Sharp increases in prices of heavily weighted blue chip stocks had an overwhelming impact on the Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Friday, following trading in 57 securities up from 54 on Thursday, with 21 rising, 22 declining and 14 ending unchanged. A $10 jump in Guardian Holdings, $6 in Caribbean Cement and Eppley Property, followed by a $3.10 rise in Scotia Group and more than a dollar gain in NCB Financial, Sagicor Group and Sagicor X Fund were more than enough to give the market a solid lift after the volume of stocks traded soared 291 percent and the value 28 percent more compared to Thursday.
The market closed with 17,049,464 shares trading for $72,943,349 after rising from 4,488,027 stock units at $65,058,905 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 299,113 shares at $1,279,708, after jumping from 83,112 stock units at $1,204,795 on Thursday and for the month to date, an average of 200,190 stock units at $1,376,570 after increasing from 189,220 shares at $1,387,312 on the previous day and November with an average of 279,326 stock units at $1,890,583.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 8.86 million shares for 50.4 percent of total volume, followed by Wigton Energy, ending with 3.18 million stocks for 18.1 percent of the day’s trade and QWI Investments with 2.25 million stock units for 12.8 percent of the day’s trade.
The All Jamaican Composite Index rose 4,150.91 points to 360,441.42, the JSE Main Index climbed 3,595.20 points to end at 313,035.52 and the JSE Financial Index popped 0.54 points to end at 63.42. At the close, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 12 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.8. 
The JSE Main and the USD Market PE ratios are based on last traded prices and earnings forecasts done by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending around August 2026.
At the close of the market, Berger Paints jumped 55 cents to end at $6.25, following trading of 19,982 shares, Caribbean Cement rose $6 to $110 with investors dealing in 14,591 stocks, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund rose $6 to $44.50, with the ownership of 106 shares being switched. General Accident skidded 60 cents to close at $6.15 with traders dealing in 378,675 shares, Guardian Holdings rallied $10 to end at $335 after the swapping of 223 stock units, Jamaica Producers popped 40 cents to finish at $22.90 with investors trading 43,797 shares. Massy Holdings advanced 95 cents and ended at $75.95 with 115 units crossing the market, NCB Financial gained $1.21 to $41 after investors exchanged 69,352 stocks, Pan Jamaica fell $2.87 to end at $46.38 with a transfer of 1,509 stock units. Proven Investments dipped 50 cents to $14.10 after an exchange of 749 shares, Sagicor Group rose $1.29 to close at $39 with investors trading 21,998 units, 
Sagicor Real Estate Fund advanced $1.56 to finish at $8.42 with 523 stock units crossing the exchange. Scotia Group popped $3.10 to $53.12 with investors trading 39,367 stocks and Sygnus Credit Investments sank 98 cents to $12 with an exchange of 37,685 shares.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.25% preference share increased $1.39 to $19.40 with 5 units crossing the market. Jamaica Public Service 9.5% climbed $1 and ended at $2,599 in an exchange of a mere one stock and 138 Student Living preferred share declined $50 to close at $200 with 29 stock units passing through the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.