Volatile price movement

Volatility continues to hit the Jamaica stock market, with Sagicor Group jumping $10.95, Caribbean Cement rising $5.50, Eppley Carib Fund rising $4.53 and Scotia Group increasing by $1.70 on Friday, as the JSE Main Market continues to consolidate.
The Main Market of the continued to trek upward, with the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index advancing 1,739.78 points to close at 549,514.06, the JSE Market Index added 1,697.56 points to 500,463.33 and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.78 points to 135.65.
The market closed with 45 securities changing hands in the Main and US dollar markets with the prices of 18 advancing, 16 declining and 11 trading firm. The JSE Main Market activity ended with 41 securities accounting for 25,178,696 units valued at $85,865,743 in contrast to 15,500,355 units valued at $47,239,549 from 38 securities on Thursday.
Wigton Windfarm dominated trading with 11.7 million shares for 47 percent of total volume. Sagicor Select Financial Fund followed with 7.1 million units for 28 percent of the day’s trade, and QWI Investments with 1.8 million shares for 7 percent of the market’s volume.
The Market closed with an average of 614,115 units valued at an average of $2,094,286 for each security traded, in contrast to 407,904 units at $1,243,146 on Thursday. The average volume and value for the month to date amounts to 626,134 units valued at $3,511,981 for each security changing hands, compared to 626,696 units valued at $3,584,638 for each security traded. Trading in December resulted in an average of 595,143 units valued at $9,344,514 for each security.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 16 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one closing with lower offers. The PE ratio of the market ended at 20, while the Main Market ended at 19.3 times 2019 earnings.
In the Main Market, Barita Investments closed $1 lower to $71, with 24,067 shares changing hands, Caribbean Cement advanced $5.50 to $74.50 trading 50,898 shares. Eppley Caribbean Property Fund climbed $4.53 to $41.53 transferring 3,400 units, Jamaica Broilers jumped $3.75 to $38.75, in swapping 101,867 units, Jamaica Producers ended $1 higher to $26, with an exchange of 12,360 units, Jamaica Stock Exchange gained $1.50 to settle at $32 trading 14,194 shares. JMMB Group rose 50 cents to $46.50, in exchanging 60,083 shares, Kingston Wharves dropped $2 to end at $66, in transferring 4,310 units, Mayberry Jamaican Equities gained 70 cents to close at $11.20, with 749,858 shares changing hands. NCB Financial declined by 57 cents to $188.98, after with 55,928 shares changing hands, PanJam Investment lost 90 cents transferring 9,892 shares and closed at $100, Sagicor Group soared $10.95 to $79.95 in exchanging 61,692 shares. Scotia Group closed at $55.70, after gaining $1.70 after swapping 31,812 shares, Seprod lost 90 cents transferring 15,552 shares to end at $46.10, Sygnus Credit Investments closed 50 cents higher to $26.50, with an exchange of 37,121 shares and Victoria Mutual Investments ended the day’s at $10.70, after rising 92 cents and trading 207,567 units.
Trading in the US dollar market ended with 235,954 units valued at over US$135,101. The market index slipped 1.73 points to close at 230.48. JMMB Group 5.75 % preference share lost 10 US cents to close at US$2 after trading 2,785 units, JMMB Group 6 % preference share ended 4 US cents lower after swapping 82,532 units and settled at US$1. Margaritaville traded 3,000 units at 31 US cents, after losing 1 cent and Proven Investments lost 1 cent to end at 32 US cents in transferring 147,637 units.