Trading picked up with a 231 percent rise in the volume of shares on Monday than on Friday, on the US dollar market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, resulting in more stocks falling than rising, but the market index still manages to squeeze out a narrow gain.
Trading ended with six securities changing hands, compared to five on Friday with prices of two stocks rising, four declining and none remaining unchanged.
The JSE USD Equity Index gained 1.25 points to end at 208.65. The average PE Ratio based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings, ended at 12.7.
Overall, 345,477 shares traded, for US$9,126 compared to 104,433 units at US$1,085 on Friday.
Trading averaged 57,580 units at US$1,521, in contrast to 20,887 shares at US$217 on Friday. Trading month to date averages 51,657 units at US$2,054 versus 50,431 units at US$2,165 on Friday. March ended with an average of 68,746 units for US$13,137.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows one stock ended with the bid higher than the last selling price and one with a lower offer.
At the close, First Rock Capital gained 0.05 of a cent to close at 8.9 US cents in switching ownership of 839 shares, Margaritaville fell 1 cent to 9 US cents after trading 3,975 units, Proven Investments declined by 0.4 of a cent to end at 25.1 US cents, with 9,555 stock units changing hands. Sterling Investments lost 0.01 of a cent in ending at 2.29 US cents with an exchange of 2,348 units, Sygnus Credit Investments rose 0.05 of a cent to 15 US cents after trading 23,723 shares and Transjamaican Highway lost 0.1 of a cent in closing at 0.85 US cents after exchanging 305,037 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
JSE USD stocks mostly fall
Main Market slips into the weekend
Trading ended with the market declining on the shortened Friday session with the market closing after just two hours of activity in keeping with scheduled early closure, 
which led to sharply reduced activity rising of 55 percent fewer shares with a value that was 49 percent less than on Thursday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market.
The All Jamaican Composite Index fell 280.81 points to settle at 432,719.75, the JSE Main Index lost 93.85 points to 394,428.92 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.41 points to end at 98.79.
Overall 49 securities traded versus 48 on Thursday with 16 rising, 15 declining and 18 ending unchanged. The PE Ratio averages 15.6 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings.
Overall, 3,755,183 shares traded for $22,081,750 compared to 8,394,618 units at $43,010,092 on Thursday. Wigton Windfarm led trading with 40.3 percent of total volume for 1.51 million shares, followed by Key Insurance 10.8 percent, with 407,418 units and Transjamaican Highway with 8.3 percent for 311,804 units.
Trading averaged 76,636 units at $450,648, compared to 174,888 shares at $896,044 on Thursday. Trading month to date averaged 191,717 units at $981,567, in contrast to 222,197 units at $1,122,189 on Thursday. Trading month to date compares adversely to March with an average of 354,107 units at $2,572,127.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows seven stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Berger Paints advanced 89 cents to finish at $13.19 with 100 shares traded, Caribbean Cement dropped $2.36 to $71.62 with a transfer of 833 units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund jumped $4.11 to $44.50 with an exchange of 100 stocks. Jamaica Broilers fell 30 cents to $29 with investors switching ownership of 65,501 shares, Jamaica Producers declined by 70 cents to settle at $21.30 with 100 units changing hands, Jamaica Stock Exchange climbed $1.19 to $18.49 with 1,250 stocks traded. JMMB Group dropped 85 cents to $31.85 with 17,666 shares changing hands, Margaritaville rose $1 to $33, with a transfer of 100 units, Mayberry Investments lost 37 cents to end at $5.10 with an exchange of 55,300 stocks. 
Proven Investments fell 94 cents to $35 with 82 shares passing through the market, Sagicor Group declined by $1 to close at $50 with 13,238 units changing hands, Seprod climbed $1.40 to $73.50 with 5,127 shares traded. Supreme Ventures fell 60 cents to $15.50 with a transfer of 291,969 stocks and Wisynco Group gained 43 cents to finish at $15.60 with 36,182 units crossing the exchange.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 7.25% lost 15 cents to close at $1.45 with 474 shares changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Majority of stocks fall on Friday
Trading sank on the shortened trading session on Friday with 73 percent fewer shares changed hands than on Thursday, on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market, resulting in no stock recording gains and sending the market index into a decline for the day and for a shortened week.
Trading ended with five securities changing hands, compared to seven on Thursday with no stock rising, four declining and one remaining unchanged.
