Investors owning Junior Market stocks would be fortunate if they held most of the 19 best performing stocks in that market in 2023, if they held the TOP10 stocks from the start of 2023, they would have picked up gains ranging from 13 percent to a high of 65 percent, plus dividends in some cases.
Junior Market stocks fared better than their Main Market counterparts with 19 or 40 percent of listings recording gains during the year and 29 or 60 percent declining. ISP Finance was the leading Junior Market stock after gaining 65 percent for the year followed by Main Event up 55 percent, Regency Petroleum added 47 percent to the price at the commencement of the year, while Knutsford Express put on a solid 45 percent and Dolphin Cove 39 percent, in addition, the company paid dividends amounting to $1.60 during the year thus raising the total returns to 51 percent.
Declining Junior Market stocks were headed by the managerially and financially troubled iCreate down 65 percent,
Elite Diagnostic struggling to overcome machine failures, declined by 46 percent, Medical Disposables suffered a fall of 44 percent as profit collapsed in 2023, helped by increased finance costs. CAC2000 fell 43 percent and 2022 highflyer, Fosrich dropped 38 percent. Advertising and public relations firm Limners and Bards fell 38 percent, money transfer and micro lender, Lasco Financial dropped 33 percent and petroleum distributor Future Energy a 2022 high flying stock retreated with a loss of 28 percent.
Archives for December 2023
Ciboney gains 107% & Transjamaican 93% for 2023
It was not a great year for Jamaican stocks in 2023, with all three Jamaica Stock Exchange markets declining, with the Main Market dropping 9 percent, marginally below the 10.2 percent fall in the JSE Index in 2022. The Junior Market slipped 2.5 percent for the year compared to a 16.3 percent gain in 2022 while the USD market fell 1.2 percent compared with a 14 percent rise in 2022.
Main market stocks were helped considerably by the market recovering 6.5 percent since early December with the market closing with a bullish tone.
Ciboney was the Jamaica Stock Exchange best performing stock for 2023 in the Main Market with gains of 107 percent, followed by Transjamaican Highway, with an outstanding performance, ending the year up 93 percent and paid a dividend of 18.7 cents for an overall return to investors from the start of the year of 106 percent. The next best performing stock was AS Bryden, the Trinidad based, majority Jamaican ownership, up by 47 percent from the listed price of $22.50 in November. Buoyed by improved results for the fiscal year 2023 and the first quarter profit results to September, Wisynco Group 
gained 22 percent and Stanley Motta 14 percent followed by the Trinidad based Massy Holdings up 13 percent, in a year when only 13 stocks posted gains in the main market.
Losing stocks were plentiful during the year, with 38 or 78 percent decline in the Main Market.
The worst performing stock was the real estate development company, First Rock Real Estate Investments with a 46 percent decline, followed by Palace Amusement down 44 percent, Guardian Holdings sinking 39 percent, Jamaica Stock Exchange and Berger Paints both losing 37 percent, followed by Pulse Investments down 34 percent and Key Insurance with a fall of 32 percent.
ICTOP10 bounce as Main Market breaks higher
2023 was not a great year for the Jamaica Stock Market, with all three JSE markets declining moderately and sending powerful messages to investors, with several companies reporting increased profit, enjoying increased prices. Transjamaican Highway delivered an outstanding performance, ending the year up 93 percent and paid a 19 cents dividend for an overall return of 106 percent for the year.
Transjamaican Highway gained 93% for 2023.
Readers of this publication would have gotten a good lead ahead of the first set of results in the year with the stock listed as a Stock to Watch in April, with the price then at $1.77 and gained 53 percent since, plus the dividend.
Other notable gains were recorded by Ciboney at 107 percent, following a change in ownership of the company, Main Event rising 55 percent, Regency Petroleum rallied at 47 percent, Knutsford Express at 45 percent and Dolphin Cove at 39 percent plus paying dividends of $1.85 during the year thus raising the returns to 53 percent.
There were several disappointing performances but one message is the import of proper stock selections and the benefits of portfolio diversification.
The Main Market all Jamaica Composite Index rose 17,082 points or 5 percent and the Junior Market just 2 percent during December, with technical indicators showing the Main Market now in a bullish state, having broken out sharply from a wedge formation, but the Junior Market remains under pressure for the time being, except for a limited number of stocks.
