The Jamaica Stock Exchange All Jamaican Composite Index climbed 1,925.09 points to close at 348,932.20 and the JSE Index rose 1,753.98 points to close at 317,916.66 to sit a few hundred points below the record close on August 16.
Market activities resulted in 28 securities trading including 2 in the US dollar market compared to 30 securities trading on Wednesday.
At the end of trading, the prices of 11 stocks rose, 11 declined and 6 traded unchanged. Trading in the main market ended with 2,800,039 units valued $52,538,433 versus 4,269,995 units valued at $54,515,031 on Tuesday.
Trading resulted in an average of 164,231 units valued at an average of $2,096,732 for each security traded, in contrast to 679,456 units valued at an average of $6,783,172 on Tuesday. For the month to date an average of 246,505 shares valued at an average of $4,497,856 versus 246,505 shares valued at an average of $4,497,856 on Tuesday. July closed with an average of 169,022 units valued at $3,514,756, for each security traded.
The day’s volume was led by, Carreras with 654,882 shares accounting for 23.4 percent of the traded volume, followed by Mayberry Jamaican Equities with 369,237 units and 13 percent of the day’s volume and Victoria Mutual Investments strong> WISYNCO Group with 325,849 units and 11.6 percent of the main market volume.
Stocks with major price changes| Berger Paints gained 42 cents and settled at $19.02, in exchanging 73,786 shares, Caribbean Cement fell 70 cents and finished at $45.10, trading 36,012 shares, Grace Kennedy rose 35 cents in trading 118,814 units at $59, Jamaica Producers finished trading 39,100units at $18 after gaining 80 cents,
Jamaica Stock Exchange rose $1 trading 31,500 units in closing at $8, JMMB Group fell 50 cents and ended at $28.50, exchanging 20,679 shares, Mayberry Investments climbed 75 cents to settle at $8.24, trading 947,406 units, Mayberry Jamaica Equities lost 25 cents to settle at $9.70, trading 115,853 units,
Scotia group added 30 cents to close at $52.30, trading 20,486 shares, Seprod dropped $5 to $40, trading 840 shares and Supreme Ventures rose $1.04 to close at $15.99 in trading 5,800 shares and WISYNCO Group closed with 325,849 units changing hands after falling 40 cents to $9.
Trading in the US dollar market closed with just 8,460 units trading valued $1,852, as Margaritaville traded 460 shares rose 2 cents and ended at 20 US cents and Proven Investments traded 8,000 shares, and rose 2.05 cents and closed at 22 US cents. The JSE USD Equities Index jumped over 6 percent by 9.70 points to close at 168.33.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 7 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 7 closing with lower offers.
Junior Market pulls back sharply – Thursday
Indies closed at a new high on Thursday.
The Junior Market, closed with the market index diving 57.30 points to 3,177.14 but volume soared with Carib Producers trading 11.58 million shares and Indies Pharma with nearly 2.48 million units.
Thursday’s pull back does not change the bullish sentiment of the market as both market sentiment and technical indicators remain positive.
IC bid-offer Indicator|At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading had 7 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices, 2 closed with lower offers.
The market closed with 26 securities changing hands, compared to 30 on Wednesday, resulting in the prices of 8 advancing, 7 declining and 10 remaining unchanged.
The day’s trading ended with 15,342,524 units valued at $89,754,042 changing hands, compared to 4,168,953 units valued at $12,484,663, on Wednesday.
Trading closed with an average of 590,097 units for an average of $3,452,079 in contrast to 114,533 units for an average of $433,954 on Wednesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 256,357 units at $1,308,040, compared to 242,183 units valued at $1,213,417 on the previous trading day. 
Trading in July, averaged 154,060 units valued at $655,146 for each security traded.
