Stocks stretched gains for another day at the close of trading on Tuesday, making it the eleventh day of unbroken gains as the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended with an exchange of very low volume of stocks trading that still ended 31 percent more, with the value up 14 percent compared to Monday’s trades.
The All Jamaican Composite Index rose 267.24 points to 443,431.43, the Main Index gained 235.50 points to 403,882.90, but the JSE Financial Index slipped 0.19 points to settle at 100.37.
Trading ended with 50 securities, down from 52 on Monday and closed with prices of 19 stocks rising, 18 declining and 13 remaining unchanged. One stock traded at an intraday 52 weeks’ high and one ended at a closing 52 weeks’ high. The PE Ratio averages 16.1 based on ICInsider.com forecast of 2021-22 earnings.
Investors traded 10,464,481 shares for just $56,687,872 up from a paltry 7,978,781 units at $49,570,730 on Monday. Transjamaican Highway led trading with 25.2 percent of total volume for an exchange of 2.63 million shares, followed by Wigton Windfarm with 18.6 percent for 1.95 million units, QWI Investments 11.3 percent, with 1.19 million units and Sagicor Select Financial Fund 10.1 percent with 1.06 million units.
Trading averaged 209,290 units at $1,133,757, up from 153,438 shares at $953,283 on Monday. Month to date trading averages 229,131 units at $1,490,898, in contrast to 230,425 units at $1,514,180 on Monday. March averaged 354,304 units at $2,543,232.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows ten stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments advanced 21 cents to $86.50 with an exchange of 4,593 shares, Berger Paints rose 80 cents to $13.50 after 5,678 stock units crossed the exchange, Caribbean Cement declined $1.70 to $74.25 with investors switching ownership of 7,814 units. Carreras gained 34 cents to close at $9.40 in the trading of 774,927 shares, Grace Kennedy fell $1 to close at $87 in the transfer of 76,808 shares, Jamaica Broilers rose $2.95 to a 52 weeks’ high of $32.15 in an exchange of 97,910 stocks, Jamaica Producers shed 80 cents to close at $27.70 with the swapping of 16,771 stock units. JMMB Group lost 50 cents to end at $32 after an exchange of 121,570 shares, Key Insurance rose 35 cents to $5.95 with 195,569 stocks changing hands, Kingston Properties picked up 20 cents in closing at $7.45 in trading 100 units. Margaritaville fell $1.01 to $28.99 with the swapping of 4,703 shares, Palace Amusement climbed $9 to $949 in switching ownership of 185 stocks, PanJam Investment declined $2.38 to $63.62 in the trading of 9,952 stock units,
Salada Foods shed 43 cents to end at $6.50 with 649,659 shares changing hands after trading at a 52 weeks’ intraday high of $7.43. Scotia Group gained 50 cents to finish at $43 with 6,799 stocks crossing the market and Seprod closed 50 cents higher at $82.50 with the swapping of 63,099 stock units.
In the preference segment, Eppley 8.75% preference share dropped $1.01 to $6.51, with 25 units crossing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
The JSE USD Equity Index climbed 4.98 points to end at 218.71. The average PE Ratio based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings ends at 13.2.
At the close, First Rock Capital ended at 9 US cents in exchanging 12,558 shares, Margaritaville closed at 9 US cents, trading 673 shares, Proven Investments advanced 1 cent to close at 27 US cents in trading 126,273 stock units. Sterling Investments fell 0.14 of a cent to close at 2.3 US cents while exchanging 600 units, Sygnus Credit Investments rose 2.9 cents to closed at 14.9 US cents while exchanging 100 units and Transjamaican Highway settled at O.95 of a US cent trading 148,830 stock units.
Trading was halted towards the original close after the trading platform encountered problems, closing market activity until minutes to 3 pm ahead of the close for the day.
Trading averaged 153,438 units at $953,283, down from 272,764 shares at $2,129,432 on Friday. Month to date trading averages 230,425 units at $1,514,180, in contrast to 235,024 units at $1,554,972 on Friday. March averaged 354,304 units at $2,543,232.
Salada Foods gained 43 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $6.93 in the trading of 118,708 stock units. Scotia Group gained 60 cents to end at $42.50 after exchanging 53,675 units, Seprod fell 50 cents to $82 with the swapping of 6,856 stocks and Victoria Mutual Investments gained 52 cents to end at $6.45 with 254,746 stock units changing hands.
Newly listed Future Energy Source (Fesco) dominated trading on the Junior Market for the second trading day with just under 87 percent of the volume, with the price rising to $1.16 in early trading before pulling back, later on, to end at a record close of $1.09. 
The Junior Market Index climbed 23.96 points to settle at 3,174.51 after breaking through the 3,200 mark at the opening of the market and peaking at 3,203,03 after 9 minutes into trading. The PE Ratio based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings averaged 12.8.
Fosrich dropped 50 cents to $6 with 36,236 units changing hands, Indies Pharma rose 6 cents to $4.25 with 72,206 stocks traded, Iron Rock Insurance dropped $1.05 to $2.95 with a transfer of 1,850 stock units. Jamaican Teas lost 9 cents to end at $3.51 with 934,196 shares passing through the market, Jetcon Corporation gained 5 cents to close at 83 cents with an exchange of 11,700 units, Mailpac Group rose 12 cents to $3.54 with 88,702 stock units changing hands. Main Event jumped 65 cents to $4.70 with 13,526 shares traded, Medical Disposables rose 9 cents to $4.19 with a transfer of 68,372 stock units, Paramount Trading increased by 11 cents to $1.41 with investors switching ownership of 40,000 units and tTech advanced 19 cents to $4.60 with 568 shares crossing the exchange.
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.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows one stock ended with the bid higher than the last selling price and two with lower offers.
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.
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.