At the close of the market, four Junior Market stocks gained between eight and 26 percent and 5 fell by 7 percent and less, while three Main Market stocks rose between one to 15 percent and two fell by 6 percent each.
The Main Market ICTOP10 ended with, Palace Amusement gaining 15 percent to $1.40, followed by JMMB Group up 4 percent to $26 and Margaritaville 3 percent to $17.58, while 138 Student Living and Key Insurance declined 6 percent each two $3.89 and $2.25 respectively.
The Junior Market ended the week, with Caribbean Cream jumping 26 percent to $4.59, Jamaican Teas popping 21 percent to $2.80, a 52 weeks’ high. AMG Packaging climbed 12 percent to $3.02 and Tropical Battery rose 8 percent to end the week at $1.90. Lasco Manufacturing fell 7 percent to $4.31, Lasco Distributors and Paramount Trading fell by 4 percent each to $3.75 and $1.60 respectively.
Tropical Battery dropped out of the IC Junior Market TOP10, and Access Financial replaced it.
Indications of where stock prices could be by May 2024 can be seen from stocks with the highest values in the Main and Junior Markets.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market ICTOP 10 stands at 5.3, well below the market average of 14 and the Junior Market TOP10 sits at 7.3, just over half of the market, with an average of 14.1.
The Main Market ICTOP10 is projected to gain an average of 286 percent by May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings, providing better values than the Junior Market with the potential to gain 184 percent over the same time frame.
In the Main Market ICTOP 10, a total of 15 of the most highly valued stocks representing 31 percent of the Main Market are priced at a PE of 15 to 108, with an average of 32 and 23 excluding the highest PE ratios, and a PE of 26 for the top half and 19 excluding the stocks with overweight values.
In the Junior Market, there are 16 stocks, or 33 percent of the market, with PEs from 15 to 55, averaging 22, well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 20, possibly the lowest fair value for stocks.
Of great import is that the averages of both markets are now converging around a PE of 20 for close to a third of the market, as the year is coming to a close and with more information available on the full year’s earnings.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market, but this is not always so. ICInsider.com ranks stocks based on projected earnings, allowing investors to focus on the most undervalued stocks and helping to remove emotions in selecting stocks for investments that often result in costly mistakes.
IC TOP10 stocks will likely deliver the best returns on or around May 2024 and are ranked in order of potential gains, computed using projected earnings for the current fiscal year. Expected values will change as stock prices fluctuate and result in weekly movements in and out of the lists. Revisions to earnings are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.
Persons who compiled this report may have an interest in securities commented on in this report.
Trading jumps on the JSE USD Market
The Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market ended on Friday, with a 1,081 percent jump in the volume of stocks changing hands and the value jumping 3,472 percent more than on Thursday, resulting in the trading of 10 securities up from five on Thursday and ended with five rising, two declining and three ending unchanged.
Overall, 367,867 shares were traded, for US$23,588 compared with 31,154 units at US$662 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 36,787 units at US$2,359 versus 6,231 shares at US$132 on Thursday, with a month to date average of 28,010 shares at US$1,403 compared with 27,035 units at US$1,296 on the previous day. November ended with an average of 249,102 units for US$14,204.
The US Denominated Equities Index rose 6.56 points to close at 231.05, down 1.2 percent for the year.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 10.4. The PE ratio is computed based on the last traded price divided by projected earnings done by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending and or around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, First Rock Real Estate USD share remained at 4.37 US cents in trading 1,000 stock units, Margaritaville advanced 1.6 cents to 12.5 US cents after 168 shares passed through the market, Productive Business Solutions rose 23 cents to close at US$1.78 as investors exchanged 3,039 stocks. 
Proven Investments climbed 0.51 of one cent to end at 15 US cents after a transfer of 86,285 units, Sterling Investments ended at 1.6 US cents with traders dealing in 157 stocks, Sygnus Credit Investments sank 1 cent to 8 US cents in an exchange of 6,456 units. Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share ended at 7 US cents with investors transferring 1,000 shares and Transjamaican Highway popped 0.09 of a cent to end at 1.74 US cents in an exchange of 269,258 stock units,
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 6% fell 4 cents in closing at US$1.01 with investors dealing in 500 shares and Productive Business Solutions 9.25% preference share gained 20 cents to close at US$11.20 after just 4 stocks were traded.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
The JSE Main Market bounces to close out 2023
Trading activity remained buoyant on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market to close out the year on Friday, with 49,282,609 shares traded for $809,014,389 compared with 54,718,064 units at $832,512,122 on Thursday after trading resulted in 61 securities changing hands compared with 58 on Thursday, and ended with prices of 31 stocks rising, 10 declining and 20 ending unchanged.
