Key Insurance rose 9 percent and led winners on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Wednesday and Lasco Manufacturing rose 12 percent with stocks closing mixed with the Main Market slipping moderately at the close as the volume of stocks traded declined 33 percent with an 84 percent higher value than on Tuesday following trading in 50 securities compared with 52 on Tuesday, with prices of 18 rising, 19 declining and 13 ending unchanged.
The market closed with just 7,392,747 shares trading for $92,547,726, down from 11,072,953 units at $50,190,156 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 147,855 shares at $1,850,955, compared with 212,941 stocks at $965,195 on Tuesday and month to date, an average of 149,397 units at $1,287,832 compared with 149,509, shares at $1,246,967 on the previous day and for May with an average of 245,284 stock units at $2,050,773.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 2.42 million shares for 32.8 percent of total volume followed by Jamaica Broilers which ended with 2.41 million stock units for 32.6 percent of the day’s trade and JMMB Group 7.35% – 2028 with 1.49 million stock units for 20.2 percent of the day’s volume.
The All Jamaican Composite Index dipped 530.03 points to close at 358,605.64, the JSE Main Index slipped 598.79 points to 311,055.40 and the JSE Financial Index dipped 0.40 points to finish at 64.16. At the close, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 15 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 13.3. 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 financial year ending around August 2025.
At the close of the market, Berger Paints sank $1.36 to end at $6.22 in an exchange of 2,157 shares, Caribbean Cement rose $1.02 to $82.08 with investors trading 1,722 units, Caribbean Producers climbed 40 cents to finish at $8.50 with traders switching ownership of 101,100 shares. GraceKennedy popped 50 cents and ended at $74 with investors dealing in 11,771 stock units, Jamaica Broilers rallied $1.40 in closing at $24.90 after 2,411,581 stocks were traded, JMMB Group increased 91 cents to close at $20.93 with 3,119 shares clearing the market. Lasco Manufacturing advanced 74 cents to $6.84 with traders dealing in 5,107 stocks, Mayberry Jamaican Equities dropped 67 cents to end at $9.03 after an exchange of 7,021 units, NCB Financial fell 75 cents in closing at a 52 week low of $40.26 with investors trading 151,221 stock units. 138 Student Living skidded 40 cents and ended at $3.28 in an exchange of 2,785 shares, Pan Jamaica sank 40 cents to finish at $51.10 with investors swapping 861 stock units, Proven Investments gained $1.19 to close at $17.69 with a transfer of 766 stocks. Sagicor Group rose $1 to $40.01 with 13,471 units crossing the exchange, Sagicor Real Estate Fund rallied 40 cents to finish at $8.50 in trading 1,168 shares, Scotia Group shed 50 cents and ended at $53 after a transfer of 77,499 stock units and Seprod increased 90 cents in closing at $77.90 as investors exchanged 20,098 stocks.
In the preference segment, Productive Business Solutions 10.5% declined $10 to end at $1,150 with a mere one unit crossing the market and Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5% climbed 50 cents to close at $100.50 after an exchange of 1 stock.Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
The market closed with trading of 5,248,562 shares for $10,721,628, climbing from 4,310,526 units at $6,684,160 on Tuesday.
At the close of a relatively quiet day of trading, Atlantic Hardware slipped 5 cents to end at 95 cents in trading 25,000 shares, Blue Power lost 10 cents to close at $4.90 with traders passing 1,522 stocks through the exchange, Caribbean Assurance rallied 11 cents to finish at $2.11 while trading 202 shares. Caribbean Cream gained 52 cents and ended at $2.47 as investors exchanged a mere one stock unit, Dolphin Cove popped 34 cents to close at $13 with a transfer of 19,748 units, Express Catering dropped 20 cents in closing at $2.50 with investors dealing in 250,575 stocks. Fontana shed 43 cents to $8.50 in an exchange of 60,521 units, Honey Bun sank 12 cents to close at $8.13 with 7,506 shares crossing the market, Image Plus climbed 14 cents and ended at $1 with investors trading 894 stock units. Indies Pharma declined 10 cents to end at $3.60, with 54,258 shares clearing the market, ISP Finance increased $1.20 to $11.40 as traders closed with an exchange of 32 stocks,
The market closed with an exchange of 782,822 shares for US$56,379, jumping from 291,466 stock units at US$51,106 on Tuesday.
