Junior Market dives on reduced volume


The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange plunged on Tuesday and gave by all of the 70 points gains on Monday and those for last week Thursday and Friday, with trading plunging from Monday’s levels with the volume of stocks traded dropping 69 percent and the value declining 74 percent below the level on Monday. Market activity led to trading in 46 securities, equal to Monday and ended with prices of just nine rising, 28 declining and nine closing unchanged.

The market closed with trading of 6,318,830 shares for $12,174,798, steeply down from 20,549,503 units at $46,764,453 on Monday.
Trading averaged 137,366 shares at $264,670, well below the 446,728 stocks at $1,016,619 on Monday, compared to and March with an average of 307,021 shares with a value of $759,432.
Jamaican Teas led trading with 1.85 million shares for 29.3 percent of the total volume, followed by Dolla Financial, which ended with 907,116 stock units for 14.4 percent of the day’s trade and JFP Ltd with 372,308 stocks for 5.9 percent of the volume traded.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index sank 138.45 points to finish at 3,535.49. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 14.5, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for financial years ending around August 2025.
At the close of the market, Access Financial popped $1.02 to finish at $17.42 with 675 shares changing hands, AMG Packaging rallied 38 cents and ended at $3.10 with a transfer of 143 stock units, CAC 2000 dipped 50 cents to close at $2.15 after an exchange of 1,172 stocks. Caribbean Assurance Brokers rose by 10 cents in closing at $2.88 with investors dealing in 109,086 shares, Derrimon Trading sank 11 cents to close at $1.89 with 310,090 stock units switching owners, Dolla Financial skidded 9 cents to end at $2.56 with traders dealing in 907,116 shares. Dolphin Cove climbed 39 cents in closing at $16.50 with 10,685 stocks crossing the market, EduFocal lost 5 cents to close at 28 cents in trading 372,255 units, Fontana declined 6 cents and ended at $9.43 with 64,064 stock units passing through the market. Fosrich fell 7 cents to end at $2.73 with investors swapping 83,366 shares, Future Energy dropped 11 cents to close at $3.19 with an exchange of 203,913 stock units, GWest Corporation sank 14 cents to finish at $1.10 after investors ended trading 4,000 units. Honey Bun rose 9 cents and ended at $7.99 with 822 stocks crossing the exchange, Image Plus slipped 9 cents to $1.12 with investors trading 323,126 shares, Indies Pharma shed 7 cents to end at $4.10 with 93,565 stock units. Iron Rock Insurance dropped 30 cents in closing at $3.60 after an exchange of 4,059 stocks, Jamaican Teas shed 30 cents to close at $2.49 with investors trading 1,849,686 units, Jetcon Corporation advanced 5 cents to finish at $1.20 in an exchange of 11,000 shares. Knutsford Express declined 33 cents and ended at $14.16 with 1,526 units crossing the market, Limners and Bards sank 11 cents to $1.08, with investors exchanging 148,502 stocks, Lumber Depot gained 6 cents to close at a 52 weeks; high of $3.05 after a transfer of 56,791 stock units. Main Event dipped $2.68 to finish at $9.31 with 9,549 shares being transferred, Medical Disposables lost 26 cents to end at $1.49 in an exchange of 400 units, Omni Industries slipped 11 cents in closing at 91 cents with investors dealing in 229,671 stocks. Regency Petroleum fell 30 cents to $3.30 with 16,805 stock units crossing the exchange and Stationery and Office Supplies skidded 5 cents in closing at $1.59 in trading 26,433 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

Stocks rained down on the JSE market


Falling stocks rained down on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Tuesday as the market pulled back from the month end run up on Monday and closed with a fall in the volume and the value of stocks exchanged, than on Monday, resulting in a sizable drop in the Junior Market index, the Main Market major indices declined sharply and the JSE USD Market dropped. At the end of trading prices of 21 shares rose, 66 declined and 32 remained firm.

