A total of 22 stocks rose and 22 declined, leaving 16 ending unchanged at the close of trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Monday, with trading in 60securities compared with 58 on Friday as the market closed with the volume of stocks traded rising 171 percent and the value 148 percent more than on Friday and resulted in the market indices closing lower.
Trading ended with an exchange of 24,989,216 shares for $156,897,201 compared with 9,234,717 stock units at $63,291,889 on Friday.
Trading averaged 416,487 shares at $2,614,953 compared to 159,219 units at $1,091,239 on Friday and month to date, an average of 297,960 stocks at $1,408,053, compared with 286,472 units at $1,291,067 on the previous day and January with an average of 265,804 units at $2,438,118.
Carreras led trading with 10.07 million shares for 40.3 percent of the volume followed by Wigton Windfarm with 7.44 million units for 29.8 percent of the day’s trade, JMMB 9.5% preference share closed with 1.91 million units for 7.6 percent market share and Transjamaican Highway with 1.76 million units for 7.1 percent of the total volume.
The All Jamaican Composite Index skidded 1,953.23 points to end the day at 371,323.01, the JSE Main Index dropped 3,941.08 points to wrap up trading at 331,907.30 and the JSE Financial Index slipped 0.58 points to settle at 71.50.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.7. 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 around August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 13 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments sank $1.50 to end at $69.90 in an exchange of 24,819 shares, Berger Paints skidded 78 cents in closing at $5.80 with investors trading 11,188 stocks, Caribbean Cement rose $2.20 to $59.20, with 10,200 units passing through the exchange. Caribbean Producers rallied 50 cents to $10.14, with 156,924 stocks changing hands, Eppley increased $3.51 and ended at $38.50 after an exchange of 2,304 shares, First Rock Real Estate fell 48 cents to $8.50 and closed with investors exchanging of stock units. Guardian Holdings dropped $10 to close at $360 while exchanging 122 units, Jamaica Producers shed 84 cents in closing at $23.10 in trading 1,676 stock units, Jamaica Stock Exchange declined by 90 cents to $9 with 12,102 shares changing hands. 
Kingston Properties rose 30 cents to $7.30 in switching ownership of 28,055 stocks, Kingston Wharves popped $1.42 to $30.17 with investors trading 13,839 units, Margaritaville fell 48 cents to close at $17 after an exchange of 100 stock units. Massy Holdings dipped $1.49 to close trading 1,086 shares at $90.01, Mayberry Jamaican Equities climbed $1.10 to $10.10 as investors exchanged 216,456 stocks, Stanley Motta sank $1 and ended at $6 after 59,210 units passed through the market. Sygnus Real Estate Finance skidded $1.40 to $9.85 with a transfer of 13,803 stock units and Victoria Mutual Investments lost 30 cents, closing at $2.70 after trading 109,808 shares.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.50% preference share rallied $1.59 and ended at $7.47 after 540 stocks crossed the market and 138 Student Living preference share rose $5.55 to close at $190 after an exchange of 50 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