The JSE USD Equity Index lost 3.45 points to end at 207.40. The average PE Ratio ends at 13 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings.
Overall, 104,433 shares traded at US$1,085 versus 387,195 units at US$8,455 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 20,887 units at US$217, in contrast to 55,314 shares at US$1,208 on Thursday. Trading for the month to date averaged 50,431 units at US$2,165 in contrast to 56,586 units at US$2,571 on Thursday. March ended with an average of 68,746 units for US$13,137.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, First Rock Capital dropped 0.05 of a cent in ending at 8.85 US cents, with 540 shares trading, Margaritaville fell 1 cent to 10 US cents while exchanging 28 units, Proven Investments remained at 25.5 US cents, with 291 stock units changing hands. Sygnus Credit Investments shed 0.05 of a cent to 14.95 US cents while exchanging 545 stock units and Transjamaican Highway dropped 0.02 of a cent to end at 0.95 of a US cent after 103,029 units changed hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Moderate recovery for JSE majors
Trading on Thursday saw continued heightened of securities being active, but the volume and value of the overall trade dropped 30 percent and the value dipped 34 percent from Wednesday, but more than twice the stocks advanced than declined when trading closed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market.
The All Jamaican Composite Index advanced 233.35 points to 433,000.56, the JSE Main Index rose 213.26 points to 394,522.77 and the JSE Financial Index inched 0.02 points higher to 99.20.
A total of 48 securities traded similar to Wednesday and closed with prices of 24 stocks rising, 11 declining and 13 remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio averages 15.4 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings.
The market closed with 8,394,618 shares trading for $43,010,092 compared to 12,050,050 units at $65,532,009 on Wednesday. Wigton Windfarm led trading with 32.1 percent of total volume in exchanging 2.7 million shares, followed by Transjamaican Highway with 11.7 percent for 979,870 units and Sagicor Select Financial Fund 10.2 percent, with 851,678 units changing hands.
Trading averaged 174,888 units at $896,044, compared to 251,043 shares at $1,365,250 on Wednesday. Month to date trading averaged 222,197 units at $1,122,189, in contrast to 238,773 units at $1,201,422 on Wednesday. March closed with an average of 354,304 units at $2,543,232.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator showss nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments rose 60 cents to $87, with 25,732 shares crossing the market, Berger Paints gained 23 cents in closing at $12.30, with 2,572 stock units changing hands, Caribbean Cement advanced $1.98 to $73.98 in trading 12,810 stocks. First Rock Capital shed 49 cents to $16, with a transfer of 3,540 shares, Grace Kennedy rose 80 cents to $88 after an exchange of 24,534 stocks. Jamaica Broilers gained 30 cents in ending at $29.30, trading 11,394 units, Jamaica Producers advanced $1.42 to $22 after 953 shares crossed the market, JMMB Group gained 20 cents to finish at $32.70 with the swapping of 28,273 units. Key Insurance shed 40 cents in ending at $5.50 after clearing the market with 351,114 stocks, Kingston Wharves closed 30 cents higher at $43.90 with a transfer of 12,116 stock units, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy rose 50 cents to $130 in switching ownership of 1,046 stock units.
NCB Financial declined $2.15 to $137.01 in exchanging 21,614 units, Palace Amusement climbed $47.99 to $797.99, with 59 stock units crossing the exchange, Proven Investments advanced $1.94 to $35.94, with 34,871 units changing hands. Sagicor Group advanced $1 to $51, with 149,134 stocks clearing the market. Scotia Group shed $1.01 to close at $40.75, with 22,768 stock units changing hands and Seprod fell 90 cents to $72.10 in trading 4,269 stocks.
In the preference segment, 138 Student Living Preference share lost 11 cents to close at $5.44, trading 153 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Volume up index falls on JSE UD Market
Trading ended with the market declining after investors exchanged a huge increase of 350 percent more shares on Thursday than on Wednesday at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market.
Seven securities traded, up from four on Wednesday, with three stocks rising, one declining and three remaining unchanged.
The JSE USD Equity Index lost 0.42 points to end at 210.85 points. The PE Ratio averages 13.1 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings.