The JSE Combined Market Index sank 4,245.54 points to 337,769.85, as the All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 4,984.16 points to 378,196.07, the JSE Main Index declined 3,402.63 points to wrap up trading at 326,701.66, the Junior Market Index sank 138.45 points to end at 3,535.49 and the JSE USD Market Index skidded 8.51 points to 216.33.
At the close of trading, 28,957,821 shares were exchanged in all three markets, down from 56,767,722 units on Monday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounting to $110.59 million, down from $475.56 million on the previous day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 161,911 shares for US$40,305 compared to 815,187 units at US$28,912 on Monday.
In Main Market activity, Transjamaican Highway led trading with 15.83 million shares followed by Radio Jamaica with 2.37 million stocks and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 1.31 million units.
In Junior Market trading, Jamaican Teas led with 1.85 million shares followed by Dolla Financial with 907,116 stocks and JFP Ltd with 372,308 units.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.75% preference share sank $2.45 to end at $18, Jamaica Public Service 7% declined $5 to $40, 138 Student Living preference share dived $33 to finish at $200 and Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5% dipped $6.05 and ended at $91.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to value stocks, ended at 12.8 based on 2024-25 earnings and 20.2 based on 2024 historical 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.
Pertinent information is required to navigate numerous investment options successfully in the stock market. The chart should be used in making rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the sector average, not going too far from it unless there are compelling reasons to do so. This approach helps to remove emotions from investment decisions and place them on fundamentals while at the same time not being too far from the majority of investors. Investors who buy when the price of a stock is close to the average will find that they are not inclined to overpay for a stock. The net asset value of each company is incorporated into the chart. Investors can use this measure in assessing stock values. The chart also shows daily changes in stock prices and the percentage year to date price movement based on the last traded prices. Dividends that are paid or are due to be paid and yields for each company are shown in the Main and Junior Markets’ daily report charts, along with the closing volume of the highest bid and the lowest offer for each company.

Stocks charged higher on JSE Main Market 


Stocks charged higher in Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market activity on Monday, with trading in 58 securities, up from 55 on Friday, with prices of 29 rising, 14 declining and 15 ending unchanged, with the volume of stocks traded declining 83 percent and the value 90 percent lower than on Friday, resulting in the All Jamaican Composite Index popping 5,173.84 points to 383,180.23, the JSE Main Index rallied 4,365.05 points to close at 330,104.29 and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.69 points to conclude trading at 68.76.

The market closed with 35,403,032 shares trading for $428,792,197, down from 211,546,624 stock units at $4,258,930,941 on Friday.
Trading averaged 610,397 shares at $7,392,969, well off from the 3,846,302 stocks at $77,435,108. Trading on Friday and month to date, an average of 896,190 units at $20,804,277, comparing favourably with 910,990 shares at $21,498,792 on the previous day and well above trading in February with an average of 405,332 stock units at $1,953,730.
Wigton Energy led trading with 15.17 million shares for 42.9 percent of total volume followed by Transjamaican Highway which ended with 5.60 million stocks for 15.8 percent of the day’s trade, Supreme Ventures closed with 4.08 million shares for 11.5 percent of the volume traded, Sagicor Group ended with 1.91 million units for 5.4 percent of the Main Market trades, Proven Investments chipped in with 1.35 million stock units for 3.8 percent of stocks traded and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 1.02 million shares for 2.9 percent of the traded stocks.
The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 16 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with a lower offer.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 15.6. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are based on last traded prices and earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending around August 2025.
At the close, Berger Paints popped 35 cents to finish at $8.30 after an exchange of 20,109 shares, Eppley fell $2.12 and ended at $33.33 with investors swapping 2,489 stocks, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund slipped $5.50 to $33.50 with 8,580 shares crossing the market. GraceKennedy rallied 47 cents in closing at $73 in switching ownership of 29,083 units, Jamaica Producers rose $1.20 to end at $26.20 with traders dealing in 900,012 stock units, JMMB Group gained $2.69 to close at $22.69 539,352 shares crossing the market. Kingston Wharves advanced 55 cents to $29 with investors dealing in 241,242 stock units, Margaritaville sank $2.33 in closing at $13.17 after an exchange of 459 stocks, Massy Holdings climbed $1.50 to close at $81 with 462,244 units changing hands. Mayberry Group shed 60 cents to finish at $7 with investors trading 1,574 shares, Mayberry Jamaican Equities increased $1.39 and ended at $11.99 and closed with an exchange of 107,540 units, NCB Financial popped $4.93 to end at $50 with 245,795 stocks being traded. Pan Jamaica rallied $1.50 to $60 with investors trading 147,528 stock units, Proven Investments rose $1.62 and ended at $18.95 with 1,353,045 shares crossing the exchange, Sagicor Real Estate Fund climbed 35 cents to end at $8.65 after a transfer of 791,043 stock units and Supreme Ventures increased $2.48 in closing at $23.48 in trading 4,083,908 stocks.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.25% preference share rallied 76 cents to finish at $20 after just one unit ended clearing the market, Eppley 7.75% preference share advanced $1.10 to close at $20.50 in an exchange of one stock, 138 Student Living preference share rose $33 to $233 after the trading of 228,656 units and Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5% declined $1.45 to end at $97.05 as investors exchanged 1,277 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

