Stocks regained some of the ground lost on Tuesday with the volume of shares traded rising 162 percent and values climbing 200 percent over Tuesday as advancing stocks edged out declining ones, with the market closing with three securities ending at 52 weeks’ highs.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index rose 3,222.51 points to 425,755.18, the Main Index advanced by 2,902.45 points to 388,227.47 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.01 points to settle at 98.29.
Trading ended with 48 securities changing hands, up from 44 on Tuesday and closed with 22 stocks rising, 21 declining and five remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio closed with an average of 16.5 based on ICInsider.com forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Traders exchanged 43,738,990 shares for $240,182,541 compared to 16,697,777 units at $80,072,023 on Tuesday. Pulse Investments led trading with 66.8 percent of total volume, after an exchange of 29.23 million shares followed by Transjamaican Highway with 8.5 percent for 3.71 million units. Wigton Windfarm ended with 7.9 percent of the day’s trade for 3.47 million units, QWI Investments with 5.6 percent for 2.46 million units and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 4 percent for 1.77 million units changing hands.
Trading for the day averaged 911,229 units at $5,003,803, compared to 379,495 shares at $1,819,819 on Tuesday. The month to date averaged 449,559 units at $2,675,448, in contrast to 380,091 units at $2,325,100 on the prior trading day. Trading in January averaged 311,275 units at $1,432,133.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 10 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Barita Investments fell $1.07 to $78.94 trading 87,793 shares, Berger Paints lost 39 cents to end at $13.50, with 2,685 stock units crossing the market, Caribbean Cement rose $2 to $62 in exchanging 45,633 shares. Ciboney Group carved out a gain of 6 cents in closing at a 52 weeks’ high of 41 cents in exchanging 705,294 stock units, Eppley fell $2.50 to settle at $20, in switching the ownership of 18,191 stock units, First Rock Capital climbed $1 to $15 trading 77,450 stocks. Grace Kennedy advanced $4.20 to a 52 weeks’ high of $82 with 294,737 shares clearing the market, Jamaica Broilers dropped $2.53 in closing at $26.55 after transferring 67,862 stock units, Jamaica Producers ended at $20.50, with gains of 80 cents in exchanging 11,994 units. Jamaica Stock Exchange shed 64 cents to finish at $17.66 after investors swapped 17,020 stocks, Kingston Wharves climbed $2.80 to $48 with 3,881 shares changing hands, Mayberry Jamaican Equities lost 39 cents to end at $6.85 with the swapping of 437 shares. MPC Caribbean Clean Energy fell $2.99 to close at $137.01 in an exchange of 328 stock units, NCB Financial rose $1 to $136 in trading 201,278 units, Palace Amusement jumped $50 to close at $1,050 in trading one unit. Pan Jam Investment fell by $1.30 to $65 with 7,378 stocks changing hands, Portland JSX rose $1.70 to $8.80 with an exchange of 100 shares, Proven Investments shed 73 cents to finish at $38 after crossing the market with 15,620 units. 
QWI Investments gained 10 cents in closing at a 52 weeks’ high of $1.20 in an exchange of 2,464,374 units, Sagicor Group gained $1.25 to close at $50.25 exchanging 5,218 stocks, Salada Foods declined by $3.90 to settle at $40 trading 118,884 shares and Seprod lost $2.20 and closed at $66.02, after exchanging 18,328 stocks.