The market closed with 387,195 shares trading for US$8,455 versus 86,122 units at US$17,581 on Wednesday. Trading averaged 55,314 shares at US$1,208, in contrast to 21,531 shares at US$4,395 on Wednesday. Trading month to date averaged 56,586 units at US$2,571 in contrast to 57,110 units at US$3,132 on Wednesday. Trading in March averaged 68,746 units for US$13,137.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, First Rock Capital settled at 8.9 US cents with an exchange of 5,489 shares,MPC Caribbean Clean Energy ended at US$1.10 with investors switching ownership of 230 stock units,
Proven Investments rose half a cent to 25.5 US cents with 14,806 stock units changing hands. Sterling Investments gained 0.3 of a cent to settle at 2.3 US cents with 14,311 stock units traded, Sygnus Credit Investments declined by 0.72 of a cent to 15 US cents with a transfer of 2,351 units and Transjamaican Highway advanced 0.02 of a cent to end at 0.97 of one US cent, with 350,003 units crossing the exchange.
In the preference segment, Equityline Mortgage Investment closed at US$2 with 5 shares changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise
stated.
More slippage for main market stocks
Trading ended on Wednesday with marginally less volume but with a slightly higher value than on Tuesday and helped the market index in moderate declines after more stocks declined than advanced at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market.
The All Jamaican Composite Index declined 749.69 points to 432,767.21, the Main Index shed 681.03 points to 394,309.51 and the JSE Financial Index slipped 0.32 points to 99.18.
Trading ended with 48 securities similar to Tuesday and closed with 11 stocks rising, 19 declining and 18 remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio averages 15.3 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings.
The market closed with 12,050,050 shares trading for $65,532,009 compared to 11,508,850 units at $68,948,550 on Tuesday. Wigton Windfarm dominated trading with 65 percent of total volume in exchanging 7.84 million shares, followed by Salada Foods with 5.6 percent for 679,700 units and QWI Investments with 4.8 percent for 581,378 units changing hands.
Trading averaged 251,043 units at $1,365,250, compared to 239,768 shares at $1,436,428 on Tuesday. Month to date, trading averaged 238,773 units at $1,201,422, up from 232,155 units at $1,113,065 on Tuesday. March closed with an average of 354,304 units at $2,543,232.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has ten stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Barita Investments dropped $1.60 to $86.40 in exchanging 2,879 shares, Carreras gained 33 cents to end at $8.87 in a transfer of 34,151 stock units, First Rock Capital advanced $1.01 to $16.49 with 10,485 units crossing the exchange, Grace Kennedy fell $1.30 to $87.20 in trading 7,792 stocks. Jamaica Broilers shed 30 cents to $29 in switching ownership of 32,057 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange lost 22 cents in closing at $17.28 with 45,072 units changing hands. JMMB Group fell49 cents to $32.50 in the swapping of 25,339 stocks, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy fell 50 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ low of $129.50, trading 335 shares. NCB Financial Group advanced $2.16 to $139.16 in switching ownership of 48,613 units, Palace Amusement dropped $49 to close at $750 with the swapping of 108 shares.
Proven Investments gained 30 cents to end at $34 with 14,564 units crossing the market, Sagicor Group declined $1 to $50 with the transfer of 44,058 shares. Scotia Group shed 24 cents to $41.76 after exchanging 414,769 stocks, Supreme Ventures advanced $1 to $16 in trading 227,034 stock units and Wisynco Group gained 32 cents to close at $15.35 with 154,453 units changing hands.
In the preference segment, 138 Student Living Preference share declined 71 cents $5.55 after an exchange of 50 units and JMMB Group 7.25% gained 15 cents to end at $1.60 with 87 stock units crossing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Rising USD market
Trading on Wednesday ended with the market rising after 88 percent fewer shares passed through the market than on Tuesday, on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market.
Just four securities traded, down from six on Tuesday and ended with two stocks rising, one declining and one remaining unchanged. The JSE USD Equity Index rose 3.83 points to end at 211.27, up 13.4 percent for the year to date.
The average PE Ratio ended at 12.9 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings.
Investors exchanged 86,122 shares for US$17,581, down from 734,815 units at US$20,472 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 21,531 units at US$4,395, down from 122,469 shares at US$3,412 on Tuesday. The average trade for the month to date amounts to 57,110 units for US$3,132 in contrast to 68,058 units at US$2,743 on Tuesday. Trading in March averaged 68,746 units at US$13,137.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows one stock ended with the bid higher than the last selling price and none with lower offers.
