GraceKennedy may not have traded the most shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Thursday, but what it lacked in terms of volume was made up for with the value of the day’s trades, pulling in nearly $14 million for the nearly half a million shares that were traded. Trading ended with the volume just slipping compared with Wednesday, with the value 45 percent more than on Wednesday. Market activity led to trading in 57 securities, down from 58 on Wednesday, with prices of 25 rising, 19 declining and 13 ending unchanged.
Market activity ended after an exchange of 23,242,113 shares at $165,216,260, compared with 24,281,054 stock units valued at $113,829,111 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 407,756 units at an average of $2,898,531, compared with 418,639 stocks valued at $1,962,571 on the preceding day. For the month to date, trading ended with an average of 237,086 stock units for $2,981,881, compared with 227,847 shares at $2,986,392 on the previous day and May with an average of 328,145 stock units at $2,328,972.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 9.65 million shares for 41.5 percent of total volume followed by Sagicor Select Manufacturing & Distribution Fund with 4.19 million stock units for 18 percent of the day’s trade, Sterling Investments closed with 2.80 million stocks for 12.1 percent of the volume traded and Wigton Energy with 1.28 million share for 5.5 percent of the number of shares traded. The All Jamaican Composite Index fell 264.02 points to 416,446.88, the JSE Main Index gained 102.42 points to close at 351,827.15 and the JSE Financial Index popped 0.45 points to 66.83. At the close, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 12 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 15. ICInsider.com compiles the JSE Main and the USD Market PE ratios based on last traded prices and earnings forecasts for companies with the financial year ending around August 2026.
At the close of the market, Berger Paints lost 66 cents and ended at $5.14 with 2,311 shares clearing the market, Carreras shed $1.10 to close at $28 following trading of 496,408 units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund popped $1.35 in closing at $43.75 after 648 shares changed hands. First Rock Real Estate advanced 44 cents to finish at $7.60 after a transfer of 1,708 stock units, Guardian Holdings rose $16.81 to $349 in switching 7,270 stocks, Kingston Wharves fell 70 cents to $34.80 following trading of 14,182 shares. Mayberry Group rallied 45 cents to $5.98 in an exchange of 16,593 units, Mayberry Jamaican Equities slipped 68 cents to $6.10 with investors swapping 1,500 stocks, NCB Financial increased $1 in closing at $61 with 221,084 stock units crossing the market. Pan Jamaica climbed $1.40 to close at $47.40 with a transfer of 372 shares, Proven Investments dipped 50 cents to finish at $11 with investors dealing in 35,016 stocks,
Scotia Group gained 50 cents and ended at $58 with 8,063 units crossing the exchange. Seprod popped 50 cents to $79 in trading 4,060 stock units and Wisynco Group declined 50 cents and ended at $20 with 11,391 shares changing hands.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.25% preference share climbed 49 cents to finish at $19.49 in an exchange of 28 units. Jamaica Public Service 9.5% rose 85 cents to close at $1,955 with investors trading 5 stocks, 138 Student Living preference share shed $7.99 in closing at $172.01 with 317 stock units passing through the market, Sygnus Credit Investments 10% dropped $6 to end at $104 as investors exchanged 11 shares and Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5% advanced 51 cents in closing at $106.50 with a mere one stock unit crossing the market.Closing prices of stocks are those of the last transaction unless otherwise stated.