Stocks trading climbed sharply on Friday with an exchange of 118 percent more shares valued 268 percent more than in Thursday trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market. The All Jamaican Composite Index just managed to squeeze out a gain of 87.75 points to close at 451,713.66 after it traded up close to 6,000 points to a high of 457,408.33 within an hour of the market’s opening.
The JSE Main Index rose 581.22 points to settle at 428,015.27 and The JSE Financial Index gained 0.24 points to end at 107.13.
Trading ended with 49 securities compared to 47 on Thursday and ended with prices of 21 stocks rising, 17 declining and 11 remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio averages 16.5 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings.
The market closed with 31,695,926 shares trading for $306,013,533 compared to 14,522,547 units at $83,441,774 on Thursday. Wigton Windfarm led trading with 41.6 percent of total volume for 13.18 million shares, followed by Supreme Ventures with 31.7 percent for 10.04 million units and JMMB Group 7.50% with 5.4 percent for 1.70 million units changing hands.
Trading averaged 646,856 units at $6,245,174, compared to an average of 308,990 shares at $1,775,357 on Thursday. Trading month to date averages 324,542 units at $3,521,674, in contrast to 289,678 units at $3,227,079 on Thursday. Trading in April averaged 234,200 units at $1,772,561.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows eleven stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Barita Investments dropped $3.05 to $83 with 33,408 shares changing hands. Berger Paints advanced $1.35 to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $15 after exchanging 30,727 stock units, Caribbean Cement slid $4.98 to $81.02 with 96,636 shares crossing the exchange. Eppley Caribbean Property Fund shed 98 cents to close at $44 trading 11 units, First Rock Capital fell 40 cents to $16.50 in exchanging 50,337 shares, Grace Kennedy slipped 19 cents to close at $88.66 in switching ownership of 161,912 stocks. Jamaica Broilers ended $1 lower at $34.50 in exchanging 30,864 units, Jamaica Stock Exchange gained 24 cents to close at $17.99 with 11,600 stock units crossing the market, JMMB Group rose $1.05 to $33.05 in trading 33,966 units, Kingston Wharves advanced $1 to end at $48 in an exchange of 3,152 stocks, NCB Financial declined $1.50 to $138.50 after transferring 39,781 units, 138 Student Living gained 30 cents to end at $5.30 in exchanging 2,129 stocks. PanJam Investment rose $1 to close at $66.50 in trading 594,688 units, Proven Investments rose 94 cents to $37.95 in trading 26,800 shares, Sagicor Group closed 54 cents higher at $50.55 in an exchange of 35,406 stocks. Salada Foods rose 86 cents to $7.66 in switching ownership of 116,542 stock units, Scotia Group shed 50 cents to end at $41 in trading 20,188 units, Supreme Ventures picked up 50 cents to close at $19.50 with the swapping of 10,037,859 shares, Victoria Mutual Investments declined 78 cents to $6.30 in trading 154,338 stock units and Wisynco Group gained 30 cents to close at $15.90, with 240,532 shares crossing the exchange.
In the preference segment, Eppley 8.25% shed 74 cents to close at $6.15 with 1,800 stock units changing hands, JMMB Group 7.25% rose 19 cents to $1.46 in transferring 3,019 stocks and JMMB Group 7.15% – 2028 lost 18 cents to finish at $2.82 trading 20,000 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.