At the close of trading, Blue Power concluded trading of 2,000 units at $47, Cargo Handlers settled 6 cents higher at $11, in trading 357 shares, Caribbean Cream ended trading 15,514 shares and gained 32 cents to $5.62, Caribbean Flavours traded 8,225 stock units at $15.50, Caribbean Producers finished trading 11,582,757 units with a loss of 40 cents at $6.60. Derrimon Trading rose $1.57 to end at $22.57, with 107,000 shares changing hands, Dolphin Cove finished at $17, trading 500 stock units, Elite Diagnostic settled 15 cents higher at $3.15, in exchanging 430,597 units, Eppley ended trading at $10.18, with 16,950 shares. Everything Fresh traded 31,800 shares and ended with a loss of 18 cents at $2.20, Express Catering traded 17,496 shares with a loss of 65 cents to end at $8, FosRich Group finished trading at $3, exchanging 62,070 shares, GWest Corporation ended with a loss of 17 cents at a all-time low of $2, with 38,360 units changing hands, Honey Bun concluded trading at $4.50, with 5,800 shares. 
Indies Pharma traded 2,476,772 shares and rose 11 cents to end at 52 weeks’ closing high of $2.60, Iron Rock finished 15 cents higher at $3.50, trading 50,000 shares, ISP Finance settled at $16, with 1,087 shares, Jamaican Teas ended trading 500 stock units and rose 10 cents to $4.30, Jetcon Corporation traded 2,653 units with a loss of 15 cents to end at $3.99. KLE Group closed at $3, with 22,000 shares, Lasco Distributors concluded trading of 11,800 stock units at $3.95, Lasco Financial finished with a loss of 40 cents at $5.50, with 225,431 units changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing settled with a loss of 27 cents at $3.73, in exchanging 134,940 shares. Main Event ended trading 25 cents higher at $7, with 4,777 shares changing hands, Medical Disposables traded at $5.10, with 82,038 shares and Stationery and Office closed at $8.50, with 11,100 units.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
JSE main market gained – Wednesday
Trading commenced in Stanley Motta shares
The Jamaica Stock Exchange indices added to gains made on Tuesday at the close of trading on Wednesday, but from lower volume and valued of shares that traded as advancing stocks outnumbered declining ones.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index advanced 546.85 points to 347,007.11 and the JSE Index rose 498.25 points to close at 316,162.68. Market activities resulted in 30 securities trading including 4 in the US dollar market compared to 31 securities trading on Tuesday.
At the end of trading, the prices of 11 stocks rose, 10 declined and 9 traded unchanged. Trading in the main market ended with 4,269,995 units valued at over $54,515,031 versus 15,627,490 units valued at $156,012,947 on Tuesday.
Trading resulted in an average of 164,231 units valued at an average of $2,096,732 for each security traded, in contrast to 679,456 units valued at an average of $6,783,172 on Tuesday. For the month to date an average of 246,505 shares valued at an average of $4,497,856 versus 252,350 shares valued at an average of $4,680,933 on Tuesday. July closed with an average of 169,022 units valued at $3,514,756, for each security traded.
The day’s volume was led by, WISYNCO Group with 1,181,341 units accounting for 27.7 percent of the traded volume, followed by Mayberry Investments with 947,406 units and 22.2 percent of the day’s volume and Victoria Mutual Investments with 810,200 units and 18.97 percent of the main market volume.
Stocks with major price changes| Berger Paintslost $1.40 and settled at $18.60, exchanging 4,936 shares, Caribbean Cement gained 49 cents and finished at $45.80, trading 2,000 shares, Grace Kennedy lost 45 cents in trading 132,594 units at $58.65, Jamaica Producers finished trading 27,644 units at $17.20 after falling 40 cents, Jamaica Stock Exchange rose $1 trading 31,500 units in closing at $8, JMMB Group fell 50 cents and ended at $28.50, exchanging 20,679 shares, Mayberry Investments climbed 75 cents to settle at $8.24, trading 947,406 units, 
Mayberry Jamaica Equities lost 25 cents to settle at $9.70, trading 115,853 units, Portland JSX jumped $2 to closed at $10, with 10,760 shares, Seprod jumped $8.98 to $45, trading 6,000 shares and Sygnus Credit Investments rose 30 cent to close at $11 in trading 132,260 shares.
