Investors seem not to like the switch in the Ministry of Finance.
Investors reacted negatively to cabinet changes driving down main market Jamaica Stock Exchange stock prices with just 6 rising and 15 falling.
At the close, the all Jamaican Composite Index lost 1,326.19 points to 322,713.49 and the <strong>JSE Index </strong> shed 1,208.31 points to 294,028.47.
Trading closed with 30 securities changing hands, up from 25 on Monday, leading to 6 advancing, 15 declining and 9 trading firm, in the main and US dollar markets. Securities closing with sizable price changes include, Berger Paints that shed $1.45 to end at $16.50, Caribbean Cement lost $2.50 to close at $38.50, JMMB Group climbing by $1.75 to $26.45, Kingston Wharves dropping $1.50 to $38.50, NCB Financial down $1.15 to $98.70 and lost $1.30 to end at $24.70 and Seprod falling $1.50 to $32.
Main market activity ended with 21,289,061 units valued at $268,573,132 compared to 19,076,584 units valued at $210,708,799 changing hands on Monday.
Jamaica Stock Exchange shares traded 15,104,462 units and accounted for 70.8 percent of the day’s volume, followed by Jamaica Producers Group with 2,394,964 units and 11.25 percent of the volume traded and with 1,013,952 units and Kingston Wharves with 1,025,513 units with 4.82 percent of the day’s trade.
Trading resulted in an average of 760,324 shares valued at $9,591,898 for each security traded, compared to 706,540 shares valued at $7,804,030 on Monday. For the month to date, an average of 661,120 units with an average value at $21,229,208 traded, compared to 655,542 units with an average value at $21,921,023 changing hands on the previous trading day. In contrast, February closed with average of 213,336 units valued at $3,392,475 for each security traded.
Trading in the US dollar market on Tuesday ended with 86,812 units valued at US$17,344 with the market index closing with a gain of 0.85 points to 163.80.
Caribbean Cement drooped $2.50 on Tuesday, the day after cabinet changes were announced.
Proven Investments ordinary share ended trading 86,500 units at 20 US cents and Sterling Investments closed with 312 units trading with a gain of 3 US cents at 13 US cents.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 4 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 with a lower offers.
For more details of market activities see – JSE shares grab 71% of main market trades – Tuesday.
Jamaica Stock Exchange ended with a loss of 1 cent at $6.99, with 15,075,000 shares, JMMB Group concluded trading $1.75 higher at $26.45, with 62,418 shares, Kingston Wharves settled with a loss of $1.50 at $38.50, with 1,025,513 units, Mayberry Investments ended trading with a loss of 5 cents at $6.20, with 41,500 shares. NCB Financial Group traded with a loss of $1.15 at $98.70, with 400,433 shares, 1834 Investments finished trading at $1.15, with 10,580 shares, 138 Student Living ended at $5.50, with 1,500 shares, PanJam Investment ended 45 cents higher at $42.10, with 223,507 units, Radio Jamaica settled at $1.10, with 43,613 shares. Sagicor Group ended trading $36.25 higher at $36.25, with 284,764 stock units, Sagicor Real Estate Fund settled 40 cents higher at $15.45, with 13,000 shares. 
Scotia Group finished trading at $52.90, with 259,811 shares, Seprod finished trading with a loss of $1.50 at $32, with 48,554 shares, Supreme Ventures ended with a loss of 49 cents at $11.50, with 142,310 shares, Victoria Mutual Investments concluded trading with a loss of 12 cents at $4.38, with 379,300 stock units. Wisynco Group finished with a loss of 1 cent at $10.49, with 285,911 units trading. In the main market preference segment, Jamaica Money Market 7.5% traded at $1.95, with 45,172 stock units, JMMB Group 7.5% closed with a loss of 8 cents at $1.02, with 147,000 shares, changing hands.
Ciboney Group ended trading at 12 cents, with 305,350 shares changing hands, Grace Kennedy traded 50 cents higher at $49.50, with 253,780 stock units, Jamaica Broilers closed with a rise of $1 to $20, with 105,430 units, Jamaica Producers closed 15 cents higher at $15.15, with 50,751 shares. JMMB Group concluded trading at $26, with 2,319,629 shares, Kingston Wharves settled at $40, with 1,250 units, Mayberry Investments ended trading with a gain of 28 cents to $6.28, with 63,500 shares, NCB Financial Group traded with a loss of 15 cents at $99.35, with 15,682 shares. 1834 Investments finished trading at $1.15, with 104,609 shares, PanJam Investment ended with a loss of 32 cents at $41.65, with 163,550 units, Radio Jamaica settled 4 cents higher at $1.06, with 44,267 shares, Sagicor Group ended trading with a loss of 20 cents at $36, with 610,599 stock units. 
