JSE Main Market drops to close week


Big price gains in shares of Guardian Holdings, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund and Massy could not overcome losses in Seprod, First Rock and Sagicor Group, amongst others, that pushed down the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Friday. At the close of trading, the volume of stocks changing hands, jumped 65 percent and the value climbed 73 percent compared to Thursday, with trading in 57 securities, after sliding from 63 on Thursday, with prices of 14 rising, 25 declining and 18 ending unchanged.

The market closed with 23,804,492 shares trading worth $201,231,614 after jumping from 14,404,352 stock units at $116,400,565 on Thursday. Trading ended with an average of 417,623 shares at an average of $3,530,379, with an increase from 228,641 stock units at $1,847,628 on Thursday and month to date, an average of 366,596 stock units for $3,755,934 compared with 357,183 shares at an average of $3,797,541 on the previous day and March with an average of 244,194 stock units at $3,119,428. Lasco Manufacturing led trading with 8.19 million shares for 34.4 percent of total volume, followed by Transjamaican Highway which ended with 7.96 million stocks for 33.4 percent of the day’s trade, Wigton Energy closed with 3.21 million stock units for 13.5 percent of the volume traded and Jamaica Producers with 1.99 million units for 8.3 percent of market share. The All Jamaican Composite Index dived 4,794.25 points to 394,557.06, the JSE Main Index shed 2,646.24 points to close at 337,082.52 and the JSE Financial Index dipped 0.46 points to end at 62.46. At the close, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 13 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers. The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 23.5. The JSE Main and the 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 2026. At the close of trading, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund gained $3.99 to end at $44.49 after an exchange of 410 shares, First Rock Real Estate shed $2.28 to $8.72, after trading of 201 stock units, Guardian Holdings popped $10 to finish at $330 with 106 shares crossing the exchange. Jamaica Producers climbed $1.23 and ended at $23.74 with a transfer of 1,986,875 units, Jamaica Stock Exchange sank 85 cents in closing at $12 after an exchange of 9,422 stocks, JMMB Group shed $1 to end at $16 with 121,592 units changing hands. Margaritaville sank 57 cents to $11.14 after a transfer of 2,451 stocks, Massy Holdings increased $3.60 and ended at $74 in switching ownership of 320 shares, Mayberry Jamaican Equities dipped 66 cents in closing at $6.80 with traders dealing in 864 stock units. NCB Financial advanced 75 cents to end at $44 in an exchange of 45,315 shares, Pan Jamaica lost $1.20 to close at $47 with investors trading 23,073 units, Proven Investments rose 77 cents to finish at $13.25 with an exchange of 169 stocks. Sagicor Real Estate Fund declined $1.50 and ended at $8 with 687 stock units crossing the market, Scotia Group fell 50 cents to $50 as investors exchanged 430,893 shares and Seprod dropped $5.35 to finish at $78.10 after traders swapped 4,594 units.
In the preference segment, 138 Student Living preference share rallied $10 in closing at $216, with investors trading 12 stocks and Productive Business Solutions 10.5% popped $50 to close at $1,200 in an exchange of one stock unit.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

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