Huge trading surge for Main Market

Trading surged on Thursday with the volume of stocks traded rising 724 percent valued 2,437 percent more than on Wednesday with an exchange of 45,409,858 shares for $1,184,111,687 up from just 5,508,902 units at $46,669,260 on Wednesday at the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market, with trading in 56 securities compared with 61 previously, with prices of 24 stocks rising, 23 declining and nine ending unchanged.
Jamaica Producers led trading with 22.43 million shares for 49.4 percent of total volume followed by NCB Financial with 6.72 million stock units for 14.8 percent of the day’s trade, GraceKennedy ended with 4.77 million stock units for 10.5 percent market share, followed by Lasco Manufacturing exchanging 3.59 million shares for 7.9 percent of stocks traded, Wigton Windfarm closed with 2.82 million stocks for 6.2 percent of the day’s trade and Transjamaican Highway with 1.60 million units for 3.5 percent of total volume.
Trading averaged 810,890 shares at $21,144,852 compared to 90,310 units at $765,070 on Wednesday and month to date, an average of 264,492 units at $5,585,206 compared with 96,369 units at $797,623 on the previous day and August with an average of 290,511 units at $2,258,494.
The All Jamaican Composite Index skidded 4,767.16 points to conclude trading at 346,017.57, the JSE Main Index dropped 4,381.54 points to end at 304,488.32 and the JSE Financial Index slipped 0.20 points to finish at 63.49.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.8. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are based on last traded prices and earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending around August 2025.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 12 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close of the market, Caribbean Cement declined 90 cents to $64 in an exchange of 1,892 shares, Eppley fell $2.49 to finish at $35.01 with 146 stocks crossing the market, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund gained $1 and ended at $42 with a transfer of 156 shares. GraceKennedy sank 50 cents to close at $73.50 with 4,773,822 stock units crossing the market, Jamaica Broilers dipped $2.49 in closing at $32 in trading 7,849 shares, Jamaica Producers lost $2.93 to end at $18.50 after 22,429,951 units passed through the market. JMMB Group shed 60 cents in closing at $21.20 as investors exchanged 5,020 stocks, Kingston Wharves sank $2.50 to $26 with 995,842 stock units clearing the market, Mayberry Jamaican Equities rose $1.10 to end at $10.20 with traders dealing in 18,291 shares. NCB Financial skidded $1 to finish at $51 with 6,724,506 stock units changing hands, Portland JSX dropped 41 cents and ended at $10.28 with investors dealing in 175,000 units, Salada Foods slipped 76 cents to close at $3.01, with 95,566 stocks crossing the exchange. Seprod climbed $1.50 to $82.50 with investors swapping 592 shares, Supreme Ventures sank 99 cents in closing at $20.01 after 303,342 stocks changed hands and Wisynco Group declined 63 cents to close at $21.15 with investors trading 25,650 units.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 7% preference share popped 45 cents and ended at $2.99 with an exchange of just one stock unit, 138 Student Living preference share advanced $10 to end at $175 with investors trading 14 shares and Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5% increased 52 cents to finish at $104.52 after an exchange of 952 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.