Falling stock prices dominated trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Tuesday with the prices of almost half of stocks that traded falling in price, compared a third that rose and resulting the market suffering the biggest single day move for the year to date.
The All Jamaican Composite Index plunged 6,111.53 points to close at 422,532.67, the Main Index dived 5,742.57 points to 385,325.02, and the JSE Financial Index shed 1.79 points to settle at 98.30.
Trading ended with 44 securities changing hands, down from 49 on Monday and closed with prices of 14 stocks rising, 21 declining and nine remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio closed with an average of 16.4 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Investors exchanged 16,697,777 shares for $80,072,023 compared to 14,886,632 units at $96,260,639 on Monday. Transjamaican Highway led trading with 41.9 percent of total volume, after an exchange of 6.99 million shares followed by Wigton Windfarm with 21.9 percent for 3.66 million units and Pulse Investments with 13.9 percent market share for 2.32 million units changing hands.
Trading averaged 379,495 units at $1,819,819, compared to 303,809 shares at $1,964,503 on Monday. Trading month to date averaged 380,091 units at $2,325,100, close to 380,187 units at $2,405,945 on the Monday. Trading in January closed with an average of 311,275 units at $1,432,133.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows twelve stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Barita Investments fell $1.09 to $80.01 trading 274,409 units, Caribbean Cement gained 49 cents at $60, in an exchange of 6,937 stock units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund declined by $7.85 to $41.05, with 2,160 shares changing hands. Grace Kennedy climbed $3.20 to a 52 weeks’ high of $77.80 after investors swapped 88,441 units, Jamaica Stock Exchange fell 70 cents to $18.30, with a transfer of 3,409 stocks, Key Insurance closed at $4.90, after losing $1.35 in exchanging 265,016 shares, Kingston Wharves rose 20 cents to $45.20, in switching ownership of 2,207 stock units. Palace Amusement lost $41.85 at $1,000 trading 7 units, PanJam Investment advanced by $2.30 to $66.30, with 1,488 stock units clearing the market. Proven Investments ended $2.27 lower at $38.73, in exchanging 12,014 shares, QWI Investments carved out a gain of 5 cents in ending at 52 weeks’ high of $1.10, with 836,913 stocks crossing the market. 
Sagicor Group fell by $1 to $49 trading 18,525 stock units, Sagicor Real Estate Fund shed 29 cents to close at $8, with the swapping of 7,685 shares. Salada Foods slipped 34 cents to $43.90, in trading 27,112 stocks, Seprod slid $1.78 to $68.22, with 30,235 stock units changing hands, Stanley Motta settled at $4.95, with a loss of 40 cents trading 24,000 stock units. Supreme Ventures gained 25 cents in closing at $17, after the transfer of 56,294 units and Victoria Mutual Investments fell 5 cents to close at $5.75 trading 20,428 shares.
In the preference segment, Eppley 8.25% shed $1 in closing at $7, with 513 units crossing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading ended with 35 securities changing hands, down from 37 on Monday and closed with the prices of 13 stocks rising, 12 declining and 10 remaining unchanged.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows five stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
Limners and Bards finished 5 cents lower at $2.50, with 232,334 units changing hands, Mailpac Group gained 19 cents to close at an all-time closing high of $4.15, in the transfer of 695,450 stocks and Medical Disposables picked up 6 cents to end at $4.40, with 5,595 shares changing hands.
Trading ended with the prices of one stock rising, one declining and two remaining unchanged.
At the close of the market, First Rock Capital remained at 8.78 US cents while exchanging 140 shares. Proven Investments lost 0.04 of a cent at 26.95 US cents, with an exchange of 92,650 stock units, Sygnus Credit Investments closed at 15.04 US cents trading 2,000 shares and Transjamaican Highway inched 0.01 of a cent higher in closing at 0.98 of a US cent, with 54,913 shares changing hands.
Trading plunged on Tuesday with only eight securities changing hands, down from 10 on Monday after 79 percent fewer shares traded with a 90 percent drop in value than on Monday at the close of the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange, resulting in with the market index closing mixed. 
