The Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended trading on Monday with the market rising after more stocks advanced than declined, with 47 percent increase in the number of shares exchanged over Friday, with values down 57 percent as the market closed another session with gains to land it a five weeks’ high.
The two main market indices are now down less than a percent for the year to date, as the All Jamaican Composite Index gained 2,037.03 points to end at 430,050.61, the Main Index rose 1,848.31 points to 392,126.85 and the JSE Financial Index added 0.50 points to settle at 99.86.
Trading ended with 45 securities changing hands, up from 43 on Friday and closed with prices of 21 stocks rising, 16 declining and eight remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio averages 16.7 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Traders exchanged 21,102,556 shares for $91,864,402 versus 14,347,348 units at $215,600,304 on Friday. Wigton Windfarm led trading with 41.2 percent of total volume, after an exchange of 8.69 million shares followed by Transjamaican Highway with 9.1 percent for 1.93 million units, Radio Jamaica 8.4 percent with 1.77 million units, QWI Investments 7.5 percent with 1.59 million units, 138 Student Living with 6.7 percent for 1.41 million units and Pulse Investments with 5.9 percent market share for 1.25 million units changing hands.
Trading for the day averaged 468,946 units at $2,041,431, compared to 333,659 shares at $5,013,961 on Friday. The month to date averages 431,223 units at $2,808,510 for each security, in contrast to 427,484 units at $2,884,542 on Friday. Trading in January averaged 311,275 units at $1,432,133.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has 12 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
At the 1 PM close, Barita Investments gained 90 cents to close at $81.90 after exchanging 89,939 shares. Berger Paints rose $2 to $14 trading 19,324 stock units, Caribbean Cement shed 92 cents to close at $63, with 8,947 units changing hands, Carreras rose 25 cents to $7.25, after an exchange of 762,237 stocks. Ciboney Group gained 9 cents to end at 52 weeks’ high of 64 cents in exchanging 661,348 stocks, Eppley rose $1.70 to $23.65, with 9,455 shares clearing the market, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund gained 30 cents to close at $41.50 trading 600 units. Grace Kennedy declined $2.50 to $80 after 206,995 units crossed the exchange, JMMB Group rose 75 cents to $33, with a transfer of 276,152 shares, Key Insurance finished 63 cents higher at $5.63, with an exchange of 186,568 stock units. Kingston Wharves fell by 80 cents to $47, trading 1,054 stock units, Mayberry Investments gained 25 cents to close at $5.75 trading 6,091 units, 138 Student Living rose $1 to $5, in a transfer of 1,412,958 stocks. Pan Jam Investment declined $2.10 to $67.90 with the switching of ownership of 300 units, Proven Investments picked up 48 cents to end at $37.98 trading 5,283 stocks, Sagicor Group rose $1 in closing at $51, after exchanging 15,027 stocks. Scotia Group gained 47 cents to end at $42.97, with 52,903 shares changing hands, Seprod dropped $4 to close at $66 with 18,360 stock units changing hands, Supreme Ventures gained 50 cents to end $16, after 38,681 stocks crossed the market. Sygnus Credit Investments shed $1.25 to $14.50, in exchanging 383,772 stock units and Victoria Mutual Investments lost 28 cents to settle at $5.51 and to transfer 139,505 shares.
In the preference segment, Eppley 8.75% preference share rose 55 cents ending at $7.40, in exchanging 420 stocks and Eppley 8.25% fell by $1.90 in closing at $6.10 trading 144 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.