The market lost more grounds at the close of trading for a second consecutive day on Tuesday, ending with more stocks declining than advancing, with the value of traded stocks climbing 114 percent after 29 percent more shares traded than on Monday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 2,156.19 points to 429,732.69, the JSE Main Index declined 1,972.46 points to 391,704.70 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.57 points to 98.35.
A total 50 securities traded up from 48 on Monday and closed with 12 stocks rising, 22 declining and 16 remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio averages 19.5 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Traders exchanged 10,353,699 shares for $101,569,397, up from 8,031,792 units at $47,508,810 on Monday. Wigton Windfarm led trading with 19.9 percent of total volume for 2.06 million shares, followed by Transjamaican Highway 18.3 percent, with 1.89 million units, Ciboney with 17.4 percent for 1.80 million units and QWI Investments with 13.6 percent for 1.41 million units changing hands.
Trading for the day averaged 207,074 units at $2,031,388, compared to 167,329 shares at $989,767 on Monday. Trading month to date averaged 241,646 units at $2,141,408, in contrast to 244,001 units at $ 2,148,902 on Monday. February closed with an average of 419,015 units at $2,509,660.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has eight stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Caribbean Cement dropped $5.50 to close at $64.50 with 531,292 shares changing hands, Eppley gained $2.60 to $32.73 trading 4,342 stocks, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund fell $1.49 to end at $40.50 after exchanging 9,365 units. First Rock Capital lost 30 cents to settle at $16.70, with 13,941 stock units clearing the market, Grace Kennedy rose $1.52 in closing at $88.50 in transferring 232,611 shares, Jamaica Broilers shed 50 cents to finish at $29.30 with the swapping of 99,686 units. Jamaica Producers gained 20 cents to close at $22 after exchanging 286 stock units, JMMB Group gained 28 cents to end at $32.88 with 62,422 shares changing hands. 
Mayberry Investments closed 46 cents higher at $5.63 in switching ownership of 2,770 stocks, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy rose $1 to close at $140 after clearing the market with 500 stock units. NCB Financial lost $2 in closing at $140 with the trading of 43,359 units, Palace Amusement climbed $29 to $699 after exchanging 52 shares, PanJam Investment shed 30 cents to settle at $63.70 with 1,670 units changing hands and Seprod fell $1.05 to $70 in an exchange of 32,241 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading ended with 15 securities changing hands compared to xx on the previous trading day, with the prices of four stocks rising, two declining and nine remaining unchanged. The Composite Index rose 1.29 points to 1,345.63, the All T&T Index advanced 1.96 points to end at 1,782.01 and the Cross-Listed Index inched 0.08 points higher to 123.01.
JMMB Group rose 1 cent to $1.83, with 1,333 shares changing hands. Massy Holdings settled at $63.50 trading 78 shares, One Caribbean Media stayed at $4.60 trading 404 stock units, Prestige Holdings rose 5 cents to $7.50 in an exchange of 251 stock units. Republic Financial Holdings fell 50 cents to $131.50 with 15 shares changing hands, Trinidad & Tobago NGL closed at $15 in exchanging 3,400 units, Trinidad Cement increased 24 cents to $3.24 trading 476 stocks. Unilever Caribbean dropped 25 cents to a 52 weeks’ low of $16 while exchanging 15,580 units and West Indian Tobacco ended at $32.51 in an exchange of 25 stocks.
The All Jamaican Composite Index shed 888.44 points to 431,888.88, the JSE Main Index fell 893.61 points to 393,677.16 and the JSE Financial Index slipped 0.38 points to 98.92.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with lower offers.
Scotia Group shed 75 cents to $41.25 trading 21,626 stock units, Seprod slid 95 cents to $71.05 after exchanging 15,843 shares, Sterling Investments gained 31 cents to close at $2.91 after 2,950 stock units crossed the market and Wisynco Group gained 49 cents to close at $15.99 with a transfer of 29,860 units.
First Citizens Bank closed at $47.50, with 2,177 stock units crossing the market, Grace Kennedy slipped 1 cent to $4.99 with 2,200 stocks changing hands, Guardian Holdings ended at $26, in the trading of 6,407 units. JMMB Group ended at $1.82 in exchanging 10,400 shares, Massy Holdings remained at $63.50 in trading 110 units, National Enterprises traded 6,409 stocks at $3. National Flour Mills lost 5 cents to close at $2.15 after 100 stock units changed hands, One Caribbean Media gained 10 cents to end at $4.60 after exchanging 1,050 shares, Republic Financial Holdings ended at $132, with 37 stock units clearing the market. Scotiabank remained at $55.21 while exchanging 251 shares, Trinidad & Tobago NGL fell 10 cents to close at $15 after trading 6,157 stocks and West Indian Tobacco dropped 49 cents to $32.51 with an exchange of 27,143 shares.
Junior Market stocks kept above the 2,900 mark of the market index only slipping below that level just one day during the week, as the market continues to consolidate in the move higher. Main Market stocks made attempts to break clear of the consolidation zone but the market is awaiting some strong profit results to move prices and that will not come until late April.
The Main Market has a number in the list that have put out record profits or show signs of strong earnings in 2021, with the stocks clearly undervalued, these include, JMMB Group, Jamaica Broilers, 
This week’s focus:
The local stock market’s targeted average PE ratio is 20 based on profits of companies reporting full year’s results, up to the second quarter of 2021. The Junior and Main markets are currently trading well below the market average, indicating strong gains ahead. The JSE Main Market ended the week, with an overall PE of 15 and the Junior Market 10, based on ICInsider.com’s projected 2021-22 earnings. The PE ratio for the Junior Market Top 10 stocks average a mere 5.5 at just 55 percent of the market average. The Main Market TOP 10 stocks trade at a PE of 7.4 or 49 percent of the PE of that market.
IC TOP10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns up to March 2022 and ranked in order of potential gains, based on likely gain for each company, taking into account the earnings and PE ratios for the current fiscal year. Expected values will change as stock prices fluctuate and result in movements in and out of the lists weekly. Revisions to earnings per share are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
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.
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.
Grace Kennedy shed 49 cents to close at $4.51 in swapping 16,000 stock units. 
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.