Stocks slipped into the weekend on Friday, after an exchange of just 5 percent more shares valued 26 percent more than on Thursday, with the market indices lost grounds even after prices of more stocks rose than those declining on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market.
The All Jamaican Composite Index shed 223.23 points to 464,466.25, the JSE Main Index slipped just 71.20 points to end at 426,626.34 and the JSE Financial Index ended 0.38 points lower to 105.42.
Trading ended with 52 securities compared to 50 on Thursday, with 22 stocks rising, 19 declining and 11 remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio, a measure that determines an appropriate value for a stock, averages 16.9 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings.
The market closed with 9,325,241 shares trading for $282,546,221, up from 8,889,308 units at $224,811,511 on Thursday. Transjamaican Highway led trading with 28.5 percent after trading 2.66 million shares followed by Caribbean Cement 21.7 percent with 2.02 million units and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 11.3 percent after an exchange of 1.06 million units.
Trading averaged 179,332 units at $5,433,581, compared to 177,786 shares at $4,496,230 on Thursday. Trading month to date averages 155,610 units at $3,207,330, within distance of 151,484 units at $2,820,155 on Thursday. June ended with an average of 249,610 units at $3,877,606.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 14 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Barita Investments shed 95 cents to close at $84.05 after an exchange of 24,203 shares, Caribbean Cement fell $1.75 to $92 with 2,024,458 shares crossing the exchange, Eppley rose 43 cents to 40.29 with 108 stocks clearing the market, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund declined $3.11 to $46.89 in trading 737 units. Grace Kennedy popped 89 cents to $104.89 with a transfer of 220,111 stock units, Guardian Holdings advanced $14 to $684 with 566 units changing hands, Jamaica Producers advanced $1.90 to $23.95 in an exchange of 3,045 stock units. Jamaica Stock Exchange fell 25 cents to $17.25 after clearing the market with 3,198 units, JMMB Group gained 45 cents in closing at $38 in switching ownership of 135,193 shares, Kingston Wharves rose $2.06 to $50 with 454,312 stock units crossing the market, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy climbed $30 to close at $147, with the swapping of 76 units, NCB Financial Group advanced $4 to $146 in exchanging 13,064 stocks. 
Palace Amusement spiked $150 to $1,300 with the swapping of 36 stock units, Pan Jam Investment rose $1.40 to $69 in trading 2,065 units, Proven Investments lost 22 cents to $34.10 in crossing the market with 33,999 stocks. Sagicor Group shed $1 to settle at $55 in exchanging 457,729 shares, Salada Foods rallied 37 cents in closing at $8.62 in trading 47,287 stock units. Scotia Group shed 82 cents to $40.18 after exchanging 25,980 stocks, Supreme Ventures spiked 95 cents to $19 after crossing the market with 12,971 units and Wisynco Group shed 25 cents to close at $15.50 in exchanging 41,535 stock units.
In the preference segment, Eppley 8.75% preference share rose 22 cents to $7.50 in trading 2,500 stocks, Eppley 8.25% rallied $1.04 to $7.10 with 470 units changing hands and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share declined $25 to $80 in transferring 2,000 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
JMMB Group declined 5 cents to $2 in an exchange of 1,271 units, L.J Williams B share, settled at $1.34, with 320 stock units changing hands, Point Lisas rose 5 cents to $3.15, with 25 stock units clearing the market. Prestige Holdings popped 1 cent to $7 after 20,598 units crossed the market, Scotiabank dipped 1 cent to $59.74 in an exchange of 50 units, Trinidad & Tobago NGL popped 1 cent to $18.21 in an exchange of 620 stocks. Trinidad Cement ended at $3.30, with 175 shares crossing the exchange and Unilever Caribbean remained at $16.25 trading 1,000 stocks.
At the close of trading, the All Jamaican Composite Index spiked 4,025.26 points to 464,689.48, the JSE Main Index sprung 3,462.72 points higher to 426,697.54 and the JSE Financial Index rose 1.87 points to 105.80.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has 13 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
Proven Investments slipped 78 cents to $34.32 with 1,024 shares changing hands, Sagicor Group rallied $4 to $56 with 278,687 stock units crossing the market, Salada Foods picked up 25 cents to settle at $8.25 with the swapping of 56,192 stock units and Supreme Ventures shed 96 cents to close at $18.05, with 237,056 shares clearing the market.
At the close of the market, 18 securities traded similar to Wednesday, with prices of nine stocks rising, four declining and five remaining unchanged. The Composite Index inched 1.82 points higher to 1,422.27, the All T&T Index popped 0.36 points to 1,928.66 and The Cross-Listed Index upped 0.47 points to settle at 123.38.
