Rising prices dominated trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Friday after a 57 percent decline in the volume traded, with a 25 percent increase in value compared to Thursday.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index advanced by 1,123.91 points to 422,982.26, the Main Index rose 1,017.06 points to 385,859.59 and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.32 points to settle at 98.63.
Trading ended with 42 securities changing hands, the same as on Thursday and closed with prices of 19 stocks rising, 14 declining and nine remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio closed with an average of 16.7 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Investors traded 11,202,034 shares for $62,395,199 compared to 25,722,942 units at $49,768,965 on Thursday.
Carreras led trading with 45.2 percent of total volume for 5.06 million shares followed by Wigton Windfarm with 13.7 percent for 1.54 million units and Transjamaican Highway with 12.5 percent market share after 1.4 million units changed hands. 
Trading averaged 266,715 units at $1,485,600, compared to 612,451 shares at $1,184,975 on Thursday. Month to date, resulted in anaverage of 307,577 units at $1,178,094 in contrast to 310,349 units at $1,157,230 on Thursday. Trading in December averaged 455,206 units at $7,774,631.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Barita Investments rose 98 cents to end at $82.98, trading 11,785 shares, Caribbean Cement declined by $3 to $60 after trading 37,604 stock units, JMMB Group gained 50 cents to close at $33, in swapping 55,094 shares. Mayberry Jamaican Equities settled at $6, with a loss of $1.05 after exchanging 93,304 stock units, Palace Amusement dropped $88.90 to end at $1,001, after investors switched ownership of 27 shares, PanJam Investment climbed $3 to $68.50 trading 2,555 stock units. 
Sagicor Real Estate Fund advanced by 70 cents to close at $8.95, in clearing the market with 193 units, Salada Foods rose 99 cents to $35 while exchanging 300 stock units and Scotia Group finished 60 cents higher at $44.60, with 75,000 shares changing hands.
In the preference segment, Eppley 8.25% fell $1 to $6, with 5,000 shares crossing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
JSE USD Equity Index lost 2.17 points to end at 194.70, to be up 4.5 percent for 2021 to date after trading ended with six securities changing hands at the close, up from three on Thursday with one stock rising, three declining and two remaining unchanged.
At the close of the market, First Rock Capital Investment fell 0.04 of a cent to close at 7.96 US cents trading 3,973 shares, Proven Investments dropped 3.95 cents in closing at 23.03 US cents after exchanging 2,853 stocks. Sygnus Credit Investments gained 1.94 cents to close at 16.99 US cents after 173,225 units changed hands and Transjamaican Highway dropped 0.01 of a cent to close at 0.85 US cents after an exchange of 850,021 shares.
National Enterprises climbed 3 cents to $3.21 in switching ownership of 79,162 shares, National Flour declined by 5 cents to $2.55 in exchanging 125,800 stocks, NCB Financial lost 19 cents in closing at $8.31, with 50,045 stock units changing hands. Republic Financial Holdings gained 18 cents to close at $136.18 in exchanging 260 shares, Scotiabank lost 50 cents in ending at $57 with 1,134 units clearing the exchange, Trinidad & Tobago NGL lost 60 cents to end at $15.24 with the swapping of 100 stock units. Trinidad Cement advanced 35 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $3.75 in exchanging 68,000 stock units, Unilever Caribbean carved out a gain of 7 cents to end at $16.70 with 3,059 shares changing hands and West Indian Tobacco closed at $35.40 in an exchange of 5,664 stocks units.
At the close, the market is down 2.7 percent for the year so far (39 percent annualized) as the All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 1,727.89 points to 421,858.35, the Main Index fell by 1,536.26 points to 384,842.53 and the JSE Financial Index lost 1.21 points to settle at 98.31.
Trading averaged 612,451 units at $1,184,975, versus 235,221 shares at $2,649,800 on Wednesday. Trading month to date averaged 310,349 units at $1,157,230, in contrast to 288,359 units at $1,155,210 on Wednesday. Trading in December averaged 455,206 units at $7,774,631.
