Fresh from heavy trading in shares of Transjamaican Highway on Thursday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Friday, market activity returned to a more subdued level, with a 99 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded and the value 98 percent lower, following trading in 57 securities against 58 on Thursday. Trading ended with prices of 18 stocks rising, 23 declining and 16 ending unchanged and resulted in the continuation of a falling market all week long, starting on Monday.
The market closed with 12,317,187 shares being traded at $78,954,503 compared with 1,228,240,349 units at $4,388,967,714 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 216,091 shares valued $1,385,167, from 21,176,558 stocks at $75,671,857 on Thursday and month to date, an average of 2,904,418 units for $11,816,862 compared with 3,234,665 shares at $13,098,342 on the previous day and March with an average of 896,190 stock units at $20,804,277.
While not matching Thursday’s heavy volume, Transjamaican Highway led trading with 6.37 million shares for 51.7 percent of total volume, followed by Wigton Energy with 1.87 million stocks for 15.2 percent of the day’s trade and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 1.77 million units for 14.4 percent of total traded volume.
The All Jamaican Composite Index declined 1,871.73 points to finish at 365,851.91, the JSE Main Index sank 2,867.75 points to conclude trading at 315,618.69 and the JSE Financial Index dropped nearly two percent with the 1.20 points falling off the index to end at 64.89. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 13 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.3. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are based on last traded prices and earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with financial years ending around August 2025.
At the close of a week of falling prices, Barita Investments lost 70 cents to land at $71.50 with 3,125 shares passing through the market, Caribbean Cement fell $1.50 and ended at $81 with investors trading 209,286 stock units, GraceKennedy sank 35 cents to finish at $73.65 with 5,323 shares crossing the market. Following b gains in Trinidad on Friday, Guardian Holdings gained $34 to close at $304 with investors dealing in 10,079 units, Jamaica Producers shed 40 cents to end at $24 as 162 stocks passed through the market, JMMB Group declined 63 cents in closing at $20.15 with investors trading 63,333 shares. Lasco Manufacturing sank 44 cents to $7.06 after an exchange of 99,421 units, Massy Holdings skidded $2.42 to end at $78.55 with a transfer of 80,000 stocks, 
Proven Investments popped 49 cents in closing at $17.49 after investors exchanged 8,960 stock units. Sagicor Group climbed 50 cents to finish at $42.50 in switching ownership of 23,153 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund increased 65 cents and ended at $8.65 with investors swapping 205 stock units, Scotia Group dipped 50 cents to close at $52.50 in an exchange of 75,741 units and Seprod slipped $1.29 to $84.20 with 11,112 stocks changing hands.
In the preference segment, 138 Student Living preference share advanced $19 and ended at $233 in an exchange of 201 shares and Sygnus Credit Investments 10% rose $1.17 in closing at $98.50 with traders dealing in 456 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.