Stocks gave back some of Tuesday’s gains bring the year to date gains to zero when the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended trading on Wednesday, with the market declining even as more stocks advanced than declined after an exchange of 15 percent more shares with an 11 percent lower value than on Tuesday.
The All Jamaican Composite Index fell 2,201.29 points to 433,411.08, the Main Index dropped 1,957.22 points to 395,223.27 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.51 points to settle at 100.07.
Investors traded 40 securities, down from 47 on Tuesday and closed with 18 rising, 12 declining and 10 remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio averages 19.2 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Traders exchanged 16,449,582 shares for $59,313,530 compared to 14,255,372 units at $66,739,337 on Tuesday. Wigton Windfarm led trading with 36.1 percent of total volume, after an exchange of 5.94 million shares, followed by Transjamaican Highway with 29 percent for 4.78 million units, QWI Investments chipped in with 10.1 percent after 1.66 million units traded and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 6.9 percent of the day’s trade for 1.14 million units.
Trading averaged 411,240 units at $1,482,838 for each security, compared to an average of 303,306 shares at $1,419,986 on Tuesday. Trading month to date averaged 358,582 units at $1,676,782 for each security, in contrast to 336,641 units at $1,757,591 on Tuesday. February closed with an average of 419,015 units at $2,509,660.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
Barita Investments rose $1.25 to end at $81.25 trading 3,179 shares, Berger Paints rose 24 cents in closing at $13.45, after exchanging 4,677 stock units, Caribbean Cement shed $2.30 to close at $67.20 in transferring 39,713 shares. Carreras gained 20 cents to finish at $7.73, with 53,050 units changing hands, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund advanced $1 to $41 after an exchange of 2,181 shares. First Rock Capital gained 25 cents to settle at $15.25 trading 56,515 stock units, Grace Kennedy rose $1.98 to $90.98, with the swapping of 119,902 shares, Jamaica Broilers ended 24 cents higher at $28.74 after the transfer of 25,562 units. JMMB Group rose 22 cents to $32.90 in an exchange of 55,700 units, Kingston Wharves shed 60 cents to $45, with shareholders switching ownership of 40,328 shares. 
NCB Financial declined $1 to $141, with 53,913 stock units crossing the market, Palace Amusement dropped $67.03 to $885, with 210 units changing hands, PanJam Investment finished 90 cents lower at $64.10 trading 8,674 stock units. Proven Investments advanced $1.75 to $39, with an exchange of 35,591 stocks, Sagicor Real Estate Fund rose 43 cents to $8.35 with the swapping of 15,997 shares, Salada Foods declined $2.99 to $38.51 with 8,295 units clearing the market. Stanley Motta gained 34 cents to close at $5.35 after exchanging 212 units and Supreme Ventures fell $1.20 to $15 in transferring 90,750 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading ended with 15 securities, down from 24 on Tuesday, with four stocks rising, seven declining and four finishing unchanged. The market indices movement eroded nearly all of Tuesday’s gains, with the Composite Index dropping 15.35 points to 1,323.61, the All T&T Index fell 1.24 points to close at 1,757.07 and the Cross Listed Index lost 4.04 points to 120.41.
Guardian Holdings increased 25 cents to $22, with 11,625 shares changing hands, JMMB Group fell 1 cent to $1.82, with 900 stocks clearing the market, Massy Holdings climbed 50 cents to $63 while exchanging 269,241 stocks. National Flour fell 10 cents to $2.25, with 22,000 stock units changing hands, NCB Financial Group declined 15 cents to $8.85 with an exchange of 5,855 shares, One Caribbean Media fell 1 cent to $4.80 while exchanging 1,025 stock units. Republic Financial Holdings settled at $134.55 after 10 stock units crossed the exchange, Scotiabank remained at $55.95 with 77 units clearing the market, Trinidad & Tobago NGL lost 49 cents to end at $15.01, with 169 shares crossing the exchange. Unilever Caribbean closed at $16.30 after trading 1,549 units and West Indian Tobacco ended at $34 in switching ownership of 1,476 shares.
Investors traded six securities, compared to five on Monday and closed with the prices of one rising, two declining and three ending unchanged. The JSE USD Equity Index shed 3.08 points to end at 196.01.
At the close of the market, First Rock Capital closed at 8.9 US cents trading 4,000 shares, Proven Investments lost 0.56 of a cent in closing at 24 US cents, with 124,040 stock units changing hands, Sterling Investments carved out a gain of 0.01 of a cent to end at 2.11 US cents in trading 26,733 stocks. Sygnus Credit Investments ended at 14.88 US cents in exchanging 65,516 units and Transjamaican Highway dropped 0.03 of a cent in closing at 0.9 US cents, exchanging 194,032 stock units.
The All Jamaican Composite Index declined 1,342.33 points to 435,612.37, the Main Index shed 1,189.08 points to 397,180.49, and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.23 points to settle at 100.58.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with a lower offer.
Portland JSX shed $1.40 to close at $7.10 in transferring 6,500 stocks, Proven Investments fell $2.15 to $37.25, after an exchange of 26,284 units, Sagicor Group advanced $1.90 to $52, with 20,712 stocks clearing the market. Sagicor Real Estate Fund fell $1.07 to $7.92 in a transfer of 379 stocks, Salada Foods rose 50 cents to $41.50 after trading 9,418 stocks. Scotia Group climbed $1.50 to $42.50, with 34,379 shares changing hands, Seprod gained 50 cents to end at $70 in trading 9,783 stocks and Stanley Motta shed 34 cents to $5.01, with 16,000 stock units crossing the market.
