Stocks settled on a robust recovery at the end of trading on Thursday and, in the process, wiped out all the losses of the past two days with moderately more stocks declining than rising after the volume of shares and the value traded fell 22 percent and 29 percent respectively compared to Wednesday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market.
At the close of trading, the All Jamaican Composite Index spiked 4,025.26 points to 464,689.48, the JSE Main Index sprung 3,462.72 points higher to 426,697.54 and the JSE Financial Index rose 1.87 points to 105.80.
Trading ended with 50 securities compared to 51 on Wednesday, with 19 stocks rising, 23 declining and eight remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio, a measure that determines an appropriate relative value of each stock, averages 16.9 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings.
The market closed with 8,889,308 shares trading for $224,811,511 versus 11,432,806 units at $317,069,162 on Wednesday. Wigton Windfarm led trading with 13.6 percent of total volume for an exchange of 1.21 million shares, followed by Transjamaican Highway with 10.1 percent for 894,159 units and Grace Kennedy with 9.3 percent after trading 833,408 units.
Trading averaged 177,786 units at $4,496,230, compared to 224,173 shares at $6,217,042 on Wednesday. Trading month to date averages 151,484 units at $2,820,155, in contrast to 146,203 units at $2,483,594 on Wednesday. June ended with an average of 249,610 units at $3,877,606.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has 13 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments surged $3.09 to $85 after trading 50,941 stocks as investors responded positively to the news that the directors will be to consider increasing the company’s capital, Berger Paints rallied 96 cents to close at $14.85 after exchanging 100 units, Caribbean Cement fell $1.05 to $93.75 in transferring 8,307 units. First Rock Capital lost 21 cents to close at $15.60 with 16,948 stocks changing hands, Grace Kennedy rallied $2 to $104 in switching ownership of 833,408 shares, Guardian Holdings dropped $19.99 to $670 with the swapping of 3,832 stock units. Jamaica Broilers gained 43 cents to end at $35.98 with an exchange of 27 units, Jamaica Producers shed 95 cents in ending at $22.05, with 17,393 stocks clearing the market. Kingston Properties fell $1.10 to $8.40 in swapping of 19,760 units, Margaritaville rose $1 to $15.10 after exchanging 814 units, Mayberry Investments added 34 cents in closing at $6.19 with the transfer of 759,331 shares, Mayberry Jamaican Equities shed 75 cents to $9 in switching ownership of 25,606 stock units. NCB Financial advanced $1 to $142 after exchanging 176,301 stocks, Palace Amusement dived $200 to end at $1,150 with the swapping of 100 units, Pan Jam Investment lost 40 cents in ending at $67.60 after trading 21,361 stocks. Proven Investments slipped 78 cents to $34.32 with 1,024 shares changing hands, Sagicor Group rallied $4 to $56 with 278,687 stock units crossing the market, Salada Foods picked up 25 cents to settle at $8.25 with the swapping of 56,192 stock units and Supreme Ventures shed 96 cents to close at $18.05, with 237,056 shares clearing the market.
In the preference segment, Eppley 8.25% fell $1.04 to $6.06 exchanging 623 units and JMMB Group 7.35% – 2028 rose 15 cents to a record $3.45 with a transfer of 51,094 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.