At the close, First Rock Capital settled at 8.9 US cents trading 24,550 shares, Proven Investments declined 0.5 of a cent to close at 25 US cents in exchanging 61,570 units, Sygnus Credit Investments rose 1.71 cents to 15.72 US cents in trading just one stock and Transjamaican Highway gained 0.13 of a cent to close at 0.95 of one US cent in clearing the market with one stock unit.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Stocks give back end of week gains
The volume and value of stocks trading on Tuesday rose 25 percent and 128 percent, respectively above Thursday’s low levels, but prices mostly pulled back after the long holiday break for Easter as the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended trading, with the market index lower.
The All Jamaican Composite Index shed 2,556.74 points to close at 433,516.90, the Main Index declined 2,363.72 points to 394,990.54 and the JSE Financial Index fell 0.60 points to settle at 99.50.
Trading ended with 48 securities, up from 41 on Thursday and closed with prices of 15 stocks rising, 23 declining and 11 remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio now averages 15.3 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings, compared to 19 previously based on 2021 earnings.
The market closed with 11,508,850 shares trading for $68,948,550 compared to 9,152,981 units at $30,114,273 on Thursday. Transjamaican Highway led trading with 37.8 percent of total volume after an exchange of 4.32 million shares, followed by Wigton Windfarm with 21.9 percent for 2.51 million units and QWI Investments with 5.6 percent market share for 639,635 units changing hands.
Trading averaged 239,768 units at $1,436,428, up from an average of 223,243 shares at $734,494 on Thursday. 
Month to date trading averaged 232,155 units at $1,113,065 in contrast to an average of 354,304 units at $2,543,232 for March.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has seven stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Berger Paints fell 93 cents to $12.07, trading 26,486 shares, in contrast, Caribbean Cement advanced $1.84 to $72.02 in exchanging 14,683 stock units, Carreras shed 36 cents to close at $8.54 in transferring 33,218 stocks. Eppley Caribbean Property Fund gained 39 cents to $40.39 trading 984 units, First Rock Capital dropped $1.12 to $15.48 with the swapping of 42,159 stock units, Grace Kennedy rose 50 cents to $88.50 in switching ownership of 22,371 shares, Jamaica Broilers lost 20 cents to close at $29.30 with an exchange of 34,608 units. Jamaica Producers dropped $1.95 to $20.55 with 3,386 stocks changing hands, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy dipped $10 to close at a 52 weeks’ low of $130 with an exchange of 469 stock units. NCB Financial Group ended 50 cents lower at $137 after 136,257 units cleared the market, 138 Student Living gained 21 cents to close at $5.51 trading 542 units, 
Palace Amusement climbed $74.35 to end at $799 in exchanging 160 stocks. Salada Foods shed 48 cents to $5.32 with an exchange of 573,683 shares, Scotia Group advanced $1.40 to $42 after transferring 301,254 stock units and Seprod fell $2 in closing at $73 in trading 16,367 units.
In the preference segment, 138 Student Living preference share rose 82 cents to $6.26 in an exchange of 50 shares and Eppley 8.75% preference share gained 41 cents in ending at $7.52 after trading 50 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Junior Market jumps 47% since March 2020
The Junior Market climbed 47 percent in just over a year since the market collapsed by just over 39 percent in March last year from the close of 2019 when the market hit a multi-year low of 2,031.79 on March 18 last year.
At the same time, the JSE Main Market, while trading above the March 2001 low, is nowhere near the 2020 high and closed out the first quarter marginally down on the 2020 closing.
The Junior Market is up 13 percent for 2021 to the end of March, clawing back most of 21 percent of the fall in 2020 and is now just 11 percent from the close of 3,348.97 at the end of December 2019.
In 2020, the Junior and Main Markets declined, with the Junior Market just edging out the Main Market index with a lower decline of 21 percent versus 22.6 percent for the year.
One year ago, to the end of March, the Junior Market Index dropped 29 percent to 2304.14 but was down a much steeper 47 percent to March 18, at 2031.79 points on the market index. The March 2020 low was the lowest point for the Junior Market since it closed at 2,032.77 points on July 1, 2016.
