The Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended trading on Friday with the market declining for a third consecutive trading day after more stocks rose than fell after the market activity, resulted in a 61 percent increase in shares changing hands than on Wednesday.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index declined 714.74 points to close at 404,150.40, the Main Index shed 703.29 points to settle at 368,853.34 and JSE Financial Index fell 0.43 points to end at 95.34.
Trading ended with 44 securities changing hands with the prices of 21 stocks rising, the prices of 16 declining and seven remaining unchanged and the average PE Ratio of the market ended at 15.4 based on IC Insider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with an exchange of 12,279,679 shares for $35,735,006 compared to 7,635,914 units at $44,926,751 on Wednesday. Transjamaican Highway led trading with 6.28 million shares for 51 percent of total volume, followed by Wigton Windfarm with 2.11 million units for 17.2 percent of the day’s trade. Newly listed Community & Workers Credit Union Preference share traded with 1.32 million units for 10.7 percent market share and Ciboney Group was the only other stock to exceed a million shares to end with 1.07 million units changing hands.
The average trade for the day was 279,084 units at $812,159 for each security, in comparison to 173,544 shares at $1,021,063 on Wednesday. An average of 394,720 units traded for the month to date at $1,810,039 for each security that traded, in contrast to 432,976 units at $2,140,165. Trading month to date compares well to July that ended with an average of 392,128 shares for $2,444,356.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Barita Investments gained $3.85 to end at $57.85, with an exchange of 935 units, Caribbean Cement fell $3.90 to $42 with investors switching ownership of 12,887 units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund shed $3.82 in ending at $46.18, with 52,321 stocks crossing the exchange. First Rock Capital fell 79 cents after closing at $14.01 and clearing the market with 21,629 stock units, Jamaica Producers Group lost $1 to close at $22.75 after exchanging 6,400 stocks. Jamaica Stock Exchange gained $1 to close at $23 trading 1,000 stock units, Key Insurance dropped 45 cents to end at $8.50, with 33,481 shares crossing the market, Kingston Wharves gained $1 to end at $51, with 3,270 stocks changing hands. Mayberry Investments climbed 90 cents to close at $5.90 with an exchange of 300 shares, Mayberry Jamaican Equities advanced by 44 cents to end at $9.19 with investors switching ownership of 10,750 units, Palace Amusement rose $11 to close at $1561, with nine units clearing the market. PanJam Investment shed $1 to close at $68 trading 6,594 stocks, Proven Investments carved out a gain of $1.05 to finish at $34.95 with investors switching ownership of 4,371 stock units, Sagicor Group dropped 50 cents to close at $42 with investors exchanging 33,395 stocks. Sagicor Real Estate Fund gained $1.02 to end at $8.88 while exchanging 110 stock units, Seprod gained 96 cents to settle at $56.96, with 36,600 shares crossing the exchange and Wisynco Group advanced 50 cents to $17.60 with investors wapping 85,689 stock units.
In the preference segment of the main market, Eppley 8.25% advanced $1.04 to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $7.94, with 100 stock units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.