The Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed sharply lower on Thursday as the market continues to be pressured by the upper end of the channel the market is trading within, that has constrained the movement from a sustained breakout, since late 2015.
At the close of trading, the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index dived 2,096.36 points to end at 319,004.76 and the JSE Index dropped 1,910.02 points to 290,649.40. Trading on Thursday closed with 26 securities changing hands, leading to 11 advancing, 10 declining and 6 trading firm, in the main and US dollar markets.
Trading saw a number of securities with the large price changes at the close. Caribbean Cement ended with a gain of $1.50 to $35, Grace Kennedy dropped back $10.20 to $44.80 after closing at a record high of $55 on Wednesday. Jamaica Producers dropped $1.99 to end at $15, Kingston Wharves lost $1.38 to $38.62 and Salada Foods climbed $1.55 to $12.05. 
Scotia Group added 75 cents to close at $52, but released the first quarter results to January, showing increased profit flowing mainly from gains on sale of CrediScotia and major savings, from reduced loan loss provisioning. This stock is one to watch, when trading resumes on Friday.
Main market activity ended with 4,885,315 units valued at $99,343,789 changing hands, versus 5,151,580 units valued at $52,948,353 on Wednesday.
Wisynco Group closed with 29.38 percent of shares traded, with 1,435,099 units followed by Victoria Mutual Investments accounted for 754,989 units or 15.45 percent of the day’s trades and Caribbean Cement with 621,412 units 12.72 percent of the day’s trades.
Trading results in an average of 195,413 shares valued at $3,973,752 for each security traded, compared to 183,985 shares valued at $1,891,013 on Wednesday. 
For the month to date an average of 878,567 units with an average value at $11,993,901 traded, compared to 1,185,335 units with an average value at $16,782,174 traded on the previous trading day. In contrast, February closed with average of 213,336 units valued at $3,392,475 for each security traded.
Trading in the US dollar market ended with Proven Investments concluded trading at 21.50 US cents with 6,000 units valued $1,290 changing hands as the market index closed at 167.72.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 5 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and 4 with a lower offer.
For more details of market activities see – Grace pulls back $10.20 to $44.80 – Thursday.
Sagicor Real Estate Fund ended trading 24 cents higher at $16.99, with 500,436 shares, Salada Foods traded $1.55 higher at $12.05, with 250 units, Scotia Group added 75 cents and closed at $52, with 92,613 shares, Seprod closed at $32, with 165 shares, Supreme Ventures concluded trading 15 cents higher at $11.85, with 46,246 stock units. Victoria Mutual Investments finished 8 cents higher at $4.58, with 754,989 units and Wisynco Group settled 12 cents higher at $10.72, with 1,435,099 shares changing hands.
The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange index, gained 6.10 points to close at 2,916.90 on Thursday, with 25 securities changing hands, compared to 21 trading on Wednesday. 
February closed with an average of 338,697 units at an average value of $1,495,774 for each security traded.
Express Catering traded with a loss of 5 cents at $4.85, with 30,913 shares, FosRich Group finished trading 5 cents higher at $2.75, with 40,706 shares. Honey Bun concluded trading as the price rose 45 cents to $4.85, with just 100 shares, Jamaican Teas ended trading with a loss of 5 cents at $4.75, after exchanging 17,773 stock units, Jetcon Corporation traded with a loss of 40 cents to close at $4.15, with 295,302 units, Knutsford Express ended with a loss of 1 cent at $14, trading 2,655 shares. Lasco Distributors closed 15 cents higher at $4.20, with 61,807 stock units, Lasco Financial added 30 cents to end at $5, with 116,000 units, Lasco Manufacturing settled with a loss of 25 cents at $4, trading 35,881 shares, Main Event ended trading at $5.81, with 655 shares. Medical Disposables traded 5 cents higher at $4.90, with 8,500 shares, Paramount Trading finished trading 1 cent higher at $3.16, with 1,000 stock units, Stationery and Office closed at $5.50, with 243,930 units and tTech concluded trading with a loss of 45 cents at $5.55, after 15,970 shares changed hands.
