JSE Main Market down first time in 4 days

The Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market suffered its first decline in four days as it started out the new month on a negative footing on Monday, with the volume of stocks traded declining 62 percent and the value 47 percent lower than on Friday and leading to trading in 56 securities compared with 55 on Friday and ended, with 19 rising, 24 declining and 13 ending unchanged.
A total of 9,586,592 shares were traded for $132,203,147 down from 25,472,457 units at $247,227,632 on Friday.
Trading averaged 171,189 shares at $2,360,770 compared with 463,136 stock units at $4,495,048 on Friday. June closed with an average of 366,795 stock units at $6,952,581, including trading in the Corporate Bond section.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 3.97 million shares with 41.4 percent of total volume, followed by Eppley Caribbean Property Fund with 1.22 million stock units for 12.8 percent of the day’s trade and Wigton Windfarm with 983,613 units for 10.3 percent market share.
The All Jamaican Composite Index dived 3,768.45 points to 366,805.48, the JSE Main Index dropped 2,896.62 points to 329,138.31 and the JSE Financial Index fell 1.06 points to settle at 71.89.
The PE Ratio, a formula used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 13.6 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are based on the last traded prices and earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending up to August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows eight stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments rose 91 cents in closing at $75 after an exchange of 53,075 shares, Caribbean Cement climbed $1 to $59, with 1,505 units changing hands, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund rallied $1.05 to close at $43 after 1,223,210 stocks passed through the market, First Rock Real Estate dropped $1.19 and ended at a 52 weeks’ low of $9.07 in trading 22,157 stock units. GraceKennedy dipped $1 to $78 with stakeholders exchanging 179,610 shares, Jamaica Broilers climbed $1 in closing at $36, with an exchange of 15,933 stock units, Jamaica Stock Exchange popped 57 cents and ended at $12.10, with 19,890 stocks crossing the market, JMMB Group declined $1 to end at $32 in switching ownership of 22,750 units. Mayberry Investments lost 58 cents to close at $8.50 after an exchange of 1,391 shares, NCB Financial traded 319,722 shares and lost 5 cents in closing at a 52 weeks’ low of $65.95, Pan Jamaica fell 89 cents to close at $53 as investors traded 67,386 units. Proven Investments shed $2.77 to end at $23.03 after an exchange of 2,213 stock units, Sagicor Group declined $1 to close at $48 with a transfer of 68,657 stocks, Scotia Group increased 50 cents to $34.50, with 25,150 units crossing the market. Seprod gained $1.22 to end at $78.22 while investors traded 30,940 shares, Supreme Ventures fell $1.55 to $29.45 with a transfer of 265,619 stocks, Sygnus Credit Investments rallied 32 cents to close at $12.98 after 45,666 stock units crossed the exchange and Sygnus Real Estate Finance dipped $1.15 to $11 trading 1,100 shares.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% shed $9.50 and ended at $57.50 in an exchange of 224 stock units, JMMB Group 7% preference share fell 38 cents to $2 with 657 units changing hands and 138 Student Living preference share advanced $3 in closing at $88 with shareholders swapping 18 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.