Trading sank to low levels on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Thursday, with the volume of stocks traded declining 18 percent and the value 11 percent lower than on Wednesday, resulting in 6,187,825 shares being traded for a mere $24,579,359, from 7,575,200 units at $27,742,615 on Wednesday following trading in 55 securities compared with 59 on Wednesday, and resulting in prices of 19 rising, 19 declining and 17 ending unchanged.
Trading averaged 112,506 shares at $446,897 compared with 128,393 shares at $470,214 on Wednesday and month to date, an average of 206,282 units at $1,356,898, compared with 217,446 units at $1,465,231 on the previous day. April closed with an average of 264,549 units at $1,409,410.
Wigton Windfarm led trading with 3.25 million shares for 52.6 percent of total volume followed by 
Transjamaican Highway with 1.42 million units for 22.9 percent of the day’s trade, with the stock closing at a 52 weeks’ high and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 334,064 units for 5.4 percent market share.
The All Jamaican Composite Index jumped 3,407.99 points to finish at 372,122.92, the JSE Main Index slipped 84.16 points to close at 334,483.86 and the JSE Financial Index rose 0.86 points to 76.47.
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 traded prices and earnings forecasted by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 10 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments shed 50 cents in closing at $77 with a transfer of just 2 shares, Caribbean Cement jumped $2.98 and ended at $53 in trading 607 units, GraceKennedy fell 49 cents to end at $77.50 in an exchange of 30,110 stocks, Guardian Holdings dropped $27.99 to close at $472.01 with an exchange of only one stock unit. 
Jamaica Broilers rallied 53 cents to $37.28 in switching owners for 28,412 stock units, Kingston Wharves dropped $2.47 to end at $30.52, with 1,436 units clearing the market, Margaritaville popped $1.92 in ending at $19 as 34 stocks passed through the market, Massy Holdings dipped $3.50 in closing at $96 with an exchange of one share. 138 Student Living declined 34 cents to $5.01 after 20,642 units crossed the exchange, Proven Investments 39 cents to close at $25.80 after exchanging 41 stock units, Sagicor Group rallied $2.81 to $51 and closed after 1,340 stocks changed hands. Seprod climbed $1.85 and ended at $71.96 after a transfer of 12,501 shares, Sygnus Real Estate Finance increased $1.20 in closing at $13, with 3,775 stocks passing through the market and Wisynco Group fell 38 cents to end at $16.57 trading 111,075 shares.
In the preference segment, Productive Business 10.50% preference share lost $5 to close at $1,215, with 150 stock units changing hands, Jamaica Public Service 7% rose $19.35 to close at $79.35 while exchanging 684 units and Jamaica Public Service 9.5% shed $20 to end at $2980 with investors transferring one stock unit.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Only 7,575,200 shares were traded for just $27,742,615 compared with 10,763,695 units at $65,931,590 on Tuesday.
The All Jamaican Composite Index fell 511.59 points to 368,714.93, the JSE Main Index popped 437.53 points to finish at 334,568.02 and the JSE Financial Index inched 0.07 points higher to 75.61.
GraceKennedy rallied 50 cents to $77.99 after a transfer of 6,403 stock units, Guardian Holdings gained $28 to end at $500 while exchanging one stock, Jamaica Stock Exchange advanced 60 cents in closing at $14, with 7,050 shares crossing the exchange, JMMB Group dropped 97 cents to close at $29.02 as investors exchanged 11,918 units. Margaritaville climbed $3.37 in ending at $17.08 with shareholders swapping 750 units, Massy Holdings popped $1.50 to $99.50 as 30,226 units passed through the market, Mayberry Investments dipped 39 cents to close at $7.50, with 13,778 stocks changing hands, Mayberry Jamaican Equities lost 50 cents and ended at $10 with a transfer of 81,450 shares. MPC Caribbean Clean Energy increased $10.75 to end at $83 in trading 25 units, NCB Financial advanced $3 in closing at $75 after an exchange of 28,214 stocks,Proven Investments fell 59 cents to $25.41 in an exchange of 6,630 shares, Sagicor Group dipped $1.19 to close at $48.19 with 8,437 stock units changing hands. Scotia Group popped 50 cents to $35 in switching ownership of 21,437 shares, Seprod lost $1.89 and ended at $70.11 after an exchange of 2,282 units, Stanley Motta dropped $1.20 in closing at $4.95 after shareholders exchanged 153,530 stock units, Supreme Ventures declined 99 cents to end at $27, with 169,524 stocks crossing the market and Wisynco Group rallied 39 cents in closing at $16.95 with 60,885 stock units clearing the market.
