Rising stocks pushed the market indices higher on Thursday to end with the All Jamaican Composite Index at the highest level since the middle of March last year as the market continues to move higher in recovering the big losses in 2020. At the close, the volume traded rose 18 percent, but the value dropped 46 percent on Wednesday levels on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market.
The All Jamaican Composite Index advanced 1,110.77 points to 451,625.91, the Main Index rose 732.14 points to 427,434.05, and the JSE Financial Index inched 0.15 points up to settle at 106.89.
Trading ended with 47 securities compared to 53 on Wednesday and closed with prices of 17 stocks rising, 23 declining and seven remaining unchanged.
The PE Ratio averages 16.4 based on ICInsider.com forecast of 2021-22 earnings.
The market closed with 14,522,547 shares trading for $83,441,774 compared to 12,295,253 units at $154,483,246 on Wednesday. Sagicor Select Financial Fund led trading with 34.2 percent of total volume for an exchange of 4.97 million shares, followed by Wigton Windfarm with 17.9 percent for 2.60 million units, Transjamaican Highway with 9.1 percent for 1.33 million units and Mayberry Investments with 8.3 percent for 1.23 million units changing hands.
Trading averaged 308,990 units at $1,775,357, compared to 231,986 shares at $2,914,778 on Wednesday. Trading month to date averages 289,678 units at $3,227,079, in contrast to 287,442 units at $3,395,135 on Wednesday. April averaged 234,200 units at $1,772,561.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows eleven stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Caribbean Cement shed $1 in closing at $86 after 46,436 shares traded, Eppley ended $1 lower at $34 in an exchange of 17,549 units, Grace Kennedy gained 35 cents to close at $88.85 in a transfer of 93,344 stocks. Jamaica Broilers slid 50 cents to $35.50 after exchanging 8,606 units, Jamaica Producers declined $2.35 to close at $25 with the swapping of 706,751 shares, Key Insurance lost 49 cents to settle at $5.51 with an exchange of 259,038 stocks, Kingston Wharves advanced $2 to $47 with the swapping of 5,246 units, Margaritaville gained 50 cents to end at $15.50 in trading 211 shares, Mayberry Jamaican Equities ended 45 cents higher at $8 in exchanging 50,000 stocks. MPC Caribbean Clean Energy dropped $3 to close at a 52 weeks’ low of $124 with 66 stock units changing hands, NCB Financial rose $1.22 to finish at $140 in transferring 41,935 shares, Palace Amusement advanced $2 to $910 after clearing the market of 44 units. 138 Student Living fell 30 cents to close at $5 with 3,999 stock units crossing the market, Pan Jam Investment rose $2 to close at $65.50 in exchanging 11,859 stocks, Proven Investments fell 89 cents to $37.01 in the swapping of 17,979 stock units, Pulse Investments gained 30 cents to $4.60 in switching ownership of 345,178 shares. Sagicor Group declined $1.99 to $50.01 in an exchange of 200,381 units, Salada Foods lost 20 cents to finish at $6.80 with a transfer of 117,419 stocks, Seprod gained 88 cents to close at $77.88 in trading 12,866 shares, Supreme Ventures gained 49 cents to settle at $19 with the swapping of 48,842 stock units and Wisynco Group lost 40 cents in ending at $15.60 after trading 197,460 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.