Stocks squeezed held a narrow path in trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Wednesday, following a 42 percent drop in the volume of stocks traded and a 29 percent lower value than on Tuesday, with trading in 50 securities compared to54on Tuesday, resulting in prices of 19 rising, 22 declining and nine ending unchanged.
A total of 11,799,520 shares were traded for $97,798,065 compared to 20,517,691 units at $136,987,002 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 235,990 shares at $1,955,961 compared with 379,957 shares at $2,536,796 on Tuesday and month to date, an average of 223,956 units at $1,423,151 versus 223,084 units at $1,384,541 on the previous day. April closed with an average of 264,549 stock units at $1,409,410.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 6.78 million shares for 57.4 percent of total volume, Wigton Windfarm followed with 2.28 million units for 19.3 percent of the day’s trade and Sagicor Group with 501,749 units for 4.3 percent of market share.
All Jamaican Composite Index popped 178.41 points to close at 369,782.50, the JSE Main Index lost 54.13 points to finish at 333,991.90 and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.07 points to finish at 75.43.
The PE Ratio, a formula used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 13.4 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 up to August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 10 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Barita Investments declined $1 to end at $76.80 with shareholders swapping 93,411 shares, Caribbean Cement fell $2 to close at $50 after 2,098 stocks changed hands, Caribbean Producers popped 40 cents after an exchange of 1,029 units at $9.40, GraceKennedy dropped $3.19 to end at $79 with 275,283 stock units changing hands. Guardian Holdings dipped $10 to $480, with 699 shares crossing the market, Jamaica Broilers increased 44 cents to close at $36.44 with a transfer of 876 stock units,
Jamaica Stock Exchange shed 77 cents to end at $13.06 with 92 units clearing the market, JMMB Group rose 40 cents in closing at $30 in an exchange of 411,656 stocks. Margaritaville gained $4.38 to close at $18.99 in switching owners of just one unit, Massy Holdings advanced 50 cents to end at $98 as 3,100 stocks passed through the market, Mayberry Jamaican Equities lost 49 cents to end at $10.01, with 44,300 stock units crossing the market, NCB Financial fell $1.40 and ended at $70 in trading 49,603 shares, Pan Jamaica Group dropped $3.50 in closing at $50.50 with investors transferring 12,712 units. Proven Investments declined 50 cents to close at $25.50, with 2,021 stock units crossing the exchange, Sagicor Group climbed $1.75 to $50 while exchanging 501,749 stocks, 
Scotia Group lost $1 to end at $34 after trading 35,429 shares and Supreme Ventures dipped 52 cents in ending at $26.98 with an exchange of 60,375 units.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% shed $5 in closing at $85 after an exchange of 539 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.