Moderate trading for JSE main market

Trading activity plunged on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Thursday, with the volume of stocks traded declining 64 percent and the value 85 percent less than on Wednesday, with trading in 57 securities compared to 60 on Wednesday and resulting in prices of 22 rising, 25 declining and 10 ending unchanged and two stocks hit 52 weeks’ highs.
A total of 9,660,257 shares were traded for just $49,441,575 versus 27,085,519 units at $325,797,894 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 169,478 shares at $867,396 down from 451,425 units at $5,429,965 on Wednesday and month to date, an average of 264,916 units at $1,429,746, compared with 270,842 units at $1,464,663 on the previous day. March closed with an average of 356,137 units at $3,015,416.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 3.80 million shares for 39.4 percent of total volume followed by Stanley Motta with 1.77 million units for 18.4 percent of the day’s trade after closing at a 52 weeks’ high and Wigton Windfarm with 1.40 million units for 14.5 percent market share.
The All Jamaican Composite Index climbed 816.41 points to 377,204.24, the JSE Main Index rose 954.77 points to close at 335,788.53 and the JSE Financial Index popped 0.08 points to settle at 77.17.
The PE Ratio, a formula used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 13.6 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are computed based on the last selling prices of stocks and earnings forecasted by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 10 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Caribbean Cement lost 98 cents after an exchange of 39,918 shares at $58,Eppley Caribbean Property Fund fell $2.90 to close at $40.60 after investors traded 160 stocks, Guardian Holdings declined $4.98 to $485.02 as investors swapped just 84 units. Jamaica Broilers popped $1.07 to end at $36.37, with 22,085 stock units crossing the market, Jamaica Producers rose 67 cents in closing at $21.67 with a transfer of 10,043 units, JMMB Group climbed 90 cents to $31.45 while exchanging 34,545 shares. Kingston Properties rallied 85 cents to close at $7.50 after trading 123,711 stock units, Margaritaville dropped 38 cents in closing at $18.62 with the swapping of 451 stocks, Massy Holdings gained $2.50 to end at $88, with 64 stocks crossing the market. MPC Caribbean Clean Energy shed $12.75 to end at $72.24 in switching ownership of 156 shares, NCB Financial increased $1.50 to close at $73.53 after 27,308 stock units passed through the exchange, Sagicor Group dipped 97 cents in ending at $49.03 as 15,946 units passed through the market, Seprod advanced $5.30 in closing at $75 with an exchange of 30,340 stocks. Supreme Ventures climbed 57 cents to $29.46 and closed with an exchange of 96,813 stock units, Sygnus Real Estate Finance declined $1.61 to end at $9.39 in trading 2 units and Wisynco Group shed 41 cents to $16.89 trading 101,965 shares.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% gained $19.12 to close at $98.61 with investors transferring 1,183 shares. JMMBG 7.5% closed at a 52 weeks’ high of $1.18 after trading 27,760 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.