5 Junior Market stocks close at 1 year highs


Trading activity closed out March on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Monday, with five stocks hitting 52 weeks’ closing highs, one ending at a 52 weeks’ closing low and one with an intraday 52 weeks’ low, following a 75 percent jump in the volume of stocks traded, valued 134 percent more than on Friday following trading in 46 securities, similar to Friday. Trading ended with prices of 21 stocks rising, 15 declining and 10 closing unchanged, resulting in the market index climbing to close the first quarter of the year down 1.6 percent.

Fosrich, Gwest Corporation, Indies Pharma, Jamaican Teas as well as Regency Petroleum all closed at 52 weeks’ highs. ISP Finance ended at a 52 weeks’ closing low and Paramount Trading hit a 52 weeks’ intraday low of 80 cents.
The market closed with trading of 20,549,503 shares for $46,764,453, up sharply from 11,738,756 stock units at $19,977,567 on Friday.
Trading averaged 446,728 shares at $1,016,619, well above the 255,190 stocks exchanged at $434,295 on Friday, with the month to date, averaging 307,021 units at $759,432 in line with 299,183 stock units at $745,004 on the previous day and February with an average of 246,071 shares at $454,487.
Future Energy led trading with 4.0 million shares for 19.5 percent of total volume followed by ONE on ONE Educational which ended with 2.89 million stocks for 14.1 percent of the day’s trade, Derrimon Trading closed with 2.73 million stocks for 13.3 percent of the volume traded, Mailpac Group with 1.52 million units for 7.4 percent of the stocks that were traded, Indies Pharma with 1.23 million units for 6 percent of the total volume and Regency Petroleum with 1.19 million units for 5.8 percent of market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index rose by a solid 70.39 points to close at 3,673.94. 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 Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 14.9, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for financial years ending around August 2025.
At the close of the market, Access Financial sank 15 cents to close at $16.40 as investors exchanged 8,662 shares, AMG Packaging slipped 38 cents to $2.72 with 49,955 stocks crossing the market, Caribbean Flavours fell 5 cents to end at $1.24 in switching ownership of 7,246 units. Dolla Financial rose 5 cents to $2.65 with investors swapping 365,802 shares, Dolphin Cove declined $1.38 to finish at $16.11 in an exchange of 5,826 stocks. Fontana advanced 6 cents and ended at $9.49, with investors trading 155,159 units. Fosrich popped 35 cents to a 52 weeks’ high of $2.80 after an exchange of 725,890 shares, Future Energy rallied 10 cents and ended at $3.30 after trading of 3,997,895 stocks, GWest Corporation increased 15 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $1.24 with 39,183 units clearing the market. Honey Bun lost 10 cents in closing at $7.90 with traders dealing in 33,358 shares, Image Plus climbed 8 cents to finish at $1.21 after an exchange of 1,051,220 stocks, Indies Pharma gained 34 cents to end at a 52 weeks. High of $4.17 with investors trading 1,227,483 units. ISP Finance skidded $1.03 to a 52 weeks’ low of $15 in an exchange of 2,931 shares, Jamaican Teas popped 26 cents and ended at $2.79 with investors dealing in 438,694 stocks, Jetcon Corporation climbed 14 cents in closing at $1.15 with a transfer of 60,853 units. Knutsford Express rose 69 cents to finish at $14.49 with 9,888 shares crossing the exchange, Limners and Bards rallied 5 cents to end at $1.19 after a transfer of 1,100 stocks, Mailpac Group increased 19 cents to close at $2.50 after closing with an exchange of 1,519,761 shares. Medical Disposables sank 13 cents to $1.75 with an exchange of 6,774 shares, Omni Industries advanced 11 cents and ended at $1.02 after 48,288 stocks passed through the market, Regency Petroleum gained 25 cents to close at $3.60 with 1,194,355 units changing hands and Tropical Battery dipped 10 cents to end at $2.40 in trading 5,219 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

