Trading on Monday, ended with the market rising after trading 97 percent fewer shares than on Friday, on the US dollar market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, after four securities changed hands, compared to six on Friday, with three rising, none declining and one ending unchanged.
The JSE USD Equity Index gained 2.13 points to end at 213.73, up 14.7 percent for the year to date. The average PE Ratio ends at 13 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings.
Overall, 32,091 shares traded for US$2,549, down from 1,081,879 units at US$80,306 on Friday.
Trading averaged 8,023 units at US$637, in contrast to 180,313 shares at US$13,384 on Friday. Trading averaged 81,028 units for the month to date at US$6,478 in contrast to 84,309 units at US$6,741 on the prior trading day. March ended with an average of 68,746 units for US$13,137.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows one stock ended with the bid higher than the last selling price and two with lower offers.
At the close, First Rock Capital gained 0.5 of a cent in closing at 9 US cents while exchanging 10,000 shares, Proven Investments ended at 26 US cents after trading 5,457 stocks, Sygnus Credit Investments advanced 1.08 cents to 15.08 US cents after 500 stock units changed hands and Transjamaican Highway rose 0.05 of a cent to close at 0.95 of a US cent, with 16,134 stocks changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Gross profit slipped 8.8 percent to $2 billion from $2.3 billion in 2020 as direct cost rose 11 percent from $7.8 billion to $8.7 billion and gross profit margin slipped to 18.84 percent in the 2021 March quarter, from 22.68 percent. Selling, administrative and other expenses rose marginally to $1.32 billion, from $1.30 million in 2020.
The market index ended with a gain of 13.99 points at 3,150.55, with an increase of 19 2 percent year to date. Trading ended with 34 securities changing hands compared to 35 on Thursday and closed with the prices of 12 stocks rising, 14 declining and eight closing unchanged. The PE Ratio, based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings, averages 12.9.
Future Energy Source advanced 26 cents to end at a record $1.06 with 19,680,813 stocks crossing the market, Indies Pharma picked up 7 cents to close at $4.19 trading 89,595 shares. Iron Rock Insurance rose 20 cents to $4 with 5,263 shares crossing the market, Jamaican Teas gained 10 cents to close at $3.60 in the swapping of 577,253 shares, Jetcon Corporation ended 6 cents lower at 78 cents after 4,000 stock units cleared the market, Lasco Manufacturing rose 75 cents in closing at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $5.45 with a transfer of 49,020 stocks. Lumber Depot carved out a gain of 2 cents to close at $2.49 after trading 505,232 units, Mailpac Group declined 8 cents to close at $3.42 with 305,323 stock units changing hands and Main Event dropped 40 cents to end at $4.05 after trading 36,163 stocks.
A total of 52 securities traded, up from 49 on Thursday, with prices of 22 rising, 19 declining and 11 remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio, based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings, averages 16.1.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has five stocks ending with bids higher than the last selling prices and three with lower offers.
Salada Foods picked up 30 cents to end at $6.50, with 174,920 shares changing hands, Scotia Group closed 34 cents higher at $41.90 after exchanging 27,609 stock units and Seprod fell 30 cents to $82.50 with 12,264 stock units changing hands.
Six securities traded, similar to that on Thursday, with the price of one rising, two declining and three remaining unchanged.
At the close, First Rock Capital shed half a cent to close at 8.5 US cents in an exchange of 7,800 units, Margaritaville ended at 9 US cents after exchanging 16,795 stocks, Proven Investments ended at 26 US cents trading 15,991 stock units. Sterling Investments increased 0.43 of a cent to end at 2.44 US cents while exchanging 89 shares, Sygnus Credit Investments ended at 14 US cents after 491,204 shares changed hands and Transjamaican Highway fell 0.05 of a cent in closing at 0.9 US cents trading 550,000 shares.
Fesco opened trading on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock exchange on Friday, trading 2.38 million shares at $1.04 up from 80 cents the share were sold to the market at.
After taking a battering in March last year with the market index dropping 39 percent from the end of 2019 to the bottom in March last year, junior Market stocks have put in a spirited recovery with the marketing adding 23.63 points to 3,136.56 on Thursday with a rise of 18.7 percent for 2021 to date and 54 percent from the March 2020 low point for the year for the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange.
The market closed with an exchange of 4,442,267 shares for $18,272,766, up from 4,400,394 units at $13,254,158 on Wednesday. Lasco Manufacturing led trading with 51.8 percent of total volume trading 2.3 million shares followed by Mailpac Group with 10.8 percent for 478,805 units and Derrimon Trading with 9.2 percent market share for 406,825 units for 9.2 percent.
Indies Pharma shed 13 cents to end at $4.12 after trading 84,271 units, Jetcon Corporation picked up 6 cents in closing at 84 cents with 5,120 stock units crossing the exchange, Knutsford Express fell 10 cents to close at $8.90 finishing with 1,210 stocks changing hands. Lasco Distributors shed 15 cents to end at $3.84 in switching ownership of 28,431 units, Lasco Manufacturing gained 5 cents to end at $4.70 with the swapping of 2,302,500 shares after it traded at a 52 weeks’ intraday high of $5. Mailpac Group lost 6 cents in closing at $3.50 in the trading of 478,805 stocks, Main Event shed 35 cents to end at $4.45 after clearing the market with 4,910 stock units, Medical Disposables closed 40 cents lower at $4.10 with 35,096 shares crossing the exchange, at the same time Stationery and Office Supplies lost 7 cents to end at $5.50 in the trading of 11,676 stock units.
The All Jamaican Composite Index advanced 187.57 points to 442,013.12, after hitting 443,387.95 just after midday. The Main Index rose 170.79 points to 402,637.35 and the JSE Financial Index added 0.06 points in settling at 100.22.
Trading averaged 161,250 units at $1,642,104, compared to an average of 169,965 shares at $947,558 on Wednesday. Month to date trading averages 232,142 units at $1,509,917, in contrast to 238,879 units at $1,499,367 on Wednesday. March averaged 354,304 units at $2,543,232.
Sagicor Group gained 50 cents to close at $50.50 in trading 8,039 shares, Salada Foods picked up 25 cents to settle at a 52 weeks’ high of $6.20 with the swapping of 96,977 stock units and Seprod declined $1.19 to $82.80 in switching ownership of 22,436 shares.
Trading closed, with two stocks rising, one declining and three remaining unchanged and the JSE USD Equity Index slipped 0.01 point to 209.84. The average PE Ratio ends at 13.7 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings.
At the close, First Rock Capital traded 2,182 shares at 9 US cents, Margaritaville ended at 9 US cents with 6,993 shares clearing the market, Proven Investments rose 1.4 cents to close at 26 US cents in exchanging 36,634 shares. Sygnus Credit Investments fell 1 cent to close at 14 US cents trading 171,046 stock units and Transjamaican Highway rose 0.05 of a cent to end at 0.95 US cents with an exchange of 223,750 stocks.
