Bulls pushed stocks higher on Friday, with the all market indices moving to new record highs on the Jamaica Stock Exchange with 56 securities changing hands in the overall market ending with 25 stocks rising and 13 falling.
The market closed Friday, with 10 stocks gaining and 4 declining coming from the junior market as 6 securities ending at new 52 weeks’ closing highs.
The All Jamaica Composite Index rose 646.51 points to close at record 257,395.71, the JSE Market Index gained 578.09 points to finish at record close of 234,532.02 and the JSE combined index climbed 740.72 points, to close at new closing high of 249,735.10. The movement of the main market, for the year to date, resulted to gains of 22.5 percent, for the all Jamaica Composite Index, with the JSE Market Index up 22 percent. The moves in the indices are subject to change as the stock exchange daily postings indicate that there are errors in the reports since the new trading system was activated on Monday.
At the close, 23,308,737 units valued at $169,240,005 changed hands, compared to 13,502,301 units valued at $146,199,269 changing hands on Thursday. Of the stocks traded, the junior market accounted for 18,452,895 units valued at over $81,504,636.
The average trade for the day in the main market ended at 116,707 shares compared to an average of 200,657 units on Thursday. For the month to date, an average of 152,563 shares compared to an average of 188,419 units up to the prior trading day. January ended with an average of 592,602 units.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 12 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with lower offers.
In market activity, Berger Paints traded 9,118 shares at $12, Cable and Wireless gained 11 cents to close at $1.25 trading 594,541 units, Caribbean Cement closed at $33, gaining $1 with an exchange of 34,000 shares. Carreras traded 21,609 units, gaining 1 cent and closed at $67, investors pushed 1834 Investments higher by 26 cents to $2.12 with 44,419 shares trading, Grace Kennedy closed at $40.65, gaining 65 cents with trades of 83,470 units. Jamaica Broilers closed at $16.25 with an exchange of 76,657 shares, Jamaica Producers declined by $1 to close at $20 with 168,659 units changing hands, Jamaica Stock Exchange climbed to a 52 weeks’ closing high of $13.50, gaining $2.90 with 132,518 shares traded,
Jamaica Stock Exchange climbed to a 52 weeks’ closing high of $13.50.
At the close, 13,502,301 units valued at $265,917,085 changed hands, compared to $146,199,269 units valued at $265,917,085 changing hands on Wednesday. Of the stocks traded, the junior market accounted for 7,916,160 units valued at over $42,290,565.
The average trade for the day in the main market ended at 355,210 shares compared to an average of 265,989 units on Tuesday. For the month to date, an average of 176,182 shares compared to an average of 188,966 units up to the prior trading day. January ended with an average of 592,602 units.
Stocks jump to new records in trading on Tuesday with the All Jamaica Composite Index blasting pass resistance around the 243,000 level in decisive fashion. The market should have a comfortable rise to 265,000 points mark, the next area of resistance. 
Kingston Properties exchanged 1,500 shares at $10, Kingston Wharves closed at $34, gaining $1 with trades of 4,050 units, Mayberry Investments exchanged 20,400 shares with gains of 5 cents to close at $5.90, National Commercial Bank declined $2.70 in closing at $62.20, after swapping 22,435 shares. 138 Student Living traded 10,765 units at $4.50, Pan Jamaican gained $3 to close at $34 with 12,850 shares traded, Portland JSX closed at $10 after trading 500 units, Pulse Investments closed at $7.09 with 10,000 units changing hands. Radio Jamaica gained 20 cents, closing at $1.50 with 154,800 shares changing hands, Sagicor Group traded 20,442 units at $31, Sagicor Real Estate fund gained 3 cents and closed at $10.23 with an exchange of 907 units, Salada rose $1.25 in trading 20,000 shares at $9.25. Scotia Group ended trading with gains of $1.01 to close at $46, having traded 88,515 shares, Scotia Investments gained 43 cents, after trading 7,135 units and closed at a 52 weeks’ high of $35.50, Sterling added 5 cents to close at $15.65 with trades of 500 units. Supreme Ventures closed at $5.70, for a gain of 15 cents with 66,814 shares traded, JMMB 7.25 closed at $1.50, with 430 units exchanged and JMMB Group 7.5% preference share traded 2,650 units at $1.10.
The average trade for the day in the main market ended at 104,123 shares compared to an average of 198,939 units on Friday. For the month to date, an average of 177,355 shares traded, versus an average of units 250,588 units up to the prior trading day. January ended with an average of 592,602 units.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading in the main and junior markets, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 11 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 with lower offers.