For the month to date an average of 1,185,335 units with an average value at $16,782,174 traded, compared to 1,452,362 units with an average value at $16,597,564 traded on the previous trading day. In contrast, February closed with average of 213,336 units valued at $3,392,475 for each security traded.
Scotia Group finished trading 25 cents higher at $51.25, with 2,650 shares, Seprod closed at $32, with 100 shares, Sterling Investments ended at $14, with 912 shares. Supreme Ventures concluded trading with a loss of 25 cents at $11.70, with 173,413 stock units, Victoria Mutual Investments finished at $4.50, with 1,394,445 units, Wisynco Group settled 10 cents higher at $10.60, with 68,818 shares and. In the main market preference segment, Jamaica Money Market 7.5% ended trading at $2.60, with 1,000 shares, JMMB Group 7.5% closed 3 cents higher at $1.02, with 923,998 shares, Proven Investments 8.25% settled with a loss of 85 cents at $5.15, with 204,000 units changing hands.
The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange index, climbed 13.74 points, to close at 2,910.80 on Wednesday, with 21 securities changing hands, compared to 22 trading on Tuesday. 
IC bid-offer Indicator|At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 9 stocks ending with the bid higher than the last selling price and 3 with lower offers.
JMMB Group concluded trading $1.49 higher at $26.49, with 42,810 shares, Kingston Wharves settled 25 cents higher at $40, with 17,853 units, Mayberry Investments ended trading 37 cents higher at $5.78, with 4,220 shares, NCB Financial Group traded with a loss of 23 cents at $98.97, with 102,165 shares. Infrequently traded Palace Amusement, closed at $560, with 225 stock units as investors expect a big payoff from the sold out houses the company is enjoying currently with the showing of Black Panther that is raking in several million dollars per day for them. PanJam Investment ended 1 cent higher at $41.51, with 5,061 units, Pulse Investments finished with a loss of 3 cents at $1.75, with 6,605 shares, Radio Jamaica settled 6 cents higher at $1.14, with 16,600 shares. Sagicor Group ended trading at $37.50, with 424,976 stock units, Scotia Group finished trading 10 cents higher at $51, with 51,177 shares, 
Supreme Ventures concluded trading 45 cents higher at $11.95, with 1,430 stock units, Victoria Mutual Investments finished with a loss of 35 cents at $4.50, with 1,963,833 units. Wisynco Group settled at $10.50, with 2,449,787 shares and Sagicor Real Estate Fund ended trading at $17, with 47,796 shares, but the stock traded at a record high of $17.50 early in the trading session. In the main market preference segment, Jamaica Money Market ended trading 11 cents higher at 52 weeks’ High of $2.60, with 500 shares, Jamaica Money Market traded at $1.95, with 1,375 stock units, JMMB Group closed at $0.99, with 18,453 shares, Sagicor Bank A 7.75% ended trading with a loss of 4 cents at an all-time low of $1.01, with 1,351,850 shares, changing hands.
The Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed higher for the third consecutive day at the close of trading on Tuesday and putting the JSE All Jamaican Composite Index to the highest level since it peaked at 323,606 points in October last year. 
The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange index, climbed 33.65 points, to close at 2,897.08 on Tuesday, with 22 securities changing hands, compared to 23 trading on Monday. 
IC bid-offer Indicator|At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading shows 6 stocks ending with the bid higher than the last selling price and 3 with lower offers.
Honey Bun concluded trading with a loss of 20 cents at $4.10, with 348,993 shares, Iron Rock finished at $3, with 2,000 shares. Jamaican Teas ended trading at $5, with 506,040 stock units, Jetcon Corporation traded with a loss of 25 cents at $4.25, with 32,300 units, Key Insurance finished trading 1 cent higher at $3.95, with 5,000 shares, Knutsford Express ended at $15, with 108 shares. Lasco Distributors concluded trading 10 cents higher at $4.20, with 244,710 stock units, Lasco Financial finished 30 cents higher at $4.90, with 95,473 units, Lasco Manufacturing settled 11 cents higher at $4.20, with 382,706 shares, Main Event ended trading 20 cents higher at $6.20, with 10,915 shares and Stationery and Office closed 40 cents higher at $5.50, with 26,000 unitschanging hands.
