Stocks slipped into the weekend on Friday, after an exchange of just 5 percent more shares valued 26 percent more than on Thursday, with the market indices lost grounds even after prices of more stocks rose than those declining on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market.
The All Jamaican Composite Index shed 223.23 points to 464,466.25, the JSE Main Index slipped just 71.20 points to end at 426,626.34 and the JSE Financial Index ended 0.38 points lower to 105.42.
Trading ended with 52 securities compared to 50 on Thursday, with 22 stocks rising, 19 declining and 11 remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio, a measure that determines an appropriate value for a stock, averages 16.9 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings.
The market closed with 9,325,241 shares trading for $282,546,221, up from 8,889,308 units at $224,811,511 on Thursday. Transjamaican Highway led trading with 28.5 percent after trading 2.66 million shares followed by Caribbean Cement 21.7 percent with 2.02 million units and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 11.3 percent after an exchange of 1.06 million units.
Trading averaged 179,332 units at $5,433,581, compared to 177,786 shares at $4,496,230 on Thursday. Trading month to date averages 155,610 units at $3,207,330, within distance of 151,484 units at $2,820,155 on Thursday. June ended with an average of 249,610 units at $3,877,606.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 14 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Barita Investments shed 95 cents to close at $84.05 after an exchange of 24,203 shares, Caribbean Cement fell $1.75 to $92 with 2,024,458 shares crossing the exchange, Eppley rose 43 cents to 40.29 with 108 stocks clearing the market, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund declined $3.11 to $46.89 in trading 737 units. Grace Kennedy popped 89 cents to $104.89 with a transfer of 220,111 stock units, Guardian Holdings advanced $14 to $684 with 566 units changing hands, Jamaica Producers advanced $1.90 to $23.95 in an exchange of 3,045 stock units. Jamaica Stock Exchange fell 25 cents to $17.25 after clearing the market with 3,198 units, JMMB Group gained 45 cents in closing at $38 in switching ownership of 135,193 shares, Kingston Wharves rose $2.06 to $50 with 454,312 stock units crossing the market, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy climbed $30 to close at $147, with the swapping of 76 units, NCB Financial Group advanced $4 to $146 in exchanging 13,064 stocks. Palace Amusement spiked $150 to $1,300 with the swapping of 36 stock units, Pan Jam Investment rose $1.40 to $69 in trading 2,065 units, Proven Investments lost 22 cents to $34.10 in crossing the market with 33,999 stocks. Sagicor Group shed $1 to settle at $55 in exchanging 457,729 shares, Salada Foods rallied 37 cents in closing at $8.62 in trading 47,287 stock units. Scotia Group shed 82 cents to $40.18 after exchanging 25,980 stocks, Supreme Ventures spiked 95 cents to $19 after crossing the market with 12,971 units and Wisynco Group shed 25 cents to close at $15.50 in exchanging 41,535 stock units.
In the preference segment, Eppley 8.75% preference share rose 22 cents to $7.50 in trading 2,500 stocks, Eppley 8.25% rallied $1.04 to $7.10 with 470 units changing hands and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share declined $25 to $80 in transferring 2,000 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.