Stocks moved mostly higher at the close of trading on Thursday as funds chasing stocks climbed 64 percent over Wednesday and leading the main indices higher after 30 percent fewer shares were exchanged than on Wednesday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market.
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.
Investors traded 47 securities, up from 40 on Wednesday and closed with 20 rising, 17 declining and 10 remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio averages 19.2 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Traders exchanged 11,391,248 shares for $97,106,816 versus 16,449,582 units at $59,313,530 on Wednesday. Wigton Windfarm led trading with 28.8 percent of total volume, after exchanging 3.28 million shares followed by Transjamaican Highway with 25.2 percent for 2.88 million units, Sterling Investments 14.4 percent. with 1.64 million units and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 12.5 percent for an exchange of 1.42 million units.
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.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows twelve stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Berger Paints rose 65 cents to $14.10 trading 200 shares, Caribbean Cement lost 20 cents to $67 after exchanging 39,426 units, Carreras gained 27 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $8, with a transfer of 105,183 stock units. Eppley fell $1.70 to $26.50, with the swapping of 19,020 units, First Rock Capital finished 75 cents higher at $16, with 55,350 units crossing the market, Grace Kennedy slipped 98 cents to $90 trading 25,817 stocks. Jamaica Broilers fell 34 cents to $28.40 with 199,980 shares clearing the market, Jamaica Producers slipped 30 cents to $19.70, after an exchange of 51,994 units. Mayberry Investments gained 22 cents to $5.51, with 54,469 shares changing hands. Mayberry Jamaican Equities declined 99 cents to $7.01 after switching ownership of 4,300 stocks, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy climbed $4 to $154 after exchanging 21 shares, NCB Financial advanced $3.21 to $144.21 transferring 231,896 units. 138 Student Living gained 40 cents to end at $6, with 52 shares changing hands, PanJam Investment rose $1.90 to $66 in exchanging 31,927 stock units, Proven Investments dropped $5.80 to $33.20 trading 24,484 shares. 
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.
In the preference segment, 138 Student Living preference share shed 90 cents in closing at $4.20 trading 800 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Securities trading, totalled 34 compared to 38 on Wednesday, with prices of 13 rising, 13 declining and eight remaining unchanged. The average PE Ratio ended at 16.4 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
Lasco Manufacturing dropped 34 cents to $4.26 with investors switching ownership of 154,200 units. Lumber Depot slipped 6 cents to $2.64 with 414,871 stocks traded and SSL Venture gained 8 cents to close at 66 cents with 3,850 shares crossing the exchange.
Trading ended with five securities changing hands for a second consecutive day, ending with three rising, two declining and none ended unchanged.
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.
Trading ended with 19 securities changing hands up from 15 on Wednesday, with seven rising, three declining and nine finishing unchanged. Grace Kennedy closed at 52 weeks’ high.
Massy Holdings traded 2,800 stocks at $63, National Flour Mills slipped 5 cents to $2.20 in an exchange of 2,000 shares, NCB Financial Group fell 45 cents to $8.40 with the swapping of 54,805 units. One Caribbean Media fell 5 cents to $4.75, with 2,095 units crossing the exchange, Point Lisas ended at $3.01 while exchanging 1,000 shares, Prestige Holdings ended at $7.70 after 136 stock units changed hands. Republic Financial Holdings rose 1 cent to $134.56 trading 8,105 shares, Scotiabank traded 2,122 units at $55.95, Trinidad & Tobago NGL ended at $15.01 with 58,609 units crossing the exchange. Trinidad Cement closed at $3.40 exchanging 1,000 shares and West Indian Tobacco traded 5,281 stocks at $3.
At the close, five securities changed hands, compared to six on Tuesday, with prices of two rising, one declining and two remaining unchanged.
At the close, First Rock Capital ended at 8.90 US cents trading 7,103 shares, Productive Business Solutions rose 9.15 cents to a 52 weeks’ high of US$1, with the swapping of 145,306 stocks, Proven Investments closed at 24 US cents in exchanging 37,603 units. Sygnus Credit Investments fell 0.96 cents to close at 13.92 US cents trading 15,779 stock units and Transjamaican Highway gained 0.03 of a cent to end at 0.93 of a US cent, after an exchange of 302,164 units.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with lower offers.
Lasco Manufacturing advanced 34 cents to $4.60 with an exchange of 13,486 units, Lumber Depot rose 5 cents to $2.70 with 647,253 stocks changing hands, Mailpac Group increased by 14 cents to end at $3.49 with 782,591 stock units traded. Main Event climbed 32 cents to $3.47 with 900 shares passing through the market, Paramount Trading dropped 18 cents to $1.32 with a transfer of 449 stocks, SSL Venture slipped 6 cents to 58 cents with an exchange of 128,962 units and tTech rose 10 cents to $4.40 trading 90,000 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.
Trading ended with 15 securities, down from 24 on Tuesday, with four stocks rising, seven declining and four finishing unchanged. The market indices movement eroded nearly all of Tuesday’s gains, with the Composite Index dropping 15.35 points to 1,323.61, the All T&T Index fell 1.24 points to close at 1,757.07 and the Cross Listed Index lost 4.04 points to 120.41.
Guardian Holdings increased 25 cents to $22, with 11,625 shares changing hands, JMMB Group fell 1 cent to $1.82, with 900 stocks clearing the market, Massy Holdings climbed 50 cents to $63 while exchanging 269,241 stocks. National Flour fell 10 cents to $2.25, with 22,000 stock units changing hands, NCB Financial Group declined 15 cents to $8.85 with an exchange of 5,855 shares, One Caribbean Media fell 1 cent to $4.80 while exchanging 1,025 stock units. Republic Financial Holdings settled at $134.55 after 10 stock units crossed the exchange, Scotiabank remained at $55.95 with 77 units clearing the market, Trinidad & Tobago NGL lost 49 cents to end at $15.01, with 169 shares crossing the exchange. Unilever Caribbean closed at $16.30 after trading 1,549 units and West Indian Tobacco ended at $34 in switching ownership of 1,476 shares.
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.
