Trading jumped on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Thursday, with the volume of stocks traded rising 44 percent and the value 76 percent more compared to Wednesday. Following trading in 62 securities up from 61 on Wednesday, with prices of 20 rising, 29 declining and 13 ending unchanged.
The market closed with 12,195,921 shares trading for $96,578,814 after a surge from 8,483,665 stock units at $54,897,479 on Wednesday.
Trading ended with an average of 196,708 shares with a value of $1,557,723, with an increase from 139,076 stock units at $899,959 on Wednesday and month to date, an average of 200,727 stock units at an average of $3,212,667, down from 201,047 shares at $3,344,383 on the previous day and February with an average of 296,521 stock units at $2,650,049.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 2.70 million shares for 22.1 percent of total volume followed by Wigton Energy which ended with 2.36 million stocks for 19.4 percent of the day’s trade and Supreme Ventures with 1.95 million units for 16 percent of the day’s trade.
The All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 806.53 points to 401,023.12, the JSE Main Index lost 1,340.31 points to settle at 341,970.14 and the JSE Financial Index dipped 0.46 points to close at 62.54. At the close, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 10 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 20.3. 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 fiscal year ending around August 2026.
At the close of trading, Caribbean Cement shed $1.90 and ended at $102.30 after an exchange of 31,103 shares, Carreras fell $1.39 to $20 with investors trading 123,131 stock units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund dropped $5.12 to close at $40.94 with an exchange of 992 shares. General Accident climbed 87 cents to finish at $6.47 with a mere 1,136 stocks passing through the market, GraceKennedy lost 50 cents to end at $71 with 40,228 units crossing the exchange, Jamaica Broilers rose 98 cents in closing at $15.98 with a transfer of 11,247 stocks. JMMB Group dropped 38 cents to $17.50 with 331,680 units changing hands, Kingston Properties sank $1.11 to end at $9.89 following trading of 4,277 shares, Kingston Wharves slipped $1 in closing at $36 in an exchange of 2,017 stock units. 
Margaritaville advanced $1.50 to finish at $12.68 with investors trading 18 shares, Mayberry Jamaican Equities fell 51 cents and ended at $6.96 with 4,602 stocks crossing the market, Portland JSX popped $1.42 to close at $9.99 after an exchange of 18 units. Proven Investments increased $2.84 to $14.89 with investors dealing in 508,481 stock units, Seprod gained $1 to finish at $76 after a transfer of 1,107 shares and West Indies Petroleum skidded 62 cents and ended at $11 with traders dealing in 59,326 units.
In the preference segment, 138 Student Living preference share shed $31 in closing at $198 in switching ownership of 8 stocks, Productive Business Solutions 10.5% declined $130 to close at $1,060 with investors swapping 21 stock units and Sygnus Credit Investments 10% rallied $2 to end at $109 with 8 shares crossing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.