JSE USD Market slips into month end


The Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market closed on Monday, with the volume of stocks traded rising 111 percent with a 3 percent lower value than on Friday, resulting in an exchange of eight securities, up from six on Friday, with prices of three rising, two declining and three ending unchanged.

The market closed with an exchange of 815,187 shares for US$28,912 compared to 386,163 stocks at US$29,928 on Friday.
Trading averaged 101,898 shares at US$3,614 compared to 64,361 stocks at US$4,988 on Friday, with a month to date average of 92,288 units at US$8,588 compared with 91,761 stocks at US$8,860 on the previous day and February that ended with an average of 115,433 units for US$5,430.
The US Denominated Equities Index dipped 2.10 points to 224.84. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with a lower offer.
The PE Ratio, one of the best known measures to determine appropriate stock values, averages 11.6. The PE ratio is calculated based on last traded prices divided by projected earnings, computed by ICInsider.com for companies with financial year ending around August 2025.
At the close, AS Bryden sank 0.45 of one cent to end at 19.54 US cents as investors exchanged 11,665 shares after the price hit an intraday 52 weeks’ low of 16.01 cents, Margaritaville declined 0.5 of a cent to 9 US cents with 10 shares clearing the market, Proven Investments rallied 0.9 of a cent to finish at 10 US cents with investors swapping 96,767 stocks. Sterling Investments popped 0.09 of one cent and ended at 1.96 US cents in an exchange of 236,848 shares, Sygnus Credit Investments ended at 7 US cents with traders dealing in 247 stock units, Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share remained at 7.94 US cents and closed with an exchange of 2,568 shares and Transjamaican Highway gained 0.12 of one cent to 2.7 US cents in trading 466,874 stocks.

In the preference segment, JMMB Group US8.5% preference share remained at US$1.03 after an exchange of 208 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

Omni’s audited report is erroneous


Auditors are supposed to be experts at accounting matters, and their audit reports, especially for public companies, are expected to provide users with accurate information. At the same time, the Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE) monitors financial reports put out by the companies listed on their exchange, while the Financial Services Commission advises that they also review them.

Since 2010, around 60 companies have listed shares on the JSE with new shares to the public. The vast majority of them split the shares to facilitate meeting the JSE rules or for greater liquidity of the shares. One would have thought that qualified accountants would by now be fully conversant in computing the correct number of shares and the average where applicable, thus computing the correct earnings per share. That is not the case. The JSE gets and vets financial reports and is clueless about what is happening with many of the financial reports put out by companies. If they did, they would not allow Omni Industries to report critical information that is incorrect in their financials for three quarters without revisions, now the audited statements have also incorrectly reported it.

