Stocks sizzled in trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Tuesday, with five stocks closing at 52 weeks’ high and one at a low, with several stocks enjoying sizable price gains and leading the market to end with a major jump in the indices as All Jamaican Composite Index extended the gains for the year while the JSE Market index climbed into positive territory for the first time since mid- April this year.
Following the huge trade in Sagicor Group on Monday, trading returned to more sedate levels, with the volume of stocks traded declining 96 percent and the value 99 percent lower than on Monday, following trading in 63 securities compared with 64 on Monday, with prices of 26 stocks rising, 17 declining and 20 ending unchanged.
Carreras, Caribbean Cement, Pan Jamaica, Scotia Group and Wigton, all traded at 52 weeks’ high and AS Bryden closed at a 52 weeks’ low.
The market closed with 15,371,742 shares trading for $192,090,145 compared with 429,821,047 stock units at $15,801,536,064 on Monday. Trading averaged 243,996 shares at $3,049,050 compared to 6,715,954 stocks at $246,899,001 on Monday and month to date, an average of 1,035,471 units at $21,290,099 compared with 1,087,196 shares at $22,482,200 on the previous day and well above November with an average of 286,669 stock units at $2,555,172.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 3.91 million shares for 25.5 percent of total volume followed by Wigton Energy with 2.95 million stocks for 19.2 percent of the day’s trade, QWI Investments ended with 1.46 million units for 9.5 percent market share, Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 1.42 million shares for 9.2 percent of the total volume and Scotia Group with 1.11 million units for 7.2 percent of the traded volume.
The All Jamaican Composite Index climbed 3,683.43 points to wrap up trading at 378,087.06, the JSE Main Index climbed 4,705.60 points to conclude trading at 329,893.18 and the JSE Financial Index rose 0.58 points to 67.23. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 17 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 14.7. 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.
At the close, AS Bryden declined 51 cents to $30 after 7,029 stocks passed through the market, Caribbean Cement rallied $7 and ended at $85 with investors trading 45,413 units, Carreras popped 40 cents in closing at $13 with an exchange of 66,919 shares. First Rock Real Estate shed 81 cents to close at $8.70 with 302,492 stock changing hands, GraceKennedy advanced $3.74 to end at $80 with investors trading 775,977 shares, Jamaica Broilers rose $1.60 to finish at $38 in an exchange of 226,303 stocks.
Jamaica Producers dropped $1.99 to $22.01 with 6,437 units crossing the market, Jamaica Stock Exchange fell 90 cents to close at $12 after an exchange of 5,009 stock units, Margaritaville climbed 48 cents to end at $12.50 with 82 shares crossing the market. Massy Holdings increased $5.50 in closing at $87.50 with investors dealing in just 18 units, Mayberry Group gained 49 cents and ended at $7.99 with 6,439 stocks crossing the exchange, Mayberry Jamaican Equities popped 85 cents to finish at $10.05 after a transfer of 41,325 stock units. Pan Jamaica rallied $5 and ended at $57 as investors exchanged 116,269 shares, Sagicor Group slipped 89 cents to $37.11 in trading 29,649 units, Scotia Group gained $2.76 in closing at $54.91 with 1,112,346 stocks clearing the market and Wisynco Group climbed 55 cents to end at $21.75 in an exchange of 125,383 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.