Trading surged on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended on Tuesday, with the volume of stocks traded jumping 114 percent, with the value just below Monday’s value, following investors’ active interest in 61 securities compared with 62 on the previous day and ending with prices of 24 stocks rising, 21 declining and 16 ending unchanged.
The market closed with 18,518,178 shares being traded for $73,536,330 compared with 8,671,979 stock units at $74,051,831 on Monday.
Trading averaged 303,577 shares at $1,205,534 compared with 139,871 stocks at $1,194,384 on Monday and for the month to date, an average of 1,191,397 stock units at $50,300,578 compared with 1,374,970 shares at $60,452,110 on the previous day and February with an average of 405,332 stock units at $1,953,730.
Sagicor Select Financial Fund led trading with 6.29 million shares for 34 percent of total volume followed by Wigton Energy with 6.03 million stocks for 32.6 percent of the day’s trade and Transjamaican Highway with 1.58 million units for 8.5 percent of the volume of stocks traded.
The All Jamaican Composite Index skidded 881.85 points to finish at 381,353.04, the JSE Main Index climbed 2,744.12 points to finish at 328,614.31 and the JSE Financial Index increased 0.26 points to 68.53. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows eight stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 15.2. 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.
Lasco Manufacturing sank 47 cents to close at $7.50 after a transfer of 73,684 stock units. Massy Holdings climbed $9.99 to $80.99 with investors dealing in 13,547 shares, Mayberry Jamaican Equities rose 59 cents to finish at $10 in trading 102,000 stock units, Proven Investments advanced 98 cents and ended at $19.40 as investors exchanged 65,693 stocks. Scotia Group rose $1.40 to end at $60.50 with 64,768 stocks changing hands, Stanley Motta gained 37 cents in closing at $6.99 after an exchange of 656 shares and Supreme Ventures slipped 79 cents to close at $18.11 after 767,305 units passed through the market.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.25% preference share popped $2.03 to $19.25 with investors trading 100 stocks, 138 Student Living preferred share rallied $35.83 and ended at $295.08 in switching ownership of 56 stock units and Productive Business Solutions 10.5% preference share increased $50 to end at $1,050 with investors trading 734 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.