Stocks mostly dropped as trading pulled back sharply on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Tuesday, with a 37 percent fall in the volume, valued 77 percent less than Monday resulting in an exchange of 60 securities up from 58 on Monday, with prices of just 10 rising, 34 declining and 16 ending unchanged, with the market indices plunging from the pressure of falling prices.
The market closed with 22,477,080 shares being traded for $98,411,558, down from 35,403,032 stock units at $428,792,197 on Monday.
Trading averaged 374,618 shares at $1,640,193, well below the 610,397 stocks for $7,392,969 on Monday and compared to March, with an average of 896,190 stock units at $20,804,277.
Fresh from the closure of the public share issue initiated by NROCC on behalf of Jamaica’s Government, Transjamaican Highway led trading with 15.83 million shares for 70.4 percent of total volume followed by Radio Jamaica that ended with 2.37 million stocks for 10.5 percent of the day’s trade, Sagicor Select Financial Fund closed with 1.31 million stock units for 5.8 percent of the volume traded and Wigton Energy with 1.20 million shares for 5.3 percent of market share.
The All Jamaican Composite Index sank 4,984.16 points to end at 378,196.07, the JSE Main Index sank 3,402.63 points to 326,701.66 and the JSE Financial Index lost 0.36 points to conclude trading at 68.40. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 10 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.7. 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 the market, Berger Paints fell $1.15 to finish at $7.15 with 758 shares clearing the market, Caribbean Cement sank 85 cents and ended at $83 in an exchange of 12,107 units, First Rock Real Estate rallied 39 cents to $9.99 with traders dealing in 604 shares. GraceKennedy dipped 35 cents in closing at $72.65 with 8,267 stock units being traded, Jamaica Broilers sank $2 to close at $28 with investors trading 246,623 stocks, Jamaica Producers declined 70 cents to end at $25.50 with 1,495 shares crossing the market. JMMB Group shed $1.69 in closing at $21 with trading in 24,763 stock units, Kingston Wharves dropped $1.10 to $27.90 with 173,141 stocks crossing the exchange, Lasco Manufacturing lost 78 cents to end at $7.02 with a transfer of 8,132 units. Massy Holdings skidded $1 to finish at $80 with investors swapping 3,309 shares, Mayberry Jamaican Equities slipped $2 and ended at $9.99 with 500 stock units changing hands, Proven Investments sank $1.95 to close at $17 in trading 14,697 units. 
Sagicor Group increased $1 to $44 with an exchange of 36,468 stocks, Scotia Group skidded 50 cents to end at $54 with 44,636 shares crossing the market, Seprod climbed 40 cents to close at $89.90 with investors trading 68 stock units. Supreme Ventures sank $2.98 and ended at $20.50 after a transfer of 27,207 stocks, Sygnus Real Estate Finance lost $1.42 to finish at $8.07 with investors dealing in 200 units and Wisynco Group shed 38 cents to close at $21.92 in an exchange of 18,113 stocks.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.75% preference share dropped $2.45 to $18.05 with 952 units passing through the market, Jamaica Public Service 7% fell $5 to end at $40 after an exchange of 100 shares, 138 Student Living preference share slipped $33 in closing at $200 after an exchange of 28 stock units and Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5% declined $6.05 and ended at $91 as investors exchanged 1,000 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.