The Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended trading on Friday, with the market closing higher after the number of stocks gaining, more than tripled those declining, as investors exchanged 15 percent more stock units than on Thursday.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index carved out a gain of 4,915.75 points to settle at 405,893.04; the Main Index gained 4,474.49 points to end at 370,421.97, the JSE Financial Index advanced by 1.37 points to settle at 95.97.
Trading ended with 40 securities changing hands with the prices of 24 stocks rising, the prices of nine declining and seven remaining unchanged and the average PE Ratio of the market ended at 15.2 based on IC Insider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with an exchange of 13,543,115 shares for $51,906,344 compared to 11,753,324 units at $69,988,700 on Thursday.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 10.67 million shares for 79 percent of total volume, followed by Wigton Windfarm with 876,134 units for 6.5 percent of the day’s trade and QWI Investments with 509,652 units for 3.8 percent market share.
An average of 338,578 units traded for the day at $1,297,659 for each security, in comparison to an average of 293,833 shares at $1,749,718 on Thursday. 
An average of 374,929 units traded for the month to date at $2,445,605 for each security that traded, in contrast to 376,532 units at $2,496,231. Trading month to date compares adversely to June that ended with an average of 818,748 units at $7,498,308.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows 13 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Caribbean Cement advanced $2.07 to settle at $48 while exchanging 105,977 stock units, but the stock ended with the offer of 1,986 shares at $45.90. Eppley Caribbean Property Fund gained 70 cents in closing at $47, with investors switching ownership of 28,926 stocks. Jamaica Broilers Group climbed $2.50 to end at $25.50 with investors swapping 264,548 shares, Jamaica Producers Group added $1.20 to close at $23.70 with the trading of 6,933 stocks, Jamaica Stock Exchange rose by $1.49 to $23.49, with 43,796 stock units crossing the exchange. JMMB Group climbed 80 cents in ending at $31.80, with an exchange of 197,295 stocks, Kingston Wharves fell $2, to $51, with an exchange of 60 stock units, Mayberry Jamaican Equities rallied 70 cents to end at $8.75 in a transfer of 25,566 shares. 
NCB Financial increased $2.50 to close at $138.50, with 12,621 stocks crossing the market, 138 Student Living carved out a loss 84 cents to settle at $6.04 with an exchange of 3,397 shares. PanJam Investment dropped 94 cents to end at $66.06, in finishing trading of 553 stock units, Sagicor Group rose 99 cents to end at $42.99 in exchanging 9,421 shares, Scotia Group increased $3.49 to $46.49 trading 55,656 units, Supreme Ventures gained 50 cents in ending at $15, with investors switching ownership of 24,033 units and Sygnus Credit Investments declined by 50 cents to close at $15.87 in an exchange of 13,780 shares.
In the preference shares segment of the market, Productive Business Solutions 9.75% advanced by $3 to close at $107, with 10,899 shares passing through the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
The market closed, with 15 securities changing hand, five more than on Wednesday, and resulting in the prices of five stocks rising, one declining and nine remaining unchanged.
Stock declining| Trinidad & Tobago NGL lost 23 cents and ended at $17.02 in exchanging 1,457 shares.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index gained 1,220.61 points to settle at 403,259.52. The JSE Main Index rose 1,024.69 points to settle at 367,932.73 and The JSE Financial Index gained 0.21 points to end at 95.24.
An average of 380,348 units traded for the month to date at $2,530,672 for each security that traded, in contrast to 374,963 units at $2,501,819. In contrast, June ended with an average of 818,748 units at $7,498,308.
