Declining stocks outnumbered winners 3-to-2 on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Friday, with trading in 59 securities, similar to Thursday, with 19 stocks rising, 31 declining, and nine unchanged. Trading volume fell 22 percent, though the value was slightly higher than Thursday.
The market closed with 12,119,774 shares trading for $114,939,495, compared with 15,606,900 stock units at $112,807,911 on Thursday.
Trading ended with an average of 205,420 shares worth $1,948,127 compared to 264,524 stock units at $1,911,998 on Thursday. Trading for the month to date ended with an average of 229,051 units at $2,379,588, down moderately from 233,000 shares at $2,451,702 the previous day, with an average of 1,710,130 stock units at $16,217,430 in September.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 2.82 million shares for 23.3 percent of total volume, followed by Wigton Energy with 2.08 million stocks for 17.1 percent of the day’s trade, Sagicor Select Financial Fund closed with 1.81 million shares for 14.9 percent of the volume traded and Jamaica Broilers with 1.30 million units for 10.7 percent of market share.
The All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 1,336.87 points to 462,726.28, the JSE Main Index gained 142.95 points to settle at 386,033.03 and the JSE Financial Index slipped 0.14 points to 76.07. At the close, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 15.8. ICInsider.com compiles the JSE Main Market PE ratios. These are derived by dividing the last traded stock price by earnings per share for companies with the fiscal year ending around August 2027.
At the close of trading, AS Bryden rose 44 cents to $17.44, following trading of 44,363 stocks, Barita Investments fell $1.50 to $73.50, with ownership switching for 1,212 shares, Caribbean Cement rose 70 cents to end at $114, with 18,466 shares changing owners. First Rock Real Estate increased by $1.30 to end at $7.30, with investors dealing in 49,987 units, GraceKennedy fell $1.05 to close at $89.95, with 11,417 stocks crossing the market, Guardian Holdings climbed $16.50 to close at $377 in an exchange of 12,540 units. Massy Holdings dipped $3.95 to $75 with 3,557 shares clearing the market, Mayberry Jamaican Equities rose 72 cents to finish at $8 as investors exchanged 19,804 stock units, NCB Financial lost $2.45 and ended at $71.55 with 122,557 shares passing through the market. 
Pan Jamaica slipped $1.79 to close at $44.20, with an exchange of 48,277 stocks, Quantas Advantage shed 40 cents to end at $24, with 23,741 units passing through the market, Sagicor Group gained 60 cents to close at $43.10 after trading of 46,368 stock units. Scotia Group dropped 85 cents to $71.55 with a transfer of 43,882 shares and Sygnus Real Estate Finance rallied 68 cents to finish at $7.90, with investors swapping 1,122 units.
In the preference segment, 138 Student Living preference share increased $18.88 and ended at $228.88 after an exchange of just 2 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those of the last transaction.
The market closed with an exchange of 345,233 shares for US$22,598 compared to 451,658 stock units at US$30,462 on Wednesday.
Quantas Advantage climbed 1.37 cents to finish at 16.37 US cents with 674 stocks crossing the market. Sterling Investments popped 0.18 of a cent to 2.28 US cents with investors trading 300 units, Sygnus Credit Investments gained 0.07 of a cent to end at 6.6 US cents with a transfer of 21,683 stock units, Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share remained at 4.6 US cents in an exchange of 4,300 shares and Transjamaican Highway fell 0.03 of a cent to finish at 6.4 US cents after trading of 301,518 stocks.
The financial services stocks with standout performances include Barita Investments, Mayberry Group, Sagicor Real Estate X Fund, Sagicor Select Funds, First Rock Real Estate, Scotia Group, QWI Investments, Sygnus Real Estate Finance and VM Investments, all among the biggest movers, which points to increased interest in that part of the market.
If ICInsider.com’s projections hold, the week’s weakness would look like a pullback rather than a change of trend. The remaining five forecast names did not appear on either movers list.
On the downside, A.S. Bryden was the weakest performer, declining by 22.13 percent. General Accident Insurance declined 18.89 percent and First Rock Real Estate lost 15.06 percent. JMMB Group shed 11.81 percent, and Sygnus Real Estate Finance slipped by 7.97 percent. Berger Paints eased 7.67 percent, Palace Amusement fell 6.78 percent, Sterling Investments declined 6.63 percent. Jamaica Producers shed 5.59 percent and Transjamaican Highway lost 5.54 percent.
Quantas Advantage advanced 0.12 of one cent to end at 15 US cents with 900 shares being traded, Sygnus Credit Investments dropped 0.37 of a cent in closing at 6.53 US cents in an exchange of 14,940 units and Transjamaican Highway rallied 0.22 of one cent to 6.43 US cents with 408,117 stocks crossing the market.
The market closed with 12,913,449 shares trading for $139,868,128, after rising from 18,731,691 stock units at $242,408,969 on Tuesday.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 15.7. ICInsider.com compiles the JSE Main Market PE ratios that are derived by dividing the last traded stock price by earnings per share for companies with the fiscal year ending around August 2027.
