Main Market ekes out gains on Thursday

Trading activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended on Thursday, with the volume of stocks changing hands rising 16 percent with a 40 percent lower value than on Wednesday. Trading took place in 52 securities compared to 55 on Wednesday, resulting in 24 rising, 16 declining and 12 ending unchanged.
A total of 9,049,895 shares were traded for $57,441,768 versus 7,777,704 units at $95,955,593 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 174,036 shares at $1,104,649 compared to 141,413 units at $1,744,647 on Wednesday and month to date, an average of 302,526 units at $1,854,414, compared with 313,426 units at $1,918,016 on the previous day and October that closed with an average of 214,410 units at $1,325,907.
Carreras led trading with 3.18 million shares for 35.1 percent of total volume followed by Wigton Windfarm with 1.74 million units for 19.2 percent of the day’s trade and Ciboney Group with 1.71 million units for 18.9 percent of the day’s trad
The All Jamaican Composite Index rallied 917.53 points to close at 350,126.89, the JSE Main Index advanced 335.47 points to finish at 315,274.10 and the JSE Financial Index slipped 0.07 points to close at 69.01.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.7. 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 11 with lower offers.
At the close, Ciboney Group popped 27 cents to close at $1.53 after an exchange of 1,714,624 stock units, First Rock Real Estate lost 69 cents to close at $7.85 with investors transferring 12,478 shares, General Accident dropped 60 cents and ended at $4.55, with 8,393 units crossing the market. GraceKennedy climbed 89 cents to end at $72.89 after a transfer of 112,399 stocks, Key Insurance fell 50 cents in closing at a 52 weeks’ low of $1.90 with stakeholders exchanging 69,034 units, Massy Holdings shed $1 to close at $90, with 805 stocks changing hands. NCB Financial shed $2.39 to end at $70 with investors dealing in 45,046 shares, Proven Investments skidded 73 cents in closing at $22.02 in an exchange of 15,505 stock units, Salada Foods increased 42 cents to close at $3.02 with traders dealing in 562 shares. Scotia Group dipped 50 cents to end at $33.50 as investors exchanged 131,682 stock units, Seprod rallied 25 cents to $75.25 with 3,156 units clearing the market and Stanley Motta rose 55 cents in closing at $6 with an exchange of just 250 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.