Sagicor Real Estate Fund ended trading 26 cents higher at $15.50, with 42,650 shares, Scotia Group finished trading $1.47 higher at $53.47, with 304,907 shares, Seprod closed $3.50 higher at $33.50, with 4,774 shares, Supreme Ventures concluded trading with a loss of 26 cents at $11.50, with 37,631 stock units, Victoria Mutual Investments finished with a loss of 10 cents at $4.40, with 524,181 units, Wisynco Group settled at $10.50, with 611,295 shares and in the main market preference segment, Jamaica Money Market 7.5% traded 5 cents higher at $1.95, with 229,077 stock units changing hands.
Ciboney Group ended trading 3 cents higher at 16 cents, with 157,728 shares, 
Portland JSX concluded trading with a loss of 25 cents at $9.70, with 2,500 shares, Radio Jamaica settled with a loss of 5 cents at $1, with 561,044 shares, 
Main market activity ended with 27 securities changing hands, with 10 securities rising, 13 falling and 4 trading firm as trading closed with 5,286,653 units valued at $240,796,595 being exchanged. 
Kingston Properties finished at $6.25, with 1,440 stock units, Kingston Wharves settled 7 cents higher at $39.07 with 7,690 units, Mayberry Investments ended trading with a loss of 50 cents at $6, with 11,790 shares changing hands, NCB Financial Group traded $1 higher at $99, with 2,044,781 shares. 1834 Investments finished trading with a loss of 2 cents at $1.17, with 10,500 shares, 138 Student Living ended with a loss of 8 cents at $5.50, with 5,000 shares, PanJam Investment added 50 cents in closing at $43, with 229,220 units, Pulse Investments finished at $1.85, with 100 shares, Radio Jamaica settled with a loss of 2 cents at $1.05, with 569,681 shares. Sagicor Group ended trading with a loss of 65 cents at $35.60, with 7,769 stock units,
Sagicor Real Estate Fund ended trading 25 cents higher at $15.30, with 1,550 shares, Salada Foods traded with a loss of $1.33 at $10.72, with 112,000 units, Scotia Group finished trading with a loss of $2 at $52, with 71,423 shares, Seprod closed with a loss of 5 cents at $30, after 29,045 stock units changed hands. Supreme Ventures declined by 50 cents to $11.50, with 132,190 stock units, Victoria Mutual Investments finished with a loss of 4 cents at $4.50, with 907,199 units, Wisynco Group settled with a loss of 5 cents at $10.65, exchanging 227,597 shares and in the main market preference segment, Jamaica Money Market 7.5% traded at $1.95, with 8,000 stock units changing hands.
JSE main market activity ended on Monday with 26 securities changing hands, of which 11 rose, 10 declined and 6 traded firm. Trading closed with 6,657,188 units valued at $155,508,071 being exchanged, up from the $31 million traded on Friday. 
Carreras finished at $10.10, with 168,334 shares, Grace Kennedy fell by $1 to $50, with 160,875 stock units. Jamaica Broilers rose 1 cent to 420, with 8,482 units, Jamaica Producers closed trading at $15.50, with 1,205 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange ended with a gain of 5 cents at $6.05, with 8,530 shares, JMMB Group dropped 31 cents to $26, with 3,017,431 stock units. Kingston Wharves traded 900 shares at $39, Mayberry Investments ended trading with a rise of $1 to end at $6.50, with 469,349 units, NCB Financial Group traded at $98, with 502,244 shares, 1834 Investments finished trading 4 cents higher at $1.19, with 20,000 shares, 138 Student Living ended 22 cents lower at $5.58, with 100 stock units, changing hands. 
Palace Amusement closed at $1,300, with 300 stock units, PanJam Investment rose 50 cents to end at $42.50, with 2,475 units. Radio Jamaica declined by 1 cent to $1.07, with 13,000 shares, Sagicor Group ended trading 20 cents higher at $36.25, with 94,710 stock units, Scotia Group finished trading with a rise of $2 to $54, with 13,023 shares trading, Supreme Ventures concluded trading at $12, with 185,389 stock units, Victoria Mutual Investments rose 4 cents and finished at $4.54, with 718,287 units and Wisynco Group gained 20 cents and settled at $10.70, with 449,497 shares trading.
Trading results in an average of 140,053 shares valued at $1,194,310 for each security traded, compared to 516,184 shares valued at $9,104,430 on Thursday. For the month to date, an average of 627,970 units with an average value at 10,417,767 traded, compared to 668,629 units with an average value at 11,259,206 traded on the previous trading day. In contrast, February closed with average of only 213,336 units valued at $3,392,475 for each security traded.
138 Student Living ended 29 cents higher at $5.80, with 5,000 shares,changing hands. PanJam Investment ended $42 higher at $42, with 2,430 units, Portland JSX concluded trading with a loss of 5 cents at $9.95, exchanging 560 shares, Pulse Investments finished at $1.85, with 1,751 shares. Radio Jamaica settled 2 cents higher at $1.08, with 11,000 shares,