Month end bounce hits JSE Main Market

Stocks mostly rose to close out the half year with gains at the close of trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Friday, resulting in some stocks hitting new yearly highs and lows, with Carreras ending at a 52 weeks’ high of $9.43, Jamaica Broilers trading at an intraday high of $40, while NCB Financial sank to a multiyear closing low of $54.84, following a 98 percent jump in the volume of stocks traded with the value rising 113 percent more than on the prior day.

Carreras hits a new yearly high on Friday.

Trading ended with activities in 61 securities up from 55 on Thursday and ended with prices of 24 stocks rising, 23 declining and 14 ending unchanged, resulting in 27,058,198 shares trading at $213,443,083 compared with 13,687,861 units at $100,043,332 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 443,577 shares at $3,499,067 versus 248,870 units at $1,818,970 on Thursday. For the month to date, trading averaged 246,425 units at $1,945,941 up from with 235,472 units at $1,859,656 on the previous day and May that closed with an average of 336,947 units at $2,177,110.
Wigton Windfarm led trading with 14.05 million shares for 51.9 percent of total volume followed by Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 2.64 million units for 9.8 percent of the day’s trade, Transjamaican Highway with 2.45 million stock units for 9 percent of market share and Supreme Ventures with 1.56 million shares for 5.8 percent of total volume.
The All Jamaican Composite Index jumped 3,166.41 points to close at 358,136.59, the JSE Main Index rose 1,525.91 points to close trading at 318,919.87 and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.56 points to close at 66.85.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 14.2. 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.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 19 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, AS Bryden dropped $1.60 to $36 with investors transferring 222 units, Barita Investments had a typical end of quarter move with both the price and volume popping higher, with a rise of $3.14 to $74.89 and an exchange of 742,141 stocks, Caribbean Cement increased $2.98 in closing at $64.98, closing with an exchange of 32,544 shares. Caribbean Producers popped 60 cents to end at $9.60 with investors trading 878,024 units, Eppley fell $2.38 to close at $36.50, with 1,125 shares crossing the exchange, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund gained $2.99 to finish at $40 in trading 291 units. Guardian Holdings shed $5 and ended at $345 after 346 stocks passed through the market, Jamaica Broilers rose $2.50 to $35.50 with an exchange of 819,391 stock units, Jamaica Producers advanced 50 cents to finish at $25 with 142,941 shares clearing the market. Kingston Wharves dropped 49 cents in closing at $26 as investors exchanged 82,906 stock units, Mayberry Group lost 69 cents to close at $7.31 after a transfer of 324 stocks, Mayberry Jamaican Equities slipped 49 cents to end at $9 in the trading of 40,000 units. NCB Financial sank $1.16 to end at a multiyear closing low of $54.84 after an exchange of 30,415 stocks and trading as low as $52.90, Pan Jamaica declined $4.47 to finish at $46 with investors trading 360,819 shares, Sagicor Group climbed 50 cents and ended at $41 after an exchange of 93,948 stock units. Seprod popped $7.90 in closing at $87.90 after 54,417 units raced across the market and Supreme Ventures climbed $2.90 to end at $26 in an exchange of 1,563,786 stocks.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% rose $6.47 to close at $47.97 with investors swapping 41 units. JMMB Group 7% preference share rallied 42 cents to $2.76 with a transfer of 11 shares, 138 Student Living preference share jumped $19.55 to end at $200, with 1,183 stock units changing hands and Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5% skidded $2 in closing at $108 with traders dealing in 500 shares.