Prices jumped broadly on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Thursday, following a 109 percent jump in the volume of stocks traded as the value surged 401 percent higher than on Wednesday, after investors ended trading in 53 securities down from 59 on Wednesday, with 27 rising, eight declining and 18 ending unchanged.
A total of 18,676,905 shares were traded at $323,528,081 compared to 8,932,182 units at $64,616,360 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 352,394 shares at $6,104,303 up sharply from 151,393 units at $1,095,193 on Wednesday and month to date, an average of 316,608 stocks at $1,867,646, just slightly more than the 314,910 units at $1,666,623 on the previous day. Trading in July closed with an average of 283,368 shares at $2,135,482.
Wigton Windfarm led trading with 4.31 million shares for 23.1 percent of total volume, followed by Sagicor Group with 3.28 million units for 17.5 percent of the day’s trade, Stanley Motta with 2.10 million units for 11.2 percent market share, Wisynco Group and Transjamaican Highway chipped in with 1.52 million units for 8.1 percent market share respectively and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 1.24 million units for 6.6 percent of total volume.
The All Jamaican Composite Index gained 3,802.79 points to finish at 354,823.78, the JSE Main Index popped 2,577.57 points to 321,731.80 and the JSE Financial Index rallied 1.08 points to end at 72.05.
The PE Ratio, a formula used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 12.9 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are calculated based on the last traded prices and earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending up to August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 10 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments climbed 47 cents to end at $76.37, with 413,555 shares crossing the market, Eppley rallied 97 cents to $36.50 in switching ownership of just 2 units, Jamaica Producers gained $1.80 and ended at $19.81 while exchanging 31,851 stocks, Jamaica Stock Exchange popped 98 cents in closing at $10.68, with 215,983 stock units clearing the market, JMMB Group increased 69 cents to $27.84 in an exchange of 140,735 units, Kingston Wharves rose $3 to $30 after exchanging 109,829 shares, Massy Holdings lost 90 cents to close at $100.10 with traders dealing in 1,580 stocks, 
MPC Caribbean Clean Energy advanced $9.50 and ended at $82 as investors exchanged 6 stock units, NCB Financial gained 40 cents to end at $73.40 with investors swapping 116,996 shares, Pan Jamaica rose $2.02 to close at $49.01 after 27,867 stocks were traded, Portland JSX declined $1 and ended at $9 trading 1,756 stock units, Proven Investments advanced 35 cents to close at $22.45 in trading 1,598 units, Sagicor Group increased $5.92 in closing at $50 after investors swapped 3,275,234 stock units, Sagicor Real Estate Fund dropped 35 cents to $8.15 after 10,408 shares passed through the market, Scotia Group climbed 83 cents to end at $33.84 with investors dealing in 704,129 units, Seprod rallied $4.99 in closing at $74.99 with investors transferring 435,817 stocks, Supreme Ventures skidded 49 cents to end at $27.50, with 361,791 units changing hands.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.50% preference share fell 48 cents to close at $5.52 after an exchange of 13,126 stock units and Jamaica Public Service 7% popped $6.02 and ended at $52.82 in an exchange of 93 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
