Market activity ended on Thursday with the volume of shares declining 25 percent and the value plunging 26 percent lower than on Wednesday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market as rising stocks failed to match those declining.
The All Jamaican Composite Index dived 2,262.59 points to 431,950.73, the JSE Main Index shed 1,959.04 points to 390,804.57 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.88 points to end at 94.97.
Overall 52 securities traded up from 51 on Wednesday, with 17 rising, 21 declining and 14 ending unchanged.
The PE Ratio, a formula used for computing appropriate stock values, averages 15.6. The PE ratio for the JSE Main and USD Market closing quotes are based on earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with financial years ending between the current year and August 2022.
Trading ended with 9,485,143 shares changing hands for $54,811,242 versus 12,587,397 units at $74,535,868 on Wednesday. Wigton Windfarm led trading with 26.2 percent of total volume with a transfer of 2.48 million shares followed by Transjamaican Highway 23.1 percent with 2.2 million units and Sterling Investments with 13.4 percent for an exchange of 1.27 million units.
Trading averages 182,407 units at $1,054,062, compared to 246,812 shares at $1,461,488 on Wednesday and month to date, an average of 245,918 units at $2,811,652, compared to 249,500 units at $2,910,778 on Wednesday. October closed with an average of 251,350 units at $2,773,208.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows eight stocks ending with higher bids than their last selling prices and none with a lower offer.
At the close, Barita Investments spiked $2.15 to $92.15 in an exchange of 6,158 shares, Caribbean Cement rallied $2.31 to $88.81 with 124,985 units crossing the exchange, Caribbean Producers lost 30 cents to close at $9.60 in trading 308,440 stocks. Eppley slipped 40 cents to $35.60 with the swapping of 451 stock units, First Rock Capital fell $1.48 in closing at $10.02 after switching ownership of 47,855 shares, Guardian Holdings dropped $20 to close at $520 after 3,419 units cleared the market. Jamaica Broilers gained 30 cents to finish at $29 with 7,450 stocks changing hands, Jamaica Producers shed 55 cents to end at $23.40 in trading 8,389 shares, JMMB Group lost 30 cents in closing at $38.50 in ownership switching for74,664 stocks. Key Insurance rallied 36 cents to $4.39 in transferring 2,600 units, Palace Amusement dropped $45 in closing at $985, with 105 stock units changing hands, 
Proven Investments dipped 30 cents to end at $33.30 with a transfer of 15,877 shares. Sagicor Group rose 50 cents to $52.70 after an exchange of 73,402 stocks, Scotia Group lost 40 cents ending at $34.50, with 15,947 stock units changing hands, Seprod dipped 55 cents to $63.20 in exchanging 6,169 units. Supreme Ventures fell 63 cents in closing at $17.85 with the swapping of 73,324 shares and Sygnus Credit Investments rose 99 cents to $15.99, with 159,129 stocks crossing the market.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.50% preference share shed 90 cents to settle at $6 in trading 130 units and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference shares advanced $28.90 to close at $101 after crossing the exchange with one stock unit.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
