Main Market racks up gains to start week

Trading activity resulted in a rise in the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Monday, with rising stocks outnumbering those declining by a wide margin as the volume of stocks traded rose 121 percent but with a 45 percent lower value than on Friday, following trading in 61 securities compared to 54 on Friday, with 27 rising, 18 declining and 16 ending unchanged.
A total of 20,926,744 shares were traded for $64,972,967 compared to 9,481,950 units at $117,605,489 on Friday.
Trading averaged 343,061 shares at $1,065,131, compared with 175,592 stocks at $2,177,879 on Friday and month to date, an average of 243,392 units at $1,160,533, versus  235,131 units at $1,168,440 on the previous trading day. March closed with an average of 356,137 units at $3,015,416.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 14.60 million shares for 69.8 percent of total volume followed by Wigton Windfarm with 3.75 million units for 17.9 percent of the day’s trade and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 534,101 units for 2.6 percent market share.
The All Jamaican Composite Index rose 1,710.31 points to close at 375,805.13, the JSE Main Index gained 2,554.58 points to end at 334,415.23 and the JSE Financial Index popped 0.22 points and concluded trading at 76.80.
The PE Ratio, a formula used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 13.5 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are computed based on the last traded price of stocks and earnings forecasts done by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows eight stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments increased $1.40 to close at $78.90, with 128,106 shares crossing the market, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund dropped $3 to $41 in trading 1,762 units, GraceKennedy rallied 50 cents to end at $79.50 in switching ownership of 3,671 stock units, Guardian Holdings climbed $9 after ending at $485 following a transfer of 102 stocks, Jamaica Producers rose 90 cents in closing at $21.70 after an exchange of 6,520 units, Jamaica Stock Exchange fell 93 cents to $13.20 in trading 7,913 shares, Massy Holdings popped $1.75 in closing at $87 after an exchange of 234 stocks, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy lost $1.26 to close at $84.99, with 13 stock units clearing the market, Proven Investments shed 50 cents to end at $26 and closed with 4,006 units changing hands, Sagicor Group gained 50 cents after ending at $50.50 with a transfer of 83,160 stock units, Seprod jumped $3.50 in closing at $72.50 after investors traded 59,198 stocks and Sygnus Real Estate Finance gained $1 after ending at $11 as investors exchanged 26 shares.
In the preference segment, Productive Business 10.50% preference share popped $20 to $1220 with investors transferring 55 stocks, Jamaica Public Service 7% increased $11 to end at $50, with 541 units changing hands and Jamaica Public Service 9.5% rallied $150 to close at $3000 with an exchange of just two shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.