The Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange All Jamaican Composite Index rose to more than 422,000 points on the JSE in the morning session, but as been the case on previous days, it could not hold on to the gains and declined 3,646.03 points to close at 417,485.83 on Thursday.
The JSE Market Index fell by 3,337.15 points to 380,388.23 and the JSE Financial Index slid 1.32 points to 102.97.
The market closed with 48 securities changing hands in the Main and US dollar markets with prices of 18 stocks advancing, 19 declining and 11 trading firm. The JSE Main Market activity ended with 43 securities accounting for 17,977,989 units valued at $167,027,485, in contrast to 129,075,289 units valued at $205,583,712 from 40 securities on Wednesday.
Trans Jamaican Highway led trading with 11.3 million shares for 63 percent of total volume followed by Sagicor Group with 2.3 million units for 13 percent of the day’s trade and Wigton Windfarm with 1.1 million units for 6 percent market share.
The Market closed with an average of 418,093 units valued at $3,884,360 for each security traded, in contrast to 3,226,882 units valued at an average of $5,139,593 on Wednesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amount to 1,060,899 units valued at $3,829,348 for each security changing hands, compared to 1,105,053 units valued at $3,825,298 for each security traded. 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 seven securities closing with lower offers. The PE ratio of the market ended at 14.1, while the Main Market ended at 14.3 times 2020-21 earnings.
In the Main Market, Berger Paints gained 50 cents exchanging 600 units and closed at $14, Caribbean Cement lost 50 cents to close at $46, in trading 53,865 shares, Carreras closed 55 cents higher at $6.75, after transferring 424,194 shares. Eppley fell by $1.51 to $15.49, in swapping 3,047 stock units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund shed $1.01, in moving 3,000 units and closed at $33.01, Grace Kennedy ended at $57, with a loss of 35 cents trading 31,427 units. Jamaica Broilers closed $1.51 lower at $26.99, in exchanging 143,500 shares, Jamaica Producers added $1.49 to finish at $20.49, with a transfer of 40,673 units. Jamaica Stock Exchange lost 98 cents to end at $21, after swapping 75,750 shares, JMMB Group closed at $37.44, with a loss of 55 cents after exchanging 236,142 shares, Key Insurance gained 90 cents to finish at a record $4.90, with 57,241 units changing hands. Mayberry Investments gained 47 cents trading 6,101 stock units and closed at $5.87, NCB Financial Group sustained a loss of $4.93 to end at $150, in swapping 24,481 units, Salada Foods bounced $1.95 to $28.90, having gained in exchanging 100 units. Seprod rose 50 cents after transferring 8,376 stock units to finish at $48, Stanley Motta traded 500 units at $4.70, after picking up 33 cents, Sygnus Credit Investments added 50 cents to end at $17, with 25,122 stock units changing hands and Wisynco Group ended the day at $17.50, with a loss of $1.18 with 63,156 shares crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.