Barita Investments climbed $11.54 to a record high of $115.04 in market activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Friday after 6.5 million of the company’s shares were traded for a consideration of $706 million, at the end of trading there were only two lots on offer with the lowest offer of 7,200 shares at $140 and the other includes just 50 units at $200, three bids closed at $115 and $115.04 to buy over 400,000 shares.
Barita headquarters
Barita was not the only big as Sagicor Real Estate Fund led trading with 189.69 million shares for 89.3 percent of total volume, valued $1.56 billion. Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 7.07 million units for 3.3 percent of the day’s trade followed. The Barita Investments trade accounted for 3.1 percent of stocks trading. Stanley Motta traded 1.77 million units for 0.8 percent market share, Sagicor Select Manufacturing and Distribution Fund ended with 1.36 million units for 0.6 percent of market activity and Transjamaican Highway saw trading of 1.06 million units for 0.5 percent market share.
The total volume of stocks traded increased by 14 percent with 203 percent greater consideration than Thursday, resulting in trading in 60 securities compared to 50 on Thursday, with 36 rising, 15 declining and 11 ending unchanged.
A total of 212,535,654 shares were exchanged for $2,391,952,140 up from 186,827,923 units at $789,529,362 on Thursday. Trading averages 3,542,261 units at $39,865,869, compared to 3,736,558 shares at $15,790,587 on Thursday and month to date, an average of 533,719 units at $5,494,321 versus 377,970 units at $3,714,948 on the previous trading day. August closed with an average of 533,719 units at $5,494,282. The All Jamaican Composite Index popped 3,872.20 points to 413,943.31, the JSE Main Index rallied 3,792.45 points to 361,691.60 and the JSE Financial Index gained 1.47 points to settle at 87.70.
The PE Ratio, a formula to ascertain appropriate stock values, averages 14.2 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios incorporate earnings forecasted by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending between November and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 20 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments climbed $11.54 to $115.04, with 6,539,692 stocks crossing the market, Berger Paints dipped $1.30 to end at $10 after a transfer of 4,259 units. Caribbean Producers fell 75 cents to close at $13.14 in exchanging 15,371 stock units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund advanced $3.04 to end at $49.99 in trading 26,168 shares, First Rock Real Estate rallied 40 cents to close at $1, with 1,163 units changing hands. GraceKennedy declined 47 cents in closing at $89.50 with the swapping of 298,310 units, Guardian Holdings increased $10 to $510 after exchanging 106 stocks, Jamaica Broilers rose 50 cents to $29.50 as investors exchanged 137,737 stock units, Jamaica Producers gained $1.74 to end at $20.74, with 169,921 stock units crossing the market, Jamaica Stock Exchange climbed $2.52 to $17.60 in trading 103,903 units, JMMB Group dipped 50 cents to $39.50 with a transfer of 375,498 shares. Kingston Properties advanced $1 to $8, with 935,835 stock units crossing the exchange, Kingston Wharves gained $1 to end at $38 in exchanging 25,446 units, Margaritaville lost $4.45 in closing at $22 with investors transferring 1,237 shares. Massy Holdings increased 90 cents to end at $82 in switching ownership of 525 stocks, Mayberry Jamaican Equities popped 72 cents to close at $13.35 with an exchange of 2,450 stocks, Proven Investments shed 92 cents in closing at $30.08, with 3,497 stock units changing hands. Sagicor Group rose $2.01 ending at $53.51 in finishing treading of 285,915 shares, Scotia Group rallied $1.90 to $35.90 with 61,627 units clearing the market, Seprod rose $1.95 to $67 while exchanging 6,208 stock units. 
Supreme Ventures shed 50 cents in closing at $27 in trading 75,206 units and Sygnus Real Estate Finance increased $1.24 to $10.30 while exchanging 4,000 stocks.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 9.5% climbed $10 to $2800 after 127 shares crossed the market, 138 Student Living preference share advanced $11.50 to close at $69, with 1,891 stocks changing hands and newly listed Productive Business Solutions preference share popped $200 in closing at $1200 in an exchange of 43 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
