Stocks ended higher at the close of trading on Friday after rising prices outnumbered declining ones with an exchange of 25 percent lower volume at a 65 percent jump in value over Thursday as the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market closed out the week down.
The All Jamaican Composite Index climbed 429.52 points to close at 432,777.32, the JSE Main Index rose 365.83 points to 394,570.77 and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.28 points to 99.30.
Trading activated 50 securities, up from 45 on Thursday, with prices of 21 stocks rising, 18 declining and 11 remaining unchanged.
The PE Ratio averages 19.5 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Trading ended with 8,079,230 shares trading for $124,140,641 compared to 10,771,883 units at $75,221,344 on Thursday. Jamaica Producers led with 26.2 percent of the volume traded for 2.12 million shares, followed by Ciboney Group with 13.1 percent for an exchange of 1.06 million units and Wigton Windfarm with 11.3 percent market share for 914,005 units.
Trading for the day averaged 161,585 units at $2,482,813, compared to an average of 239,375 shares at $1,671,585 on Thursday. The average trade month to date ends at 249,365 units at $2,230,008, in contrast to 256,266 units at $2,210,133 on Thursday. February closed with an average of 419,015 units at $2,509,660.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Caribbean Cement rose 59 cents to $69.40 in trading 36,573 stock units, Ciboney Group gained 22 cents to close at 91 cents, exchanging 1,059,730 shares, as the stock resumes its climb after a recent selloff. Eppley Caribbean Property Fund fell 50 cents to $40.50, with a transfer of 200 units. First Rock Capital advanced $1.50 to a record close of $18 after an exchange of 26,211 units, Grace Kennedy declined by $2 to $86.97 in switching ownership of 162,703 shares, Jamaica Broilers lost 20 cents to close at $29.80 with the swapping of 86,849 stocks. JMMB Group shed 38 cents to end at $32.50 in transferring 56,545 stocks, Key Insurance closed 24 cents lower at $5.46 after exchanging 57,458 units. Mayberry Jamaican Equities gained 50 cents to settle at $8, clearing the market with 800 stocks. MPC Caribbean Clean Energy declined $1 to $139 trading 35 shares, NCB Financial Group climbed $1.50 to $144 in exchange of 101,774 units, 138 Student Living climbed $1.59 to $6.99, with 60,264 units crossing the market, Palace Amusement advanced $10 to $640 with 57 shares crossing the market. PanJam Investment shed $2 to $64, with 1,407 stock units changing hands, Pulse Investments gained 26 cents in closing at $4.40 with an exchange of 390,929 units, Sagicor Group slipped 38 cents to $48.50 in switching ownership of 446,505 shares. 
Salada Foods lost 30 cents to finish at $44.20 in swapping 1,782 stocks, Scotia Group rose $1.89 to $42, trading 63,546 shares. Sterling Investments fell 31 cents to $2.60 in an exchange of 6,721 stock units, Supreme Ventures gained 30 cents to finish at $15.40, with 50,715 units crossing the market and Wisynco Group closed 47 cents higher at $15.50, with 16,279 shares clearing the market.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 9.5% jumped $202.69 to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $1,700 trading just one share, JMMB Group C share 7.25% gained 28 cents to end at $2.14 with the swapping of 4,087 stock units and JMMB Group 7.25% declined 24 cents to $1.20 trading 230 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
At the close, 34 securities traded, down from 38 on Thursday, with prices of 14 rising, 10 declining and 10 remaining unchanged.
The month to date averaged 253,478 units at $733,977, up from 241,183 units at $698,505 on Thursday. February averaged 365,365 units at $881,118.
Lasco Financial rose 8 cents to $2.59, trading 233,500 shares, Lasco Manufacturing lost 6 cents at $4.34 trading 121,330 units, Limners and Bards slipped 5 cents to $2.80 after an exchange of 3,012,301 stock units and Main Event shed 14 cents to close at $3.06 with the swapping of 10,952 units.
Market activity ended on Friday on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange, with the market rising after investors traded twice more shares, with the value jumping 360 percent over Thursday’s out turn.
FirstCaribbean International Bank dropped 4 cents in closing at $6.95 with the swapping of 25 stocks, Grace Kennedy gained 49 cents in ending at $5 after exchanging 10,028 stock units, Guardian Holdings rose 75 cents to a 52 weeks’ high of $26 in an exchange of 349 stock units. JMMB Group slipped 1 cent to $1.82, with 2,000 units crossing the market, National Enterprises dipped 1 cent to $3 after trading 2,000 stock units, National Flour Mills ended at $2.20 while exchanging 11,474 shares. NCB Financial Group ended at $8.50 in switching ownership of 1,350 shares, Prestige Holdings ended at $7.45 with an exchange of 1,012 shares, Republic Financial Holdings closed at $132, after 671 stocks crossed the exchange. Trinidad & Tobago NGL gained 8 cents to end at $15.10 after 1,000 stocks changed hands and West Indian Tobacco rose 5 cents to $33 in switching ownership of 21,500 stocks.
