Stocks dropped sharply in trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Wednesday, following the volume of stocks traded climbing 106 percent with the value jumping 187 percent more than on Tuesday. Trading resulted in 57 securities changing hands compared with 63 on Tuesday, and ended with prices of just 12 rising, 29 declining and 16 ending unchanged.
The market closed with trading of 22,998,547 shares at a value of $198,140,943, up from 11,182,534 units at $69,085,645 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 403,483 shares with an average of $3,476,157 compared to 177,501 stock units at $1,096,598 on Tuesday.
Trading for the month to date, ended with an average of 247,021 stock units at $1,977,838 up from 175,099 shares with a value of $1,289,095 on the previous day and January with an average of 271,336 stock units at $2,043,022.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 11.20 million shares for 48.7 percent of total volume followed by Wigton Energy, with 5.10 million stocks for 22.2 percent of the day’s trade, Carreras closed with 2.12 million shares for 9.2 percent of the volume traded and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 2.07 million units for 9 percent of market share.
The All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 6,951.35 points to wrap up trading at 397,711.10, the JSE Main Index declined by 5,655.23 points to settle at 342,314.31 and the JSE Financial Index dipped 0.25 points to close at 63.64. At the close, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 14 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 17.4. The JSE Main and the 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 2026.
At the close, Caribbean Cement gained $2.16 to end at $109 with investors swapping 6,219 shares, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund rose $5.31 to $45, with trading of 514 stocks, Guardian Holdings rallied $1 to $365 with investors trading 43 units. Jamaica Producers slipped $1.64 and ended at $22.75, with 2,303 shares crossing the market, Margaritaville sank $1.82 to finish at $10.30 in trading 31 stock units, Massy Holdings lost 95 cents to close at $74 after a transfer of 900,163 shares. Mayberry Jamaican Equities fell 50 cents to $7.50 with investors trading 810 units, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy sank $6 to close at $38 in an exchange of 132 stocks, Pan Jamaica increased 71 cents to finish at $47.99, with 765 stock units clearing the market. Scotia Group dipped $1.47 and ended at $50.13 following an exchange of 14,668 shares, 
Seprod shed $4.88 to end at $78.11 after trading of 6,852 units, Stanley Motta dropped 64 cents in closing at $6.50 with an exchange of 500 shares Transjamaican Highway declined 42 cents to $5.84 in switching ownership of 11,202,878 stocks, West Indies Petroleum skidded $1.16 and ended at $10.10 with traders dealing in 169,985 shares and Wisynco Group sank 50 cents to end at $22.50 as 130,389 stock units passed through the market.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.75% preference share skidded $1.97 in closing at $18.02 with investors dealing in 13 stocks, 138 Student Living preference share climbed $23.99 to finish at $243.99 after one share was traded, Productive Business Solutions 10.5% sank $165 to close at $965 with an exchange of 500 shares. Sygnus Credit Investments 10% declined 50 cents to $106.50 and closed with an exchange of 109 stock units and Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5% lost 89 cents to finish at $99.11 with a transfer of 77 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.