Stock prices enjoyed some sizable gains on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Monday in moving the JSE market indices higher on a day of a 34 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded, valued 39 percent less than on Friday, with trading in 60 securities compared with 57 on Friday, with prices of 17 rising, 25 declining and 18 ending unchanged.
The market closed with 8,172,827 shares trading for $48,080,512, much lower than the 12,317,187 stocks at $78,954,503 on Friday.
Trading averaged 136,214 shares at $801,342, down from 216,091 stock units at $1,385,167 on Friday and month to date, an average of 2,618,545 stocks for $10,679,287 compared with 2,904,418 shares at $11,816,862 on the previous day and March with an average of 896,190 stock units at $20,804,277.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 3.62 million shares for 44.3 percent of the total volume, followed by Wigton Energy with 1.80 million stock units for 22 percent of the day’s trade and QWI Investments with 604,270 shares for 7.4 percent of the volume traded.
The All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 1,358.42 points to finish at 364,493.49, the JSE Main Index rose 428.98 points to close at 316,047.67 and the JSE Financial Index shed 0.05 points to 64.84. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator closed with 17 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 13.4. 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, AS Bryden gained $1.95 to end at $29.95 as investors exchanged 1,505 shares, after trading at a 52 weeks’ intraday low of $24.31, Berger Paints popped 78 cents to $7.89 with traders clearing the market with 10 units, Caribbean Cement advanced $1.50 to close at $82.50 in an exchange of 5,427 shares. Carreras rose 80 cents in closing at $15.80 with traders dealing in 214,188 stock units, First Rock Real Estate rallied 95 cents and ended at $9.45 after investors exchanged 5,776 stocks, Guardian Holdings increased $2 to finish at $306 with 2,755 shares being exchanged by the close. Lasco Manufacturing climbed 52 cents to $7.58 after a transfer of 79,091 stocks, Massy Holdings popped $1.45 to close at $80 with traders swapping 203 units, Mayberry Group dipped 49 cents in closing at $6.98 after shareholders exchanged 1,000 stock units. 138 Student Living fell 68 cents and ended at $3.12 with 7,932 shares passing through the market, 
Sagicor Group sank 52 cents to finish at $41.98 with an exchange of 50,811 stock units, Scotia Group increased $1.32 to end at $53.82 with 112,213 units changing hands. Sygnus Credit Investments lost 76 cents to $11 with 107,082 stocks crossing the exchange and Sygnus Real Estate Finance climbed $1.07 to end at $9.50 in trading 29 shares.
In the preference segment, 138 Student Living preference shares shed $41.53 to close at $191.47 with 30 stock units crossing the market. Productive Business Solutions 10.5% preference share dropped $45.30 to finish at $1,000 with investors trading 411 stocks and Sygnus Credit Investments 10% rose $1.50 and ended at $100 with 413 units crossing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.