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.
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
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.
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.
The month to date averaged 498,459 units at $2,982,324 or each security, in contrast to 649,530 units at $3,739,461 on the prior trading day. Trading in January averaged 311,275 units at $1,432, 133.
Pan Jam Investment fell by $1 to $64, in switching ownership of 821 units, Pulse Investments lost 28 cents at $4.70, with an exchange of 1,857,207 stock units, Sagicor Group declined by $3 to $49, with 61,577 shares crossing the market. Sagicor Real Estate Fund gained 25 cents to close at $8.25, with a transfer of 3,826 stocks. Salada Foods advanced by $5.75 to end at a 52 weeks’ high of $42.75, in switching ownership of 17,465 units. Seprod climbed $2.98 to $73.50, with an exchange of 9,932 units, Stanley Motta gained 29 cents to end at $5.35 trading 1,000 shares and Wisynco Group rose 30 cents to $16.55, with the swapping of 521,881 shares.
Trading for the day averaged 442,912 units at $1,499,332 for each security, down from 856,148 shares at $5,979,591 on Monday. The month to date averaged 649,530 units at $3,739,461. Trading in January averaged 311,275 units at $1,432,133.
Pulse Investments picked up 38 cents to end at $4.98, after an exchange of 3,233,145 shares, Salada Foods fell $1 to $37, with 48,187 shares changing hands, Scotia Group gained 78 cents to close at $43.78 in trading 7,334 stock units. Seprod jumped $6.52 to a record closing high of $70.52 after 3,980 shares crossed the market after trading at a record high of $83.99 earlier in the trading session and Supreme Ventures ended 30 cents lower at $16.70, in transferring 13,037 stocks.
Trading ended with 45 securities changing hands compared to 44 on Friday and closed with rising stocks outnumbered declining ones by 62 percent leaving prices of 12 stocks rising, 28 declining and five remaining unchanged. Ciboney traded at a 52 weeks’ high of 26 cents and Palace Amusement fell to a 52 weeks’ low of $950.
Trading for the day averaged 856,148 units at $5,979,591 for each security, compared to an average of 272,282 shares at $4,886,953 on Friday. Trading in January with an average of 311,275 units at $1,432,133.
Salada Foods rose $1 to close at $38, in exchanging 42,886 stock units, Scotia Group shed 79 cents to finish at $43, with 24,748 shares changing hands. Seprod gained 50 cents to settle at $64 after 6,678 stock units crossed the market, Supreme Ventures lost 49 cents to end at $17 trading 38,797 shares and Sygnus Credit Investments slipped 30 cents to $15.70, after transferring 85,391 shares.
While the Junior Market had a new addition, the Main Market TOP10 continued with the same stocks as the week before but Grace Kennedy price rose from $68 to $73.45 with the stock moving from 5th spot to 7th.
In this regard, based on 2020 release of results, interim financials are expected this week, from Access Financial, Barita Investments, Iron Rock Insurance, NCB Financial, the Lasco group of companies and Jamaican Teas.
The local stock market’s targeted average PE ratio is 20 based on profits of companies reporting full year’s results, from now to the second quarter in 2021. The Junior and Main markets are currently trading well below the market average, indicating strong gains ahead. The JSE Main Market ended the week, with an overall PE of 18.9 and the Junior Market 14.8, based on ICInsider.com’s projected 2020-21 earnings. The PE ratio for the Junior Market Top 10 stocks average a mere 7.8 at just 53 percent of the market average. The Main Market TOP 10 stocks trade at a PE of 9.1 or 48 percent of the PE of that market.
IC TOP10 stocks are likely to deliver the best returns up to March 2021 and ranked in order of potential gains, based on likely gain for each company, taking into account the earnings and PE ratios for the current fiscal year. Expected values will change as stock prices fluctuate and result in movements in and out of the lists weekly. Revisions to earnings per share are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.