In the preference segment, Productive Business 10.50% preference share rose $20 to close at $1220 in an exchange of 100 shares, Eppley 5% preference share fell $4.95 to $18.03, with 39 units changing hands and 138 Student Living preference share gained $17.81 to end at $150, with one stock clearing the market stock.
The JSE Combined Market Index climbed 708.92 points to 346,203.68. The All Jamaican Composite Index declined 511.59 points to 368,714.93, the JSE Main Index advanced 437.53 points to 334,568.02, as the Junior Market Index jumped 32.84 points to 3,717.39 and the JSE USD Market Index popped 1.03 points to 234.32.
The market’s PE ratio ended at 18.4 on 2022-23 earnings and 12.2 times those for 2023-24 at the close of trading.
Dividends paid or payable and yields for each company are shown in the Main and Junior Markets’ daily report charts along with the closing volume pertaining to the highest bid and the lowest offer for each company.
A total of 10,763,695 shares were traded for $65,931,590 compared to 11,476,890 units at $39,035,763 on Monday.
JSE Financial Index fell 1.08 points to 75.54.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.50% preference share climbed 70 cents to close at $6.90 with an exchange of 1,726 stock units, 138 Student Living preference share increased $12.02 to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $132.19 while exchanging one stock and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share fell $4 to $96 with a transfer of 14 units.
Trading ended after the JSE Combined Market Index dropped 3,556.37 points to end at 345,494.75. The All Jamaican Composite Index dumped 3,226.09 points to end at 369,226.52, the JSE Main Index dived 3,014.50 points to 334,130.49, as the Junior Market Index plunged 81.24 points to end at 3,684.54 and the JSE USD Market Index popped 1.10 points to 233.29.
The market’s PE ratio ended at 18.3 on 2022-23 earnings and 12.3 times those for 2023-24 at the close of trading.
Dividends paid or payable and yields for each company are shown in the Main and Junior Markets’ daily report charts along with the closing volume pertaining to the highest bid and the lowest offer for each company.
A total of 11,476,890 shares were exchanged for $39,035,763 versus 11,772,290 units at $54,877,421 on Friday.
The PE Ratio, a formula used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 13.5 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 between November 2022 and August 2023.
Key Insurance rose 50 cents and ended at $3.65 after just 1 stock unit was traded, Kingston Wharves increased $2.40 to close at $32.90, with 5,548 stock units changing hands, Massy Holdings rallied $3 to end at $98, with 4,590 shares crossing the market, Mayberry Jamaican Equities dipped 85 cents to $10 after an exchange of 211,881 stocks. 138 Student Living declined 34 cents to $5.01 while exchanging 2,650 units, Sagicor Group fell $1.97 to close at $48.03 after a transfer of 70,552 shares, Scotia Group shed 85 cents in closing at $34 with a transfer of 9,525 units, Seprod rallied 50 cents to end at $70.50 as 9,753 stock units passed through the market. Stanley Motta gained 36 cents to close at $5.56, with 2,081 stocks clearing the market, Supreme Ventures lost 35 cents in closing at $27.65 with shareholders swapping 17,945 stocks and Sygnus Real Estate Finance rose $2.29 to $11.80, with 3,078 shares crossing the market.
Eppley 7.75% preference share advanced $2.21 to $19.75 in an exchange of 84 stock units, Jamaica Public Service 7% fell $15 ended at $60 as investors exchanged 11,187 shares and 138 Student Living preference share jumped $15.67 in closing at $120.17 with investors transferring a mere 4 units.
Trading ended after the JSE Combined Market Index popped 2,137.12 points to 349,051.12. The All Jamaican Composite Index rose 741.69 points to 372,452.61, the JSE Main Index gained 2,274.28 points to settle at 337,144.99, as the Junior Market Index popped 1.65 points to close at 3,765.78 and the JSE USD Market Index dipped 5.57 points to 232.19.
