Trading picked up at the end of the month on Monday, with the US dollar market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange rising after exchanging 30 percent more shares changing hands than on Friday.
Market activity ended with eight stocks trading, up from six on Friday and ended with the prices of four stocks rising, one declining and three remaining unchanged.
The JSE USD Equities Index advanced by 2.42 points to settle at 190.34. The average PE Ratio ended at 13.5 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Trading ended with an exchange of 555,393 shares, at US$24,950 versus 427,882 units at US$13,880 on Friday.
Trading averaged 69,424 units at US$3,119, in contrast to 71,314 shares at US$2,313 on Friday. The average, month to date ends 51,134 units at US$4,516, compared to 49,490 units at US$4,641. October averaged 697,808 units for
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows three stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with lower offers.
At the close of the market, First Rock Capital Investment gained 0.35 of a cent to close at 9 US cents, in clearing the market with 10,820 shares, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy closed at US$1.15, with an exchange of 46 units. 
Productive Business Solutions gained 18 cents to end at 84 US cents after trading 5,952 stock units, Proven Investments advanced 0.99 of a US cent to finish at 25.99 US cents, after 14,259 shares crossed the exchange, Sterling Investments lost nine-tenths of a US cent to close at 2 US cents, with investors swapping 350,000 shares. Sygnus Credit Investments advanced 0.51 of a US cent to settle at 16.5 US cents after 51,732 shares crossed the market and Transjamaican Highway remained at 0.90 of a US cent, with 122,500 shares changing hands.
In the preference segment, Eppley 5% preference share closed at US$1.02, with investors swapping 84 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Point Lisas ended at $3.12, after gaining 12 cents and trading 2,000 units, Scotiabank rose $1 to $55, after transferring 20,327 stock units, Trinidad and Tobago NGL advanced by $1.38 to $15.88, with 77,461 shares changing hands and West Indian Tobacco closed 72 cents higher at $33.22, in trading 42,543 shares.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index advanced 3,600.36 points to 435,722.68, the Main Index climbed 3,258.67 points to 397,474.41 and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.83 points to settle at 104.25.
Trading averaged 5,591,567 units at $5,529,709 for each security, versus 316,046 shares at $4,811,167 on Thursday. Month to date average ended with 639,789 units at $6,875,412 for each security, compared to 382,145 units at $6,945,430. October averaged 398,200 units at $4,622,532.
Key Insurance closed at $10.35 and rose to $1.75 after trading 287,658 shares, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy declined by $4.50 to $145.50, in crossing the market with 224 units, Pan Jam Investment fell $1.05 to $67.10 trading 25,670 stock units. Proven Investments climbed $2.22 to $39.02, with an exchange of 56 units, Scotia Group advanced $2.89 to $47.99, with investors swapping 45,993 stock units, Stanley Motta shed 80 cents to close at $4.70, in crossing the market with 5,500 units and Supreme Ventures loss of 50 cents to end at $17.50, after 145,808 shares passed through the market.
Ansa Merchant Bank jumped $3.11 on the news of its intention to acquire all the shares in Bank of Baroda (Trinidad and Tobago).
Stocks declining│ Guardian Holdings shed 10 cents to finish at $20.40, in transferring 1,000 shares, One Caribbean Media lost 2 cents trading 4,651 stock units at $4.80 and Republic Financial Holdings declined by $3 to $133, with an exchange of 950 units.
At the close of trading six securities changing hands compared to four on Wednesday and ended with the price of one declining and five remaining unchanged.
At the close of trading, Margaritaville closed at 13 US cents, trading 524 shares, Productive Business Solutions remained at 66 US cents, with an exchange of 29 units. Proven Investments ended at 25 US cents after a transfer of 22,692 shares, Sygnus Credit Investments remained at 15.50 US cents trading 8,753 stock units and Transjamaican Highway lost 0.03 of a cent to settle at 0.90 of 1 US cent with an exchange of 4,500 units.
Trinidad and Tobago NGL closed at a 52 weeks’ lows of $14.50, after losing 10 cents trading 10,145 stock units and Unilever Caribbean lost 9 cents to finish at a 52 weeks’ low of $16.70, with 299 units changing hands.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index slipped just 210.35 points to 432,122.32, the Main Index eased 230.64 points to 394,215.74 and the JSE Financial Index edged 0.02 points lower to 103.42.
Transjamaican Highway with 16.3 percent market share for 1.96 million units and Wisynco Group accounted for 14.6 percent with 1.75 million units changing hands.
Kingston Wharves climbed $2.75 to $48.45, with 1,375 shares changing hands, Mayberry Jamaican Equities closed 36 cents higher at $8.15 in exchanging 12,000 stock units, NCB Financial climbed $2.50 to $148.50, with a transfer of 58,915 shares. Palace Amusement jumped $100 to $1,200 after an exchange of 34 units, PanJam Investment gained $1.05 to close at $68.15, trading 31,652 stock units, Proven Investments fell by $1.88 to $36.80 after switching ownership of 9,831 shares. Sagicor Group rose 89 cents to $51, with 2,172,115 shares changing hands and Supreme Ventures gained $1.52 to close at $18 trading 45,204 shares.
Pan Jam Investment finished at $67.10, with gains of 60 cents after clearing the market with 18,832 units, Proven Investments lost 36 cents to settle at $38.68, with the swapping of 14,106 stock units, Pulse Investments ended at $4.58 after losing 31 cents and exchanging 443,745 shares. Salada Foods fell $1 to $28, in transferring 24,249 stock units, Scotia Group declined $1.71 to $45.14, in clearing the market with 11,685 units, Seprod shed 50 cents to settle at $64, with 1,163 stocks passing through the market. Sterling Investments gained 50 cents to end at $3.70, with the switching of 330 units, Supreme Ventures gained 48 cents to finish at $16.48 after trading 162,359 shares and Wisynco Group closed 49 cents higher at $16, with 437,353 stocks passing through the market.
At the close of the market, Proven Investments lost half a cent to end at 25 US cents, after trading 12,853 shares, Sygnus Credit Investments gained 1.34 US cents to close at 15.50 US cents, with 117,690 stock units changing hands and Transjamaican Highway inched 0.08 of a cent higher, to end at 0.93 of one US cent, with 97,000 units crossing the exchange.
The market closed with 14 securities trading, down from twenty on Tuesday, and ended with six stocks advancing, two declining and six remaining unchanged. Trading resulted in 40,527 shares for $676,306 compared to 236,245 shares valued $3,864,740 on Tuesday.
Stocks declining│ Prestige Holdings shed 25 cents to $7.25, with an exchange of 25 units and Republic Financial Holdings slipped 1 cent trading 22 units to finish at $135.99.
