JSE Main Market stocks slide

Stocks mostly slipped in trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Friday, with the Main market index slipping just under one percent for the first week in 2024, with the volume of stocks trading on Friday climbing 63 percent and the value 62 percent more than on Thursday, with resulting from trading in 59 securities up from 55 on Thursday, and ended with 18 rising, 23 declining and 18 ending unchanged.
Trading ended after 10,952,841 shares changed hands for $49,613,181 versus 6,738,490 stock units for $30,536,095 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 185,641 shares at $840,901 compared with 122,518 units at $555,202 on Thursday and month to date, an average of 153,732 units at $858,866 compared to 143,096 units at $864,854 on the previous day and December with an average of 264,266 units at $3,755,946.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 3.35 million shares for 30.6 percent of total volume followed by Carreras with 2.22 million units for 20.3 percent of the day’s trade, Wigton Windfarm with 1.32 million units for 12.1 percent market share and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 1.17 million units for 10.7 percent of total volume.
The All Jamaican Composite Index lost 3,528.13 points to end the day at 359,937.89, the JSE Main Index skidded 1,060.72 points to finish at 322,697.93 and the JSE Financial Index dipped 0.11 points to 70.34.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.4. 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 nine stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments lost $2.01 to close at $71 with a transfer of 2,146 stocks, Carreras sank 50 cents to $8.15 and closed with an exchange of 2,218,944 units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund climbed $1.02 and ended at $38.02 with investors trading 1,347 shares. First Rock Real Estate popped $1.05 to end at $8 with an exchange of 1,733 stock units, GraceKennedy gained $1.40 in closing at $79.40, with 12,007 shares crossing the market, Jamaica Broilers rose 40 cents to $33.90 after investors ended trading with 18,958 units. Jamaica Producers declined 50 cents and ended at $22.50 after a transfer of 4,475 stocks, JMMB Group fell $1.25 in closing at a 52 weeks’ low of $24.25 after switching ownership of 23,230 stock units, Kingston Properties dropped 49 cents to close at $7.01 after an exchange of 10,445 shares. NCB Financial shed 50 cents to end at $67 after 58,382 units passed through the market, Proven Investments rallied 34 cents to $22.44 after an exchange of 5,129 stocks, Sagicor Group dipped $5.39 and ended at $41.60 with investors swapping 34,746 stock units. Scotia Group skidded $1.29 in closing at $38 after an exchange of 50,732 shares, Seprod sank $8 to close at $77 with investors trading 28,326 units, Supreme Ventures rallied $1.39 to end at $25.99 with 20,775 stocks crossing the market and Sygnus Credit Investments declined 60 cents to $10.70 as investors exchanged 33,660 stock units.
In the preference segment, Productive Business Solutions 10.5 % preference share advanced $5 to end at $1,080 with 28 shares clearing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated