Financials help push JSE Main Market Up

The Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market indices bounded on Monday with the volume of stocks rising 124 percent and the value 234 percent greater than on Friday, from the trading in 58 securities up from 55 on Friday, with 17 rising, 25 declining and 16 ending unchanged.
A total of 6,493,255 shares were exchanged for $91,157,503 versus 2,890,999 units at $27,224,258 on Friday.
Trading averages 111,953 units at $1,571,681 up from 52,564 shares at $494,987 on Friday and month to date, an average of 665,307 units at $2,282,234 versus 747,673 units at $2,387,906 on the previous trading day. Trading in November ended with an average of 202,406 units at $1,736,493.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 1.59 million shares for 24.6 percent of total volume, followed by 138 Student Living with 734,813 units for 11.3 percent of the day’s trade and JMMB Group with 628,013 units for 9.7 percent market share.
The All Jamaican Composite Index climbed 1,523.69 points to 383,892.98, the JSE Main Index rose 760.64 points to 339,549.37 and the JSE Financial Index popped 0.34 points to close at 81.19.
The PE Ratio, a formula to ascertain appropriate stock values, averages 13.7 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios incorporate earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending between November and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
At the close, Berger Paints gained 50 cents to end at $10.50 after an exchange of 333 shares, Eppley dropped $6.57 to close at $32.13 as investors exchanged 2,141 stock units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund fell $1.25 to $42.75 with 12,150 units changing hands. First Rock Real Estate shed $1 to settle at $12.50 after a transfer of 2,745 stocks, Guardian Holdings dipped $5 to $535 with 1,503 units crossing the market, Jamaica Broilers rose $2.70 to $29.70 with the swapping of 198,232 stocks after the company posted second quarter results to October with a big surge in profits from continuing operations. Jamaica Producers declined $1 to $20 with 280,655 stock units changing hands, Jamaica Stock Exchange rallied $1.47 to $16.47 after an exchange of 16,166 shares, JMMB Group advanced $4 to close at $36 after 628,013 stocks cleared the market. Kingston Wharves fell $1.64 to $30 after an exchange of 15,240 units, Margaritaville dropped $3.45 to $19.55 as 412 shares passed through the market, Mayberry Jamaican Equities gained 51 cents in ending at $13.51 with investors transferring 50,806 stock units. MPC Caribbean Clean Energy lost 50 cents to close at $83 with 20 stocks changing hands, NCB Financial advanced $1.02 to $82.52 in switching ownership of 5,440 shares, Proven Investments was marked down by $1.60 in closing at $25.60 with an exchange of 131,799 units. Sagicor Group popped 50 cents to finish at $50.50, trading 3,566 stock units, Scotia Group fell 49 cents in closing at $33.01 after crossing the exchange with 510,357 units, but before the release of full year results showing earnings of $3.75 per share.

Seprod declined $1 to $70 with a transfer of 1,622 stock units and Stanley Motta shed 90 cents to end at $4.50 in trading 978 shares.
In the preference segment, Eppley 5% preference share rose $1.45 to $22.48 with the swapping of 11 stocks and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share declined $12.21 to $107.79 after an exchange of 100,003 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.