Stocks put in a B showing with the main indices surging sharply higher on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Thursday, with recent movements putting it on track to end the year with gains. The move higher follows an 18 percent drop in the volume of stocks changing hands and a 35 percent lower value than on Wednesday, resulting from trading in 58 securities, a fall from 60 on Wednesday, with prices of 19 rising, 23 declining and 16 ending unchanged.
Carreras traded at a 52 weeks’ high of $12.97, Scotia Group ended at a 52 weeks’ closing high of $53.13, Margaritaville traded at an intraday 52 weeks’ low of $8.98 but ended at a 52 weeks’ closing low of $10.50 and NCB Financial hit an intraday 52 weeks’ low of $48.58, with the price bouncing to close at $50.35.
The market closed with 7,996,027 shares trading for $37,197,500 from 9,736,528 units at $57,271,565 on Wednesday. Trading ended with an average of 137,863 shares valued $641,336 compared to 162,275 stocks at $954,526 on Wednesday and month to date, an average of 925,398 units at $7,435,489 compared with 1,021,359 shares at $8,263,348 on the previous day and November with an average of 286,669 stock units at $2,555,172.
Trading was led by JMMB 9.5% preference share with 3.07 million shares for 38.4 percent of total volume followed by Transjamaican Highway with 2.20 million stock units for 27.5 percent of the day’s trade and Wigton Energy with 1.31 million units for 16.3 percent of the day’s trade.
The All Jamaican Composite Index surged 4,323.53 points to settle at 372,231.35, up 1.4 percent for the year to date. The JSE Main Index jumped 2,486.67 points to 323,008.02, down 0.8 percent year to date and the JSE Financial Index rose 1.51 points to settle at 66.55. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator ended with a positive read, showing 14 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and just three with lower offers.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 14.2. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are based on last traded prices and earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending around August 2025.
At the close of the market, Berger Paints popped 70 cents to close at $7.70 and closed after 72 stocks changed hands, Caribbean Producers increased 40 cents to $8 after an exchange of 8,185 units, Carreras climbed 96 cents to finish at a 52 weeks’ high of $12.97 in trading 263,211 shares. Eppley rose 50 cents and ended at $30.50 after 5,050 stock passed through the market, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund gained $4 to end at $37 in an exchange of 7 shares, First Rock Real Estate fell 47 cents in closing at $8.20 with investors trading 22,500 stocks. Jamaica Producers dropped $2.50 to $22 in an exchange of 606 units, 
Margaritaville shed $2.72 in closing at 52 weeks’ low of $10.50 with investors dealing in 1,118 stock units, with the price falling to an intraday 52 weeks’ low of $8.98, before rebounding, Massy Holdings sank $7.69 to end at $80.01 after an exchange of 99,003 shares. Mayberry Group advanced 40 cents to finish at $8 with investors swapping 11 units, Pan Jamaica dipped 45 cents and ended at $51 with 1,197 stocks crossing the exchange, Proven Investments sank $1.60 to close at $17.10 after a transfer of 1,036 stock units. Seprod rallied 50 cents to $85 as investors exchanged 15,598 shares and Sygnus Real Estate Finance skidded $1.96 and ended at $9.04 in switching ownership of 15,372 units.
In the preference segment, 138 Student Living preference share dropped $65.31 to finish at $255 with 5 stocks changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.