Omni did so for their quarterly reports since listing in the early summer. Their auditors compounded the error by issuing financial statements with serious errors.
In February last year, the company converted 20.09 million shares into 2.25 billion units by splitting each issued stock. In May, 250 million new shares were sold to the public, increasing the total issued shares to 2.5 billion units and the weighted average to 2.47 billion units. In a strange twist, the company reported an average number of shares at just 1.402 billion units, a figure the auditors have unfortunately used as well.

The critical factor is that the earnings per share are overstated. This is crucial as many investors use EPS to value stocks. The market average is now around 15 2024 earnings, so at 9 cents, some may consider the stock to be undervalued at 94 cents, it traded today. If the correct EPS of 5 cents is used, the stock would be valued at nearly 21 times 2024 earnings and is well above the market average, too vastly different pictures.
In addition, neither the company nor the auditors have reported the appropriate earnings per share for 2023 nor the correct average number of shares issued.
Accounting standards require that the average number of shares in issue is the weighted number of shares outstanding during the period. The company split the 20.9 million shares before the IPO into 2.25 billion units; as such, the average issued shares cannot be less than this plus the average for the new shares issued.

The audited report shows a profit of $127 million and an EPS of 9 cents for 2024. In reality, EPS for 2024 is around 5 cents and 6.7 cents for 2023.
In another matter that is not related to Omni, auditors are computing deferred taxes at 25 percent on revaluation surplus on land and buildings.  That would be in order if gains on disposal of land and buildings were taxed at the rate of income. Such an application is blatantly incorrect as the only amounts that will be taxed would be amounts relating to capital allowances already claimed on buildings and not lands. The applicable tax would be a transfer tax, which is at a far lower rate than income tax.

NCB, JMMB, SVL pushed JSE Main and Junior Markets sharply higher


The Jamaica Stock Exchange could not repeat the surge in trading on the market by Barita Investments and Transjamaican Highway on Friday and ended with a fall in the volume and value of stocks exchanged on Monday, with sharp price gains in NCB Financial, JMMG Group and Supreme Ventures along with others with lesser gains, resulted in a sharp rise for the Main Market and the Junior Market, consistent with end of month moves. The JSE USD Market declined moderately. At the close, the prices of 53 shares rose, 31 declined and 28 remained firm.

The JSE Combined Market Index surged by 4,678.69 points to end at 342,015.39, the All Jamaican Composite Index jumped 5,173.84 points to end at 383,180.23, the JSE Main Index climbed 4,365.05 points to finish at 330,104.29, the Junior Market Index popped 70.39 points to end trading at 3,673.94 and the JSE USD Market Index declined 2.04 points to 224.84.
At the close of trading, 56,767,722 shares were exchanged in all three markets, down from 223,671,543 units on Friday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $475.56 million, well below the $4.28 billion on the previous day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 815,187 shares for US$28,912 compared to 386,163 units at US$29,928 on Friday.
In Main Market activity, Wigton Energy led trading with 15.17 million shares, followed by Transjamaican Highway with 5.60 million stocks fresh from investors’ accounts being credited with new shares following the closure of the recent public share issue and Supreme Ventures with 4.08 million units.
In Junior Market trading, Future Energy led with 4.0 million shares followed by ONE on ONE Educational with 2.89 million stocks and Derrimon Trading with 2.73 million units.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.75% preference share rallied $1.10 in closing at $21, 138 Student Living preference share increased $33 to $233 and Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5% dipped $1.45 to end at $97.
The market’s PE ratio, a frequently used measure to value stocks, ended at 15 based on 2024-25 earnings and 20.7 using 2024 historical 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 the ordinary shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange and are grouped by industry, allowing investors to made 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.
Pertinent information is required to navigate numerous investment options successfully in the stock market. The chart should be used in making rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the sector average, not going too far from it unless there are compelling reasons to do so. This approach helps to remove emotions from investment decisions and place them on fundamentals while at the same time not being too far from the majority of investors. Investors who buy when the price of a stock is close to the average will find that they are not inclined to overpay for a stock. The net asset value of each company is incorporated into the chart. Investors can use this measure in assessing stock values. The chart also shows daily changes in stock prices and the percentage year to date price movement based on the last traded prices. Dividends that are paid or are due to be paid and yields for each company are shown in the Main and Junior Markets’ daily report charts, along with the closing volume of the highest bid and the lowest offer for each company.