Trading averaged 807,912 shares at $13,262,531 compared with 943,415 units at $14,353,657 on Thursday and month to date, an average of 264,266 units at $3,755,94 compared with 230,599 units at $3,167,213 on the previous day. November closed with an average of 275,587 units at $2,488,949.
Wigton Windfarm led trading with 25.03 million shares for 50.8 percent of total volume followed by NCB Financial with 8.03 million units for 16.3 percent of the day’s trade, Radio Jamaica ended with 7.49 million shares for 15.2 percent of market share, Sagicor Group with 1.64 million units for 3.3 percent of trading. Barita Investments closed with 1.34 million shares for 2.7 percent of market activity and Transjamaican Highway, 1.30 million units for 2.6 percent of total volume.
The All Jamaican Composite Index surged 6,563.17 points to close at 367,017.85, the JSE Main Index popped 4,228.16 points to end the year at 325,699.79 as the market lost 9 percent for the year and the JSE Financial Index gained 1.26 points to end at 70.65.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 14. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are based on the last traded prices and earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 11 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, AS Bryden increased $3.01 to end at a recording closing high of $33.11 as investors exchanged 100 stock units, Barita Investments popped $5.98 to end at $76.98 in trading 1,337,808 shares, Caribbean Cement rallied $3.04 to $60 and closed with an exchange of 107,713 units. Eppley lost $2.10 in closing at $36 while exchanging 770 stocks, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund rose $3.10 and ended at $42.10 with traders dealing in 1,148 shares, Guardian Holdings declined $23 to $350 in an exchange of 3,024 stocks. Jamaica Broilers advanced 52 cents and ended at $34.70, with 134,386 units changing hands, JMMB Group climbed 60 cents in closing at $26 with a transfer of 189,168 stock units, Kingston Wharves gained $1 to close at $27 after an exchange of 104,286 shares. 
Margaritaville rose 58 cents to end at $17.58 with 592 stocks clearing the market, Mayberry Group climbed 62 cents in closing at $9.50 with an exchange of 20,568 units, NCB Financial increased $2.49 to $69.99, with 8,031,610 stock units crossing the market. 138 Student Living popped 38 cents to close at $3.89 in an exchange of 10,161 shares, Pan Jamaica sank 80 cents to end at $50.70 after trading 174,963 stock units, Sagicor Group gained $3.52 and ended at $49.50 after an exchange of 1,638,388 stocks. Salada Foods advanced 26 cents to $3.98 with investors transferring 124,752 units, Scotia Group rallied 40 cents to end at $38.40 in switching ownership of 65,342 stocks, Seprod popped $2.01 in closing at $82.50 after 59,998 units passed through the market. Sygnus Credit Investments climbed 50 cents and ended at $11.40 after a transfer of 102,722 shares and Wisynco Group increased 51 cents to close at $22, with 344,392 stock units crossing the market.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.75% preference share rose $3 to $22 with investors trading 100 shares and 138 Student Living preference share advanced $33.10 in closing at $130, with 115 stock units crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading surges on Junior Market to end 2023
Trading surged on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Friday, as the market closed out 2023 with a small decline for the second time since 2020, with a huge jump in the volume of stocks traded rising by 460 percent and the value jumping 479 percent more than Thursday with trading concluding with 46 securities changing hands compared with 45 on Thursday and ended with prices of 24 rising, 12 declining and 10 closing unchanged.
The market closed with an exchange of 58,141,717 stock units for $143,291,459 versus 10,388,698 units at $24,745,282 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 1,263,950 shares for $3,115,032 compared with 230,860 units at $549,895 on Thursday. Trading ended with the month to date averaging 466,866 units at $1,111,272 compared to 416,223 stocks at $983,962 on the previous day, well up on November that closed with an average of 262,280 units at $587,545.
Tropical Battery led trading with 21.15 million shares for 36.4 percent of the volume followed by Future Energy with 10.21 million stock units for 17.6 percent of the day’s trade, Regency Petroleum closed with 4.69 million units for 8.1 percent market share, EduFocal with 2.96 million units for 5.1 percent market share, Image Plus ended with 2.89 million units changing hands for 5 percent of stocks traded and Fosrich closed with 2.25 million units for 3.9 percent of the overall volume.
