Market activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended on Wednesday, with the volume of stocks traded rising 168 percent with 231 percent higher value than Tuesday, with Barita Investments accounting for 49 percent of the total value of stocks traded on the Main Market after activity ended in 57 securities compared to 55 on Tuesday, with 19 rising, 21 declining and 17 ending unchanged.
Barita Investments headquarters
A total of 28,254,323 shares were traded for $365,934,690 versus 10,530,582 units at $110,705,795 on Tuesday.
Trading on Wednesday averaged 495,690 units at $6,419,907 versus 191,465 shares at $2,012,833 on Tuesday and month to date, an average of 226,546 units at $3,170,510, compared with 211,963 stock units at $2,994,449 on the previous day. August closed with an average of 738,534 units at $5,975,613.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 17.70 million shares for 62.6 percent of total volume, followed by Wigton Windfarm with 2.62 million units for 9.3 percent of the day’s trade, Barita Investments ended with 1.80 million units for 6.4 percent of the market, Pulse Investments with 1.26 million units for 4.4 percent of shares traded and Massy Holdings with 1.13 million units for 4 percent market share.
The All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 388.89 points to end at 408,412.37, the JSE Main Index shed 2,103.56 points to 356,047.27 and the JSE Financial Index popped 0.26 points to settle at 86.13.
The PE Ratio, a formula used to ascertain appropriate stock values, averages 13.8 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios incorporate earnings forecasted by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending between November and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows seven stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments climbed $3.85 to $102.85 in trading 1,797,206 shares, Caribbean Cement popped $1.70 to end at $61, with 3,236 stock units crossing the market, Carreras gained 48 cents in closing at $8.88 after exchanging 58,865 stocks. Eppley dipped 40 cents to $38.50 after trading 500 units, First Rock Real Estate increased $1.75 to close at $13.75, with 133,786 units clearing the market, GraceKennedy dropped 80 cents to close at $90, with 116,985 stocks changing hands. Guardian Holdings fell $3 to $497 in an exchange of 114 shares, Kingston Wharves advanced $1 in ending at $37 as investors exchanged 2,918 stock units, Massy Holdings declined 55 cents in closing at $87.45, after 1,129,652 stocks changed hands. Mayberry Jamaican Equities rose $1.58 to end at $12.63 with an exchange of 141,470 shares, NCB Financial rallied $1 to end at $90, with a transfer of 100,439 stock units, Proven Investments shed $1.98 in closing at $30.02, with 4,100 units crossing the exchange. 
Salada Foods lost 47 cents in ending at $4.21 after exchanging 26,641 stocks, Seprod shed $2.47 to close at $64.53 in switching ownership of 16,339 units and Stanley Motta declined 40 cents to end at $4.50 after trading 33,339 shares and Supreme Ventures rose 40 cents to $27.50 with the swapping of 288,623 stock units.
In the preference segment, 138 Student Living preference share rallied $7.50 to close at $57.50 with investors transferring 256 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
