Main market trading climbs but…

Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended on Thursday, with the volume of stocks traded rising 83 percent and the value 17 percent more than on Wednesday, with trading in 61 securities compared with 64 on Wednesday, with prices of 19 stocks rising, 21 declining and 21 ending unchanged.
The market closed with trading of 16,091,472 shares for $32,718,333 up from 8,771,865 units at $27,969,713 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 263,795 shares at $536,366 compared to 137,060 units at $437,027 on Wednesday and month to date, an average of 1,363,030 units at $4,979,719 compared with 1,520,802 units at $5,617,470 on the previous day and March with an average of 828,473 units at $2,341,254.
Sagicor Select Financial Fund led trading with 6.73 million shares for 41.8 percent of total volume followed by Wigton Windfarm with 5.18 million stock units for 32.2 percent of the day’s trade and Transjamaican Highway with 3.09 million units for 19.2 percent of the market’s trading.
The All Jamaican Composite Index lost 45.90 points to conclude trading at 367,603.94, the JSE Main Index increased 163.28 points to close at 328,302.59 and the JSE Financial Index slipped 0.29 points to 70.55.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.3. 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 six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments rallied 70 cents to finish at $73.70 with investors swapping 2,233 shares, Caribbean Cement shed 31 cents to close at $59.49 after an exchange of 2,601 units, First Rock Real Estate dropped 90 cents to end at $9, with 6,321 shares crossing the market. Guardian Holdings popped $9.50 in closing at $369.50 after an exchange of 14 stock units, Jamaica Broilers climbed 90 cents to close at $33.90 with investors trading 17,157 shares, Jamaica Stock Exchange sank 59 cents and ended at $10.06, with 6,490 units crossing the exchange. JMMB Group rose 97 cents to $25.99 after a transfer of 25,334 stocks, Kingston Properties skidded 34 cents in closing at $7.75 after 2,000 stock units passed through the market, Mayberry Group fell 30 cents to end at $7, with 10 shares changing hands. NCB Financial declined by $1.70 and ended at $65 in an exchange of 17,898 stocks, Pan Jamaica lost $2 to finish at $48 with investors transferring 637 units, Stanley Motta advanced 79 cents to close at $7.10 after closing with an exchange of 540 stock units and Wisynco Group increased 50 cents to $21 with a transfer of 14,045 shares.
In the preference segment, Productive Business Solutions 10.5% preference share gained $50 to end at $1,150, with investors dealing in 180 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.