Trading in the US dollar market closed with 185,017 units valued $40,124, as JMMB Group 6% preference share closed at 10 US cents in exchanging 15,432 shares, Margaritaville traded 4,640 shares rose 2 cents and ended at 20 US cents Proven Investments traded 60,795 shares, but lost 0.05 cent and closed at 19.95 US cents strong> Sygnus Credit Investments closed at 10 US cents in trading 104,150 shares. The JSE USD Equities Index rose 0.73 points to close at 158.63.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 9 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 closing with lower offers.
Junior Market trades at 15 months’ high
The Junior Market, closed on Wednesday at the highest level in more than 15 months with the June 9 close last year of 3,253.52 bettering today’s close of 3,234.44 in the market index which rose 25.41 points to be up 18.4 per cent for 2018 to date.
With moves over the past week, the market sentiment is now switched to bullish from consolidating. The two immediate targets are the 3,350 points level and then the 3,800 points, both being resistance points. The upward movement of the market would be consistent with the PE ratio of the market being revalued to at least match the 2017 year end of an average of the two markets of 14.5 times that year’s earnings.
The market closed with high level of 30 securities changing hands, compared to 24 on Tuesday, resulted in the prices of 14 securities advancing, 7 declining and 9 remaining unchanged.
The day’s trading to 4,168,953 units valued at $12,484,663, compared to 8,895,088 units valued at $105,891,017 on Tuesday.
IC bid-offer Indicator|At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading had 5 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices, none closed with a lower offer.
Trading closed with an average of 114,533 units for an average of $433,954 in contrast to 173,706 units for an average of $520,194 on Tuesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 242,183 units valued at $1,213,417, compared to 247,889 units valued at $1,271,186 previous trading day. Trading in July, averaged 154,060 units valued at $655,146 for each security traded.
At the close of trading, Access Financial closed with a loss of $1.70 at $45, trading 500 shares, AMG Packaging ended trading 66,295 stock units at $1.90, Blue Power concluded trading 2,694 units at $47, Caribbean Cream ended at $5.30, trading 2,000 shares, Caribbean Flavours jumped $1.50 to a 52 weeks’ high of $15.50, with 775 stock units changing hands. Caribbean Producers finished trading 10 cents higher at $7, exchanging 85,673 units, Consolidated Bakeries closed 1 cent higher at $2.50, with 10,000 shares, Derrimon Trading concluded trading of 5,877 shares at $21, Elite Diagnostic settled 10 cents higher at $3, in exchanging 34,150 units. Everything Fresh traded 80,360 shares and ended with a gain of 5 cents at $2.38,
Express Catering traded 50 cents higher at $8.65, with 52,700 shares, FosRich Group finished trading 9,750 shares at $3, GWest Corporation ended at $2.17, after 91,280 units changed hands, Honey Bun concluded trading of 700 shares and rose 7 cents to $4.50. Indies Pharma traded 984,697 shares and lost 1 cent to end at $2.49 after trading at a new intraday high of $2.60, Iron Rock finished with a loss of 15 cents at $3.35, exchanging 20,000 shares, Jamaican Teas ended trading at $4.20, with 1,500 stock units passing through the exchange, Jetcon Corporation traded 1,233,200 units and rose 9 cents to end at $4.14, Key Insurance finished trading 1,000 shares with a loss of 11 cents at $3.05. KLE Group closed at $3, with 8,800 shares, Knutsford Express ended $1.14 higher at $12.50, trading 26,715 shares, Lasco Distributors concluded trading of 196,429 stock units after rising 30 cents to $3.95, Lasco Financial finished 37 cents higher at $5.90, trading 67,626 units. Lasco Manufacturing settled at $4, with 326,871 shares changing hands, Main Event ended trading with a loss of 36 cents at $6.75, with 5,673 shares, Medical Disposables traded 56,449 shares with a loss of 5 cents at $5.10, Paramount Trading finished trading 11,503 stock units and rose 80 cents to $3, Stationery and Office closed with a loss of 50 cents at $8.50, after 4,188 units changing hands and tTech concluded trading of 1,200 shares and rose 1 cent higher to $5.01. In the junior market preference segment, Eppley 9.5% finished trading 47,388 shares at $5.98.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
Junior Market at 9-1/2 months’ high
Indies traded at a closing high of $2.50 on Tuesday.
