The market lost value as the volume of stocks trading climbed 18 percent on Wednesday over Tuesday, but the value plunged 54 percent, resulting in slippage in the market indices at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market.
The All Jamaican Composite Index fell 655.57 points to 431,950.63, the Main Index shed 575.90 points to 393,880.25, while the JSE Financial Index slipped 0.19 points to settle at 98.95.
Trading ended with 44 securities changing hands, down from 46 on Tuesday with 21 stocks rising, 18 declining and five remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio averages 19.5 based on ICInsider.com forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Investors traded 9,893,680 shares for $75,718,501 compared to 8,355,063 units at $166,391,033 on Tuesday. Transjamaican Highway led trading with 29.9 percent of total volume, after an exchange of 2.96 million shares, followed by Wigton Windfarm with 18.3 percent for 1.82 million units and Jamaica Producers 10.1 percent with 1 million units.
Trading for the day averaged 224,856 units at $1,720,875, versus 181,632 shares at $3,617,196 on Tuesday. Month to date trading averaged 280,960 units at $2,273,025, in contrast to 288,698 units at $2,349,520 on the prior trading day. February closed with an average of 419,015 units at $2,509,660.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
At the close, Berger Paints fell 25 cents to $13 in an exchange of 58,148 shares, Caribbean Cement rose 50 cents to close at $69.50 with a transfer of 61,199 stock units, Eppley climbed $2 to a 52 weeks’ high of $30, trading 2,919 shares. Eppley Caribbean Property Fund rose 50 cents to $42 with 359 units changing hands, First Rock Capital ended 25 cents higher at $16.25 in the swapping of 4,274 shares, Grace Kennedy shed 90 cents to end at $89.10 with 58,926 units crossing the market. Jamaica Broilers lost 50 cents to settle at $29.50, with 12,278 stocks changing hands, Jamaica Stock Exchange fell 69 cents to close at $18.16 in swapping 34,917 stock units. Key Insurance slipped 24 cents to $4.51 after 86,720 shares crossed the exchange, Kingston Wharves fell 98 cents to $44.01 in trading 1,936 stocks, NCB Financial climbed $2 to $142 in exchanging 58,854 stock units. Palace Amusement jumped $145 to close at $845 with 75 units crossing the market, PanJam Investment shed 60 cents to finish at $65 trading 572 shares, Proven Investments gained $1.31 to $34.56 with the swapping of 27,976 stock units. 
Sagicor Group shed 61 cents in ending at $49.99 in switching ownership of 9,258 stocks, Sagicor Real Estate Fund gained 30 cents to $8.30 in a transfer of 2,466 shares, Salada Foods declined $2.90 to $41 trading 13,524 units. Scotia Group climbed $3 to $43 with 48,977 stock units crossing the market, Seprod rose $1 to $71, with 4,972 stocks changing hands, Supreme Ventures gained 30 cents in ending at $15.95 with 805,261 units crossing the exchange. Sygnus Credit Investments fell 26 cents to $14.45, trading 15,239 stocks and Wisynco Group shed 24 cents to close at $15.95 with the swapping of 36,249 stock units.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 7.25 percent gained 23 cents in closing at $1.67 after exchanging 164,644 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
The All Jamaican Composite Index shed 1,460.68 points to close at 432,606.20, the Main Index fell 1,381.93 points to 394,456.15 and the JSE Financial Index shed 0.63 points to end at 99.14.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has 11 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
Salada Foods fell 60 cents to $43.90 trading 11,179 units, Scotia Group ended $3.99 lower at $40 with the swapping of 65,792 stock units, Supreme Ventures gained 21 cents to close at $15.65 in switching ownership of 20,943 shares. Sygnus Credit Investments fell 39 cents to $14.71 after exchanging 43,500 stock units and Wisynco Group gained 28 to end at $16.19, with 40,072 stock units changing hands.
The All Jamaican Composite Index rose 112.20 points to 434,066.88, the Main Index rose 101.54 points to 395,838.08 and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.25 points to settle at 99.77.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has eight stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
Proven Investments rose 65 cents to $34.56, with the swapping of 138,367 shares, Salada Foods ended 50 cents higher at $44.50 after transferring 25,275 units. Scotia Group advanced 99 cents to $43.99 in exchanging 789 stocks, Seprod rose $1.81 to end at $70 trading 3,703 units and Sterling Investments gained 24 cents to close at $3.01 in switching ownership of 181 stocks.
The market indices just held above the negative zone for the year at the close, with the All Jamaican Composite Index declining 1,211.78 points to 433,954.68. The JSE Main Index fell 1,096.63 to 395,736.54 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.38 points to settle at 99.52.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
138 Student Living lost 40 cents to close at $5.60 in an exchange of 100 units, Palace Amusement dropped $83.28 to close at $801.72, after exchanging 73 units, PanJam Investment rose $2 to $68 with the swapping of 19,468 stock units, Proven Investments climbed 71 cents to $33.91 trading 84,673 units. Sagicor Group shed 60 cents to $50.50 in switching ownership of 131,285 stock units. Salada Foods fell 50 cents to $44 with an exchange of 1,700 stocks, Scotia Group climbed $2.99 to $43 trading 565,293 shares, Supreme Ventures lost 64 cents to close at $15.31 in exchanging 11,850 units and Wisynco Group fell 33 cents to $15.90 and finishing trading of 133,175 stock units.
