Bryden at record high, Grace corners value

AS Bryden jumped to a record high of $45 at the close of trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended on Friday and GraceKennedy dominated trading with the value of shares traded on a day when the total value exceeded $380 million for the Main market.
The volume of stocks traded climbed 15 percent and the value surged 904 percent higher than in Thursday’s market activity, with trading in 52 securities compared with 57 on Thursday, with prices of 17 stocks rising, 18 declining and 17 ending unchanged.
The market closed on Friday with 19,335,881 shares trading for $380,400,356 up from 16,799,684 units at $37,893,948 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 371,844 shares at $7,315,391 compared to 294,731 units at $664,806 on Thursday and month to date, an average of 197,054 units at $1,580,870, in comparison with 177,507 units at $939,590 on the previous day and December that closed with an average of 264,266 units at $3,755,946.
Wigton Windfarm led trading with 4.96 million shares for 25.7 percent of total volume followed by JMMB Group 7.5% with 4.18 million units for 21.6 percent of the day’s trade, GraceKennedy ended with 3.29 million units for 17 percent of market share, Carreras closed with 2.46 million units for 12.7 percent market share and Radio Jamaica had an exchange of 1.12 million units for 5.8 percent of total volume.
The All Jamaican Composite Index jumped 3,718.84 points to settle at 359,839.19, the JSE Main Index climbed 3,015.95 points to cease trading at 322,238.80 and the JSE Financial Index popped 0.95 points and closed trading at 68.86.
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 nine stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, AS Bryden advanced $8.50 in closing at a record high of $45, up 55 percent from the price the stock first traded at on listing as investors exchanged 25,001 stock units on Friday, Barita Investments rose $1.87 to $72.40 after trading 9,624 shares, Caribbean Cement rallied 40 cents to close at $56.90 as investors exchanged 503,525 stocks. First Rock Real Estate declined $1.04 and ended at $6.01 in switching ownership of 31,007 units, General Accident increased 75 cents to end at $5.75, with 6,000 stocks crossing the market, GraceKennedy fell 50 cents in closing at $79 in an exchange of 3,289,510 stock units. Jamaica Stock Exchange skidded 47 cents to $10.03 with investors dealing in 12,696 shares, JMMB Group climbed 88 cents and ended at $24.68 with a transfer of 1,638 stock units, NCB Financial lost $2.05 to end at $65.45, with 434,995 shares clearing the market. Pan Jamaica popped 30 cents to close at $50.50 with investors transferring 4,051 stock units, Scotia Group gained 50 cents to close at $39.38 after 599,431 stocks were traded and Supreme Ventures rose 51 cents in closing at $25.81 with traders dealing in 4,470 units.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% dropped $6 to close at $42 in an exchange of 870 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.