Demand for stocks declined on Friday in trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market, with the volume of stocks trading falling 48 percent and the value of stocks exchanged dropping 82 percent lower than Thursday’s market activity leading to a slight dip in the main market indices with the advancing stocks just edging out those declining.
The All Jamaican Composite Index shed 202.86 points to 454,479.33, the Main Index fell 257.00 points to 424,303.18 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.04 points to close 105.33.
Trading ended with 48 securities compared to 50 on Thursday, with 19 stocks rising, 18 declining and 11 remaining unchanged. The PE Ratio closed with an average of 16.3 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings.
The market closed with 13,537,949 shares trading for $85,630,782 down sharply from 26,264,484 units at $470,763,094 on Thursday. Sagicor Select Financial Fund led trading with 38.9 percent of total volume for an exchange of 5.26 million shares, followed by Wigton Windfarm with 20.2 percent after 2.74 million units were traded and Pulse Investments with 7.3 percent for 988,208 shares changing hands.
Trading closed with an average of 282,041 units at $1,783,975, compared to 525,290 shares at $9,415,262 on Thursday. Trading month to date averages 320,145 units at $3,595,710, in contrast to 322,750 units at $3,719,589 on Thursday. Trading in April averaged 234,200 units at $1,772,561.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows eleven stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Berger Paints slipped $1.61 to $16.39 with the swapping of 5,003 shares, Caribbean Cement lost 42 cents to close at $87.50 with 4,856 units changing hands, Carreras ended 20 cents lower at $10.70 after crossing the exchange with 382,401 stocks. Eppley Caribbean Property Fund advanced $4.18 to close at $44.98 with the swapping of 1,700 units, Jamaica Broilers fell 80 cents to $34.70 in a transfer of 129,900 shares. Jamaica Producers lost 50 cents to close at $23, with 200,170 stocks crossing the market, Margaritaville lost 40 cents in closing at $14.60 trading 26,126 stock units, Mayberry Investments gained 20 cents to end at $5.50, with 196,336 shares changing hands. MPC Caribbean Clean Energy rose $2 to $102 in trading 5 stocks, NCB Financial Group shed 50 cents to end at $138.50 in a transfer of 46,041 units, 138 Student Living shed 49 cents to settle at $4.90 with 3,975 stock units changing hands, Pan Jam Investment climbed $5.55 to $71.60 after exchanging 86 stocks. Proven Investments fell 90 cents to $37 with the swapping of 61,769 units, Sagicor Group lost 30 cents to close at $52.70 in switching ownership of 21,793 stocks, Scotia Group gained 80 cents to end at $40.80 in exchanging 5,309 units. 
Seprod shed $1.50 to close at $73.50 with an exchange of 44,685 stock units, Supreme Ventures rose $1.55 to close at $21.75 in trading 98,472 stocks and Sygnus Credit Investments gained 40 cents to finish at $15.61 after exchanging 313,497 stocks.
In the preference segment, Eppley 8.75% preference share fell 99 cents to close at $6.51 with a transfer of 347 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
The All Jamaican Composite Index climbed 3,237.08 points to 454,682.19, the Main Index advanced 2,716.72 points to 424,560.18, and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.97 points to settle at 105.37.
Trading averaged 505,086 units at $9,053,136, compared to 179,579 shares at $2,190,026 on Wednesday. Trading month to date averages 321,833 units at $3,709,022, compared to 307,218 units at $3,282,804 on Wednesday. April averaged 234,200 units at $1,772,561.
138 Student Living rose 85 cents to close at $5.39 in switching ownership of 13,853 stock units, Palace Amusement dropped $29 to end at $926 in swapping 111 stocks, PanJam Investment declined $5.85 to finish at $66.05 with 26,162 shares clearing the market, Proven Investments closed 75 cents higher at $37.90, with 5,272 units crossing the market, Sagicor Group climbed $2 to end at $53 trading 7,248,980 shares, Seprod slipped 90 cents to $75 after exchanging 41,954 units. Stanley Motta lost 34 cents in ending at $5.90 in switching ownership of 6,907 stock units, Supreme Ventures gained 20 cents to end at 52 weeks’ closing high of $20.20 in trading 193,925 shares and Wisynco Group ended 45 cents lower at $15.45 in switching ownership of 153,549 stock units.
The JSE USD Equity Index gained 3.01 points to end at 211.68. The average PE Ratio ended at 13.2 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings.
At the close, First Rock Capital fell 0.04 of a cent to 8.96 US cents with 3,565 shares traded, Proven Investments advanced 0.9 of a cent to finish at 26.9 US cents with 202,255 stock units changing hands, Sygnus Credit Investments fell 0.02 of a cent to settle at 15.93 US cents with a transfer of 9,001 units and Transjamaican Highway rose 0.07 of a cent to close at 0.93 US cents with 20 shares crossing the exchange.
