Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market ended on Friday, with the volume of stocks changing hands declining 99 percent valued being 100 percent lower than the huge trades that took place on Thursday, resulting in trading seven securities, compared to six on Thursday with none rising, five declining and two ending unchanged.
Overall, 273,362 shares were traded for US$7,044 compared with 21,983,490 units at US$1,628,700 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 39,052 shares at US$1,006 down from 3,663,915 units at US$271,450 on Thursday. The average trade month to date amounts to 182,063 shares at US$15,023 compared to 190,136 units at US$15,814 on the previous day. February ended with an average of 43,793 units for US$2,015.
The JSE USD Equities Index fell 1.66 points to end at 215.70.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 8.8. The PE ratio is computed based on the last traded price of each stock divided by projected earnings forecasts done by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than the last selling prices and none with a lower offer.
At the close, First Rock Real Estate USD share shed 0.01 of a cent to to close at 6.07 US cents after investors traded 900 shares, Margaritaville dipped 0.04 of a cent to end at 10.95 US cents with an exchange of 87 units, Proven Investments lost 0.5 of a cent to close at 17 US cents in switching ownership of 4,964 stocks. Sygnus Credit Investments dipped 0.5 of a cent to end at 9 US cents with traders exchanging 3,900 stock units, Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share remained at 7.18 US cents with investors transferring 858 stocks and Transjamaican Highway fell 0.06 of a cent in ending at 0.88 of one US cent in an exchange of 260,960 shares.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 5.75% ended at US$2 with the trading of 1,693 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading dipped to 110,426 shares for $1,177,661 down from 144,329 stock units at $2,249,219 on Thursday. An average of 6,496 shares were traded at $69,274 compared to 7,216 shares at $112,461 on Thursday. Trading for the month to date averaged 22,190 shares at $231,441 versus 23,016 units at $239,976 on the previous day. The average trade for February was 51,996 shares at $458,520.
At the close, Ansa McAl declined 2 cents to $50.83 after trading 162 shares, First Citizens Group ended at $50 with an exchange of 1,912 stocks, FirstCaribbean International Bank popped 1 cent to end at $7.15, with 8,207 stock units clearing the market. Guardian Holdings popped 45 cents in ending at $25.50 after an exchange of 4,332 units, JMMB Group remained at $1.75 with a transfer of 6,734 shares, L.J. Williams B share fell 17 cents to close at $2.56 after investors traded 10,000 units. Massy Holdings lost 10 cents to end at $4.55 after an exchange of 5,846 stock units, National Enterprises had an exchange of 53,739 stocks in closing at $3.73, NCB Financial rose 5 cents to $3.90, with 161 stock units crossing the market. 
One Caribbean Media remained at $3.50, with 5,000 units changing hands, Point Lisas ended trading at $3.59 with the swapping of 50 stocks, Prestige Holdings remained at $7.49 in switching ownership of 362 shares. Republic Financial closed trading at $138, with 1,820 shares crossing the market, Scotiabank ended at $78 while exchanging 2,690 stock units, Trinidad & Tobago NGL ended at $20.01 while 1,330 stocks passed through the market. Unilever Caribbean dipped 15 cents to $14.50 after an exchange of 145 units and West Indian Tobacco shed 21 cents to end at $16.79 as investors traded 7,936 stocks.
Sales revenue fell in the final quarter compared with 2021, with $4.6 billion generated in the December 2022 quarter, down from $5.6 billion in 2021, as segment data shows the wholesale and retail segment suffering a $1.8 billion decline for the year to $8.4 billion. “We took deliberate strategic steps to focus more on our retail business that has greater margins and improves cash flows,” Derrick Cotterell, Managing Director, advised ICInsder.com in response to a question about the reasons for the lower sales in the December quarter. He continued to indicate that “going forward, there will be more focus on brands with a higher margin and less on bulk products.” He said it does not mean they are getting out of the bilk products.
Going forward, the group will benefit from opening a supermarket in May Pen in the last quarter, which Cotterell says is doing very well.
Overall, 21,983,490 shares were traded for US$1,624,041 up from 193,894 shares for US$13,133 on Wednesday.
At the close, First Rock Real Estate USD share slipped 0.42 of a cent to end at 6.08 US cents in an exchange of 19,350,000 shares, Proven Investments rose 1 cent to 17.5 US cents, with 2,631,050 stocks clearing the market. Sterling Investments rose 0.022 cents to close at 2 cents after trading just 5 shares, Sygnus Credit Investments slipped 0.05 cents to 09.5 US cents after 250 units crossing the market and Transjamaican Highway popped 0.04 of a cent to close at 0.94 of one US cent with a transfer of 1,800 shares.
A total of 5,709,003 shares were traded for $49,903,876 versus 15,400,994 units at $41,503,503 on Wednesday.
The PE Ratio, a formula used to ascertain appropriate stock values, averages 13.3 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios incorporate earnings forecasted by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Key Insurance gained 50 cents in closing at $3.50, with 70,472 units crossing the market. Kingston Properties dipped 62 cents to $6.30, with an exchange of 133,315 stock units, Kingston Wharves increased $2.24 to $33.29 after a transfer of 5,235 stocks, Massy Holdings popped $10 in closing at $90 with an exchange of 35,865 shares. NCB Financial shed $1.50 to close at $71 with the swapping of 12,507 stock units, Portland JSX fell $1.59 to $9.90 with an exchange of 13,434 shares, Proven Investments climbed $1.73 to end at $28.23 while exchanging 907 stocks. Scotia Group dipped 88 cents to end at $34.06, with 13,977 units clearing the market, Seprod advanced $2.79 to close at $66.82, with 176,511 stocks changing hands, Sterling Investments increased 44 cents in ending at $2.96 after trading 13,068 units. Supreme Ventures lost 75 cents in closing at $24.25 in an exchange of 91,005 shares and Sygnus Real Estate Finance gained 77 cents to end at $9.97 with just one unit passed through the market.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% climbed $56.46 ending at another record high of $350 with a transfer of 2,037 stocks and Jamaica Public Service 9.5% popped $450 in closing at $3000 with the swapping of 3 units.