At the close of the market, the JSE Combined Market Index sank 654.04 points to conclude trading at 321,483.00, the All Jamaican Composite Index sank 530.03 points to 358,605.64, the JSE Main Index shed 598.79 points to 311,055.40, the Junior Market Index slipped 11.33 points to settle at 3,357.29 and the JSE USD Market Index sank 0.68 points to finish at 210.98.
In the Junior Market, Regency Petroleum led with 1.51 million shares, Kintyre Holdings ended with 945,179 stocks and Lasco Financial with 542,196 units.
The market closed with an exchange of 291,466 shares for US$51,106 rising sharply from 62,270 stocks at US$15,014 on Monday.
The market closed with 11,072,953 shares traded worth $50,190,156, climbing from 5,165,643 stock units at $32,043,934 on Monday.
At the close of active trading, AS Bryden popped $1 to close at $27 with investors trading 10,032 shares, Barita Investments dipped 77 cents to $70.02 in an exchange of 4,111 stocks, Berger Paints rallied 58 cents to finish at $7.58, after trading at a 52 week intraday low of $5.97, in trading of 6,675 shares. Caribbean Producers fell 65 cents and ended at $8.10 after closing with 2,223 units changing hands, Carreras increased 55 cents in closing at $15.86 in trading 72,523 stock units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund climbed $6.59 to end at $42.59 with 519 shares changing hands. Jamaica Broilers shed 50 cents in closing at a 52 week low of $23.50, with investors trading 45,922 stocks, JMMB Group dropped 48 cents to $20.02 with 234,619 units crossing the market, Kingston Wharves rose 77 cents to end at $31.77 in an exchange of 302 stock units. Lasco Distributors advanced 58 cents and ended at $3.58 with traders dealing in 6,336 shares, Lasco Manufacturing lost $1 to close at $6.10 as investors exchanged 93,641 stocks, Massy Holdings skidded 45 cents to finish at $77.05 as traders switched ownership of 41 units.
The market closed with trading of 4,310,526 shares for a mere $6,684,160, down from 6,274,342 units at $10,070,268 on Monday.
At the close of trading, Access Financial gained $2.33 to finish at $16.72 with a transfer of 3 shares, Atlantic Hardware climbed 5 cents to $1 with investors dealing in 331,162 stocks, Blue Power rose 13 cents to close at $5 with 1,095 shares being traded. CAC 2000 skidded 11 cents to $2 in trading 10,002 stocks, Caribbean Assurance fell 12 cents and ended at $2 in trading 160,089 units, but only after the price hitting an intraday 52 week low of $1.74, Caribbean Cream dipped 36 cents to close at $1.95 with 600 stocks passing through the market. Derrimon Trading lost 8 cents to $1.82 with investors trading 626 units, Dolla Financial rallied 19 cents to end at $2.45 as 51,981 shares crossed the exchange, Dolphin Cove shed $1.23 in closing at $12.66 with 14,764 stock units changing hands. Express Catering declined 7 cents to close at $2.70 after an exchange of 48 shares, Fontana fell 5 cents and ended at $8.93 with 71,176 stock units crossed the market, GWest Corporation slipped 11 cents to finish at 81 cents with investors swapping 5,600 stocks.
At the close of the market, the JSE Combined Market Index popped 120.71 points to end at 322,137.04, as the All Jamaican Composite Index climbed 469.35 points to settle at 359,135.67, the JSE Main Index popped 326.36 points to 311,654.19, the Junior Market Index lost 26.47 points to 3,368.62. The JSE USD Market Index lost 0.37 points to settle at 211.66.
The market’s PE ratio, the most regularly used measure in valuing stocks, ended at 13.7 based on 2024-25 earnings and 16.1 based on 2024 earnings. The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the other, more detailed daily charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making. The PE ratio chart covers all ordinary shares listed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, grouped by industry, allowing for easy comparisons within a sector and the overall market. The earnings per share (EPS) and PE ratios are based on 2024 and 2025 actual or projected earnings, excluding any major one time income or expense.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.1. The JSE Main and the USD Market PEs are based on last traded prices and earnings projected by ICInsider.com for companies whose financial year ends around August 2025.
The market closed with an exchange of just 62,270 shares for US$15,014, tumbling from 575,499 stocks at US$26,595 on Friday.