The All Jamaican Composite Index rose 1,755.38 points to 435,166.46, the Main Index gained 1,609.90 points to 396,833.17, but the JSE Financial Index lost 0.17 points to settle at 99.90.
Trading for the day averaged 242,367 units at $2,066,102, compared to 411,240 shares at $1,482,838 on Wednesday. Month to date trading averaged 328,734 units at $1,776,771, in contrast to 358,582 units at $1,676,782 on Wednesday. February closed with an average of 419,015 units at $2,509,660.
Sagicor Group shed 80 cents to $51.10 with the swapping of 74,129 stock units, Salada Foods rose $5.99 to $44.50 in an exchange of 38 units. Scotia Group fell $2.49 to end at $40.01 trading 40,887 shares, Seprod declined $1.77 to $68.23 in a transfer of 74,108 stock units, Sterling Investments lost 23 cents to end at $2.77 in exchanging 1,643,311 units. Supreme Ventures rose 95 cents to $15.95 trading 36,943 shares and Wisynco Group gained 23 cents to $16.23, with 25,585 units changing hands.
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.
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, 
The All Jamaican Composite Index inched 3.97 points up to 430,240.96 the Main Index rose 15.10 points to 392,402.29, and the JSE Financial Index rose 0.14 points to settle at 99.94.
Trading for the day averaged 338,795 units at $1,351,229, compared to an average of 626,545 shares at $3,374,266 on Wednesday. Trading month to date averages 399,667 units at $2,516,231, versus 403,340 units at $2,586,520 on Wednesday. Trading in January averaged 311,275 units at $1,432,133.
Portland JSX declined $1.20 to $7.10 in trading 8,000 stocks, Proven Investments closed $1.20 lower at $36 after exchanging 4,285 units, Sagicor Group gained 29 cents to close at $51.60, with the swapping of 4,089 shares. Salada Foods dropped $1 to $40.50 with a transfer of 2,182 shares, Scotia Group gained 50 cents to end at $43, with 15,411 stock units crossing the exchange. Sterling Investments shed 36 cents to $2.64 in exchanging 62,320 stocks, Supreme Ventures dropped 60 cents to close at $15.30, after a transfer of 527,323 units and Sygnus Credit Investments lost 54 cents to close at $14.95 in trading 14,288 shares.
Trading for the day averaged 626,545 units at $3,374,266, compared to 440,155 shares at $4,160,882 on Tuesday. Trading month to date averaged 403,340 units at $2,586,520 for each security, in contrast to 389,008 units at $2,535,940 on the prior trading day. Trading in January closed with an average of 311,275 units at $1,432,133.
Palace Amusement fell $199.90 to a 52 weeks’ low of $800, with 380 stocks crossing the market, Sagicor Group gained 31 cents to end at $51.31, in an exchange of 12,316 stocks, Salada Foods rose $1.51 to $41.50, with the swapping of 4,036 shares. Scotia Group closed 75 cents higher at $42.50, with 267,313 stock units crossing the exchange, Seprod advanced $1.54 to $69.54 trading 26,590 shares, Stanley Motta lost 35 cents to close at $5 in exchanging 31,207 units. Sygnus Credit Investments advanced 99 cents to $15.49 after transferring 70,560 stock units and Wisynco Group rose 90 cents to $16.45, with investors switching ownership of 73,639 shares.
Trading ended with stocks playing hopscotch, one day up one day down, on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market, with the market declining after almost the same number of stocks rose as fell. The value of trading climbed 202 percent, with only 23 percent more shares exchanged than on Monday.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 24.1 percent of total volume, after an exchange of 4.88 million shares followed by Sagicor Select Financial Fund 16.9 percent with 3.41 million units, Wigton Windfarm 11.3 percent for 2.29 million units. QWI Investments ended with 9.8 percent of the day’s trade for 1.99 million units, Ciboney Group 7.1 percent for 1.44 million units, Sagicor Manufacturing & Distribution Fund with 6 percent for 1.22 million units and Grace Kennedy with 5.2 percent market share for 1.05 million units.
138 Student Living rose 45 cents to $6.50 after exchanging 8,916 units, PanJam Investment shed 50 cents to end at $65, in switching ownership of 43,014 shares, Proven Investments lost 33 cents to $37.20 trading 11,441 stock units, Sagicor Group fell 70 cents to $51 with 20,215 stocks clearing the market. Salada Foods advanced $2.99 to $39.99, with the swapping of 40,380 units, Scotia Group declined by $1.25 to $41.75, after exchanging 132,995 shares, Seprod shed $1 in closing at $68 with 3,164 stock units changing hands. Sygnus Credit Investments fell $1.10 to $14.50, in exchanging 51,037 units and Wisynco Group shed 95 cents to close at $15.55, with 94,561 shares changing hands.