The Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended with gains in the major market indices on Friday, following a drop in the volume of stocks traded, declining 57 percent, with the value 74 percent lower compared to Thursday, with investors trading 55 securities, after slipping from 60 on Thursday, with prices of 18 rising, 18 declining and 19 ending unchanged.
The market closed with 5,456,609 shares changing hands valued at $61,470,982 after trading tumbled from 10,802,361 stocks valued at $207,181,556 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 99,211 shares at $1,117,654, in falling from 180,039 shares at $3,453,026 on Thursday and month to date, an average of 198,785 stock units at $1,559,382 compared with 217,287 shares at $1,641,459 on the preceding day and April that closed with an average of 342,509 stock units at $2,726,829.
On a day of low volumes, only two stocks traded over one million shares. Transjamaican Highway led the market with 1.63 million shares for 29.9 percent of total volume, followed by Wigton Energy with 1.03 million units for 18.8 percent of the day’s trade and JMMB Group with 605,085 stocks for 11.1 percent of the volume traded.
The All Jamaican Composite Index gained 972.17 points to close trading at 409,414.17, the JSE Main Index rallied 2,214.79 points to 348,995.34 and the JSE Financial Index popped 0.71 points to end at 65.07.
Trading activity closed on Friday with, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator showing nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 21.4. ICInsider.com compiles the JSE Main and the USD Market PE ratios, based on last traded prices and projected earnings for companies with the financial year ending around August 2026.
At the close of trading, Barita Investments skidded $1 to $68 after an exchange of 5,382 shares, Caribbean Cement sank 50 cents and ended at $105.50 with a transfer of 1,859 units, Caribbean Producers climbed 50 cents to close at $6 as investors exchanged 5,200 stocks.
General Accident increased 51 cents to finish at $6.25 with just one share clearing the market, GraceKennedy dipped 60 cents to end at $70.40 in an exchange of 230,769 stock units, Guardian Holdings fell $1.25 to $348.75 with the trading of 377 shares. Jamaica Stock Exchange shares popped 44 cents to close at $12.04 after an exchange of 2,964 stock units, Lasco Manufacturing gained 40 cents to finish at $6.70 with 9,466 stocks crossing the market and Wisynco Group declined 68 cents and ended at $20.31 in an exchange of 62,273 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.