Investors traded 15,501,984 shares for $52,166,724, up from 9,199,758 units at $22,141,233 on Wednesday.
The PE ratios of Junior Market stocks are computed using the last traded stock price divided by ICInsider.com’s projected earnings for the financial years ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Honey Bun increased 16 cents in closing at $6.26 after an exchange of 11,446 stocks. Indies Pharma advanced 9 cents to close at $2.80 after a transfer of 160,593 stock units, ISP Finance gained $1.01 to close at $21.01, with investors exchanging 80 units, Jamaican Teas fell 18 cents to $2.12 in an exchange of 192,340 shares. JFP Ltd rallied 8 cents to $1.68 in an exchange of 586,143 stocks, Knutsford Express lost 15 cents to end at $8.85 following 9,150 stock units passing through the market, Lasco Manufacturing declined 20 cents to $4.15 with the swapping of 6,685 shares. Main Event shed 29 cents to close at $11.57 with a transfer of 12,086 units, Medical Disposables dropped 15 cents to close at $4.85, with 5,000 shares crossing the exchange. MFS Capital Partners shed 11 cents to end at $3.41, with 564,431 stocks crossing the market, 
Paramount Trading declined 15 cents in closing at $2.24 with an exchange of 100 stock units and Stationery and Office Supplies lost 50 cents after ending at $14.50, with 31,821 units changing hands.
At the close, 144,329 shares were exchanged for $2,249,219, versus 247,249 stock units at $8,495,104 on Wednesday.
At the close, Agostini’s rose $1.25 to end at $59.75 in an exchange of 200 shares, Ansa Merchant Bank shed 20 cents in closing at $45.80 after 100 stocks were traded, First Citizens Group ended trading at $50 after 3,403 units changed hands. FirstCaribbean International Bank had trading in 120 stock units at $7.14, GraceKennedy dipped 10 cents to close at $4.60, with an exchange of 13,814 units, Guardian Holdings closed at $25.05 in trading 204 shares. JMMB Group fell 10 cents in closing at $1.75 while exchanging 7,660 stock units, L.J. Williams B share remained at $2.73 with the swapping of 20 stocks, Massy Holdings rallied 15 cents to $4.65 as investors exchanged 24,361 stocks. National Enterprises ended trading at $3.73 with an exchange of 23,940 shares, National Flour Mills remained at $1.50 after a transfer of 10 stock units, NCB Financial advanced 45 cents to $3.85 in switching ownership of 6,215 units.
Point Lisas popped 1 cent to end at $3.59, with 187 shares crossing the exchange, Prestige Holdings closed trading at $7.49, with 703 stocks crossing the market, Republic Financial remained at $138 after exchanging 3,102 units. Scotiabank lost 15 cents to end at $78 with investors transferring 4,864 stock units, Trinidad & Tobago NGL had an exchange of 5,000 stocks after ending at $20.01, Trinidad Cement popped 3 cents in ending at $3.54, with 20 stock units crossing the market. Unilever Caribbean remained at $14.65 after trading 1,031 units and West Indian Tobacco declined 5 cents to close at $17 with a transfer of 49,375 shares.
Dolla Financial posted increased profit of $280 million or 18 cents per share from revenues of $746 million up 115 percent from profit of $130 million in 2021, with revenues up 90 percent on the $395 million in 2021. The company should go on to earn 40 cents in 2023. In the earning call, Trevene Mckenzie, the Chief Financial Officer stated that they expected first quarter revenues to come in around $250 million with profit rising at least 50 percent year over year. The company also indicates that they plan to open a second branch in Guyana in Berbice town, in the second quarter.
Investors traded 193,894 shares for US$13,133, down from 223,523 units at US$16,568 on Tuesday.
At the close, First Rock Real Estate USD share rose 0.1 of a cent to 6.5 US cents after an exchange of 30 shares, Productive Business Solutions remained at US$1.75 trading one stock unit, Proven Investments lost 1.5 cents in closing at 16.5 US cents, with 21,425 stocks clearing the market. Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share rallied 1.08 cents to 7.18 US cents after three units crossed the market and Transjamaican Highway dipped 0.06 of a cent to close at 0.9 of one US cent with a transfer of 171,800 shares.
A total of 15,400,994 shares were traded for $41,503,503 down from 47,132,067 units at $105,575,678 on Tuesday.
The PE Ratio, a formula used to ascertain appropriate stock values, averages 13.3 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios incorporate earnings forecasted by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Jamaica Producers advanced 76 cents to $21.75 after an exchange of 13,940 units, Kingston Wharves declined $3.43 to close at $31.05 with investors trading 12,000 stock units, Margaritaville dropped 64 cents to $17 with investors transferring 168 stocks. NCB Financial gained $4.50 to end at $72.50 after investors traded 214,024 stock units, PanJam Investment rallied $1.99 to end at $53.99, trading 12,261 units, Proven Investments dipped $1.87 to close at $26.50, with 1,529 shares clearing the market, Radio Jamaica closed at a 52 weeks closing low of $1.64 after falling 6 cents in trading 3,500 shares, Scotia Group climbed 94 cents to $34.94 with the swapping of 5,635 stock units, Seprod fell $3.85 to $64.03 with a transfer of 160 stocks and Sterling Investments shed 44 cents in ending at $2.52 with 5,086 units changing hands.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% popped $43.54 to close at a new record high of $293.54 in an exchange of 502 shares.