The Junior Market, closed on Tuesday with a big jump in the market index of 35.94 points to 3,209.03 the highest level in nine. The market closed with 24 securities changing hands, compared to 22 on Monday, resulted in the prices of 13 securities advancing, 7 declining and 4 remaining unchanged.
The day’s trading to 4,168,953 units valued at $12,484,663. compared to 8,895,088 units valued at $105,891,017 on Monday.
Two stocks, Express Catering and newly listed Indies Pharma traded at a 52 weeks’ high.
IC bid-offer Indicator|At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading had 3 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices, 2 closed with lower offers.
Trading closed with an average of 173,706 units for an average of $520,194 in contrast to 342,119 units for an average of $4,072,731 on Monday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 242,183 units valued at $1,213,417, compared to 247,889 units valued at $1,271,186 previous trading day. Trading in July, averaged 154,060 units valued at $655,146 for each security traded.
At the close of trading, AMG Packaging ended with a loss of 5 cents at $1.90, trading 52,000 stock units, Caribbean Cream ended trading 10,000 shares with a loss of 45 cents to close at $5.30, Caribbean Producers closed 22 cents higher at $6.90, trading 1,341 units, Consolidated Bakeries climbed 32 cents higher to $2.49, with 50,000 shares changing hands, C2W Music rose by 3 cents to $1.75, with 675,500 shares. Derrimon Trading concluded trading of 9,810 shares after climbing $2.50 to $21, Elite Diagnostic settled at $2.90, in exchanging 18,382 units, Eppley ordinary share ended trading of 9,746 shares and gained $1 to $10.18, Everything Fresh traded 638,665 shares and ended with a gain of 4 cents at $2.33, Express Catering traded with a loss of 85 cents at $8.15, with 19,715 shares changing hands. FosRich Group traded 36,802 shares at $3, General Accident closed with a loss of 29 cents at $3.61, while trading 10,890 stock units, Honey Bun concluded trading of 1,700 shares, 13 cents higher at $4.43, Indies Pharma traded 1,450,417 shares and gained 10 cents to end at an all-time closing high of $2.50, 
Jamaican Teas ended trading 5 cents higher at $4.20, with 36,539 stock units changing hands. Jetcon Corporation traded 21,454 shares and rose 1 cent to $4.05, Lasco Distributors concluded trading with a loss of 35 cents at $3.65, with 511,407 stock units changing hands, Lasco Financial finished with a loss of 37 cents at $5.53, with 48,600 units, Lasco Manufacturing settled 20 cents higher at $4, trading 91,205 shares. Main Event ended trading of 1,123 shares and rose 61 cents to $7.11, Medical Disposables traded 450,000 shares and lost $1.35 cents to close at $5.15, Paramount Trading finished trading 10 cents higher at $2.20, with 6,200 stock units and Stationery and Office gained 50 cents to end at $9, in 9,457 shares. In the junior market preference segment, Eppley 8.75% settled $6.06 with 8,000 shares changing hands.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
JSE main market makes gains – Tuesday
The Jamaica Stock Exchange clawed back some of the loss on Friday from big jump in the volume and valued of shares that traded as advancing stocks outnumbered declining ones.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index advanced 470.67 points to 346,460.26 and the JSE Index rose 428.84 points to close at 315,664.43. Market activities resulted in 25 securities trading including 2 in the US dollar market compared to 31 securities trading on Monday.
At the end of trading, the prices of 11 stocks rose, 8 declined and 5 traded unchanged. Trading in the main market ended with 15,627,490 units valued at $156,012,947, compared to 3,337,734 units valued at over $77,717,624 on Monday.
Trading resulted in an average of 679,456 units valued at an average of $6,783,172 for each security traded. In contrast to 128,374 units valued at an average of $2,989,139 on Monday. For the month to date an average of 252,350 shares valued at an average of $4,680,933 versus 223,710 shares valued at an average of $4,528,884 on Monday. July closed with an average of 169,022 units valued at $3,514,756, for each security traded.