In the preference segment, Community & Workers Credit Union gained 23 cents to close at $2.08 with 3,551 shares crossing the market, 138 Student Living preference share shed 80 cents to $5.10, in trading 249 stocks and Eppley 8.75% preference share slid 55 cents to $6.85 trading 73 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Massy Holdings lost 10 cents to end at $60.10, in an exchange of 369 shares, National Enterprises lost 8 cents to finish at $3.12 trading 45,840 stock units, National Flour Mills remained at $2.50, in exchanging 120,000 shares. NCB Financial Group gained 10 cents to close at $8.40 with 3,074 stock units crossing the exchange, One Caribbean Media closed at $4.85, in transferring 41,200 shares, Point Lisas gained 14 cents to close at $3.15, with one stock unit changing hands. Republic Financial Holdings closed 2 cents higher at $135, with 142 shares clearing the market, Scotiabank fell 34 cents to $56.40 after trading 710 stocks, Trinidad & Tobago NGL lost 1 cent to close at $15.54, with 4,686 shares crossing the market. Unilever Caribbean ended 5 cents lower at $16.45, with an exchange of one share and West Indian Tobacco gained 15 cents in closing at $35, with 6,449 units crossing the market.
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.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows twelve stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
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.
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
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 for the day averaged 198,902 units at $2,111,858, compared to 282,397 shares at $1,403,688 on Thursday. The month to date averaged 396,747 units at $2,501,656, in contrast to 445,935 units at $2,598,567 on the prior trading day. Trading in January closed with an average of 311,275 units at $1,432,133.
Salada Foods advanced by $3.90 in closing at $49.90, with 28,895 units changing hands, Seprod rose 51 cents to $71.51 trading 20,987 stock units, Supreme Ventures gained 50 cents to end at $17.40, with 4,427 units crossing the market and Sygnus Credit Investments picked up 34 cents to settle at $15.09, in an exchange of 77,107 shares.
Guardian Holdings rose 10 cents to $20.40 trading 100 stock units, JMMB Group remained at $1.90 in switching ownership of 25,411 shares, Massy Holdings declined 50 cents to close at $60.50 with an exchange of 2,665 stock units. NCB Financial Group rose 5 cents to $8.30 with the swapping of 150,654 stock units, Prestige Holdings rose 49 cents to $7.50 with 500 stock units trading, Republic Financial Holdings gained 1 cent to end at $134.99, with 9,202 units crossing the market. Scotiabank dropped 25 cents to $56.74, with 1,246 stocks changing hands, Trinidad & Tobago NGL dropped 95 cents to $15 in switching ownership of 7,639 stock units, Trinidad Cement remained at $3.75 in trading 3,804 shares. Unilever Caribbean stayed at $16.50 in switching ownership of 3,000 stock units and West Indian Tobacco declined 5 cents in closing at $35 after exchanging 217 stocks.
Trading for the day averaged 282,397 units at $1,403,688, compared to 209,173 shares at $1,532,486 on Wednesday. The month to date averaged 445,935 units at $2,598,567, down from 498,459 units at $2,982,324 on Wednesday. Trading in January closed with an average of 311,275 units at $1,432,133.
Salada Foods closed at a 52 weeks’ high of $46, with a gain of $3.25 in exchanging 23,970 stocks, Scotia Group shed 70 cents in closing at $43, with 23,045 shares crossing the market, Seprod dropped $2.50 to finish at $71, with an exchange of 11,519 stock units. Sygnus Credit Investments shed 77 cents to close at $14.75, in switching ownership of 217,838 shares and Victoria Mutual Investments gained 40 cents to close at $5.85, after transferring 2,355 stock units.
Massy Holdings gained 99 cents in ending at $61 after the exchanging of 13,955 units, National Flour Mills gained 14 cents in closing at $2.50 while exchanging 108 stock units, NCB Financial Group closed at $8.25, after trading 7,700 shares. One Caribbean Media closed at $4.85 with an exchange of 12,000 units, Republic Financial Holdings lost $1.02 and closed at $134.98 with 48,000 stocks units changing hands, Trinidad & Tobago NGL gained 1 cent to close at $15.95 in an exchange of 8,459 units. Trinidad Cement ended at $3.75 with 537 units crossing the market, Unilever Caribbean ended at $16.50 in trading 90 shares and West Indian Tobacco increased 3 cents to close at $35.05, with 50,000 stock units changing hands.