Pulse Investments gained 78 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $7.10, trading 17,000 units. Radio Jamaica closed at $1.36, gaining 16 cents trading 105,008 shares, Sagicor Group lost 50 cents to close at $32.50 with 32,656 shares changing hands, Sagicor Real Estate fund closed at $10.20 for a loss of 30 cents with trades of 3,002,738 units, Scotia Group ended trading with a loss of $1 to close at $40, having traded 777,834 shares. Scotia Investments lost 50 cents, after trading 12,000 units and closed at $35, Supreme Ventures gained 20 cents with 23,824 shares traded and closed at $5.70, Proven Investments traded 194,000 ordinary shares, adding 3 cents to close at a 52 weeks high of 29 US cents and JMMB Group 7.5% preference share traded 177,438 units at $1.10.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 16 stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and 3 with lower offers.
138 Student Living closed trading with an exchange of 15,000 units at $4.50, Pan Jamaican lost $1.45 and closed at $29.05 with 33,000 shares traded, Pulse Investments gained 32 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $6.32 in trading 12,850 units. Radio Jamaica lost 10 cents to close at $1.20 with 242,445 shares traded, Sagicor Group advanced $2.90 to a 52 weeks’ high of $33 with 33,429 shares changing hands, Sagicor Real Estate Fund gained 28 cents in closing at $10.50 while trading 41,740 units. Scotia Group ended trading with gains of $2.39, to close at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $41, with trades of 16,967 shares, Scotia Investments climbed $3.50 after trading 47,325 units and closed at a 52 weeks’ high of $35.50, Supreme Ventures gained 20 cents with 75,000 shares traded, to close at $5.50. Proven Investments traded 160,000 ordinary shares, adding 2 cents to close at a 52 weeks high of 26.01 US cents and JMMB Group 7.5% preference share traded 88,000 units at $1.10.
Stocks trading at new highs include Jamaica Producers at $16.50, Mayberry Investments at $5.97, Scotia Group at $41, PanJam Investment at $34 and Sagicor Group at $33 and in the junior market Blue Power Group at $41, Consolidated Bakeries at $3.60 and in the US market Margaritaville Turks hit 29 US cents and Proven Investments at 25 US cents.
The average trade for the day in the main market ended at 279,763 shares compared to an average of 384,180 units on Tuesday. January ended with an average of 592,602 units.
Pan Jamaican lost 50 cents and closed at $30.50 with 20,195 units exchanged, Portland JSX traded 7,500 units with gains of 10 cents to close at $9.10, Pulse Investments gained 5 cents to close at $6 in trading 15,750 units, Radio Jamaica closed at $1.30 with 84,170 shares traded. Sagicor Group closed with 55,950 shares changing hands with a loss of 40 cents at $30.10 after it traded earlier at an intraday high of $31, Sagicor Real Estate fund gained 22 cents, closing at $10.22 and trading 14,328 units, Scotia Group ended trading at $38.61, gaining 61 cents with 771,110 shares changing hands. Scotia traded at an intraday high of $40. Scotia Investments also traded at an intraday 52 weeks’ high of $34.94 but closed trading with 980,950 units while losing $1.02, to close at $32, Sterling Investments closed at $15.60 with trades of 70,850 units, Supreme Ventures gained 20 cents after trading 1,790,979 shares to close at $5.30, Proven Investments traded 500,825 ordinary shares, adding 1 cent to close at a 52 weeks; high of 24 US cents and JMMB Group 7.5% preference share traded 1,090,382 units at $1.10.
The average trade for the day in the main market ended at 592,602 shares compared to an average of 384,180 units traded on Monday. For the month to date, an average of 149,740 shares compared to an average of 111,605 units on the previous trading day. The average for the month of December ended at 549,379 units.
Pan Jamaican gained $1 and closed at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $31 with 90,681 units being exchanged, Pulse Investments traded 8,000 units, losing 5 cents to close at $5.95, Radio Jamaica lost 5 cents, closing at $1.30 with 73,828 shares traded, Sagicor Group closed with 22,947 shares changing hands with a gain of 50 cents at $30.50. Sagicor Real Estate fund traded 49,769 units and closed at $10, Scotia Group ended trading at $38, losing $1 with 30,863 shares changing hands. Scotia Investments traded 3,849 units, gaining 2 cents to close at $33.02, Sterling Investments closed at $15.60 with trades of 23,000 units, Supreme Ventures lost 11 cents after trading 700,304 shares to close at $5.10 and Proven Investments traded 12,450 ordinary shares and closed at 23 US cents.