Declining Main Market stocks clobber risers

Falling stocks outnumbered those rising almost 3 to 1 in trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Thursday, with trading in 54 securities, down from 60 on Wednesday, with prices of only 12 rising, 33 declining, including Radio Jamaica closing at a 52 weeks’ low of $1.08 and nine ending unchanged as the volume of stocks traded declining 49 percent and the value 80 percent lower than on Wednesday.
The market closed with an exchange of 6,147,676 shares for $35,957,977 compared with 12,161,308 units at $176,680,058 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 113,846 shares at $665,888 compared with 202,688 units at $2,944,668 on Wednesday and for the month to date, an average of 431,153 units at $2,272,278 compared to 457,154 units at $2,403,909 on the previous day and April that closed with an average of 680,802 units at $3,619,595.
Wigton Windfarm led trading with 2.66 million shares for 43.3 percent of total volume followed by Transjamaican Highway with 1.44 million units for 23.5 percent of the day’s trade and QWI Investments with 274,994 units for 4.5 percent market share.
The All Jamaican Composite Index rose 231.05 points to end at 357,117.59, the JSE Main Index climbed 655.93 points to 320,462.53 and the JSE Financial Index popped 0.28 points to 67.93.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.4. 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 2025.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 10 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments fell $2.07 to finish at $70.04 with investors trading 10,926 shares, Caribbean Cement declined 52 cents to $62.98 in an exchange of 12,265 stocks, Caribbean Producers shed 59 cents to end at $8.41 with 49,624 shares clearing the market. Eppley advanced $2.04 in closing at $39.50 with traders dealing in 31 stock units, First Rock Real Estate dropped 49 cents to close at $9.20 after a transfer of 20,549 shares, General Accident rose 90 cents and ended at $7.20, with 36,417 stocks crossing the exchange. GraceKennedy sank $2 to $74 with a transfer of 92,957 units, Guardian Holdings climbed $9.98 to finish at $369.98 after 200 stock units passed through the market, Jamaica Broilers slipped 59 cents and ended at $30.51 with investors transferring 40,644 shares. Jamaica Stock Exchange popped $2.22 to close at $11.26 after an exchange of 11,305 stock units, JMMB Group lost 49 cents in closing at $24.01 in trading of 105,121 units, Kingston Wharves dipped $1.04 to end at $24.96 and closed after an exchange of 3,446 stocks. NCB Financial skidded $1.99 in closing at $62 with an exchange of 39,680 units, Pan Jamaica fell $1.50 to $46, with 3,190 stocks crossing the market, Sagicor Real Estate Fund shed 59 cents to finish at $7.05 as investors exchanged 307 shares. Scotia Group dipped 50 cents and ended at $41.50 in switching ownership of 112,313 stock units and Stanley Motta lost 93 cents to end at $6.61, with 3,572 shares changing hands.
In the preference segment, 138 Student Living preference share skidded $4.03 to close at $214 in an exchange of 22 stock units, Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share sank $8.50 to $105 with investors dealing in 1,200 stocks and Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5% slipped $2 to finish at $108 after exchanging 500 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.