Main market trading below the norm

Trading dropped back sharply from the elevated levels on Friday when NCB Financial and Radio Jamaica dominated trading volume and value, with market the on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended on Monday, with the volume of stocks traded declining 92 percent and the value 96 percent lower than on Friday, with trading in 57 securities compared with 56 on Friday, with prices of 17 stocks rising, 27 declining and 13 ending unchanged.
The market closed with 6,572,450 shares trading for just $39,001,459 down from 78,787,930 stock units at $1,038,285,105 on Friday.
Trading averaged 115,306 shares at $684,236 compared with 1,406,927 stock units at $18,540,805 on Friday. Trading for the month to date averages 755,402 stock units at $9,533,509 compared to 1,406,927 units at $18,540,805 on the previous day and July with an average of 602,415 units at $5,405,031.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 1.88 million shares for 28.6 percent of total volume followed by JMMB Group 7.35% – 2028 with 1.31 million units for 19.9 percent of the day’s trade and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 667,728 units for 10.2 percent market share.
The All Jamaican Composite Index shed 1,112.00 points to end at 353,347.19, the JSE Main Index popped 456.92 points to close at 312,326.56 and the JSE Financial Index dipped 0.15 points to settle at 65.89.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.8. 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.
b>Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows nine stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close of the market on Monday, AS Bryden rallied 42 cents to $37 after an exchange of 30 stock units, Caribbean Cement lost $1 and ended at $64 with a transfer of 26,882 shares, Carreras rose 35 cents to end at $9.50, with 95,869 stocks crossing the market. Eppley Caribbean Property Fund dropped $5.48 in closing at $35.50 with an exchange of 44,180 units, First Rock Real Estate sank 41 cents to close at $10.50 after the trading of 1,466 shares, General Accident declined 48 cents to finish at $6.62 after a transfer of 1,704 stocks. Guardian Holdings sank $8 and ended at $340, with 104 units changing hands, Jamaica Broilers advanced $1.65 to $34.50 with traders dealing in 44,618 stock units, JMMB Group dropped $1 to close at $23 after 11,635 shares passed through the market. Kingston Properties fell 65 cents to finish at $9 in an exchange of 4,900 stocks, Margaritaville skidded 39 cents to end at $14.50 with investors trading 251 units, Mayberry Group shed 49 cents in closing at $8 after an exchange of 30,005 stock units. NCB Financial popped $1 to $52 in trading 80,240 shares, Pan Jamaica increased 80 cents to finish at $51.05 and closed with an exchange of just 2 stock units, Sagicor Group slipped $1 and ended at $40 in switching ownership of 80,070 units. Sagicor Real Estate Fund climbed $1.35 to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $9.50 with just 5 stocks crossing the market, Scotia Group gained $1.30 in closing at $45 in an exchange of 4,867 units and Seprod lost $1 to end at $83 clearing the market with 8,219 stocks.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.25% preference share rose $2.79 to $19.80 with investors dealing in 34 shares, Jamaica Public Service 7% gained $1.34 to finish at $47.34, with 60 stock units crossing the exchange and Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5% popped $2.98 and ended at $107.99 with investors swapping juts 1 share.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.