The day’s volume was led by, Carreras with 10,188,347 units accounting for 65.20 percent of the traded volume, followed byJMMB Group 7.5% preference share with 1,840,000 units 11.8 percent of the day’s volume and Mayberry Jamaica Equities with 1,031,384 units and 6.6 percent of the main market volume.
Stocks with major price changes| Caribbean Cement fell $1.79 and finished at $45.31, trading 187,930 shares, Jamaica Producers finished trading 7,791 units at $17.60 after falling 40 cents, Jamaica Stock Exchange 
fell $1.25 trading 375,716 units in closing at $7, JMMB Group gained 70 cents and ended at $29, exchanging 225,800 shares, Sagicor Group gained 30 cents to closed at $38, with 180,565 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund dropped 60 cents to $12.90, with 58,770 shares.
Trading in the US dollar market closed with 54,232 units valued $10,459, as Margaritaville traded 10,175 shares and ended at 18 US cents Proven Investments trading 44,075 shares, gained 0.99 cent and closed at 20 US cents. The JSE USD Equities Index declined by 1.66 points to close at 157.90.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 8 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 closing with lower offers.
Cost control boost Purity’s profit
Consolidated Bakeries (Purity) recovering from 2017 loss
Cost fell and profit margin rose at Consolidated Bakeries in the June quarter, this year, as the company put in a vastly better performance in the quarter than for the similar period in 2017.
For the half year, administrative, selling and distribution cost rose just 2 percent to $166 million but declined 6 percent to $79 million in the June quarter. While sales revenue grew 10 percent for the six months to $493 million and less than one percent to $221.5 million in the latest quarter. Input cost climbed just 3 percent for the half year, compared to 2017 and fell 4 percent for the quarter, giving rise to increased profit margin in the first half of the year to 38 percent, from 34 percent in 2017 and in the June quarter, to 35 percent from 31 percent in the year ago period.
Profit rose from a loss of $8.5 million in 2017, for the six months to June, to a profit of $22.6 million this year and earnings per share of 9 cents, but the company is reporting a loss of just $891,000 after tax credit of $128,000, a big improvement over the loss in the prior year’s quarter of $14 million. Full year’s profit should end at around 17 cents per share. If achieved, it would be the first time since the year it listed that profit has been this high.
Administrative expenses fell 13 percent to $42 million in the quarter and increased marginally in the six months period to $92 million from $91.6 million. Distribution and sales expenses declined 4 percent to $33 million. Finance cost rose in the quarter, to $3.6 million from $812,000 in 2017 and from $2.5 million to $6.8 million for the half year.
Consolidated Bakeries Miss Birdie Easter bun.
Gross cash flow brought in $38 million but growth in receivables, inventories, addition to fixed assets of $35 million offset by loan inflows and increased payables position ended at a negative $3 million. At the end of June, shareholders’ equity stood at $736 million with borrowings at just $115 million. Net current assets ended the period at $100 million inclusive of trade and other receivables of $96 million, cash and bank balances of $99 million. Current liabilities ended the period at $140 million.
The stock traded at $2.17 on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange with a PE ratio of 12 times 2018 earnings. Net asset value is $3.31 with the stock selling at just 66 percent of book value. The company is the only Junior Market stock to be selling at a discount to net asset value. This means management has a lot of work to do to break even and much more to reach the average of the market of a premium of more 400 percent.
JSE main market indices fall – Monday
Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange resulted in further declines in the market indices but by less than the approximate 2,000 points decline on Friday, even as advancing stocks outnumbered declining ones.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index declined by 736.94 points to 345,989.59 and the JSE Index lost 671.43 points to 315,235.59. Market activities resulted in 30 securities trading including 4 in the US dollar market compared to 31 securities trading on Friday.
At the end of trading, the prices of 13 stocks rose, 8 declined and 9 traded unchanged. Trading in the main market ended with 3,337,734 units valued at over $77,717,624, compared to 12,389,267 units valued $54,066,117 on Friday.
Trading resulted in an average of 128,374 units valued at an average of $2,989,139 for each security traded. In contrast to 442,474 units for an average of $1,930,933 on Friday. For the month to date an average of 223,710 shares valued at an average of $4,528,884 versus 231,530 shares valued at an average of $4,665,985 on Friday. July closed with an average of 169,022 units valued at $3,514,756, for each security traded.
