Stocks dipped on the Main Market on Wednesday

Stocks pulled back on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Wednesday, with the volume of stocks traded declining 54 percent and valued 40 percent less than on Tuesday, trading in 63 securities compared with 60 on Tuesday, with prices of 22 rising, 18 declining and 23 ending unchanged.
The market closed on Wednesday with trading of 7,679,552 shares for $53,712,877 down from 16,809,919 units changing hands at $89,019,950 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 121,898 shares at $852,585 below the 280,165 units at $1,483,666 on Tuesday and month to date, an average of 338,742 units at $2,162,186 compared with 350,853 units at $2,235,329 on the previous day and April  with an average of 680,802 units at $3,619,595.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 2.02 million shares for 26.3 percent of total volume followed by Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 1.38 million units for 17.9 percent of the day’s trade and Wigton Windfarm with 1.18 million units for 15.4 percent of the day’s trade.
The All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 1,331.50 points to 356,830.08, the JSE Main Index dipped 39.50 points to wrap up trading at 319,760.28 and the JSE Financial Index slipped 0.30 points to 67.89.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.6. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are based on the 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 nine stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, AS Bryden rose $2.57 in closing at $36.88 as investors exchanged one share, Barita Investments rallied 49 cents to end at $71.99 with 151 units clearing the market, Caribbean Cement gained 30 cents to close at $64.80 with investors trading 116,431 shares. Eppley Caribbean Property Fund popped $2.40 to finish at $39.40 after exchanging 2,325 stock units, First Rock Real Estate gained 90 cents and ended at $10.10 with investors transferring 3,278 shares, GraceKennedy climbed 55 cents to end at $74.05, with 146,545 stocks crossing the market. Guardian Holdings advanced $9.90 to $369.90 with an exchange of one unit, Jamaica Broilers rose 50 cents to finish at $32, with 134,634 stock units crossing the market, NCB Financial fell $1.11 and ended at $61.89 in trading 41,149 shares. Pan Jamaica sank $4.93 to end at $46.07 after a transfer of 7,360 stocks, Portland JSX rallied 78 cents in closing at $8.59 in switching ownership of 6 units, Sagicor Group shed $1.18 to close at $40 with traders dealing in 1,644 stock units. Sagicor Real Estate Fund declined 58 cents to $7.06 in an exchange of 4,200 shares, Seprod lost $2.02 to close at $79.98 to close with an exchange of 7,539 stock units, Stanley Motta increased $1.43 to end at $7.49 in an exchange of 1,446 units and Wisynco Group slipped $1.48 in closing at $20.31 after trading 19,491 stocks.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.25% preference share climbed $1.24 to finish at $20 after one share passed through the market and Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5% dipped 50 cents and ended at $109.50 after an exchange of 1,000 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.