Kingston Wharves increased by $3.99 to settle at $53 with investors switching ownership of 100 shares. NCB Financial Group declined by $1 to end at $137 in clearing the market with 274,124 stock units, Palace Amusement advanced by $6.50 to end at $1,789 in an exchange of one share, PanJam Investment increased $3.99 to settle at $68.98, after 396,216 stock units changed hands. Proven Investments rose $1.49 to end at $34 after exchanging 16 shares, Sagicor Group gained 97 cents to settle at $42.97 in trading 330,558 shares, Scotia Group advanced $2.50 to $45.50 in trading 321,309 units and Sterling Investments climbed 50 cents and ended at $3.25 in an exchange of 1,598 units.
Trading ended with 41 securities changing hands, two less than on Monday and the average PE Ratio of the market ended at 15 based on IC Insider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
An average of 374,764 units traded for the month to date at $2,500,318 for each security that traded, in contrast to 379,528 units at $2,567,817. In comparison, June ended with an average of 818,748 units at $7,498,308.
Jamaica Stock Exchange carved out a loss of 45 cents to settle at $21.50 with an exchange of 64,430 stock units changing hands, JMMB Group gained 40 cents to end at $31.40 with 60,637 shares traded, Key Insurance advanced $1 to close at $7, with investors transferring 43,499 units. Kingston Wharves shed $2.49 to finish at $49.01 with 2,285 shares changing hands, Mayberry Investments fell 75 cents to settle at $5.75, with an exchange of just 100 stock units, Mayberry Jamaican Equities dropped $1.19 to finish at $8.75 in a transfer of 49,886 units. NCB Financial declined by $1.94 to close at $138 trading 43,164 shares, PanJam Investment fell $1.06 to end at $64.99 with an exchange of 12,874 stock units, Proven dropped 99 cents, to finish at $32.51, with 3,100 stock units changing hands. Sagicor Group lost $1.74 to end at $42 while exchanging 13,987 units, Scotia Group declined $1.20 to finish at $43 with investors swapping 40,961 units, Sterling Investments fell 45 cents in ending at $2.75 with 23,215 stock units passing through the market and Supreme Ventures dipped 60 cents to close at $14.50 with 290,089 shares crossing the exchange.
At the close, the prices of 16 stocks rising, the 17 stocks declining and ten remaining unchanged, with the average PE Ratio of the market, ending at 15.3 based on IC Insider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings. In the end, the All Jamaican Composite Index just carved out a gain of 234.59 points to 406,241.88, the Main Index squeezed out a rise of 434.91 points to at 370,741.73, while the JSE Financial Index slipped 0.20 points to 95.91.
June ended with an average of 818,748 units at $7,498,308.
Jamaica Stock Exchange advanced by 45 cents to $21.95, with 11,122 stock units crossing the market, JMMB Group declined by 50 cents to end at $31 after exchanging 74,555 stock units, Key Insurance climbed $1 in closing at $6 and clearing the market with 49,631 shares. Mayberry Investments increased $1.20 t $6.50 with investors switching ownership of 10,421 shares, Palace Amusement jumped $232.50 to close at $1782.50 with investors trading just stock unit, PanJam Investment fell 96 cents after closing at $66.05 and exchanging 3,087 shares. Portland JSX declined by $1.10 to close at $7.25 trading 80,000 units, Proven Investments gained 50 cents to end at $33.50 with 18,517 stock units changing hands, Sagicor Real Estate Fund carved out a gain of $1.17 in ending at $8.92 with an exchange of 1,217 units. Scotia Group lost 30 cents closing at $44.20 with investors swapping 155,653 stock units and Seprod gained $1 to close at $57, with 24,527 shares changing hands.
Calypso Macro Investment Fund fell 50 cents to close at $14 in trading 1,607 units.
There was no change in the Main Market TOP 10 list for the week that saw the Main Market stocks lopping 6,300 points off the market index while the Junior Market rose 26 points.
Profit from continuing operations grew at a slower pace at 38 percent for the second quarter and 41 percent for the half-year. Revenues increased 18 percent to $9.5 billion for the June quarter and 12 percent to $18.6 billion for the six months. The company shuttered its loss-making sugar operations last year and that is helping with the improvement in results.
