The Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market closed on Thursday and April positively with advances on the Composite, JSE Market and Financial Indices. The market closed 16,708.18 points down on the March close, with Bank of Jamaica’s suspension of banking dividends, knocking 19,422.69 points off the All Jamaican Composite Index.
At the close, the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index increased 1,822.62 points to 399,394.72, the JSE Market Index gained 1,640.98 points to close at 364,045.96 and the JSE Financial Index rose 0.61 points to 97.97.
The market closed with 45 securities changing hands in the Main and US dollar markets with prices of 23 stocks advancing, 11 declining and 11 trading firm. The JSE Main Market activity ended with 41 securities accounting for 79,915,162 units valued at $130,493,189 in contrast to 7,206,423 units valued at $124,023,333 from 37 securities on Tuesday.
Wigton Windfarm led trading with 60 million shares for 75 percent of total volume followed by Trans Jamaican Highway, with 17 million units, for 21 percent of the day’s trade and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 752,103 for one percent market share.
The Market closed with an average of 1,949,150 units valued $3,182,761 for each security traded, in contrast to 194,768 units valued at an average of $3,351,979 on Wednesday. The average volume and value for the month to date amount to 1,077,021 units valued at $3,829,201 for each security changing hands, compared to 1,033,414 units valued at $3,863,268 previously. Trading in March resulted in an average of 1,146,245 units valued at $7,550,295 for each security.
IC bid-offer Indicator│ At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows eleven stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and seven stocks closing with lower offers. The PE ratio of the market ended at 14, while the Main Market ended at 14.3 times 2020-21 earnings.
In the Main Market, Barita advanced 85 cents to finish at $53.85 with a transfer of 2,750 stock units, Caribbean Cement closed 99 cents lower at $45 with an exchange of 113,500 units, Cigarette distributors, Carreras rose 20 cents to end at $6.50 in trading 95,773 units. Eppley gained 50 cents to end at $13.50 after exchanging 4,885 units, Grace Kennedy jumped $1.80 in swapping 157,328 units to end at $57, Jamaica Producers added 50 cents to settle at $18.50, with 104,351 shares changing hands. Jamaica Stock Exchange gained $2.20 to end at $23 after trading 418,016 units, Key Insurance jumped 50 cents, pushing it to a record high to $7, with a transfer of 14,750 stock units. Mayberry Equities climbed $1.30 to $9.80 trading 12,100 units, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy dropped $2 to $147 after just 261 units crossed through the exchange. NCB Financial Group shed $3 in closing at $143, trading 56,094 shares, PanJam Investment closed $1.40 higher at $76.40, in exchanging 243,133 stock units, Proven Investments gained $1.90 to finish at $37, with 2,385 stock units changing hands. Sagicor Real Estate Fund lost 64 cents exchanging 20,018 units to settle at $7.11, Salada Foods climbed $2.50 to $28.50 after trading 1,900 units, Scotia Group rose $2.50 to $43.50, after transferring 54,471 stock units. Seprod picked up $1.50 to close at $45, in trading 13,743 shares and Wisynco Group lost 54 cents to end at $17.36, with 48,127 units crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.