First Citizens Bank fell 1 cent to close at $42.73 with 695 shares clearing the market, Guardian Holdings increased 10 cents to $20.30 while exchanging 3,064 stock units. Guardian Media closed at $3.25 in an exchange of 1,000 shares. NCB Financial Group closed at $8.30 while exchanging 526 stocks, Trinidad & Tobago NGL increased 55 cents to $15.55 in trading 3,674 units and West Indian Tobacco lost 15 cents to end at $34.85 in trading 250 shares.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows six stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
Lasco Distributors finished 25 cents lower at $3.15, after the switching ownership of 24,743 shares, Lumber Depot dropped 2 cents in closing at $1.96 in trading 718,529 stock units. Medical Disposables closed at $4.34, with a loss of 16 cents in exchanging 262 units. Stationery and Office Supplies gained 24 cents to close at $4.53 in transferring 400 stocks and tTech fell 15 cents to $4.70 trading 890 units.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index rose 399.84 points to 428,644.20, the Main Index advanced by 590.88 points to 391,067.59 and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.10 points to settle at 100.09.
Trading averaged 303,809 units at $1,964,503, compared to 198,902 shares at $2,111,859 on Friday. Month to date averages 380,187 units at $2,405,945, in contrast to 396,747 units at $2,501,656 on the prior trading day. Trading in January averaged 311,275 units at $1,432,133.
Sagicor Group fell by $2 to $50, with 14,927 shares crossing the market, Salada Foods dropped $5.66 to $44.24, with an exchange of 20,124 units. Scotia Group rose $1 to $44, with the swapping of 7,875 shares, Seprod shed $1.51 to end at $70, after exchanging 6,708 shares, Supreme Ventures slid 65 cents to $16.75, with 44,266 stock units crossing the market
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than the last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
Trading ended with 10 securities changing hands, down from 18 on Friday, with one stock rising, five declining and four remaining unchanged. The Composite Index carved out a loss 3.61 points to close at 1,320.69, the All T&T Index lost 6.78 points to settle at 1,762.77 and the Cross Listed Index dipped 0.05 points to end at 118.81.
First Citizens Bank gained 4 cents to end at $42.74 after exchanging 1,057 shares, Grace Kennedy remained at $3.90 trading 20,300 units. Guardian Holdings shed 20 cents in closing at $20.20 with the swapping of 3,000 shares, JMMB Group lost 5 cents to end at $1.85 after finishing with 1,100 stocks, Massy Holdings dipped 30 cents to $60.20 trading 4,076 units. National Enterprises closed at $3.20, with an exchange of 1,500 units, One Caribbean Media closed at $4.85 in an exchange of 1,000 stocks and Republic Financial Holdings lost 1 cent in closing at $134.98 after trading 9,570 stocks.
The market index closed just under 2,800 points, on Friday with a 5.8 percent gain for the year to date.
Lasco Distributors earnings were also adjusted down, with the release of the nine months results showing earnings per share of 21 cents and 7 cents for the December quarter, putting the full-year numbers at 30 cents per share.
The current TOP 10 report is based on earnings for 2020/21 as there are substantial gains ahead, for many stocks in the listings.
Main Market TOP 10 stocks trade at a PE of 9.1 or 48 percent of the PE of that market.
Trading averaged 189,064 units at $559,890 in contrast to 686,300 at $1,842,459 on Thursday. Month to date trading averaged 307,465 units at $811,066, compared to 338,928 units at $877,812 on Thursday. January closed with an average of 232,651 units at $569,885.
Knutsford Express closed at $6.75, with gains of 45 cents after trading 3,557 stock units, Lasco Distributors picked up 15 cents to end at $3.40 in exchanging 55,501 shares, Lasco Manufacturing gained 12 cents to finish at $4.32, with 157,640 stocks clearing the market and Medical Disposables rose 30 cents ending at $4.50, with 36,214 shares crossing the market.