The market made some recovery last year from the year’s low when it moved higher on April 14, to 2,686.90 points but drifted down after some attempts to break over 2,600 points on a sustained level and closed out 2020 at 2,643.38.
In the meantime, the JSE Main Market failed to move higher in 2021, ending the first quarter 0.20 percent lower than the December close. It is still a bit lower than the 442,905.76 reached on the All Jamaica Composite Index after the early rebound from the 2020 low of 375,091.09 reached on March 25 last year, or the 438,045.18 reached subsequently on November 30.
The gains of eighteen stocks in the first quarter, this year, exceed that of the average of the market and just three performed worse, including CAC 2000 with a fall of 24 percent 19 percent decline for Dolphin Cove and 16 percent in the case of Knutsford Express. Five stocks contributing to the 2021 rebound for the Junior Market are Jamaican Teas up 60 percent, Indies Pharma 48 percent, Lumber Depot 47 percent, Blue Power 35 percent, Caribbean Flavours 35 percent and Fosrich 28 percent.
The Main Market recorded gains in 16 stocks that beat the market’s average move in 2021, with 26 falling below. Main market stocks with healthy gains are Ciboney with a stunning 142 percent rise, followed by Salada Foods with 125 percent gain aided by a 10 to one stock split, Grace Kennedy 37 percent, First Rock 31 percent and proven Investments 27 percent. Palace Amusement Company that the Covid-19 dislocation has badly hurt is the worst-performing stock with a 51 percent decline, followed by Portland JSX with a loss of 25 percent and Radio Jamaica with 22 percent. Wisynco lost 14 percent and Wigton Windfarm 13 percent.
Main Market climbs Thursday
The stocks market major indices rose at the close on Thursday, adding to Wednesday’s gains, but the day ended with more stocks falling than rising, after an exchange of 46 percent fewer shares valued 77 percent less than on Wednesday at the close of trading on the Stock Exchange Main Market.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index jumped 3,214.49 points to 436,073.64, the JSE Main Index climbed 2,694.71 points to 397,354.26 and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.47 points to settle at 100.10.
Trading ended with 41 securities, down from 47 on Wednesday and closed with prices of 14 stocks rising, 18 declining and nine remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio averages 19 based on ICInsider.com forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with 9,152,981 shares trading for $30,114,273 compared to 16,826,539 units at $130,489,494 on Wednesday. Transjamaican Highway led trading with 50.9 percent of total volume in exchanging 4.66 million shares, followed by Wigton Windfarm with 29.9 percent for 2.74 million units and Salada Foods with 5.4 percent market share for 490,267 units.
Trading averaged 223,243 units at $734,494, compared to 358,011 shares at $2,776,372 on Wednesday. March closed with an average of 354,304 units at $2,543,232.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Barita Investments climbed $2.90 to $88 in an exchange of a mere 28 shares, Caribbean Cement advanced $2.18 to $70.18 trading 36,149 stocks, Eppley shed 67 cents to settle at $34.10 in a transfer of 410 units. Eppley Caribbean Property Fund dropped $6.50 to $40, with 1,100 shares crossing the market, Grace Kennedy lost 50 cents to finish at $88 with 23,493 units changing hands, Jamaica Broilers gained 20 cents in ending at $29.50 after ownership of 9,156 shares were switched. Jamaica Producers rose $1.98 to $22.50 in exchanging 1,005 units, Jamaica Stock Exchange closed $1.49 lower at $17.50 with the swapping of 109,253 stock units, Key Insurance gained 20 cents to end at $5.90 after trading 147,037 stocks, Kingston Wharves fell 40 cents to $43.60 in switching ownership of 2,226 units. 
NCB Financial declined $1.50 to $137.50 with the swapping of 8,595 stock units, Palace Amusement jumped $84.65 to $724.65 after exchanging 61 shares, PanJam Investment fell $3 to $62.50 with the transfer of 21,432 stocks. Proven Investments shed $1.30 to close at $33.70 after 1,955 stock units crossed the exchange, Sagicor Group fell 88 cents to $51 in exchanging 59,338 stocks. Salada Foods ended 95 cents lower at $5.80 with 490,267 shares changing hands, Scotia Group slid 92 cents to $40.60 trading 11,420 stock units, Seprod climbed $5.30 to settle at $75 in exchanging 28,048 units and Supreme Ventures shed 51 cents to $14.89 in the swapping of 13,785 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.