JMMB Group advanced 4 cents to $2.05 with 200,000 stocks changing hands, Massy Holdings dropped 8 cents to $80.42 in exchanging 254,260 stock units, NCB Financial Group rallied 8 cents to $8.48 after 3,590 units crossed the market. Prestige Holdings remained at $6.99 after trading 195 stock units, Republic Financial Holdings rallied 2 cents to $135.10 while exchanging 2,223 stock units, Scotiabank stayed at $59.75 in trading 350 stocks. Trinidad & Tobago NGL advanced 6 cents to $18.20 after trading 9,956 stocks, Trinidad Cement ended at $3.30 in switching ownership of 1,023 shares, Unilever Caribbean dropped 8 cents to close at $16.25 while exchanging 1,065 units and West Indian Tobacco ended at $32.50, with 1,512 stock units changing hands.
The All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 2,454.90 points to 460,664.22, the JSE Main Index shed 674.44 points to end at 423,234.82 and the JSE Financial Index dipped 0.36 points to 103.93.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has 12 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
PanJam Investment climbed 40 cents to $68 after exchanging 11,951 stock units, Sagicor Group dived $4.50 to $52 in trading 183,871 shares, Salada Foods lost 30 cents to close at $8 with 69,919 shares crossing the exchange, Scotia Group popped 90 cents to $40.90 in transferring 134,985 stocks and Supreme Ventures shed 39 cents in ending at $19.01 with the swapping of 852,216 shares.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index declined 1,326.49 points to 463,119.12, the JSE Main Index dropped 3,307.14 points to 423,909.26 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.84 points to 104.29.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has thirteen stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and eight with lower offers.
Scotia Group shed 50 cents to end at $40, with 8,550 units changing hands, Seprod picked up 50 cents in ending at $72, with 46,730 shares clearing the market and Supreme Ventures gained 30 cents to close at $19.40 with the swapping of 12,519 stock units.
Guardian Holdings dropped 35 cents to end at $33.64, with 2,417 stock units clearing the market, JMMB Group fell 2 cents to $1.97 after 3,250 units cleared the market, Massy Holdings increased 50 cents to $80.50 after exchanging 5,089 stocks. National Enterprises remained at $3.25, with 3,000 stocks crossing the exchange, National Flour Mills ended at $2.25 after an exchange of 75 stocks, NCB Financial Group slipped 1 cent to $8.50, trading 753 units. Republic Financial Holdings shed 2 cents in closing at $135.08 in an exchange of 40 units, Scotiabank popped 1 cent higher to $59.75 after exchanging 667 stock units, Trinidad & Tobago NGL rallied 4 cents to $18.10, with 11,473 stocks clearing the market and Trinidad Cement slipped 3 cents to $3.27 in switching ownership of 3,500 units.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index rose 528.55 points to close at 464,445.61, the JSE Main Index surged 3,053.18 points to 427,216.40 and the JSE Financial Index popped 0.97 points to 105.13.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has 13 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
Supreme Ventures lost 41 cents to end at $19.10 in an exchange of 3,205 stock units and Wisynco Group spiked 19 cents ending at $15.99, clearing the market with 36,426 stock units.
JMMB Group slipped 1 cent to $1.99 exchanging 210,000 stocks, Massy Holdings lost 10 cents in ending at $80 after 500 stock units changed hands, National Enterprises gained 25 cents to end at $3.25 trading 100 stocks. National Flour Mills had an exchange of 87 shares at $2.25, One Caribbean Media rose 9 cents to $4.60 after 2,000 stocks changed hands, Prestige Holdings fell 1 cent to $6.99, with 18 units changing hands, Republic Financial Holdings remained at $135.10 after trading 8,462 shares, Scotiabank closed at $59.74, with 1,000 stocks crossing the market, Trinidad & Tobago NGL popped 6 cents to $18.06 in an exchange of 2,111 stock units and Trinidad Cement remained at $3.30 in an exchange of 60 units.
The Junior Market recovered all of its Covid-19 related loss and more in hitting its highest level this week, since the first week of December 2019, helped by a number of ICInsider.com Top stocks of which 6 recorded gains between 69 percent and 81 and two over 100 percent, with the market up 29 percent for 2021 to date. 
The top three stocks in the Junior Market are Elite, Caribbean Assurance and Medical Disposables, with the potential to gain between 223 and 287 percent, following the range of 254 to 276 percent last week. The top three Main Market stocks are Radio Jamaica in the number one spot, followed by JMMB Group and Guardian Holdings, with expected gains of 171 to 379 percent versus last weeks’ 188 to 385 percent.
For the Junior Market to trade at the historical average, the PE Ratio would have to rise by 31 percent and requires a rise of 54 percent to reach the targeted PE of 20 by March 2022. Main Market stocks would need to rise by 11 percent to hit a PE of 19 and 17 percent to get to the target of 20.