JSE Main Market falls

Trading activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended on Thursday, with the volume of stocks traded dropping 43 percent and the value plunging 64 percent lower than on Wednesday, following trading in 53 securities compared with 57 on Wednesday, resulting in prices of 21 rising, 22 declining and 10 ending unchanged.
A total of 8,704,735 shares were traded for $32,539,428 versus 15,314,858 units at $91,506,030 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 164,240 shares at $613,951 versus 268,682  stocks at $1,605,369 on Wednesday and month to date, an average of 380,455 units at $2,322,094, compared to 405,808 shares at $2,522,386 on the previous day. June closed with an average of 366,795 units at $6,952,581 including trading in Bonds.
Transjamaican Highway closed at a record close of $2.74, led trading with 2.95 million shares for 33.9 percent of total volume followed by Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 1.67 million units for 19.2 percent of the day’s trade and Wigton Windfarm with 1.56 million units for 17.9 percent of the day’s trade.
The All Jamaican Composite Index shed 1,227.06 points to close at 361,613.51, the JSE Main Index fell 863.88 points to close at 324,342.50 and the JSE Financial Index slipped 0.21 points to close at 71.10.
The PE Ratio, a formula used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 13.3 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are computed 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 seven stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments fell 50 cents to end at $74.50 as 10,522 shares passed through the market, Berger Paints declined 48 cents and ended at $7.56 with an exchange of 1,112 stock units, First Rock Real Estate shed 87 cents to $8.03 as investors exchanged 1,733 units, Kingston Wharves dipped $1.20 to close at $28.10 with a transfer of 94,612 stocks, Massy Holdings rallied 32 cents in closing at $98.32 in an exchange of 12 shares, NCB Financial dropped 48 cents and ended at $65 with stakeholders exchanging 22,635 units, Proven Investments popped $3.44 to end at $23.45 after a transfer of 262 stock units, Sagicor Group lost 38 cents in closing at $47.62, with 10,232 stocks changing hands and Seprod fell 50 cents to close at $72.50 after an exchange of 3,235 stock units.
In the preference segment, Productive Business 10.50% preference share advanced $24.99 to $1,125 with 149 units crossing the market, Jamaica Public Service 7% rose $4.15 to end at $45.69 with investors transferring 10 shares and JMMB Group 7.25% preference share lost 37 cents in closing at $3.07 with shareholders swapping 7,559 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.