On a light trading day, the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market indices closed down on Wednesday as Transjamaican Highway snapped up the largest share of the day’s trade, after the volume of stocks traded dropped 39 percent, with a 71 percent lower value than on Wednesday, following trading in 58 securities down from 62 on Tuesday, with prices of 20 rising including Seprod that jumped $4.10 to lead the winners, 23 declining and 15 ending unchanged.
The market closed with 10,786,528 stock units traded for $74,668,059, down sharply from 17,763,087 units at $261,676,546 on Tuesday. Trading averaged 185,975 shares at $1,287,380, down from 286,501 stocks at $4,220,589 on Tuesday. For the month to date, an average of 187,760 units were traded at $2,060,924 compared with 188,609 units at $2,428,675 on Wednesday and January with an average of 257,074 stock units at $2,582,065.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 2.65 million shares for 24.6 percent of total volume followed by Wigton Energy with 2.28 million stocks for 21.1 percent of the day’s trade and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 1.03 million units for 9.6 percent of the volume traded.
The All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 1,532.52 points to 383,262.39, the JSE Main Index declined by 1,024.19 points to close at 332,094.96 and the JSE Financial Index shed 0.59 points to end at 68.34. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 10 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 14.5. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are based on last traded prices and earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending around August 2025.
At the close of the market, AS Bryden dropped 53 cents to $30.07 with a mere 15 shares switching owners, Berger Paints popped 40 cents to close at $8.30 with just 12 stocks traded, Caribbean Cement slipped $3.85 to end at $83 after a transfer of 56,963 shares. Eppley sank 48 cents in closing at $36 as investors exchanged 87 stock units, First Rock Real Estate dipped $1.18 to finish at $8.62 with 43,433 shares clearing the market, General Accident lost 44 cents and ended at $6 in an exchange of 83,039 stock units. Guardian Holdings advanced $1.50 to $303 with 787 units changing hands, Jamaica Broilers rose 48 cents to $37.99 with 3,188 stocks crossing the exchange,
the Jamaica Producers shed $2 and ended at $24 with investors snapping up a total of 300,107 shares. Jamaica Stock Exchange gained 40 cents to close at $13.39 with 426 stock units crossing the market, Kingston Wharves climbed $1.61 to end at $31.50 after an exchange of 4,367 stock units, Scotia Group increased $1.98 to finish at $56.98 with a transfer of 28,121 stocks. Seprod rallied $4.10 and ended at $89.10 with 13,649 shares passing through the market and Supreme Ventures dropped $1.37 to close at a 52 weeks’ low of $20.08 with traders dealing in 881,804 stock units.
In the preference segment, 138 Student Living preference share rose $43 to close at $270 with 44 units crossing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.