Trading ended with 24 securities changing hands, the most in more than two years and compares to 15 on Monday. Three stocks rose, six declined and 15 remained unchanged. The Composite Index surged 17.24 points to 1,338.96, but the All T and T Index slipped 0.35 points to 1,758.31 and the Cross Listed Index jumped 4.78 points to 124.45.
Grace Kennedy carved out a gain of 21 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $4.20 in trading 1,002 stocks, Guardian Holdings closed at $21.75, with 764 shares clearing the market, JMMB Group remained at $1.83 with 20,780 stock units changing hands. Massy Holdings rose $1.20 to $62.50 in swapping 3,958 stocks, National Enterprises settled at $3.12 in trading 15,762 units, National Flour Mills remained at $2.35 after 2,712 stocks crossed the exchange. NCB Financial Group increased 70 cents $9 after trading 273 stock units, One Caribbean Media ended at $4.81 trading 9,531 shares, Point Lisas closed at $3.01, with 830 units crossing the market. Prestige Holdings closed at $7.70 with an exchange of 5,105 stocks, Republic Financial Holdings remained at $134.55, with 15,347 stocks changing hands, Scotiabank fell 5 cents to close at $55.95 in switching ownership of 3,347 units. Trinidad & Tobago NGL remained at $15.50 with an exchange of 22,627 units. Trinidad Cement declined 10 cents to $3.40, with 500 shares clearing the market. Unilever Caribbean stayed at $16.30, trading 291 shares and West Indian Tobacco ended at $34 after 1,042 shares changed hands.
Several stocks posted strong gains leading the market into positive for the year to date, for only the second time since the start of the year, with January 5th being the only other day the market recorded gains over the 2020 close. The All Jamaican Composite Index climbed 4,304.98 points to 436,954.70 at the close, the Main Index advanced 3,840.76 points to 398,369.57, but the JSE Financial Index slipped 037 points to 100.35.
Palace Amusement dropped $49 to $801, with 683 shares crossing the market, PanJam Investments rose $1 to $65, in an exchange of 13,660 stocks, Portland JSX ended $1.40 higher at $8.50, with the swapping of 2,000 units, 
JSE USD Equity Index slipped 1.63 points to end at 199.09 and the average PE Ratio ends at 13.7 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
At the close, First Rock Capital dropped 0.1 of a cent to close at 8.9 US cents in trading 15,000 shares, Proven Investments lost 0.44 of a cent to close at 24.56 US cents trading 1,900 stocks, Sterling Investments fell 0.1 of one cent to 2.1 US cents with the swapping of 1,800 units and Sygnus Credit Investments shed 0.012 of a cent to 14.88 US cents after exchanging 17,308 shares.
NCB Financial Group fell 55 cents to $8.30 trading 5,933 stocks, One Caribbean Media traded 25 stock units at $4.81. Prestige Holdings traded 190 units at $7.70, Republic Financial Holdings closed at $134.55, with 2,259 shares changing hands. Scotiabank rose 5 cents to $56 trading 1,345 units, Trinidad & Tobago NGL gained 50 cents to end at $15.50 with 3,827 shares crossing the exchange, Trinidad Cement closed at $3.50 in trading 50 stock units and Unilever Caribbean slipped 3 cents to $16.30 in exchanging 10 stock units.
The market should move higher during the coming week following record breaking results by 
Trading for the day averaged 759,048 units at $2,394,191, Thursday ended with an average of 338,795 shares at $1,351,229. Trading month to date averaged 419,015 units at $2,509,660 for each security, in contrast to 399,667 units at $2,516,231 on Thursday. January closed with an average of 311,275 units at $1,432,133.
Sagicor Real Estate Fund picked up 48 cents to close at $8.30, after 155,883 shares crossed the market, Salada Foods climbed $3.50 to $44, exchanging 97 stocks. Scotia Group lost 50 cents in ending at $42.50 trading 34,852 units, Seprod shed 54 cents to $69, with the swapping of 8,011 shares, Stanley Motta gained 35 cents to settle at $5.35, with 50 units clearing the market. Sterling Investments ended 36 cents higher at $3 in an exchange of 33,207 stock units and Supreme Ventures climbed $1.60 to $16.90 with 138,316 units changing hands.
JMMB Group ended at $1.85 after 1,200 shares changed hands, Massy Holdings gained 23 cents to $61.30, with 11,106 stock units crossing the market, National Enterprises stayed at $3.12 after exchanging 11,547 shares. NCB Financial Group closed at $8.85 trading 103 stocks, Prestige Holdings gained 20 cents in ending at $7.70 with 25 units changing hands, Republic Financial Holdings fell 5 cents to $134.55 after 255 shares crossed the market. Scotiabank ended at $55.95, trading 1,754 units, Trinidad & Tobago NGL remained at $15 with 44,085 shares changing hands. Trinidad Cement closed at $3.50 in trading 24,442 stocks and West Indian Tobacco dropped 85 cents to $34 exchanging 3,047 stock units.
