Investors’ focus was on money while trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Monday, resulting in the value of stocks trading holding close to Friday’s level, even as the volume plunged sharply by 88 percent, with Caribbean Cement, the main contributor to the near stability in the value of trading, but it only contributed 12 percent of the volume. Similar to Friday, the market ended with trading in 60 securities, with prices of 22 rising, 21 declining and 17 ending left unchanged, as one stock traded at a 52 weeks low.
The market closed with 10,381,875 shares ending with an exchange of $197,316,364 after tumbling from 86,348,623 units at $209,695,547 on Friday.
Trading averaged 173,031 shares for $3,288,606, after falling from 1,439,144 stocks at $3,494,926 on Friday. Trading for the month to date, averages 249,752 stocks at $1,803,870 compared to 255,068 shares worth $1,701,002 on the previous trading day and October with an average of 210,503 stock units at $1,467,012.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 3.85 million shares for 37.1 percent of total volume, followed by Caribbean Cement, ending with 1.27 million units for 12.3 percent of the day’s trade and Supreme Ventures with 967,770 stock units for 9.3 percent of the volume traded.
The All Jamaican Composite Index advanced 1,646.34 points to close trading at 357,470.53, the JSE Main Index gained 1,982.26 points to 314,469.20 and the JSE Financial Index rose 0.65 points to settle at 64.31. At the close, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 14 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 13.4. 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.
At the close of the market activity, Caribbean Cement declined $5.40 to $101.50 as investors exchanged 1,274,258 shares, with Caribbean Producers declining by 41 cents to $7.06 after an exchange of 77,796 stocks, Carreras sank 53 cents and ended at $17.26 with traders dealing in 938,378 shares. Eppley Caribbean Property Fund gained $7.31 to close at $45.82 with 310 stock units crossing the market, First Rock Real Estate popped 93 cents in closing at $11.05 with investors trading 190 units, Jamaica Broilers rallied 35 cents to finish at $17.60 with an exchange of 99,206 stocks. Jamaica Producers lost 56 cents and ended at $22 with 15,731 stock units changing hands, Jamaica Stock Exchange dipped 78 cents to $11.20 in trading 522 shares, JMMB Group increased 90 cents to finish at $17.80 after an exchange of 186,969 stock units.
Kingston Wharves sank 80 cents to end at $29 with investors dealing in 55,599 shares, Margaritaville aded $1.74 in closing at $13.31 with a transfer of 5 units, Massy Holdings rose 95 cents to close at $77.45 with 18,238 stocks crossing the market. Mayberry Jamaican Equities added 99 cents to end at $8.99, with 4,505 stocks changing hands, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy rose $5.74 to $43.99, with the swapping of just 2 shares, NCB Financial rallied 88 cents to $40.65 in an exchange of 17,042 units. Sagicor Real Estate Fund skidded $1.25 to finish at $6.31 with 1,186 stocks passing through the market, Scotia Group increased $1.79 to close at $51.99 in an exchange of 2,021 stock units, Seprod climbed $1.97 to end at $81.98 with 599 shares clearing the market and Supreme Ventures dropped 42 cents in closing at $15.92 with investors trading 967,770 stocks.Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.