Grace pushes JSE trading on Friday

A surge in trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended on Friday, with a 336 percent jump in the volume of stocks traded with a value of 1,246 percent more than on Thursday, after investors traded nearly 5.3 million shares in GraceKennedy and ended trading in 57 securities compared with 54 on Thursday, with prices of 22 stocks rising, 24 declining and 11 ending unchanged.
The market closed with 26,822,609 shares trading for $484,009,143 up from just 6,147,676 units for a mere $35,957,977 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 470,572 shares at $8,491,388 up sharply from 113,846 units at $665,888 on Thursday and month to date, an average of 434,071 units at $2,732,653 compared with 431,153 units at $2,272,278 on the previous day and April that closed with an average of 680,802 units at $3,619,595.
JMMB Group 7.25% preference share due 2024 led trading with 13.0 million shares for 48.5 percent of total volume followed by GraceKennedy with 5.27 million stocks for 19.6 percent of the day’s trade, Wigton Windfarm with 3.31 million units for 12.3 percent market share, Carreras with 1.87 million stock units for 7 percent of trading and Transjamaican Highway with 1.47 million shares for 5.5 percent of total volume.
The All Jamaican Composite Index climbed 1,282.66 points to 358,400.25, the JSE Main Index increased 854.69 points to end trading at 321,317.22 and the JSE Financial Index rose 0.34 points to settle at 68.27.
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 financial year ending around August 2025.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows eight stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Barita Investments rose $1.76 and ended at $71.80 with traders dealing in 113 shares, Caribbean Producers rallied 89 cents to $9.30, with 384 stocks crossing the exchange, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund slipped 49 cents to finish at $39.50 with investors swapping 100 shares. First Rock Real Estate increased 58 cents to end at $9.78 in an exchange of 2,431 stock units, GraceKennedy climbed $1.50 in closing at $75.50 with investors dealing in 5,267,115 shares, Guardian Holdings fell 98 cents to close at $369 in switching ownership of 1 stock unit. Jamaica Broilers popped 49 cents to close at $31 after 22,298 units crossed the market, Jamaica Stock Exchange sank $2.01 to close at $9.25 after an exchange of 3,201 stocks, JMMB Group shed 51 cents to end at $23.50 after 27,027 units were traded. Kingston Wharves advanced $1.04 to close at $26 with an exchange of 8,458 stocks, Mayberry Group gained 50 cents in closing at $8 as 10,016 shares passed through the market, NCB Financial rose $1 to end at $63 as investors exchanged 569,374 stock units. Pan Jamaica gained $1.50 to close at $47.50 with a transfer of 5,734 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund popped 59 cents to close at $7.64 after an exchange of 23 stocks, Scotia Group rallied $1.75 in closing at $43.25 with investors transferring 64,233 units. Seprod declined $2 to end at $78, with 614 stock units changing hands and Wisynco Group lost 65 cents to finish at $20.50 after an exchange of 8,096 shares.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.25% preference share increased 34 cents and ended at $18.84 with investors trading 498 stock units and JMMB Group 7% preference share dropped 50 cents to $2.80 after a transfer of 1,000 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.