At the close, the Junior Market Index increased 65.03 points to lock up trading for 2023 at 3,848.33 with a loss of 3.5 percent for the year.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 14.1, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 10 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Blue Power dipped 28 cents to end at $2.66, with 20,016 shares crossing the market, Caribbean Cream increased 39 cents to $4.59 as investors exchanged 5,166 units, Caribbean Flavours climbed 34 cents and ended at a 52 weeks’ high of $1.92 as 124,565 shares passed through the market. Derrimon Trading sank 16 cents to close at $1.85 in an exchange of 1,540,620 stock units, Dolphin Cove popped $1 in closing at $18.10 with traders dealing in 48,385 shares, EduFocal fell 8 cents to $1.62 while exchanging 2,955,104 stocks. Fontana advanced 20 cents in closing at $10.20 with a transfer of 151,667 units, Fosrich rose 15 cents and ended at $2.60 with investors swapping 2,248,711 stock units, Future Energy gained 39 cents to end at $3.94 in an exchange of 10,214,342 shares. 
Image Plus rallied 11 cents to close at $2.05 with investors transferring 2,892,365 units, Indies Pharma popped 14 cents to close at $3.09 after an exchange of 853,375 stocks, Jamaican Teas advanced 21 cents to end at 52 weeks’ high of $2.80, with 1,789,229 stock units crossing the market. Jetcon Corporation rose 19 cents in closing at $1.09 with an exchange of 603,626 shares, Lasco Distributors declined 10 cents to close at $3.75 with 396,396 stock units clearing the market, Lasco Manufacturing shed 19 cents and ended at $4.31 with investors dealing in 9,827 units. Mailpac Group gained 16 cents to $2.29 after an exchange of 617,768 stocks, MFS Capital Partners rallied 24 cents to end at $2.24 with investors trading 409,204 units, ONE on ONE Educational increased 8 cents in closing at $1.10, with 908,832 shares changing hands. 
Paramount Trading climbed 17 cents and ended at $1.60 in trading 5,000 stock units, Regency Petroleum increased 22 cents to close at $2.48 after 4,687,683 stocks changed hands and Spur Tree Spices dropped 57 cents to close out the year at $2.76 after investors traded trading 1,707,764 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Stocks surged in closing out 2023
All three markets of the Jamaica Stock Exchange rose on Friday following b gains on Thursday with trading exceeding Thursday’s levels as rising prices overwhelmed those declining on the final day of the year but that was powerful enough to erase declines in the market for the year.
At the close of trading 107,792,193 shares, were traded in all three markets, up from 65,137,916 units on Wednesday.
The value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets totalled $952.3 million, up from $857.26 billion on Thursday. The JSE USD market closed after 367,867 shares were traded, for US$23,662 compared to 31,154 units at US$662 on Thursday.
Main Market trading was dominated by Wigton Windfarm with 25.03 million shares being exchanged by investors, followed by NCB Financial with 8.03 million units, Radio Jamaica contributed 7.49 million units, Sagicor Group with 1.64 million shares, Barita Investments closed with 1.34 million units and Transjamaican Highway with 1.30 million shares.
In the Junior Market, Tropical Battery led trading with 21.15 million shares, followed by Future Energywith 10.21 million units, Regency Petroleum with 4.69 million shares, EduFocal 2.96 million units , Image Plus traded 2.89 million shares and Fosrich with 2.25 million units.
At the close of the market, Main Market stocks rallying were Barita Investments climbing $5.98, Sagicor Group up $3.52, Eppley Caribbean Property rising $3.10, Caribbean Cement with a gain of $3.04, AS Bryden rising $3.01, NCB Financial up $2.49 and Seprod climbing $2.01.
Declining Main Market stocks were Guardian Holdings down $23 and Eppley with a fall of $2.10.
Rising Junior Market stocks include Knutsford Express up $1.25 and Dolphin Cove up $1.