The market’s PE ratio ended at 18.8 on 2022-23 earnings and 12.5 times those for 2023-24 at the close of trading.
Dividends paid or payable and yields for each company are shown in the Main and Junior Markets’ daily report charts along with the closing volume pertaining to the highest bid and the lowest offer for each company.
At the previous week’s close, Image Plus released solid full year results showing profit after tax that jumped 125.6 percent to $213 million or 21 cents per share. Based on those numbers, ICInsider.com revised earnings for the current fiscal year to 35 cents from 30 cents previously. On Monday, the company reported revised results, with the profit being even higher at $252 million, with a reduction in the amount previously booked as professional fees. Based on the revision, projected earnings were raised by the publication to 40 cents per share for the current fiscal year. The stock sits at the number three spot in the ICTOP10. The revision raises some serious questions about how such matters escaped the directors, auditors and the financial controller before the audited financial statements were released.
The Junior Market’s long history of rising around a month before the release of quarterly results and declining shortly after results are released seems to be starting with a rise of 108 points in the market index in the previous week with more this past week, with the supply of some stocks continuing to fall sharply.
The differences between the average PE ratio of the Main and Junior Markets and the overall market valuation are important indicators of the likely gains for ICTOP10 stocks.
with trading activity occurring in 55 securities compared to 57 on Thursday and resulted in prices of 13 rising, 23 falling and 19 ending unchanged.
The All Jamaican Composite Index fell 1,306.49 points to close at 371,710.92, the JSE Main Index rallied 1,443.60 points to 334,870.71 and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.10 points to close at 76.69.
Jamaica Broilers dipped $1.28 to end at $35.70 as 29,289 stocks passed through the market, Jamaica Stock Exchange rallied $1.24 to end at $14.24 with an exchange of 6,691 units, JMMB Group declined $1.40 to close at $29.60 after investors traded 126,267 shares. Kingston Wharves dropped $2.40 to $30.50 with investors trading 20,319 units, Mayberry Investments popped 45 cents in closing at $7.95 in an exchange of 60,363 shares, Mayberry Jamaican Equities fell 45 cents and ended at $10.85 after 6,511 units passed through the market, NCB Financial fell $1 to close at $72 with a transfer of 268,196 stocks. Portland JSX shed 48 cents in closing at $11 in an exchange of 20 stock units, Proven Investments increased $1.69 and ended at $27.10 in trading 1,888 units, Seprod declined $1.50 to end at $70, with 27,546 stock units crossing the exchange. Stanley Motta lost 50 cents to close at $5.20 while exchanging 834 stocks and Sterling Investments climbed 38 cents to end at $2.87 after a transfer of 517 shares.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.75% preference share dipped $1 to $17.54, with 558 shares changing hands, Jamaica Public Service 7% rose $7 and ended at $75, with 175 units clearing the market and JMMB Group 7.15% – 2028 climbed 47 cents to close at $2.94 after investors exchanged 10,905 stocks.
A total of 3,816,748 shares were traded for $33,796,305 compared to 6,353,061 units at $48,244,526 on Wednesday.
The PE Ratio, a formula used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 13.5 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 between November 2022 and August 2023.
Massy Holdings jumped $5.50 to end at $95 after an exchange of 3,762 stock units, NCB Financial declined $1.11 in closing at $73 with 41,486 shares changing hands. Proven Investments dipped $1.89 to $25.41 with investors trading 4,483 shares, Sagicor Group lost 50 cents to close at $50 in switching ownership of 13,572 stock units; Scotia Group rose 75 cents in closing at $34.85 with a transfer of 71,051 stocks, Supreme Ventures advanced 50 cents to $28, with 23,422 units changing hands and Sygnus Real Estate Finance shed $1.39 to close at $9.51 in an exchange of 1,000 stocks.
Jamaica Public Service 7% fell $22.52 in closing at $68, with 1,526 units crossing the market. JMMB Group 7.15% – 2028 dropped 45 cents to close at $2.47 while exchanging 60,000 stock units and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share declined $4 to close at $100 with an exchange of 89 shares.