Trading for the day averaged 239,375 units at $1,671,585, compared to an average of 165,916 shares at $1,037,466 on Wednesday. The average trade month to date ends at 256,266 units at $2,210,133, in contrast to 257,553 units at $2,251,139 on Wednesday. February closed with an average of 419,015 units at $2,509,660.
138 Student Living gained 24 cents in ending at $5.40, after clearing the market with 15,702 shares, Pan Jam Investment declined by $1 to $66 with the swapping of 794 units, Proven Investments advanced $1.50 to $34.50 in exchanging 72,037 stock units. Pulse Investments shed 28 cents to close at $4.14 after trading 496,531 units, Scotia Group dropped $3.59 to close at $40.11, with 29,893 stocks crossing the market, Seprod shed $1 to end at $72 in exchanging 17,660 stock units and Wisynco Group lost 49 cents to close at $15.03, with 216,294 units clearing the market.
At the close, 38 securities traded, up from 33 on Wednesday, with prices of 18 rising, 11 declining and nine remaining unchanged.
Trading averaged 210,216 units at $782,800, versus 394,569 at $1,213,758 on Wednesday. The month to date, averaged 241,183 units at $698,505, compared to 243,736 units at $691,556 on Wednesday. February averaged 365,365 units at $881,118.
Lasco Financial dropped 13 cents to $2.51 with 31,375 stocks changing hands, Limners and Bards climbed 30 cents to $2.85, with 1,105,667 units traded, Lumber Depot rose 7 cents to $2.57 with a transfer of 384,692 shares. Main Event gained 5 cents to close at $3.20 with an exchange of 1,018,764 stocks, Paramount Trading fell 12 cents to $1.31 with 7,206 stock units changing hands, Tropical Battery lost 5 cents to end at $1.15 with 150,083 units traded and tTech rose 5 cents to $4.75 with 3,677 shares crossing the exchange.
Similar to Wednesday, six securities traded, with prices of three rising, one declining and two closing unchanged.
Proven Investments increased 0.9 of one cent to close at 23.9 US cents, with 9,907 stock units crossing the market, Sterling Investments stayed at 1.98 US cents, with 135 stocks changing hands. Sygnus Credit Investments ended at 13.5 US cents after 77,054 shares crossed the market and Transjamaican Highway rose 0.04 of a cent to 0.9 US cents in exchanging 132,775 stocks.
Grace Kennedy shed 49 cents to close at $4.51 in swapping 16,000 stock units. 
Six securities changed hands, compared to five on Tuesday with no stock rising, five declining and one remaining unchanged.
At the close, First Rock Capital closed at 8.5 US cents, with 16,255 stock units changing hands, Proven Investments declined 1 cent to close at 23 US cents after exchanging 257,232 shares, Sterling Investments fell 0.02 of a cent to 1.98 US cents with 7,700 units changing hands. Sygnus Credit Investments shed half a cent to 13.5 US cents after transferring 3,265 stocks and Transjamaican Highway declined 0.07 of a cent to close at 0.86 of a US cent trading 32,700 stock units.
In the end, 33 securities traded, up from 31 on Tuesday, with prices of 13 rising, nine declining and 11 remaining unchanged.
Trading month to date averaged 243,736 units at $691,556, up from 232,106 units at $651,293 on Tuesday. February averaged 365,365 units at $881,118.
Indies Pharma lost 8 cents to close at $3.32 with a transfer of 8,819 shares, Jetcon Corporation rose 6 cents to 78 cents with 6,881 stock units passing through the market. Lasco Manufacturing gained 10 cents to end at $4.40 with 51,179 shares changing hands, Limners and Bards added 5 cents to end at $2.55 with a transfer of 73,168 stock units and Main Event fell 25 cents to $3.15 with 4,496 units crossing the exchange.
The All Jamaican Composite Index declined 2,779.81 points to 433,804.38, the Main Index fell 2,520.23 points to 395,489.77 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.86 points to settle at 99.09.
Trading averaged 165,916 units at $1,037,466, compared to 175,488 shares at $1,731,775 on Tuesday. Trading month to date averaged 257,553 units at $2,251,139, in contrast to 265,470 units at $2,355,997 on Tuesday. February closed with an average of 419,015 units at $2,509,660.
Sagicor Real Estate Fund rose $1.11 to $8.32, with 476 stocks clearing the market, Salada Foods climbed $2.80 to $44.50 in trading 2,804 units. Scotia Group gained 70 cents to end at $43.70, with 41,169 stocks crossing the market, Seprod closed 99 cents higher at $73 in switching ownership of 4,342 units and Wisynco Group declined 20 cents to $15.52 after exchanging 140,490 units.