At the close of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index jumped 4,534.94 points to close at 339,158.12, the All Jamaican Composite Index jumped 6,563.17 points higher to 367,017.85, the JSE Main Index popped 4,228.16 points to 325,699
The Junior Market Index surged 65.03 points to 3,848.33, off by 3.5 percent for the year and the JSE USD Market Index rose 6.84 points to 231.19.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.75% preference share rose $3 to $22 and 138 Student Living preference share advanced $33.10 in closing at $130.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 21.6 on 2022-23 earnings and 15 times those for 2023-24 at the close of trading. ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
The PE ratio chart covers all ordinary shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, grouped by industry, allowing for easy comparisons between the same sector companies and the overall market. The EPS & PE ratios are based on 2023 and 2024 actual or projected earnings, excluding major one off items.
Investors need pertinent information to navigate numerous investment options successfully in the stock market. The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily report charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
Investors should use the chart to help make rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the average for the sector and not going too far from it unless there are compelling reasons to do so. This approach helps to remove emotions from investment decisions and place them on fundamentals while at the same time not being too far from the majority of investors. Investors who buy when the price of a stock is close to the average will find that they are not inclined to overpay for a stock.
The net asset value of each company is reported as a guide to quickly assess the value of stocks based on this measure. The chart also shows daily changes in stock prices and the percentage year to date price movement based on the last traded prices.
Dividends paid or payable and yields for each company are shown in the Main and Junior Markets’ daily report charts, along with the closing volume pertaining to the highest bid and the lowest offer for each company.
Trinidad stocks mostly rise to close 2023
Trading activity climbed as prices mostly rose on the final trading day for 2023 on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange on Friday, with the volume of stocks traded rising 194 percent and the value 185 percent more than on Thursday resulting in the trading of 20 securities as was the case on Thursday, and ended with prices of 12 stocks rising, three declining and five remaining unchanged.
Investors exchanged 295,781 shares for $2,657,158 up from 100,718 stock units at $931,366 on Thursday.
An average of 14,789 units were traded at $132,858 compared to 5,036 shares at $46,568 on Thursday, with trading month to date averaging 17,065 shares at $239,371 compared with 17,254 units at $249,160 on the previous day. The average trade for November amounted to 19,241 shares at $227,402.
The Composite Index popped 6.16 points to conclude trading at 1,214.10, the All T&T Index rose 7.48 points to 1,811.13, the SME Index remained unchanged at 70.72 and the Cross-Listed Index popped 0.67 points to lock up trading at 80.51.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Agostini’s ended trading for the year at $68.50, with 313 stock units crossing the market, Angostura Holdings gained $2.01 to close trading at $22 in an exchange of 3,495 shares, Calypso Macro Investment Fund rose 75 cents to end at $23.50 after 460 units passed through the market. First Citizens Group dipped 39 cents in closing at $49.11 in an exchange of 200 stocks, GraceKennedy rallied 34 cents to $4.50 with 44,851 shares changing hands, Guardian Holdings popped 40 cents to $19 with investors dealing in 14,150 stocks. JMMB Group remained at $1.35 in switching ownership of 13,608 units, Massy Holdings rallied 5 cents to close at $4.45 in trading 93,266 stock units, National Enterprises slipped 1 cent to end at $4.14 after a transfer of 20,910 shares. National Flour Mills increased 20 cents in closing at $1.94 in trading 2,010 stock units, NCB Financial ended at $3.40, with 14 stocks, One Caribbean Media climbed 30 cents to end at $3.80 with traders dealing in 6,550 units. 
Point Lisas rose 18 cents in closing at a 52 weeks’ high of $3.74 as investors exchanged 25,633 stocks, Prestige Holdings ended at $9.30 after 50 shares were traded, Republic Financial remained at $122.84 after an exchange of 7,943 stock units. Scotiabank shed 95 cents to end at $69 with a transfer of 1,497 stock units, Trinidad & Tobago NGL advanced 65 cents to $11 with 14,581 shares crossing the exchange, Trinidad Cement popped 30 cents to end at 3.30, with 39,696 stocks changing hands. Unilever Caribbean increased 9 cents and ended at $11.29 with investors transferring 6,220 units and West Indian Tobacco climbed 5 cents to end at $9 after an exchange of 334 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading plunged on JSE USD Market
Trading remained low keyed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market on Thursday, with the volume of stocks changing hands declining 76 percent valued 90 percent lower than on Wednesday, with just 31,154 shares traded for US$662 down from 127,343 units at US$6,740 on Wednesday and resulting in trading in five securities, compared to six on Wednesday with one rising, two declining and two ending unchanged.
Trading averaged 6,231 units at US$132, versus 21,224 shares at US$1,123 on Wednesday, with a month to date average of 27,035 shares at US$1,296 compared with 28,258 units at US$1,365 on the previous day and well off from November with an average of 249,102 units for US$14,204.