The day’s volume was led by, Grace Kennedy with 825,425 units 24.73 percent of the traded volume followed by Victoria Mutual Investments with 500,675 units 15 percent of the day’s volume and Ciboney Group with 360,084 units and 10.79 percent of the main market volume.
Stocks with major price changes| Berger Paints jumped $2 and ended at $20, in trading 30,655 stock units, Caribbean Cement fell 40 cents and finished at $47.10, trading 59,491 shares, Grace Kennedy fell 40 cents and ended trading 825,425 shares to close at $59.10, Jamaica Producers finished trading 19,719 units at $18 with a rise of 80 cents, JMMB Group lost 70 cents and ended at $28.30, exchanging 71,075 shares, Kingston Wharves added 40 cents to finish at $53, trading 8,522 stock units, Mayberry Investments lost 44 cents to settle at $7.45, trading 72,824 units, 
Mayberry Jamaica Euities jumped $1 to settle at an all-time closing high of $10, trading 349,204 units, PanJam Investment gained 40 cents and concluded trading 985 shares and closed at $52, Sagicor Real Estate Fund jumped $1.50 to $13.50, with 28,511 shares, Salada Foods shed 25 cents to close at $16.75, in exchanging 1,200 units, Scotia Group shed $1 in traded 83,372 shares to close at $52, Sygnus Credit Investments rose 40 cent to close at $10.50 in trading 11,629 shares and Wisynco Group rose 34 cents and finished trading 211,342 shares to end at $9.39.
Trading in the US dollar market closed with 18,035 units valued at over $31,181, as JMMB Group 6 % preference share gained 2 cents and completed trading at $1.06 with 510 stock units, JMMB Group 5.75% preference share lost 14 cents in concluding of 15,000 shares at $2.01. Margaritaville traded 1,075 shares and ended at 18 US cents Proven Investments trading 1,450 shares and closed at 19.01 US cents. The JSE USD Equities Index advanced by 0.32 points to close at 159.56.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 4 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 closing with lower offers.
Junior Market volume jumps on Monday
Derrimon Trading traded $5m shares on monday
Trading on the Junior Market, ended with big rise to 8,895,088 units valued at $105,891,017 changing hands, compared to 3,738,180 units valued at $13,115,097 on Friday.
Trading was dominated by Derrimon Trading exchanging 5 million, followed by Indies Pharma with 1.6 million units and Lasco Distributors with 1.3 million shares.
At the close the market index pulled back 20.16 points to 3,173.09 with 26 securities changing hands, compared to 27 on Friday and resulting in the prices of 8 securities advancing, 6 declining and 12 remaining unchanged.
IC bid-offer Indicator|At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading had 6 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices, 1 closed with a lower offer.
Trading closed with an average of 342,119 units for an average of $4,072,731 in contrast to 138,451 units for an average of $485,744 on Friday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 247,889 units valued at $1,271,186, compared to 238,538 units valued at $993,170 previous trading day. Trading in July, averaged 154,060 units valued at $655,146 for each security traded.
