Main Market trading back to normal

Absent a big trade in shares on Wednesday similar to the Caribbean Producers block on Tuesday, the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended, with a 96 percent plunge in volume with a 97 percent fall in the value of stocks traded compared with Tuesday, following trading in 57 securities up from with 55 on Tuesday and ended with prices of 16 stocks rising, 25 declining and 16 ending unchanged.
At the close of the market Caribbean Producers traded at an intraday 52 weeks’ high of $13.89 before closing at $11.10, Key Insurance ended at a 52 weeks’ closing low of $1.65 and Innovative Energy closed at a 52 weeks’ low of 82 cents.
The market closed on Wednesday with 17,985,127 shares being traded at $154,395,179 from 496,133,361 units at $5,190,393,912 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 315,529 shares at $2,708,687 versus  9,020,607 stock units at $94,370,798 on Tuesday, with a month to date average of 1,439,408 units at $14,440,476 compared to 1,637,128 units at $16,504,401 on the previous day and June that closed with an average of 246,425 units at $1,945,941.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 5.49 million shares for 30.5 percent of total volume followed by Wigton Windfarm with 4.45 million stocks for 24.7 percent of the day’s trade. Innovative Energy Group closed with 1.93 million units for 10.7 percent market share, Caribbean Producers was next with 1.24 million shares for 6.9 percent of trading, Carreras contributed 1.21 million stock units for 6.7 percent of shares traded and GraceKennedy ended with 1.06 million units for 5.9 percent of the overall volume.
The All Jamaican Composite Index skidded 225.66 points to wrap up trading at 357,126.48, the JSE Main Index rose 203.31 points to close at 318,474.57 and the JSE Financial Index popped 0.09 points to 66.97.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.9. 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 2025.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 12 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with a lower offer.
At the close of the market, AS Bryden sank $1.73 to end at $36.02 with a transfer of 1,752 stock units, Barita Investments shed $1.40 to $73.60 with investors swapping 11,441 shares, Eppley declined $1 to close at $35.50, with 104,119 units crossing the market. GraceKennedy popped 95 cents in closing at $73.95 after a transfer of 1,057,842 stocks, Guardian Holdings advanced $13.99 to finish at $359.99 in switching ownership of just 4 shares, Jamaica Broilers lost 63 cents and ended at $33.30 and closed with an exchange of 58,086 stocks. Jamaica Stock Exchange rose 74 cents to $11.09 in trading 22,062 units, Key Insurance dropped 40 cents in closing at a 52 weeks’ low of $1.65 after an exchange of 183,343 stock units, Lasco Manufacturing fell 40 cents to finish at $6 with investors trading 312,481 shares. Mayberry Group skidded 40 cents and ended at $8.10 in an exchange of 6,500 stocks, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy slipped $2 to end at $88 with a mere 4 units crossing the market, Pan Jamaica dipped $2.01 to close at $47.49 with an exchange of 1,523 stock units. Proven Investments fell 50 cents to $19 with 60,245 shares clearing the market, Seprod shed $1.67 and ended at $80 in an exchange of 8,728 units and Supreme Ventures gained $1.48 in closing at $24 with investors dealing in 6,872 stocks.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 7% preference share declined 52 cents to end at $2.72, with 10,954 stock units crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.