The market lost value as the volume of stocks trading climbed 18 percent on Wednesday over Tuesday, but the value plunged 54 percent, resulting in slippage in the market indices at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market.
The All Jamaican Composite Index fell 655.57 points to 431,950.63, the Main Index shed 575.90 points to 393,880.25, while the JSE Financial Index slipped 0.19 points to settle at 98.95.
Trading ended with 44 securities changing hands, down from 46 on Tuesday with 21 stocks rising, 18 declining and five remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio averages 19.5 based on ICInsider.com forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Investors traded 9,893,680 shares for $75,718,501 compared to 8,355,063 units at $166,391,033 on Tuesday. Transjamaican Highway led trading with 29.9 percent of total volume, after an exchange of 2.96 million shares, followed by Wigton Windfarm with 18.3 percent for 1.82 million units and Jamaica Producers 10.1 percent with 1 million units.
Trading for the day averaged 224,856 units at $1,720,875, versus 181,632 shares at $3,617,196 on Tuesday. Month to date trading averaged 280,960 units at $2,273,025, in contrast to 288,698 units at $2,349,520 on the prior trading day. February closed with an average of 419,015 units at $2,509,660.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
At the close, Berger Paints fell 25 cents to $13 in an exchange of 58,148 shares, Caribbean Cement rose 50 cents to close at $69.50 with a transfer of 61,199 stock units, Eppley climbed $2 to a 52 weeks’ high of $30, trading 2,919 shares. Eppley Caribbean Property Fund rose 50 cents to $42 with 359 units changing hands, First Rock Capital ended 25 cents higher at $16.25 in the swapping of 4,274 shares, Grace Kennedy shed 90 cents to end at $89.10 with 58,926 units crossing the market. Jamaica Broilers lost 50 cents to settle at $29.50, with 12,278 stocks changing hands, Jamaica Stock Exchange fell 69 cents to close at $18.16 in swapping 34,917 stock units. Key Insurance slipped 24 cents to $4.51 after 86,720 shares crossed the exchange, Kingston Wharves fell 98 cents to $44.01 in trading 1,936 stocks, NCB Financial climbed $2 to $142 in exchanging 58,854 stock units. Palace Amusement jumped $145 to close at $845 with 75 units crossing the market, PanJam Investment shed 60 cents to finish at $65 trading 572 shares, Proven Investments gained $1.31 to $34.56 with the swapping of 27,976 stock units. 
Sagicor Group shed 61 cents in ending at $49.99 in switching ownership of 9,258 stocks, Sagicor Real Estate Fund gained 30 cents to $8.30 in a transfer of 2,466 shares, Salada Foods declined $2.90 to $41 trading 13,524 units. Scotia Group climbed $3 to $43 with 48,977 stock units crossing the market, Seprod rose $1 to $71, with 4,972 stocks changing hands, Supreme Ventures gained 30 cents in ending at $15.95 with 805,261 units crossing the exchange. Sygnus Credit Investments fell 26 cents to $14.45, trading 15,239 stocks and Wisynco Group shed 24 cents to close at $15.95 with the swapping of 36,249 stock units.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 7.25 percent gained 23 cents in closing at $1.67 after exchanging 164,644 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading ended with five securities changing hands, the same as on Monday and closed, with prices of four declining and one remaining unchanged as no stock gained.
At the close, Proven Investments lost 3.2 cents to close at 23 US cents trading 180,010 units, Sterling Investments fell 0.28 of a cent to 2.1 US cents, with 45,019 stocks changing hands. Sygnus Credit Investments fell 0.15 of a cent to end at 14.05 US cents after trading 10 stock units and Transjamaican Highway settled at 0.9 of a US cent with 32,585 shares crossing the exchnage.
The All Jamaican Composite Index shed 1,460.68 points to close at 432,606.20, the Main Index fell 1,381.93 points to 394,456.15 and the JSE Financial Index shed 0.63 points to end at 99.14.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has 11 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
Salada Foods fell 60 cents to $43.90 trading 11,179 units, Scotia Group ended $3.99 lower at $40 with the swapping of 65,792 stock units, Supreme Ventures gained 21 cents to close at $15.65 in switching ownership of 20,943 shares. Sygnus Credit Investments fell 39 cents to $14.71 after exchanging 43,500 stock units and Wisynco Group gained 28 to end at $16.19, with 40,072 stock units changing hands.
The All Jamaican Composite Index rose 112.20 points to 434,066.88, the Main Index rose 101.54 points to 395,838.08 and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.25 points to settle at 99.77.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has eight stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
Proven Investments rose 65 cents to $34.56, with the swapping of 138,367 shares, Salada Foods ended 50 cents higher at $44.50 after transferring 25,275 units. Scotia Group advanced 99 cents to $43.99 in exchanging 789 stocks, Seprod rose $1.81 to end at $70 trading 3,703 units and Sterling Investments gained 24 cents to close at $3.01 in switching ownership of 181 stocks.
The market indices just held above the negative zone for the year at the close, with the All Jamaican Composite Index declining 1,211.78 points to 433,954.68. The JSE Main Index fell 1,096.63 to 395,736.54 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.38 points to settle at 99.52.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
138 Student Living lost 40 cents to close at $5.60 in an exchange of 100 units, Palace Amusement dropped $83.28 to close at $801.72, after exchanging 73 units, PanJam Investment rose $2 to $68 with the swapping of 19,468 stock units, Proven Investments climbed 71 cents to $33.91 trading 84,673 units. Sagicor Group shed 60 cents to $50.50 in switching ownership of 131,285 stock units. Salada Foods fell 50 cents to $44 with an exchange of 1,700 stocks, Scotia Group climbed $2.99 to $43 trading 565,293 shares, Supreme Ventures lost 64 cents to close at $15.31 in exchanging 11,850 units and Wisynco Group fell 33 cents to $15.90 and finishing trading of 133,175 stock units.
The All Jamaican Composite Index rose 1,755.38 points to 435,166.46, the Main Index gained 1,609.90 points to 396,833.17, but the JSE Financial Index lost 0.17 points to settle at 99.90.
Trading for the day averaged 242,367 units at $2,066,102, compared to 411,240 shares at $1,482,838 on Wednesday. Month to date trading averaged 328,734 units at $1,776,771, in contrast to 358,582 units at $1,676,782 on Wednesday. February closed with an average of 419,015 units at $2,509,660.
Sagicor Group shed 80 cents to $51.10 with the swapping of 74,129 stock units, Salada Foods rose $5.99 to $44.50 in an exchange of 38 units. Scotia Group fell $2.49 to end at $40.01 trading 40,887 shares, Seprod declined $1.77 to $68.23 in a transfer of 74,108 stock units, Sterling Investments lost 23 cents to end at $2.77 in exchanging 1,643,311 units. Supreme Ventures rose 95 cents to $15.95 trading 36,943 shares and Wisynco Group gained 23 cents to $16.23, with 25,585 units changing hands.
At the close, First Rock Capital declined 0.4 cents to 8.5 US cents in exchanging 80,552 shares, Proven Investments rose 3 cents to 27 US cents after 158,458 stocks cleared the market. Sterling Investments advanced 0.27 of a cent to 2.38 US cents after 26,312 units crossed the exchange and Sygnus Credit Investments gained 0.28 of a cent to close at 14.2 US cents trading 2,705 stock units.
The All Jamaican Composite Index fell 2,201.29 points to 433,411.08, the Main Index dropped 1,957.22 points to 395,223.27 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.51 points to settle at 100.07.
Trading averaged 411,240 units at $1,482,838 for each security, compared to an average of 303,306 shares at $1,419,986 on Tuesday. Trading month to date averaged 358,582 units at $1,676,782 for each security, in contrast to 336,641 units at $1,757,591 on Tuesday. February closed with an average of 419,015 units at $2,509,660.
NCB Financial declined $1 to $141, with 53,913 stock units crossing the market, Palace Amusement dropped $67.03 to $885, with 210 units changing hands, PanJam Investment finished 90 cents lower at $64.10 trading 8,674 stock units. Proven Investments advanced $1.75 to $39, with an exchange of 35,591 stocks, Sagicor Real Estate Fund rose 43 cents to $8.35 with the swapping of 15,997 shares, Salada Foods declined $2.99 to $38.51 with 8,295 units clearing the market. Stanley Motta gained 34 cents to close at $5.35 after exchanging 212 units and Supreme Ventures fell $1.20 to $15 in transferring 90,750 stocks.
Investors traded six securities, compared to five on Monday and closed with the prices of one rising, two declining and three ending unchanged. The JSE USD Equity Index shed 3.08 points to end at 196.01.
At the close of the market, First Rock Capital closed at 8.9 US cents trading 4,000 shares, Proven Investments lost 0.56 of a cent in closing at 24 US cents, with 124,040 stock units changing hands, Sterling Investments carved out a gain of 0.01 of a cent to end at 2.11 US cents in trading 26,733 stocks. Sygnus Credit Investments ended at 14.88 US cents in exchanging 65,516 units and Transjamaican Highway dropped 0.03 of a cent in closing at 0.9 US cents, exchanging 194,032 stock units.
The All Jamaican Composite Index declined 1,342.33 points to 435,612.37, the Main Index shed 1,189.08 points to 397,180.49, and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.23 points to settle at 100.58.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with a lower offer.
Portland JSX shed $1.40 to close at $7.10 in transferring 6,500 stocks, Proven Investments fell $2.15 to $37.25, after an exchange of 26,284 units, Sagicor Group advanced $1.90 to $52, with 20,712 stocks clearing the market. Sagicor Real Estate Fund fell $1.07 to $7.92 in a transfer of 379 stocks, Salada Foods rose 50 cents to $41.50 after trading 9,418 stocks. Scotia Group climbed $1.50 to $42.50, with 34,379 shares changing hands, Seprod gained 50 cents to end at $70 in trading 9,783 stocks and Stanley Motta shed 34 cents to $5.01, with 16,000 stock units crossing the market.
