Investments slipped to $6.30 after losing 39 cents with 176,895 units changing hands and Wisynco Group closed at $13.49, with gains of 99 cents after exchanging 493,269 shares.
IC bid-offer Indicator│ At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 11 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and six stocks closing with lower offers. The PE ratio of the market ended at 14.5, while the Main Market ended at 13.3 times 2019 earnings.
Salada Foods shed $1 to $25, with 9,100 units changing hands, Stanley Motta ended 79 cents higher with 57,275 shares changing hands and settled at $5. Sterling Investments gained 28 cents to close at $2.50 swapping 58,805 stock units. Supreme Investments ended at $15, with gains of 50 cents trading 51,500 units, Sygnus Credit Investments shed 45 cents to close at $17.55, in transferring 136,312 shares. Victoria Mutual Investments lost 31 cents with 335,283 shares crossing the exchange and closed at $6.69 and Wisynco Group lost $2.20 in closing at $12.50, after exchanging 576,137 shares.