At the close of trading, Access Financial traded 5,120 shares and closed at $46.70, AMG Packaging ended at $1.95, exchanging 258,014 stock units, Blue Power concluded trading at $47, trading 2,379 units, CAC 2000 finished trading 20,133 shares at $9, Caribbean Flavours traded 3,540 stock units and climbed $1. Caribbean Producers finished trading 36,198 units with a loss of 17 cents at $6.68, with, Derrimon Trading concluded exchanging 5,004,435 shares and dropped $1.40 cents to close at $18.50, but traded as high as $30 during the day. Dolphin Cove finished at $17, with 683 stock units, Elite Diagnostic settled at $2.90, with 56,166 units. Everything Fresh traded 81,495 shares and ended with a loss of 21 cents at $2.29, Express Catering traded 26,865 shares and rose 10 cents to a closing 52 weeks’ high of $9, 
FosRich Group finished trading 19,150 shares at $3, General Accident closed 70 cents higher at $3.90, trading 115,002 stock units, GWest Corporation ended at $2.17, with 42,840 units. Honey Bun concluded trading 10 cents higher at $4.30, with 36,000 shares, Indies Pharma traded 1,628,679 shares in gaining 4 cents and ended at an all-time closing high of $2.40, but traded earlier as high as $2.50, Jamaican Teas ended trading with a loss of 14 cents at $4.15, with a transfer of 16,610 stock units, Jetcon Corporation traded with a loss of 6 cents at $4.04, with 33,684 units changing hands, KLE Group closed at $3, with 54,384 shares. Knutsford Express ended at $11.36, with 9,546 shares, Lasco Distributors concluded trading 1,300,907 stock units and rose 15 cents to $4, Lasco Financial rose 40 cents to end at $5.90, with 48,997 units, Lasco Manufacturing settled with a loss of 10 cents at $3.80, trading 8,100 shares. Main Event ended trading at $6.50, with 3,100 shares, Medical Disposables traded 12,005 shares to close at $6.50 and Stationery and Office closed 40 cents higher at $8.50, with 71,056 units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading for the day are those at which the last trade took place.
JSE stocks retreat from Thursday’s record
Mayberry Jamaican Equities traded 1M shares & the price hits a new high of $10 but retreated by Friday’s close.
The All Jamaican Composite Index of the Jamaica Stock Exchange and the JSE index fell more than 2,000 points as main market stocks retreated from Thursday’s record close as the market set its sight on breaking through the 350,000 mark this coming week.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 2,312.28 points to 346,726.53 and the JSE Index dived 2,106.75 points to 315,907.02. Market activities resulted in 31 securities trading including 3 in the US dollar market compared to 27 securities trading on Thursday.
At the end of trading, the prices of 12 stocks rose, 12 declined and 7 traded unchanged. Trading in the main market ended with 12,389,267 units valued $54,066,117, compared to 7,549,926 units valued at $378,631,059 on Thursday.
The day’s volume was led by, JMMB Group 7.5% preference share concluded trading at $1.03, with 8,590,090 shares with 69.3 percent of the traded volume, followed by Mayberry Equities that closed at $9 in trading 1,046,000 shares, 
for just 8.4 percent of the day’s volume after trading at an intraday high of $10 and Supreme Ventures with 604,043 units and 4.9 percent of the main market volume.
Stocks with major price changes| Caribbean Cement jumped $2.50 and finished at $47.50, trading 73,872 shares, Grace Kennedy rose 85 cents and ended trading at $59.50, with 41,775 shares, JMMB Group lost $1 and ended at $29, exchanging 120,176 shares, Mayberry Investments gained 39 cents to settle at $7.89, with 10,100 units, PanJam Investment fell 80 cents and concluded trading 42,221 shares and closed at $51.60, Portland JSX lost 50 cents and ended at $8 trading 2,700 units, Sagicor Real Estate Fund dived $2.90 to $12, with 11,200 shares, Salada Foods shed $1 to close at $17, in exchanging 48,271 units, Scotia Group rose 50 cents in traded 113,232 shares to close at $53, Seprod finished trading 4,500 shares, and gained 59 cents to close at $36.10, ended at $15, with 21,164 shares after losing 30 cents, 
Victoria Mutual Investments lost 42 cents in concluding trading at $3.51, with 604,043 stock units and Wisynco Group fell 25 cents and finished trading 105,450 shares to end at $9.05.
Trading in the US dollar market closed with Margaritaville traded 9,700 shares and ended at 18 US cents Proven Investments trading 44,500 shares, falling 0.09 cent and closed at 19.01 US cents and Sygnus Credit Investments traded 9,000 shares and rose 0.03 cent to 10 US cents. The JSE USD Equities Index slipped 0.12 points to end at 159.24.
Trading resulted in an average of 492,474 units valued at over $1,930,933, in contrast to 290,382 shares valued at $14,562,733 on Thursday. For the month to date an average of 231,530 shares valued at an average of $4,665,985 versus 211,092 shares valued at an average of $4,956,066 on Thursday. July closed with an average of 169,022 units valued at $3,514,756, for each security traded.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 5 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 closing with lower offers.