Junior Market rallies into weekend


Activity on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed on Friday, with the volume declining 11 percent, with 19 percent lower value than Thursday following trading in 46 securities compared with 45 on Thursday and ending with prices of 22 rising, 11 declining and 13 closing unchanged.

The market closed with trading of 11,738,756 shares for $19,977,567 compared with 13,245,591 units at $24,563,567 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 255,190 shares at $434,295, down from 294,34 units at $545,857 on Thursday, with a month to date average of 299,183 stock units at $745,004 compared to 301,798 stock units at $763,470 on the previous day and February with an average of 246,071 shares at $454,487.
ONE on ONE Educational led trading with 2.51 million shares for 21.3 percent of total volume followed by Derrimon Trading ending with 1.56 million stocks for 13.3 percent of the day’s trade, Lasco Financial closed with 1.52 million units for 13 percent of the volume traded, Jamaican Teas closed with 1.46 million units for 12.4 percent of the overall volume and RA Williams ended with 1.05 million units for 8.9 percent of market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index gained 17.42 points to conclude trading at 3,603.55 and rose 131.67 points or 3.8 percent for the week.
The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 14.6, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for financial years ending around August 2025.
At the close, Access Financial climbed 16 cents to close at $16.55 with investors dealing in just 264 stock units, Blue Power dipped 49 cents to $5.10 after an exchange of 3,259 stocks, CAC 2000 rose 16 cents in closing at $2.65 with 2,745 shares crossing the market. Cargo Handlers rallied 74 cents to end at $11.24 after a transfer of 328 stock units, Caribbean Assurance Brokers popped 14 cents to finish at $2.78 in switching ownership of 3,450 shares, Caribbean Cream gained 17 cents and ended at $2.60 with 5,348 units crossing the market. Dolla Financial sank 15 cents to $2.60 with an exchange of 189,474 stocks, Dolphin Cove increased $1.39 and ended at $17.49 after 8,541 stock units passed through the market, Elite Diagnostic advanced 9 cents to close at $1.60 with a transfer of 14,289 shares. Fontana dropped 7 cents to finish at $9.43 after an exchange of 72,755 units, Fosrich rose 5 cents to end at $2.45 with investors trading 691,177 stocks, GWest Corporation rallied 13 cents in closing at $1.09 in an exchange of 185,169 stock units. Indies Pharma increased 17 cents to $3.83 with 111,394 shares changing hands, Iron Rock Insurance climbed 87 cents to end at $3.88 in an exchange of 46 stocks, Jamaican Teas popped 5 cents in closing at $2.53 with investors trading 1,457,877 units. Knutsford Express gained 50 cents to close at $13.80 with 5,544 stock units clearing the market, Mailpac Group shed 14 cents to finish at $2.31 in trading 200,245 shares, Medical Disposables advanced 34 cents and ended at $1.88 with 3,008 stock units crossing the exchange. Omni Industries declined 8 cents to end at 91 cents with traders dealing in 30,502 units, RA Williams sank 5 cents to close at 63 cents as investors exchanged 1,048,525 stocks, Spur Tree Spices slipped 5 cents in closing at $1.35 with an exchange of 308,906 units and Stationery and Office Supplies rose 19 cents to finish at $1.60 with investors swapping 7,879 stocks.

Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

Big jump for JSE USD market

The Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market jumped to closed on Friday, with the US Denominated Equities Index rallying a solid 12.51 points to 226.88 following a 79 percent drop in the volume of stocks traded, with an 86 percent lower value than on Thursday, resulting from the exchange of six securities, compared with seven on Thursday and ending with prices of four rising, no declining and two ending unchanged.
The market closed with an exchange of 386,163 shares for US$29,928 compared to 1,881,720 stock units at US$213,579 on Thursday. Trading averaged 64,361 shares wit a value of US$4,988, down sharply from 268,817 stocks at US$30,511 on Thursday, with an average for the month to date of 91,761 units at US$8,860, in sync with 92,935 stocks at US$9,026 on the previous day and compares to trading in February with an average of 115,433 units for US$5,430. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows no stock ended with a bid higher than the last selling price and one with a lower offer. The PE Ratio, the most frequently used measure to determine appropriate stock values, averages 10.8. The PE ratio is calculated based on last traded prices divided by projected earnings, computed by ICInsider.com for companies with financial year ending around August 2025. At the close, AS Bryden advanced 3.49 cents and ended at 19.99 US cents in trading 8,951 shares, First Rock Real Estate USD share remained at 2.09 US cents after an exchange of just two stocks, Proven Investments popped 0.1 of one cent to end at 9.1 US cents with 252,998 units crossing the market and Transjamaican Highway increased 0.17 of one cent in closing at 2.58 US cents in an exchange of 124,060 shares. In the preference segment, JMMB Group US8.5% preferred share ended at US$1.03 passed through the market 15 shares and Sygnus Credit Investments US 8% climbed US$1.42 to finish at US$10.10 as investors exchanged 137 stock units. Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.

$3.7B Barita trade on Friday


Trading climbed sharply on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market and ended on Friday, with the volume of stocks traded rising 7 percent with the value surging a massive 804 percent over Thursday, with Barita Investments ending with an exchange of 50 million shares worth $3.67 billion, following trading in 55 securities compared with 59 on Thursday, with prices of 18 rising, 20 declining and 17 ending unchanged and resulted in the market recorded gains at the close.

The market closed with trading of 211,546,624 shares for $4,258,930,941, up from 197,123,972 stock units at $470,952,289 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 3,846,302 shares at $77,435,108, up from 3,341,084 stocks at $7,982,242 on Thursday and month to date, an average of 910,987 units at $21,498,705 well above 759,398 shares at $18,609,971 on the previous day and February with an average of 405,332 stock units at $1,953,730.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 104.06 million shares for 49.2 percent of total volume followed by JMMB Group 10% preferred shares which ended with 50.87 million stocks for 24 percent of the day’s trade, Barita Investments closed with 50.01 million shares for 23.6 percent of the volume traded and Wigton Energy with 1.81 million units for 0.9 percent of market share.
The All Jamaican Composite Index popped 1,461.32 points to conclude trading at 378,006.39; at the same time, the JSE Main Index climbed 1,254.58 points to close at 325,739.24 and the JSE Financial Index rallied 0.62 points to end trading at 68.07.
The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows seven 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 15.3. The JSE Main and 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 a day of heavy trading, Berger Paints advanced 50 cents to finish at $7.95 with an exchange of just 77 stock units, Caribbean Producers popped 35 cents and ended at $8.65 with 5,508 shares crossing the market, Jamaica Producers gained $1 to close at $25 with investors trading 203,550 units. JMMB Group skidded $2.78 to $20 with 426,361 stocks changing hands, Massy Holdings rose $1.40 in closing at $79.50 with traders dealing in 843 shares, Mayberry Group rallied 58 cents to end at $7.60 in switching ownership of 3,352 stock units. Mayberry Jamaican Equities increased 60 cents to $10.60 with investors trading 58,504 units, Pan Jamaica climbed 50 cents to close at $58.50 after an exchange of 43,046 stocks, Scotia Group fell 50 cents in closing at $54.50 with a transfer of 16,062 shares. Seprod increased $1.50 and ended at $89.50 in the trading of 106,496 stock units, Supreme Ventures lost 50 cents to finish at $21 with investors dealing in 233,791 units and Transjamaican Highway dipped 39 cents to end at $3.80 and closed with an exchange of 104,060,443 stocks.
In the preference segment, Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5% sank $1.50 to $98.50 with 741 shares crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.