Winners led the losers on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Wednesday, following trading in 56 securities, after sliding from 60 on Tuesday, with prices of 26 rising, 19 declining and 11 ending unchanged, resulting in solid gains in the market index. The volume of stocks traded declined 85 percent, while the value traded dropped 59 percent compared to Tuesday.
The market closed with 3,938,632 shares trading for $38,761,359, in tumbling from 26,920,421 stock units at $94,889,599 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 70,333 shares worth $692,167, decreasing from 448,674 units at $1,581,493 on Tuesday and month to date, an average of 326,757 shares for $2,667,684 compared to 345,406 shares at $2,811,358 on the previous day and March with an average of 244,194 stock units at $3,119,428.
On a day of very low trading, Transjamaican Highway led trading with 1.53 million shares for 38.9 percent of the total volume, followed by Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 481,151 units for 12.2 percent of the day’s trade and Wigton Energy with 330,482 stocks for 8.4 percent of the volume traded.
The All Jamaican Composite Index rose 2,373.86 points to wrap up trading at 401,237.95, the JSE Main Index advanced 1,399.52 points to conclude trading at 340,454.53 and the JSE Financial Index dipped 0.26 points to cease trading at 63.23. At the close, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 13 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 20.4. The JSE Main and the 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 2026.
At the close of trading, Barita Investments shed $1.04 to $68.03, with an exchange of 9,386 shares, Caribbean Cement sank by $1 to $100, after trading of 14,230 stocks, Carreras advanced 60 cents to finish at $21.20 in switching ownership of 242,309 units. General Accident popped 65 cents in closing at $6.35 with 282 shares crossing the exchange, Guardian Holdings rallied $1.08 to end at $320 with investors swapping 1,904 stock units, Jamaica Producers lost 75 cents to close at $22.55 in an exchange of 10,097 shares. Jamaica Stock Exchange declined 49 cents to $12.01 with traders dealing in 2,068 stock units, Kingston Properties sank 52 cents to finish at $11.98 in an exchange of 66,623 units, Kingston Wharves increased 49 cents and ended at $37.49 with investors trading 2,226 stocks.
Massy Holdings slipped $3.41 in closing at $70.59 after an exchange of 5,532 units, Mayberry Group climbed 84 cents to end at $6.39 in trading 2,231 stocks, Mayberry Jamaican Equities rose 65 cents to close at $7.25 after an exchange of 7,310 shares. MPC Caribbean Clean Energy gained $3.40 to $43 with investors trading 552 stock units, NCB Financial popped $2 in closing at $52 with 198,866 shares crossing the market and Seprod rallied 80 cents to end at $80 after a transfer of 1,418 units.
In the preference share segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% rose $3.99 and ended at $42.99 with 89 stocks passing through the market and Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5% gained $1.95 to finish at $103.95 after traders swapped a mere one stock unit.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.