Bulls made a gallant attempt to push the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market up another 3,000 plus points on Thursday, following Wednesday’s healthy rise, but the early gains were whittled away as market activity ended, with just a few hundred points rise in the indices at the close.
The All Jamaican Composite Index advanced 375.09 points to 435,762.21, the JSE Main Index rose 322.43 points to 397,006.85, and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.36 points to end at 99.98.
Trading ended with 45 securities, down from 47 on Wednesday with prices of 19rising, 12 declining and 14 remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings averages 15.3.
The market closed with 36 percent more shares traded with a value that was 527 percent greater than on Wednesday, resulting from 13,523,122 shares trading for $248,266,043, up from 9,910,014 units at $39,590,810 on Wednesday. Jamaica Producers led trading with 44.9 percent of total volume for 6.07 million shares, followed by Transjamaican Highway with 15 percent for 2.03 million units, Wigton Windfarm accounted for 14.7 percent with 1.99 million units and Caribbean Cement with 7.9 percent for an exchange of 1.07 million units.
Trading averaged 300,514 units at $5,517,023, compared to an average of 210,851 shares at $842,358 on Wednesday. Month to date trading averages 231,680 units at $1,486,157, in contrast to 223,508 units at $1,007,558 on Wednesday. March averaged 354,304 units at $2,543,232.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has seven stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with lower offers.
At the close, Caribbean Cement declined $2.50 in closing at $69.50 after an exchange of 1,065,806 shares, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund dropped $3.85 to $40.54, with 210 units changing hands, Jamaica Producers advanced $1.25 to a 52 weeks’ high of $25.25 in trading 6,066,805 shares. The gain follows the announcement that the company is acquiring 50 percent shares in the UK based shipping line, Geest Line Limited. Key Insurance picked up 38 cents to end at $5.96 in a transfer of 80,438 units, Mayberry Investments lost 20 cents to close at $5.15 in trading 18,224 stocks, Palace Amusement dropped $55 in ending at $740 with the swapping of 51 shares. PanJam Investment shed 49 cents to close at $62 in an exchange of 169,406 stock units, Proven Investments rose 71 cents to $36.70 trading 24,702 stocks. Sagicor Group fell 60 cents to finish at $50 after 9,782 shares crossed the exchange.
Salada Foods gained 35 cents ending at $5.20 with an exchange of 5,775 stock units, Scotia Group closed 54 cents higher at $41.99 with the swapping of 2,624 shares, Seprod rose 50 cents to close at $75.50, trading 9,402 units and Supreme Ventures gained 49 cents and ended at $15.51 in the transfer of 52,263 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.