The Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange lost more grounds on Wednesday as trading levels fell and declining stocks overpowered advancing ones more than 2 to 1 as the prices of 26 companies fell.
At the close, the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index declined by 2,583.02 points to 412,781.30, the JSE Market Index dropped 2,341.78 points to 376,397.69 and the JSE Financial Index was down 1.36 points to 97.68. The PE ratio of the market ended at 14.6, while the Main Market ended at 14.9 times 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with 43 securities changing hands in the Main and US dollar markets with prices of 12 stocks advancing, 26 declining and five securities traded firm. The JSE Main Market activity ended with 39 securities accounting for 7,513,787 units for $85,083,138, in contrast to 9,471,871 units valued at $108,990,432 from 39 securities on Tuesday.
Wigton Windfarm led trading with 2.1 million shares for 28 percent of total volume followed by Wisynco Group with 1.5 million units for 20 percent of the day’s trade and Trans Jamaican Highway with 1 million units for 13.5 percent market share.
The average security trading on Thursday amounted to 192,661 units at $2,181,619, in contrast to 242,868 units at an average of $2,794,626 on Tuesday. The average stocks trading stood at 405,183 units for the month to date at $5,483,471 for each, compared to 429,778 units with an average value of $5,919,987 on Tuesday. Trading in May resulted in an average of 475,543 units valued at $3,077,280 for each security.
IC bid-offer Indicator│ At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows fourteen stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four stocks closing with lower offers.
In the Main Market, Barita Investments fell 35 cents to $49.95, in exchanging 1,417 units, Berger Paints lost $1.41 to end at $12, with 20,501 stock units changing hands, Caribbean Cement declined by $1.97 to $49 transferring 17,343 stock units. Eppley traded 40 cents lower to settle at $16.50, after swapping 142 units, First Rock Capital shed 80 cents exchanging 6,048 units and closed at $15.20, Jamaica Broilers ended at $26.50, with a loss of 49 cents in transferring 264,925 shares. Jamaica Stock Exchange climbed $1.43 to $23.93, with an exchange of 439 units, NCB Financial Group ended $4.75 lower at $140, with 202,699 shares crossing the market, 138 Student Living closed at $6.01, after losing 59 cents trading 25,884 stock units. Palace Amusement gained $199 in swapping two stock units and closed at $1,900, Pan Jam Investment ended at $74.95, with gains of 95 cents after transferring 4,919 units, Proven Investments declined by $3.35 to end at $33.65, in exchanging 1,726 units. Sagicor Group added $1.50 to end at $46, with 64,238 stock units changing hands, Scotia Group shed 76 cents to finish at $47.19, after trading 52,931 stock units, Seprod fell by $1.19 to $53.60, in transferring 15,839 units and Sygnus Credit Investments ended the day at $16.80, with a loss of 64 cents in exchanging 12,826 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.