JSE Main Market in weekend rally

Trading activity dropped sharply on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended on Friday, with the volume of stocks traded declining 36 percent, with the value 52 percent lower than on Thursday, after dealing in 55 securities compared with 51 on Thursday, with 20 rising, 15 declining and 20 ending unchanged.
The market rally benefitted from some significant price increases after Guardian Holdings jumped $29, Massy Holdings rose $8.80, Pan Jamaica climbed $3.46, followed by Sagicor Group, adding $1.29 and Caribbean Cement gaining $1.27.
A total of 5,448,012 shares were traded for $31,523,597, down from 8,555,217 units at $65,664,035 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 99,055 shares at $573,156 versus 167,749 shares at $1,287,530 on Thursday and month to date, an average of 224,992 units at $1,391,827, compared with 232,031 units at $1,437,586 on the previous day. September closed with an average of 218,512 units at $1,768,691.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 1.56 million shares for 28.7 percent of total volume, followed by Wigton Windfarm with 1.41 million units for 25.9 percent of the day’s trade and JMMB Group 7.35% – 2028 with 688,813 units for 12.6 percent market share.
The All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 168.58 points to finish at 346,820.31, the JSE Main Index popped 3,589.20 points to end at 315,399.16 and the JSE Financial Index rose 0.19 points to close at 68.67.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.1. 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 five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
At the close, Berger Paints dipped 93 cents in closing at a 52 weeks’ low of $6.50 in trading 6,563 units, Caribbean Cement rallied $1.27 to $50.32 and closed with an exchange of 13,083 stocks before the company reported nine months results with profit for the quarter rising bly from $1.2 billion in the 2022 third quarter to $1.94 billion on increasing revenues, with the nine months profit up modestly to $4.39 billion from $4.25 billion in 2022. Eppley rose 80 cents and ended at $34 with investors dealing in 209 shares, Guardian Holdings climbed $29 to close at $440 after an exchange of just one stock unit, Jamaica Producers lost 95 cents to end at $19 with 4,000 shares, clearing the market. JMMB Group popped 50 cents to $27.50 after trading 36,025 units, Massy Holdings gained $8.80 and ended at $98.80, with just three stocks crossing the market, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy skidded $13.50 in closing at $76.50 as investors exchanged 100 stock units. Pan Jamaica increased $3.46 to close at $50.46 after a transfer of 50 shares, Proven Investments fell $2.24 to end at $21.50 with stakeholders trading 6,000 units, Sagicor Group advanced $1.29 to $43.50 in switching ownership of 3,697 stocks. Seprod popped 50 cents to close at $71.50 after 2,054 stock units crossed the market and Wisynco Group advanced 71 cents in closing at $19.95 in an exchange of 107,030 shares.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 9.5% dropped $9 to end at $2,890, with one stock changing hands and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share rose $4.25 and ended at $125 with traders dealing in 10 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.