At the close, the All Jamaican Composite Index declined 2,953.62 points to close tab 451,445.11, the Main Index shed 2,482.03 points to 421,843.46 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.98 points to settle at 104.40.
At the close, Barita Investments declined $2 in closing at $84 after clearing the market of 2,835 shares, Berger Paints advanced $1.15 to finish at a 52 weeks’ high of $16.65 in switching ownership of 7,557 shares, Caribbean Cement rose 77 cents to $87.99 with an exchange of 56,552 units. Eppley shed 70 cents to close at $33 with the swapping of 30,020 stock units, Grace Kennedy ended 99 cents lower at $87.01, with 96,486 units crossing the exchange, Jamaica Broilers declined $1 to $35 in exchanging 36,579 shares. Jamaica Producers shed $1 to close at $23.50 in transferring 18,462 units, Jamaica Stock Exchange gained 25 cents in closing at $18 with 17,670 shares changing hands, JMMB Group advanced $1 to $33 in switching ownership of 188,002 stock units. Key Insurance shed 32 cents to end at $5.01 after an exchange of 321,258 shares, NCB Financial advanced $2.10 to $141 in trading 22,667 units. 138 Student Living lost 86 cents to close at $4.54, with 12,305 stock units clearing the market, Palace Amusement climbed $41 to $955 after exchanging 123 stock units, Pan Jam Investment jumped $6.90 to $71.90 with the swapping of 1,737 units, Portland JSX fell $2.40 to $7.10 with the transfer of 51,289 shares. Proven Investments lost 80 cents to close at $37.15, with 18,599 stock units crossing the market, Sagicor Group fell $1.50 to $51 with 905,925 shares changing hands. Scotia Group shed 80 cents in ending at $40 in exchanging 41,900 stocks.
Seprod advanced $2.90 to $75.90 with 13,000 units crossing the market, Stanley Motta gained 24 cents in closing at $6.24 with the swapping of 2,707 stock units, Supreme Ventures picked up 20 cents to settle at a 52 weeks’ high of $20 after clearing the market with 82,366 stocks and Sygnus Credit Investments lost 40 cents in closing at $15.10, after trading 175,692 units.
Seven securities traded, compared to five on Tuesday with the prices of two stocks rising, three declining and two remaining unchanged.
At the close, First Rock Capital fell 0.5 of a cent to 9 US cents with an exchange of 86,049 shares, Margaritaville finished at 9 US cents with 2,214 units passing through the market, Proven Investments lost 0.35 of a cent to 26.1 US cents with 3,931 stock units traded. Sterling Investments closed at 2.29 US cents with 4 shares changing hands, gained 0.87 of a cent to settle at 15.95 US cents with investors switching ownership of 1 unit and Transjamaican Highway climbed 0.01 of a cent to close 0.86 US cents with 24,032 shares crossing the exchange.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
Salada Foods gained 44 cents to finish at $7.50 in exchanging 67,172 units, Scotia Group slipped 50 cents to close at $40.80 with an exchange of 456,287 stocks, Seprod declined $4.57 to $73 after 3,586 units changed hands. Sterling Investments lost 25 cents to settle at $3.25 in transferring 15,408 shares and Victoria Mutual Investments fell 28 cents to $6.71 with 72,106 stocks changing hands.
At the close, First Rock Capital ended at 9.5 US cents with 3,629 shares changing hands, Margaritaville finished at 9 US cents with 60,000 stocks clearing the market, Proven Investments advanced 0.45 of a cent in closing at 26.45 US cents and trading 77,422 stocks. Sygnus Credit Investments rose 0.43 of a cent to 15.08 US cents while trading 50,786 units and Transjamaican Highway closed at 0.85 of a US cent after 1,146,752 shares passed through the market.
At the close, 51 securities traded, up from 49 on Friday, with 20 rising, 23 declining and eight ending unchanged. The PE Ratio averages 16.2 based on ICInsider.com forecast of 2021-22 earnings.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading has 12 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
Supreme Ventures gained 31 cents to settle at $19.81 in switching ownership of 37,888 units, Sygnus Credit Investments closed 75 cents higher at $15.50 in the swapping of 624,203 stock units and Victoria Mutual Investments rose 69 cents to $6.99 after an exchange of 227,405 units.
Six securities traded, similar to Friday, with five stocks, declining and one remaining unchanged.
Proven Investments lost 0.85 of a cent to close at 26 US cents after the trading of 113,096 stocks, Sygnus Credit Investments fell 0.05 of a cent to settle at 14.65 US cents with 10,293 units changing hands and Transjamaican Highway slipped 0.05 of a cent to 0.85 US cents with 490,000 shares crossing the exchange.
The performance is commendable, viewed against the modest rise the company enjoyed for the 2020 period with two and a half full months of uninterrupted service. The company reports that revenues for March 2021 increased by 5.63 percent over March 2020.