As if to make up for lost time the Jamaica Stock Exchange is now on a gallop, putting in another day of outsized gains. The market unlike most of the past 5 days, shot out of the box with a number of trades within 5 minutes of opening. By the close the prices of 16 securities rose with 8 of them closing at 52 weeks’ high and pushing the market to its highest level since mid-November 2011.
The prices of only 2 stocks declined as 23 securities changed hands, ending in 3,992,674 units trading, valued at $35,124,269, in all market segments. Even the junior market that has been a laggard this year, moved up sharply on Friday and is now just 29 points away from its all-time high reached in 2013. 
The JSE Market Index gained 2,824.66 points to 96,089.09, the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index jumped 3,158.10 points to close at 106,150.35, just below the level reached on November 11, 2011 and the JSE Combined Index leaped 2,890.21 points to close at 97,932.95.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and with offers that were lower.
In trading, Cable & Wireless ended with 1,037,588 units to close lower by 4 cents at 48 cents, Caribbean Cement with 902,807 shares changing hands, closed higher by 15 cents to $4,in continued response to excellent Q1 results. Carreras finished with 8,774 shares trading with a gain of 42 cents to a new 52 weeks’ high of $47.50, Desnoes & Geddes finished trading with only 28,000 shares, gaining 47 cents to a new 52 weeks’ high of $6.49, Grace Kennedy concluded trading with 172,590 shares but the price dropped 39 cents to $63.60, Jamaica Broilers ended up trading 66,500 units to close with a gain of 35 cents to $5.10. Jamaica Producers finished trading with just 2,812 shares, with the price rising $1.25 to $18.50.
There was dealing in 168,500 units of Mayberry Investments as the stock put on 5 cents to close at a new 52 weeks’ high of $2.65, National Commercial Bank contributed 433,054 shares to end with an increase of 42 cents to close at a new 52 weeks’ high of $30.50, the stock traded as high as $31. Sagicor Group ended with 212,335 units changing hands and put on 52 cents, to a new 52 weeks’ high of $11.53 after trading as high as $12.20. Scotia Group closed with 8,627 units and put on $2.26 to a new 52 weeks’ high of $25.49, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% preference share traded 140,900 units to end at $2.30 and Jamaica Money Market Brokers 8.75% preference share had 80,000 units changing hands at $3.20.
10 JSE stocks rose 6 declined Monday
National Commercial Bank stock price hit a new 52 weeks high of $20 in trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Monday with 1,066,318 shares changing hands. One million units of the stock was bought and sold by Stockbroker, Sagicor Investments at $20 each.
After three consecutive days of declining stocks beating out advancing ones last week, breaking the trend that was in place since the start of the year, with no trading day closing with number of declining stocks being more than advancing ones, activity on the exchange returned to the trend prior to the days of decline on Monday. At the close on Monday, the prices of 10 stocks gained, 6 declined as 23 securities changed hands, ending in 4,912,390 units trading, valued at $30,624,883 in all market segments. The positive advance, decline ratio did not prevent large declines in the main market indices as Carreras gave back most of the gain it enjoyed on Friday.
Main Market| The JSE Market Index lost 765.65 points to 77,062.39 , the JSE All Jamaican Composite index declined 856.03 points to close at 84,877.64 and the JSE combined index declined by 716.44 points to close at 78,938.30.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and stocks with offers that were lower.
Gains| Stocks gaining with last traded prices at the end of trading in the main market are, Cable & Wireless closing with 715,292 units changing hands, with a gain of 1 cent at 51 cents. Gleaner had 3,000 shares changing hands to close 2 cents up, at 82 cents, Grace Kennedy closed with 17,480 shares trading with a gain of 5 cents at $63, Jamaica Broilers ending with 2,000 units changing hands to close with 1 cents gain at $4.01. Jamaica Money Market Brokers finished with 4,000 ordinary shares with the price gaining 3 cents to $6.60, Jamaica Stock Exchange with 48,688 units changing hands to close with a gain of 10 cents at $2.10, National Commercial Bank closed at a new 52 weeks high with 1,066,318 shares changing hands and gained of 69 cents at $20. Proven Investments ended with 35,970 units changing hands to close 0.02 cent higher at 21.02 US cents, new all-time high and Sagicor Group closed with 20,820 shares trading with a gain of 5 cents at $10.20.
Firm| The stocks in the main market to close without a change in the last traded prices are, Berger Paints closed with 1,439 units trading at $1.55, Desnoes & Geddes concluding trading with 1,100 shares changing hands at $4.80, Mayberry Investments ended with 1,381,873 units trading to end at $2 and Scotia Group in trading 30,195 units at $20.50.
Declines| The last traded prices of stocks with losses at the end of trading in the main market are, the price of Carreras slipped $1.88 to closed with 1,650 units trading as at $37.62 and Radio Jamaica ended with 1,986 shares trading lower by 20 cent to $1.10.
Preference| Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.25% preference share closed with 200 units being active, with the price rising 1 cents to $2.50, Jamaica Money Market Brokers 7.50% finished with 1,502,471 units trading at $2 and Proven Investments 8% preference share traded 1,555 units traded at $5.
