JSE Main Market slips into April

Following the closure of trading for the long Easter weekend, the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended on Tuesday, with declining stocks overpowering winning two to one following a 25 percent fall in the volume of stocks traded declining with a 54 percent drop in value compared to Thursday, with trading in 62 securities compared with 60 on Thursday, with prices of 15 stocks rising, 29 declining and 18 ending unchanged as Radio Jamaica closed at a 52 weeks’ low of $1.20.
The market closed with 11,767,625 shares being traded for $77,270,952 compared with 15,645,101 units at $167,372,295 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 189,800 shares at $1,246,306 compared to 260,752 units at $2,789,538 on Thursday compared to March that closed with an average of 828,473 units at $2,341,254.
Wigton Windfarm led trading with 3.86 million shares for 32.8 percent of the overall volume followed by Transjamaican Highway with 3.42 million units for 29.1 percent of the day’s trade and General Accident with 1.0 million units for 8.5 percent of market share.
The All Jamaican Composite Index sank 1,084.66 points to close trading at 367,499.60, the JSE Main Index declined 135.73 points to settle at 327,662.97 and the JSE Financial Index rallied 0.13 points to 70.38.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.2. 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 11 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, AS Bryden jumped $3.50 and ended at $38.50 in an exchange of 150 stocks, Barita Investments lost $1.90 to close at $73 with investors swapping 13,978 units, Berger Paints popped 34 cents to end at $5.84 after 89 shares passed through the market. Caribbean Cement sank $2.70 in closing at $58.80 after an exchange of 3,851 stock units, Eppley rallied 45 cents to close at $34.66 in switching ownership of 472 shares, General Accident increased 35 cents to $5.65 after a transfer of 1,000,151 stock units. Guardian Holdings climbed $6 to close at $366, with 6,179 units changing hands, Jamaica Broilers declined 89 cents to $33.10 in an exchange of 76,126 units. Jamaica Producers fell 98 cents to end at $23 with investors dealing in 7,831 stocks, Jamaica Stock Exchange skidded 43 cents to $10.06, with 99,836 shares crossing the market, JMMB Group dropped $1.49 and ended at $25.01 in trading 150,970 stock units. Key Insurance shed 34 cents to close at $2.23 after an exchange of 3,568 shares, Kingston Properties dipped 40 cents in closing at $8 after 5,065 stock units passed through the market, Lasco Manufacturing sank 83 cents to end at $5.25 as investors traded 50,661 stocks. MPC Caribbean Clean Energy dropped $13.50 to $80 with an exchange of 1,532 units, NCB Financial lost $1.95 to end at $64 with investors trading 127,979 shares, Pan Jamaica gained $1 in closing at $50, with 2,572 units crossing the exchange. Seprod skidded 35 cents to close at $84.64 with investors transferring 3,811 stocks, Stanley Motta rose 46 cents and ended at $7.38 with 1,672 stock units clearing the market and Supreme Ventures fell $1.80 to $23 while exchanging 76,105 shares.
In the preference segment, Productive Business Solutions 10.5% preference share dropped $50.99 to end at $1,099.01 with a transfer of 12 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.