Stocks lost ground at the close of trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Tuesday with declining stocks just edging out those that gained after 44 percent more shares were exchanged with an 80 percent lower value than on Monday.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index lost 5,193.89 points to settle at 422,336.69, the Main Index declined by 4,647.93 points to settle at 385,515.54 and the JSE Financial Index shed 1.90 points to settle at 100.20.
Trading ended for a third consecutive day with 46 securities changing hands, ending with the prices of 19 stocks rising, 20 declining and seven remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio at the close of trading averaged 16.6 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with an exchange of 24,954,720 shares for $310,333,709 compared to 17,323,616 units at $1,538,352,731 on Monday.
Pulse Investments led trading with 25 percent of total volume after trading 6.23 million shares, followed by Transjamaican Highway 17.4 percent with 4.33 million units, Sagicor Group 16.1 percent market share with 4.02 million units, Wigton Windfarm 12.4 percent with 3.1 million units, QWI Investments 10.2 percent with 2.56 million units and Jamaica Broilers Group with 1.54 million units for 6.2 percent market share.
Trading averaged 542,494 units at $6,746,385 for each security, compared to 376,600 shares at $33,442,451 on Monday. Trading month to date averaged 363,405 units at $7,224,823 for each security, in contrast to 350,980 units at $7,258,018 on the prior trading day. Trading in November averaged of 623,120 units at $6,686,047.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close of trading, Barita Investments lost 30 cents to end at $83.40 trading 15,654 shares, Berger Paints advanced 55 cents to end at $14.55 in exchanging 1,856 stock units, Eppley climbed $3.90 to close at $28.90 after trading 3,515 stock units. Eppley Caribbean Property Fund rose $1.50 to $44.50 with an exchange of 112,205 shares, Grace Kennedy increased $2 to $63 after exchanging 111,501 stocks, Jamaica Broilers lost $2.22 to end at $26.25 after exchanging 1,537,465 stock units. Jamaica Producers advanced $1.57 to $21.20 in an exchange of 50,501 shares, JMMB Group climbed 93 cents to $33, with 68,233 stocks changing hands, Key Insurance carved out a loss of 53 cents in ending at $6.57 in an exchange of 106,968 stock units. Kingston Properties climbed $1.04 to $7.25 in exchanging 1,500 shares, NCB Financial rose 47 cents to $144.97 after exchanging 22,631 stocks, Palace Amusement dived $100 to $1200 after exchanging 9 units. Sagicor Group lost 50 cents to close at $49.50 in trading 4,022,948 stocks, Salada Foods lost $1.98 after ending at $23.02 with investors swapping 54,260 stock units, Scotia Group shed 97 cents to end at $42.51, with 47,182 shares passing through the market and Sygnus Credit Investments fell 50 cents to $16 in an exchange of 194,763 shares.
In the preference segment, 138 Student Living Preference share dropped $2.23 to settle at $4.65 with an exchange of 8 stock units and Eppley 8.75% preference share climbed $1.52 to settle at $7.52 after crossing the market with 2,800 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.