Market activity ended on Thursday with only the All Jamaican Composite rising after more stocks advanced than declined, with an exchange of 55 percent fewer shares valued 83 percent lower than on Wednesday at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market.
The All Jamaican Composite Index gained 109.54 points to 452,557.89, the JSE Main Index shed 184.88 points to 421,312.28 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.05 points to settle at 104.30.
Trading ended with 48 securities, similar to Wednesday, with 23 stocks rising, 17 declining and eight remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio averages 16.3 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings.
The market closed with 12,330,202 shares trading for $129,542,064 versus 27,181,743 units at $767,234,675 on Wednesday. Pulse Investments led trading with 25.6 percent of total volume after an exchange of 3.16 million, followed by Wigton Windfarm with 18.3 percent for 2.26 million units and Jamaica Broilers 8.6 percent with 1.06 million.
Trading averaged 256,879 units at $2,698,793, compared to 566,286 shares at $15,984,056 on Wednesday. Trading month to date averages 326,458 units at $4,206,413, in contrast to 330,401 units at $4,291,851 on Wednesday. April closed with an average of 234,200 units at $1,772,561.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows ten stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Berger Paints fell $2.19 to $14.20, with an exchange of 14,388 shares. Caribbean Cement shed $1.48, ending at $88 in transferring 13,449 stock units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund advanced $2 to close at $44 with 275 units changing hands, First Rock Capital gained 29 cents to close at $16.19 with 1,948 stock units crossing the market. Grace Kennedy rose $1 to $89 after exchanging 30,663 stocks, Jamaica Broilers closed 35 cents higher at $34.35 in transferring 1,062,269 shares, Jamaica Producers rose $1.10 to $24.20 with 2,972 units changing hands. JMMB Group shed 91 cents to finish at $32 with a transfer of 56,649 stocks, Mayberry Investments picked up 30 cents to end at $5.95 with investors switching ownership of 50,238 stock units, Mayberry Jamaican Equities gained 29 cents to close at $8.10, trading 78,268 stocks. MPC Caribbean Clean Energy advanced $7 to $127 in trading 40 units, 138 Student Living rose 40 cents to $5.50 with the swapping of 147,219 shares, Palace Amusement climbed $60 to close at $970 in an exchange of 44 shares, PanJam Investment fell $1.90 to $66.05 after 6,502 shares crossed the exchange. Proven Investments declined $1.99 to $35.01 with 251,559 stock units clearing the market, Seprod gained 51 cents in ending at $73.51 and switching ownership of 12,312 stocks, Stanley Motta lost 29 cents in closing at $5.95 with the swapping of 2,480 units, Sterling Investments gained 20 cents to end at $3.30 with an exchange of 172,032 shares. Sygnus Credit Investments finished 23 cents higher at $15.43 in transferring 21,885 stocks and Wisynco Group shed 77 cents to close at $15.10 with an exchange of 179,935 units.
In the preference segment, Eppley 8.25% rose 62 cents to close at $6.99 in exchanging 500 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.