The All Jamaican Composite Index closed above the 450,000 points level for the first time since March 13 last year when it advanced 780.41 points to close at 450,515.14, on Wednesday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, with an exchange of 119 percent more shares valued 339 percent higher than in trading on Tuesday.
The JSE Main Index gained 314.36 points to 426,701.91 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.05 points to settle at 106.74.
A total of 53 securities traded compared to 54 on Tuesday, with 21 stocks rising, 23 declining and nine remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio, based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings, averages 16.4.
The market closed with 12,295,253 shares trading for $154,483,246 compared to 5,625,284 units at $35,183,198 on Tuesday. Sagicor Select Manufacturing & Distribution Fund led trading with 25.1 percent of total volume after an exchange of 3.09 million shares followed by Sagicor Group 18.5 percent with 2.28 million units, Transjamaican Highway with 15.5 percent, with 1.9 million units and Wigton Windfarm with 14 percent after 1.73 million units changed hands.
Trading averaged 231,986 units at $2,914,778, compared to an average of 104,172 shares at $651,541 on Tuesday. Trading month to date averages 287,442 units at $3,395,135, in contrast to 295,768 units at $3,467,257 on Tuesday. April averaged 234,200 units at $1,772,561.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Caribbean Cement declined $2 to $87 in trading 20,087 shares, Carreras gained 23 cents to close at $9.82 with 109,080 stock units changing hands, Eppley ended 26 cents higher at $35 in clearing the market of 1,491 shares, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund climbed $4.99 to close at $45 with the swapping of 2,000 units, First Rock Capital gained 33 cents to finish at $16.71 in transferring 17,074 stocks. Grace Kennedy shed 50 cents to close at $88.50 with the swapping of 26,786 stock units, Jamaica Broilers climbed $3 to a 52 weeks’ high of $36 in exchanging 37,352 stocks. Jamaica Producers advanced $1.15 to $27.35 with the transfer of 23,717 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange fell 25 cents to $17.75 after exchanging 14,143 units, JMMB Group fell $1.15 to $31.90 in switching ownership of 66,428 stock units. Kingston Properties lost 25 cents to close at $8.15 after a transfer of 3,536 units, Kingston Wharves rose 50 cents to $45 in swapping 5,912 stocks, Margaritaville lost 50 cents to end at $15 with 8,035 stock units changing hands. Mayberry Investments shed 40 cents in closing at $5.30 in switching ownership of 131,843 shares, Mayberry Jamaican Equities dipped 44 cents to $7.55 after exchanging 10,450 stocks, NCB Financial declined $2.72 to $138.78 trading 62,047 stock units. Palace Amusement rose $1 to $908 in an exchange of 53 units, PanJam Investment fell $1.40 to $63.50 in trading 38,150 stocks, Portland JSX rose 75 cents to a 52 weeks’ high of $10.50 with the transfer of 1,135 shares. Pulse Investments lost 40 cents in closing at $4.30 in an exchange of 411,205 units, Sagicor Group climbed $2.51 to $52 with 2,279,348 shares crossing the market, Salada Foods dropped 20 cents to $7 in transferring 206,193 stock units, Seprod slid 88 cents to end at $77 in switching ownership of 4,451 shares, Supreme Ventures fell $1.44 to $18.51 with 73,026 units changing hands and Wisynco Group rose 50 cents to $16 after exchanging 45,650 units.
In the preference segment, Eppley 8.75% preference share rose $1 to $7.50, in trading 17 stock units, Eppley 7.5% shed 60 cents to close at $11 with 8 units clearing the market, JMMB Group 7.15% – 2028 gained 20 cents to settle at $3 with the swapping of 85,162 units and JMMB Group 7.35% – 2028 finished 24 cents higher at $3.25 in exchanging 2,000 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.