Jamaica Stock Exchange increased 65 cents and ended at $9.67 with a transfer of 1,682 units. JMMB Group advanced 64 cents to $17.65 with 41,747 stocks passing through the market, Margaritaville fell 65 cents in closing at $9 in trading of a mere one share, NCB Financial popped $2.50 to close at $74 with 59,781 stock units crossing the market. Pan Jamaica shed $1.10 to $43 ollowing a transfer of 648 shares, Proven Investments declined 55 cents to close at $9.30 with 1,701 units changing hands, Sagicor Group dropped 62 cents and ended at $42.28 in an exchange of 85,100 stocks. Scotia Group skidded $1.80 to end at $72.20 after trading of 3,267 stock units and Supreme Ventures increased 91 cents to $19.86 with 522,159 shares clearing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those of the last transaction.
The market closed with an exchange of 236,327 shares, down 67 percent from 709,279 stock units on Monday, resulting in a value of US$16,739 after tumbling 62 percent from US$43,937 on Monday.
Proven Investments declined 0.01 of a cent and ended at 5.75 US cents after trading of 4,651 shares. Sterling Investments ended at 2.1 US cents in switching owners of 5,265 stock units, Sygnus Credit Investments rose 0.25 of one cent in closing at 6.9 US cents with investors trading 32,988 shares, Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share shed 0.39 of a cent to end at 4.6 US cents with 500 units crossing the exchange and Transjamaican Highway dropped 0.23 of one cent in closing at 6.21 US cents in trading 186,689 stocks.
The market closed with an exchange of 709,279 shares for US$43,937, down from 743,959 stock units at US$54,674 on Friday.
Proven Investments dropped 0.23 of a cent to 5.76 US cents with 97 shares changing hands. Quantas Advantage rose 0.06 of a cent to close at 14.88 US cents after trading of 4,244 stock units, Sterling Investments lost 0.18 of a cent to close at 2.1 US cents with a mere one share passing through the market and Transjamaican Highway dipped 0.05 of one cent to end at 6.44 US cents in switching ownership of 704,923 stock units.
The market closed with an exchange of 1,821,141 shares for US$121,746, well over the 585,996 stock units at US$37,012 on Tuesday.
Proven Investments remained at 6 US cents in an exchange of 10,000 stock units, Quantas Advantage skidded 2.5 cents in closing at a new high of 13.5 US cents with 50,000 shares clearing the market, Sterling Investments ended at 2.28 US cents after an exchange of 1,313 units. Sygnus Credit Investments popped 0.1 of a cent to 7 US cents with investors dealing in 203,053 stocks and Transjamaican Highway rallied 0.2 of one cent to finish at 6.7 US cents after a transfer of 1,451,183 stock units.
Going forward, ICInsider.com’s forecast of leading Main Market stocks for the twelve months into late 2027 anticipates substantial upside across a group of stocks. Berger Paints tops the list with forecasted appreciation of 597 percent, ahead of Margaritaville with 572 percent and Sygnus Credit Investments with a 496 percent. QWI Investments is projected to gain 433 percent, Jamaica Broilers 402 percent and JMMB Group 382 percent. Further down, 138 Student Living is projected to rise 300 percent, as it recovers from a recent steep fall. Palace Amusement Company is projected to deliver a 239 percent, as good quality movies is expected to be a big pulling card for patrons, Lasco Distributors is projected for 215 percent rise and Caribbean Cement Company 155 percent to round out the ten.
It was followed by First Rock Real Estate, up 24.6 percent, VM Investments rallied by 20.6 percent. Sygnus Real Estate popped 14.5 percent and Berger Paints rose 12.6 percent. Kingston Properties advanced 12.3 percent while Jamaica Broilers Group rose 11.1 percent. 138 Student Living moved 9.1 percent higher, Barita Investments rose 8.3 percent, and a security trading under the symbol Tropical Battery closed out the top ten with a gain of 7.1 percent.
Eppley lost 9.09 percent, and Caribbean Producers declined by 6.25 percent. Rounding out the bottom half, , Mayberry Jamaican Equities fell by 4.23 percent, Sagicor Select Manufacturing and Distribution 
The market closed with trading of 19,036,666 shares with the value at $284,857,279, up from 12,183,080 stocks at $237,605,239 on Monday.
At the close, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
Quantas Advantage climbed 49 cents to $24.99 in trading 96,330 stocks, QWI Investments climbed 11 cents to close at a 52 weeks high of 87 cents, after trading of 747,061 shares, Sagicor Real Estate Fund rallied $1.48 to $9.78, with 102 stocks crossing the market. Scotia Group advanced $8.25 to a 52 weeks high of $67.50, with swapping of 890,332 shares and Sygnus Real Estate Finance rose $1.13 in closing at $8.63 after 35 stocks passed through the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction