Stocks delivered relief for investors in the first quarter this year lead by an astronomical rise in the price of West Indies Petroleum, that led 21 stocks in recording gains in the Main Market, even as prices of 31 stocks declined.
The JSE Market Index rose 8.83 percent from 317,986.88 at the close of December 2025, to 346,079.71 at the end of March, this year, compared with a fall of 1.7 percent in 2025 for the same period.
West Indies Petroleum 722 percent quarterly surge was the most dramatic single move on the Main Market in years and is best understood in the context of a low base price at the start of the quarter combined with heavy speculation in a stock that is scare and significantly overvalued with a PE of 221, with minimal growth in profits. Kingston Properties was the second-best performer with a gain of 53 percent, reflecting improved quality of the 2026 operating profits and precious severe undervaluation of the stock. Transjamaican Highway rose 42 percent, buoyed by growing revenues and profit with positive projections tied to increased vehicular traffic from the Mandeville leg of Highway 2000 and increased dividend payment. Sagicor X-Fund advanced 23 percent, with its performance underpinned by improving profit outlook. NCB Financial Group rounded out the top five with a 21 percent gain, recovering from prior-year lows as the market repriced the stock from a vastly oversold position in 2025 as the group’s chairman struggled with negative perception that filtered into the stock’s performance.
Underperformers
On the losing side, Proven Investments (PRVN) declined 22 percent, weighed down by increased cost that resulted in a small loss in the December quarter and sharply reduced profit for the nine months versus the similar period in 2025. Mayberry Group (MBG) fell 21 percent, reflecting losses from the performance of its underlying equity holdings and a small loss on net interest income in 2025. Caribbean Producers Jamaica (CPJ) and Mayberry Jamaica Equities (MBJ) each declined 17 percent, with CPJ facing headwinds from mixed results for 2025 and reduction in visitor arrivals to the country that will affect sales and profit negatively in 2026, as the bulk of revenues come from that sector. Losses at MBJ ballooned sharply for 2025 due mainly to fall in market value of investments. Palace Amusement dropped 16 percent, with the company posting losses for the half year to December and continues to face challenges with returning to patronage at the pre COVID levels. Supreme Ventures (SVL) retreated 14 percent, as profits declined in 2025 and the gaming market faces increased competition, while concerns over gaming revenue sustainability also weighed on sentiment.
The market closed with 18,875,786 shares and ending with a value of $172,618,714, in comparison with 19,892,430 stocks at $135,267,009 on Wednesday.
At the close, AS Bryden slipped $1.70 in closing at $27.60, after 3,657 shares passed through the market, Barita Investments sank 49 cents to $69.30 in an exchange of 1,015 stock units, Berger Paints dipped 68 cents to close at $5.02 with investors trading 8,296 stocks. Caribbean Cement fell $3.49 to end at $104.50 with an exchange of 31,195 shares, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund popped $2.70 and ended at $44.70, with 5,943 stock units changing hands, Guardian Holdings climbed $4.95 to finish at $329.95 with a transfer of 275 shares. Jamaica Producers increased $1.24 to $23.74 after an exchange of 9 units, Jamaica Stock Exchange dropped 69 cents to finish at $12.21 in trading 7,755 stocks, JMMB Group gained 60 cents and ended at $17.10 after a transfer of 13,776 stock units. Kingston Properties rose $1.30 to close at $13.80, with 6,014 shares crossing the exchange, Kingston Wharves shed $1.85 in closing at $35.50 with investors dealing in 18,689 stock units, Margaritaville declined 81 cents to end at $11.19 after an exchange of 4,951 stocks. Massy Holdings advanced 93 cents in closing at $72.43 after trading of 1,777 units, Mayberry Jamaican Equities rallied 42 cents to $7.10 in an exchange of 52 shares, NCB Financial lost $1.92 to finish at $43 with investors swapping 443,847 stock units.
Pan Jamaica skidded 75 cents and ended at $48.25, with 2,143 units crossing the market, Proven Investments popped 42 cents to close at $14.27 in switching ownership of 691 stocks, Seprod sank 75 cents to end at $81, with 502 shares clearing the market. Stanley Motta shed 46 cents in closing at $6.53 as investors exchanged 155 stocks, Supreme Ventures sank 48 cents to a 52 weeks closing low of $14.49 and closed with an exchange of 3,228,392 units and Wisynco Group advanced 50 cents and ended at $22 with investors trading 72,364 stock units.
The market closed with 19,892,430 shares trading for $135,267,009, down from with 50,208,689 stock units at $552,584,464 on Tuesday.
At the close of trading, Barita Investments popped 49 cents to end at $69.79 with investors trading 3,754 shares, Eppley slipped $1.50 to end at $35.50 with 1,744 stocks crossing the exchange, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund sank $3.50 to $42 after trading in 100 shares. GraceKennedy increased 40 cents to finish at $70.40 in an exchange of 13,772 stock units, Guardian Holdings climbed $8 and ended at $325 with 275 stock units clearing the market, Jamaica Producers lost 50 cents to close at $22.50 after a transfer of 46,873 shares. Jamaica Stock Exchange rose 80 cents to $12.90 in trading 4,684 stock units, JMMB Group sank 75 cents to close at $16.50 with 26,205 stocks passing through the market, Kingston Properties declined $1.87 in closing at $12.50 as investors exchanged 3,862 units. Margaritaville shed $1.08 to end at $12 with 121 stocks changing hands, Massy Holdings dropped 95 cents and ended at $71.50 after an exchange of 2,657 shares,
Mayberry Jamaican Equities fell 77 cents to finish at $6.68 with investors trading 47,572 stock units. NCB Financial gained $1.41 to $44.92 after an exchange of 23,608 units, Pan Jamaica skidded $4.50 to close at $49 with a transfer of 545 shares, Proven Investments dipped 65 cents in closing at $13.85 with 3,508 units crossing the market. Sagicor Real Estate Fund rallied $1.14 to end at $11 following trading of 1,148 stock units, Seprod sank $1.55 to finish at $81.75 in an exchange of 1,940 stock units, Supreme Ventures skidded $1.91 and ended at $14.97 with traders dealing in 913,790 shares and Wisynco Group fell 50 cents to $21.50 with 99,191 stock units crossing the market.
The market closed with 50,208,689 shares trading worth $552,584,464 compared with 17,475,201 stock units at $99,709,568 on Monday.
The All Jamaican Composite Index gained 424.09 points to close at 408,845.09, but the JSE Main Index dropped by 1,132.37 points to end at 346,079.71 and the JSE Financial Index dipped 0.86 points to close at 63.27. At the close, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 12 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
Kingston Properties rose $1.84 to $14.37, with trading of 11,124 stocks, Margaritaville popped $1.55 to $13.08 in an exchange of 262 shares, Mayberry Jamaican Equities advanced 70 cents to finish at $7.45 after trading of 2,065 stock units. NCB Financial fell 48 cents and ended at $43.51 after trading of 1,466,953 shares, Pan Jamaica slipped 49 cents to end at $53.50 with traders dealing in 577,922 stock units, Sagicor Group climbed 50 cents to close at $42, with 403,446 units crossing the exchange. Seprod increased $1.30 to $83.30 with investors trading 18,384 stocks, Stanley Motta climbed 79 cents in closing at $6.99, after 322,446 units crossed the market, Supreme Ventures increased 88 cents and ended at $16.88 in trading 6,059,999 stocks and West Indies Petroleum sank 45 cents to close at $10.85 after a transfer of 9,481 shares.
The market closed with 17,475,201 shares being traded at $99,709,568 compared to 16,647,376 stock units at $126,834,342 on Friday.
At the close, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 11 stocks ending with bids higher than the last selling prices and 8 with lower offers.
Massy Holdings rose 84 cents to $72.84 in switching ownership of 1,101 shares, Mayberry Jamaican Equities shed 70 cents to end at $6.75 after an exchange of 1,891 stocks, Pan Jamaica advanced $1.19 to finish trading of 125,558 units at $53.99. Portland JSX gained 51 cents to $9 in an exchange of 5 stock units, Sagicor Group fell 50 cents to finish at $41.50, with 19,809 shares crossing the market, Seprod popped $4.50 and ended at $82 with a transfer of 27,822 stock units and Sterling Investments slipped 54 cents to close at $2.96 after it closed with an exchange of 1,003,568 units.
The volume of stocks traded rose by a mere 4 percent, more importantly, the value dropped 39 percent lower compared to Thursday, with trading ending in 58 securities, as is the case on Friday, resulting in prices of 25 rising, 16 declining and 17 ending unchanged.
At the close, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows eight stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
Kingston Properties increased $1.42 to a 52 weeks high of $12, with 18,335 stocks clearing the market, Kingston Wharves climbed $1.50 to $37.50 in an exchange of 7,345 units, Lasco Manufacturing gained 50 cents in closing at $6.70 with investors swapping 11,791 units. Massy Holdings sank 90 cents and ended at $72 after a transfer of 1,898 shares, Pan Jamaica rose $3.81 to close at $52.80 in trading of 84,176 units, Proven Investments climbed $2.23 to finish at $14.50 and closed after 251,228 stocks were traded. Sagicor Real Estate Fund increased 72 cents and ended at $9.87 after an exchange of 1,757 stock units, Seprod dropped $1 to $77.50, with 105,260 shares crossing the market, Sterling Investments popped 40 cents to finish at $3.50 with investors trading 446,788 stocks. Supreme Ventures shed $1.15 to close at $16.05, with 3,397,677 units crossing the market and Sygnus Real Estate Finance gained 40 cents to end at $10.90 as investors exchanged 200 stock units.
Trading ended with an exchange of 20,743,087 shares changing hands for $214,214,112, with an increase from 7,397,470 stock units at $56,740,520 on Monday.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 20.8. The JSE Main and the USD Market PE ratios are based on last traded prices and earnings forecasts compiled by ICInsider.com for companies with the fiscal year ending about August 2026.
Pan Jamaica rose 50 cents to finish at $47.50 following an exchanging of 348,326 shares, Proven Investments lost 39 cents to end at $13 after an exchange of 4,185 stock units. Sagicor Group rallied $1.48 to $42 with 34,217 units crossing the market, Sagicor Real Estate Fund increased $2.64 to finish at $9.45 with traders dealing in 134 shares, Seprod dropped $2 and ended at $75 with 2,074 stock units clearing the market and Stanley Motta popped 82 cents in closing at $5.97 with a transfer of 1,745 stocks.
The market closed with just a mere 7,397,470 shares being trading at $56,740,520, down from 19,305,704 units at $72,750,971 on Friday.
The All Jamaican Composite Index climbed by 78.40 points to399,674.68, the JSE Main Index rallied by 66.85 points to close at 341,772.57 and the JSE Financial Index slipped 0.10 points to end at 62.87.
Caribbean Cement dropped $1.50 to end at $101 with 24,874 shares crossing the market. GraceKennedy fell 99 cents to close at $69.01, following trading of 21,526 units, Jamaica Broilers dipped 75 cents to finish at a 52 weeks low of $14.20 with 153,426 stock units changing hands, Kingston Properties lost 47 cents in closing at $10.48 with investors trading 9,324 shares. Pan Jamaica declined $1.25 to $47 in switching ownership of 20,698 stocks, Sagicor Group sank $1.23 to finish at $40.52 with 44,590 units crossing the exchange, Sagicor Real Estate Fund slipped $2.19 and ended at $6.81 in trading 128,209 stock units. Seprod shed $1.28 in closing at $77 after an exchange of 990 shares, Stanley Motta skidded 82 cents to close at $5.15 with 5,000 stock units clearing the market and Sygnus Real Estate Finance rose 38 cents to end at $10.89 in an exchange of 2,180 stocks.
The market closed with 19,305,704 shares trading worth $72,750,971, compared to 12,195,921 stock units at $96,578,814 on Thursday.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 20.7. The JSE Main and the USD Market PE ratios are based on last traded prices and earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending around August 2026.
NCB Financial sank 78 cents to finish at $42.40 after an exchange of 441,507 units, Portland JSX dropped $1.49 and ended at $8.50 with investors swapping 1,089 shares, Proven Investments sank $1.44 to close at $13.45 after an exchange of 560 stocks. Sagicor Group increased $1.02 to $41.75 with investors dealing in 16,545 stock units, Sagicor Real Estate Fund slipped 45 cents to end at $9 in an exchange of 5,172 shares, Seprod climbed $2.28 in closing at $78.28 after 35,910 units passed through the market and Sygnus Real Estate Finance lost 49 cents to close at $10.51 with investors trading 456 stocks.
The market closed with 12,195,921 shares trading for $96,578,814 after a surge from 8,483,665 stock units at $54,897,479 on Wednesday.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 20.3. The JSE Main and the USD Market PE ratios are based on last traded prices and earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with the fiscal year ending around August 2026.
Margaritaville advanced $1.50 to finish at $12.68 with investors trading 18 shares, Mayberry Jamaican Equities fell 51 cents and ended at $6.96 with 4,602 stocks crossing the market, Portland JSX popped $1.42 to close at $9.99 after an exchange of 18 units. Proven Investments increased $2.84 to $14.89 with investors dealing in 508,481 stock units, Seprod gained $1 to finish at $76 after a transfer of 1,107 shares and West Indies Petroleum skidded 62 cents and ended at $11 with traders dealing in 59,326 units.