IC Insider.com is projecting $4 per share earnings for the current year and it now trades at a PE ratio of 14, with limited upside potential in the short term.
The average projected gain for the IC TOP 10 stocks is 269 percent, for the Junior Market and 146 percent for the JSE Main Market, based on 2020-21 earnings, an indication that there is the potential to make greater gains in the Junior Market than in the Main Market.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index declined by 727.14 points to 406,007.29, the Main Index carved out a loss 658.24 points to 370,306.82, the JSE Financial Index fell 0.37 points to 96.11.
An average of 160,072 units traded for the day at $1,063,508 for each security in comparison to an average of 129,202 at $1,050,176 on Thursday. An average of 381,808 units traded for the month to date at $2,640,059 for each security that traded, in contrast to 396,128 units at $2,741,845. In contrast, June ended with an average of 818,748 units at $7,498,308.
Palace Amusement dived $175 to $1,550 after exchanging one stock unit, PanJam Investment shed $2.99 in closing at $67.01 with investors swapping 1,112 shares, Proven Investments dropped $1 to settle at $33 in an exchange of 7,955 stock units. Sagicor Group carved out a gain of 75 cents to close at $43.75, with 3,908 units crossing the exchange, Salada Foods climbed 40 cents to settle at $28 trading 660 units, Scotia Group fell $1.75 to $44.50 and finishing trading with 32,231 shares. Seprod jumped $4 in ending at $56 with 137,391 units passing through the market after the company reported a strong increase in half-year profit. Sterling Investments climbed by 60 cents to settle at $3.15 after 100,977 shares crossed the market and Supreme Ventures lost 69 cents in closing at $14.86 with an exchange of 151,113 units.
The Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange gave back more of the gains enjoyed last week as investors cut, the All Jamaican Composite Index down by 2,574.66 points to 406,734.43 and slashed 2,330.72 points off the Main Index to close at 370,965.06. 
The market closed with an exchange of 4,909,660 shares for $39,906,681 compared to 5,825,935 units at $58,494,661 on Wednesday. Transjamaican Highway led trading with 1.52 million shares for 30.9 percent of total volume, followed by Carreras with 810,362 units for 16.5 percent of the day’s trade and Mayberry Investments with 707,749 units for 14.4 percent market share.
At the close of the market, Barita Investments carved out a loss $1 to end at $55 in trading 1,018 shares, Caribbean Cement gained 50 cents to settle at $45.50 to finish with 13,650 stock units changing hands, Eppley dropped 39 cents to close at $17 trading 50,142 units. Jamaica Broilers Group fell $1 to settle at $26.50 in exchanging 2,082 shares, Kingston Wharves gained $1.50 to settle at $51.50 with 1,290 stock units passing through the market, Proven Investments lost 50 cents to settle at $34, with 990 shares crossing the exchange. Sagicor Group fell $3 to settle at $43 while exchanging 61,960 units and Scotia Group carved out a gain of $1.25 and ending at $46.25, with 3,859 shares crossing the exchange.
At the close of the market, the Composite Index declined by 7.29 points to 1,311.84, the All T&T Index dropped 11.17 points to close at 1,771.78 and the Cross Listed Index shed 0.45 points to finish at 115.11.
Firm trades| Angostura Holdings ended at $15.30 in an exchange of 2,313 shares, Calypso Macro Investment Fund ended at $14.50 trading 155 shares, National Flour Mills remained at $1.80, with 32,000 shares passing through the market. Republic Financial Holdings ended at $139.47 in exchanging 25 units. Scotiabank stayed at $54.75, with 50 shares changing hands, Trinidad & Tobago NGL remained at $17 with investors swapping 40,903 shares, Trinidad Cement traded 3,788 stock units and closed at $2.10. Unilever Caribbean closed at $16.90 with an exchange of 33 shares and West Indian Tobacco closed at $35 while exchanging 706 stock units.