Proven Investments finished 40 cents higher at $36.90, in an exchange of 5,239 stock units, Sagicor Real Estate Fund shed 70 cents in closing at $8.25, in clearing the market with 2,042 shares, Scotia Group slipped 30 cents to $44 while exchanging 7,718 stocks. Stanley Motta gained 39 cents to settle at $5.45, in trading 296 stock units, Supreme Ventures rose 50 cents to close at $17.50, with the swapping of 50,071 shares and Sygnus Credit Investments advanced by 99 cents to $18.39, with 5,816 units changing hands.
Trading ended with six securities changing hands, up from four on Tuesday and ended with price changes of only three stocks with price gains, the JSE USD Equity Index lost 1.28 points to close at 191.29 and the average PE Ratio ends at 13.5 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Proven Investments climbed 1.14 cents to end at 26.99 US cents after exchanging 23,059 stock units, Sygnus Credit Investments closed at 15 US cents with 28,859 units crossing the market. Transjamaican Highway carved out a gain of 0.01 of a cent in ending at 0.86 US cents, with 100,000 stock units changing hands.
The All Jamaican Composite Index fell by 1,177.07 points to 423,586.24, the Main Index declined 925.66 points to 386,406.15 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.30 points to close at 99.52.
Trading for the day averaged 235,221 units at $2,649,800, compared to 130,214 shares at $830,150 on Tuesday. Trading month to date averaged 288,359 units at $1,155,210, in contrast to 292,746 units at $1,031,829 on Tuesday. Trading in December averaged 455,206 units at $7,774,631.
NCB Financial rose $1 in ending at $139, with the swapping of 25,215 shares, 138 Student Living rose 65 cents to $4, in exchange of 200 units, Pan Jam Investment gained 41 cents to settle at $68.50, after clearing the market with 5,825 units, Sagicor Group lost 75 cents to end at $49.25, with an exchange of 8,531 units. Scotia Group closed at $44.30, with gains of 30 cents after exchanging 12,713 shares, Supreme Ventures rose 35 cents to $17 trading 14,379 stocks, Sygnus Credit Investments finished 40 cents higher at $17.40, with the swapping of 74,012 stock units.
JMMB Group dropped 3 cents to close at $1.95, with 2,130 units changing hands, Massy Holdings ended at $60 with the swapping of 70 shares. National Flour Mills remained at $2.60, with 550 stocks crossing the market, One Caribbean Media declined 10 cents to $4.75 in trading 22,500 shares, Point Lisas closed at $3.15 after exchanging 2,000 stock units. Republic Financial Holdings declined 6 cents to $136.76 in trading 9,498 units, Scotiabank remained at $57.50, with 2,781 stock units crossing the exchange, Trinidad & Tobago NGL climbed 25 cents in closing at $15.75 trading 6,650 shares. Trinidad Cement ended at $3.40, with 50,000 stocks changing hands and West Indian Tobacco closed at $35.40 while exchanging 20,864 units.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 3,548.17 points to 424,763.31, the JSE Main Index carved out a loss 3,280.43 points to settle at 387,331.81 and the JSE Financial Index shed 0.77 points to close at 99.82. The day’s loss pulled the market down two percent for the year to date.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows seven stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
Salada Foods settled at $34.01, with a loss of 99 cents after exchanging 100 shares, Scotia Group climbed $1.90 to $44, in swapping 4,422 units, Stanley Motta slipped 41 cents to $5.06, in crossing the market with 4,021 stock units and Supreme Ventures shed 65 cents to close at $16.65, after 34,402 shares cleared the market.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with lower offers.
Trading on the Trinidad and Tobago ended with 15 securities changing hands compared to 16 on the previous trading day, with prices of two stocks rising, four declining and nine remaining unchanged.
Grace Kennedy closed at $3.80 while trading 1,000 stock units, Guardian Holdings closed at $20.54, with 7,163 shares changing hands, JMMB Group advanced 3 cents to $1.98 in the switching of 1,060 units. National Flour Mills closed at $2.60, with 6,143 stock units crossing the market, One Caribbean Media remained at $4.85 in exchanging 125,368 shares, Point Lisas closed at $3.15 trading 500 units. Prestige Holdings gained 40 cents in closing at $8 in trading 100 stock units, Republic Financial Holdings stayed at $136.82 with the swapping of 1,645 units, Scotiabank ended at $57.50 after exchanging 11,877 shares. Unilever Caribbean fell 7 cents to $16.63 in trading 2,347 stocks and West Indian Tobacco closed at $35.40 with the swapping of 35,661 units.
