Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market was below normal levels, on Friday, with investors pushing several stock prices higher, leading the market indices to carve out modest gains, with the All Jamaican Composite Index climbing 5,100 points for the week and recovered the 4,100 points loss of the previous week.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index climbed 1,009.48 points to 416,767.63 and the Main Market Index advanced 912.88 points to 380,156.43. The JSE Financial Index closed unchanged at 98.38 points.
Trading ended with 39 securities changing hands, compared to 42 on Thursday and the market closed, with the prices of 24 stocks rising, seven declining and eight closing unchanged. The market closed, with an exchange of 27,345,784 shares accounting for $96,729,414 compared to 13,491,484 units at $103,617,587 on Thursday.
The leading trades for the day were, Transjamaican Highway, with 16.10 million shares for 59 percent of total volume followed by Wigton Windfarm with 4.32 million units for 16 percent of the day’s tradings and Pulse Investments with 3.52 million units for 13 percent market share.
Supreme Ventures was the only other stock trading, to exceed a million units, and it ended with 1.3 million units changing hands.
The average trade for the day ended at 701,174 units at $2,480,241 in contrast to an average of 321,226 units valued at $2,467,085 on Thursday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 808,713 units valued at $7,227,394, in contrast to 813,827 units at $7,200,572.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the Main market shows 14 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers. The average PE ratio of the Main Market ended at 15.4 based on IC Insider.com’s forecasted 2020-21 earnings.
At the close of the market, Barita Investments climbed $2.35 to end at $53.85, with the swapping of 51,334 units, Berger Paints rose $1.20 to settle at $13.40 in trading 5,101 units, First Rock Capital gained 30 cents in closing at $15.10 with 6,450 stock units crossing the exchange. GraceKennedy climbed 49 cents after closing at $57.99 and trading 3,773 stock units, 
Jamaica Broilers rose $1 to $29 with a transfer of 870 shares, Jamaica Producers gained $1 to settle at $25 in trading 36,130 units. Mayberry Investments advanced 34 cents to $5.99 with 10,090 stock units changing hands, Mayberry Jamaican Equities shed 50 cents to settle at $9.50 in exchanging 427 shares, NCB Financial lost $1.20 to end at $139.99 in trading 33,259 stock units. Scotia Group climbed $3.70 to end at $47.35 in the swapping of 3,767 units, Seprod rose $1.80 in ending at $53 and exchanging 26,888 stock units, Victoria Mutual Investments declined 45 cents to settle at $7.45 with 296,346 stock units changing hands and Wisynco Group advanced by 47 cents to end at $18.70 with 52,410 units crossing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
The average volume for the month to date ended at 813,827 units at $7,465,362 for each security changing hands, compared to 840,420 units with an average value of $7,750,590. Trading in May resulted in an average of 475,543 units valued at $3,077,280 for each security.
Mayberry Investments closed 35 cents lower at $5.65 exchanging 220 units, Mayberry Jamaican Equities settled at $10, with a loss of 50 cents in transferring 104,953 shares. NCB Financial Group ended at $141.19, after losing $1.81 and exchanging 34,458 stock units, 138 Student Living lost 41 cents to close at $6.31, with 503 units changing hands. Pan Jam Investment declined by $2.20 to end at $73, having swapped 9,414 stock units, Sagicor Group climbed $1 to $47, with 133,260 shares crossing the market, Salada Foods fell by $1 to settle at $29, after 2,216 units crossed the exchange. Scotia Group finished $3.85 lower at $43.65, with a transfer of 53,399 shares, Seprod dropped $1.80 trading7,154 units and closed at $51.20, Victoria Mutual Investments gained 30 cents, ending at $7.90 with an exchange of 219,564 shares and Wisynco Group picked up 66 cents trading940,749 shares to end at $18.23.
The average security trading on Tuesday amounted to 8,356,516 units at $23,722,641, in contrast to 622,587 units at an average of $9,753,453 on Tuesday. For the month to date, an average of 840,420 units traded at $7,750,590 for each security, compared to 400,703 units with an average of $6,759,539. Trading in May resulted in an average of 475,543 units valued at $3,077,280 for each security.
Key Insurance rose 50 cents to $4.50, with 200 units changing hands, Kingston Wharves advanced $1.31 to $57.49, in trading 4,056 tock units, Mayberry Jamaican Equities climbed $1.30 to $10.50 after 52,656 shares changed hands. NCB Financial Group closed $2 higher at $143, with 27,698 units crossing the exchange, Palace Amusement lost $300 to ended at $1,600, after investors transferred 304 shares, Sagicor Group climbed $1.20 to $46, in swapping 11,182 units. Salada Foods added $1 to close at $30 trading 400 shares, Scotia Group advanced by $5 to $47.50, with an exchange of 651,703 units and Wisynco Group shed 43 cents to end at $17.57, with 84,048 shares changing hands.
The market closed with two securities advancing, two declining and nine stocks remaining unchanged. Investors swapped 175,142 shares valued at $2,582,297 compared to 72,792 shares for $755,257 on Tuesday.
Clico Investments traded 1,600 units at $25.08, Grace Kennedy held firm at $3.10, with 33,590 shares crossing the market. National Enterprises remained at $4.65, after exchanging 500 units, National Flour closed with the trading of 1,444 units at $1.90, NCB Financial held firm at $7.85, with an exchange of 79,867 shares. Prestige Holdings closed at $8.20 after swapping 60 units, Republic Financial Holdings traded 2,378 units at $139.50 and Trinidad and Tobago NGL ended at $18 trading 398 units.
Trading in May resulted in an average of 475,543 units valued at $3,077,280 for each security.
Mayberry Jamaican Investments lost 60 cents swapping 85,440 shares to close at $9.20, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy declined by $4 to $170, in exchange of 287 units. NCB Financial Group fell to $141, after losing $2.70 trading 52,823 stock units, Proven Investments closed $1 lower at $33, with a transfer of 45,593 stock units, Sagicor Group ended at $44.80, with a loss of $1.70 swapping 5,391,323 shares. Salada Foods gained 50 cents to close at $29, after exchanging 4,788 units, Scotia Group traded 205,805 shares at $42.50, having lost 80 cents and Sterling Investments picked up 30 cents, ending the day’s trade at $2.45 transferring 10,300 units.
Trinidad and Tobago NGL lost 1 cent to close at $18, with 2,560 units changing hands and West Indian Tobacco finished $1.49 lower at $34, with an exchange of 3,660 units.
At the close, the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index climbed 3,388.85 points to close at 415,051.71, the JSE Market Index advanced 3,133.74 points to 378,597.03 and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.92 points to 98.09. The PE ratio of the market ended at 15, while the Main Market finished at 15.4 times ICInsider.com’s projected 2020-21 earnings.
The average security traded in May accounted for 475,543 units at $3,077,280 for each security.
Kingston Properties rose 40 cents to end at $6.70, with 412 units changing hands, Mayberry Jamaican Equities closed 70 cents lower at $9.80 exchanging 9,219 units. MPC Caribbean Clean Energy jumped by $9 to $174, with 341 units crossing the exchange, NCB Financial Group climbed $4.19 to $143.70, after investors exchanged 29,565 stock units, Proven Investments shed 50 cents to settle at $34, with 5,637 units changing hands. Sagicor Group ended with gains of 50 cents trading 12,659 units and closed at $46.50, Salada Foods declined $2 to finish at $28.50, in transferring 719 units and Wisynco Group gained 41 cents, ending trading at $17.96 with an exchange of 82,286 shares.
The market was closed on Friday, the Labour Day holiday, with the number of securities trading, rose to the highest level since March 17, when 21 securities traded and the fifth time for 2020 that 20 or more securities crossed the market in a single session, this year.
Trinidad and Tobago NGL closed at $18.01, with a loss of 97 cents with 4,623 stock units changing hands and West Indian Tobacco lost 1 cent transferring 1,300 units and closed at $35.49.
Following on from last week when the Junior Main Market rose four out of five trading days, the market rose three days this past week with Thursdays decline being a mere seven points and the market rising 12 points for the week.
The past week closed with the three top Junior Market stocks with the potential to gain between 254 to 698 percent by March 2021 are Caribbean Producers, followed by Lasco Financial and Caribbean Cream that took over from Lumber Depot that was number three last week. In the Main Market, the top three continues to be Radio Jamaica continues to lead, followed by Berger Paints and JMMB Group with expected gains of 170 to 230 percent.
Both the Junior and Main markets are currently trading well below this level. The JSE Main Market ended the week, with an overall PE of 14.3 and the Junior Market at just 9.6, based on 2020-21 earnings. The PE ratio for the Junior Market Top 10 stocks averages a mere 5.7 at just 59 percent to the average of the overall Junior Market. The Main Market TOP 10 stocks trade at 8.6 or 60 percent of the PE of the overall market.
The ranking of stocks is in order of likely increases, with the highest-ranked, being the most attractive. The ranking of stocks is in order of likely increases, with the highest-ranked, being the most attractive. Expected values will change as stock prices fluctuate and will result in movements of the selection in and out of the lists for most weeks. Revisions to earnings per share are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.
At the close of trading, the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index dived 7,074.36 points to 411,662.86, the JSE Market Index dropped 6,402.83 points up to 375,463.29 and the JSE Financial Index lost 2.57 points to 97.17.
The average volume and value traded for the month to date amount to 406,241 units at $7,008,631, in contrast to 
JMMB Group dropped by 70 cents after ending at $33.30, with 57,156 shares changing hands, Kingston Wharves rose $1.27 to end at $57.27 in trading 616 units, Mayberry Investments advanced 35 cents in ending at $6 after swapping 128,733 units. Mayberry Jamaican Equities climbed 90 cents to settle at $10.50 trading 110,500 units, NCB Financial Group lost 52 cents to end at $139.51 trading 158,913 units, Pan Jam Investment advanced by $2 to settle at $75 with 432,418 stock units crossing the exchange. Proven Investments dropped $1.35 to end at $34.50 with a transfer of 22,266 shares, Sagicor Group climbed $1 to $46 after exchanging 27,292 stock units, Salada Foods gained 50 cents in closing at $30.50 trading 7,383 shares and Scotia Group shed $3.41 to close at $43.08 exchanging 112,216 stock units.