The US Denominated Equities Index gained 2.06 points to 224.49.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 10.2. The PE ratio is computed based on the last traded price divided by projected earnings that are computed by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending and or around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with a lower offer.
At the close, Margaritaville dipped 1.6 cents and ended at 10.9 US cents while exchanging 1,008 stock units, 
Productive Business Solutions ended at US$1.55 with investors swapping 35 stocks, Proven Investments fell 0.42 of a cent to 14.49 US cents after an exchange of 9 shares. Sygnus Credit Investments ended at 9 US cents with a transfer of 4 stocks and Transjamaican Highway climbed 0.05 of a cent to end at 1.65 US cents as investors exchanged 30,098 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Aggressive trading pushes Main Market to 5 months high
Aggressive trading on Thursday with prices of 27 stocks jumping, 15 declining and 16 ending unchanged following trading in 58 securities compared with 59 on Wednesday and closed after the Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange recorded a 64 percent surge in the volume of stocks traded at a marginally higher value than on Wednesday as investors pushed the market to the highest level since the first week in August.
At the close of the market, 54,718,064 shares were traded for $832,512,122 up from 33,345,989 units at $814,176,218 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 943,415 shares at $14,353,657 up from 565,186 stocks at $13,799,597 on Wednesday, Trading for the month to date, averages of 230,599 units at $3,167,213 up from 186,000 units at $2,467,306 on the previous day. November closed with an average of 275,587 units at $2,488,949.
Carreras led trading with 24.28 million shares for 44.4 percent of total volume followed by Wigton Windfarm with 7.82 million units for 14.3 percent of the day’s trade, Wisynco Group ended with 4.36 million shares for 8 percent market share, Radio Jamaica closed with 3.71 million units for 6.8 percent of Main Market trading, NCB Financial contributed 3.06 million units for 5.6 percent of market activity and Scotia Group with 2.42 million units for 4.4 percent of total volume.
The All Jamaican Composite Index surged 6,057.90 points to end at 360,454.68, the JSE Main Index railed 3,911.29 points to end the day at 321,471.63 and the JSE Financial Index popped 0.74 points to 69.39.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.6. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are based on the last traded prices and earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows eight stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments rose 65 cents to close at $71 in switching ownership of 23,528 shares, Caribbean Cement advanced $3.22 to end at $56.96, with 2,207,611 units clearing the market, Eppley popped $3.10 to close at $38.10 after a transfer of 100 shares. Eppley Caribbean Property Fund shed $1 and ended at $39 with investors swapping 25 stock units, First Rock Real Estate gained $1.48 to end at $7.50, with 29,496 shares changing hands, Guardian Holdings declined $29 in closing at $373 after 520 stocks passed through the market. 
Jamaica Broilers fell 52 cents to $34.18 after an exchange of only 4,286 units, JMMB Group gained 40 cents to close at $25.40 after a transfer of 59,164 stocks, Kingston Wharves skidded 65 cents and ended at $26 as investors exchanged 2,009,244 shares. Mayberry Group climbed 48 cents to $8.88 after investors ended trading 25,701 stock units, NCB Financial rallied $2.40 to $67.50 after an exchange of 3,062,584 stocks, 138 Student Living lost 62 cents to at a 52 weeks’ low of $3.51, with 23,000 units crossing the market. Pan Jamaica popped $1.05 to end at $51.50 with traders dealing in 52,176 shares, Radio Jamaica rallied 35 cents to close at $1.70 while exchanging 3,708,301 stock units, Sagicor Group rose $4.48 and ended at $45.98 with investors dealing in 207,662 units. Salada Foods gained 52 cents to close $3.72 in an exchange of 114,055 stocks, Scotia Group dipped 38 cents to close at $38 with investors trading 2,423,400 shares, Seprod increased $3 to end at $80.49 in an exchange of 95,081 stocks. 
Supreme Ventures climbed $1.05 in closing at $27, with 1,016,463 units crossing the market, Sygnus Real Estate Finance advanced $1.25 and ended at $10.25 in trading 10,104 stock units and Wisynco Group popped 49 cents to $21.49 after exchanging 4,360,933 shares.
In the preference segment, 138 Student Living preference share sank $17.10 in closing at $96.90 with investors transferring 50 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
