Trading picks up lead to JSE Main Market gains

Trading activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended on Tuesday, with the volume of stocks traded rising 15 percent and the value jumping 174 percent over Monday’s trades, after trading took place in 54 securities, down from 61 on Monday, with prices of 21 rising, 22 declining and 11 ending unchanged.
On Monday, 20,517,691 shares were traded for $136,987,00 compared with 17,840,357 units at $50,065,528.
Trading averaged 379,957 shares at $2,536,796 compared with 292,465 shares at $820,746 on Monday and month to date, an average of 223,084 stock units at $1,384,541, compared to 209,764 units at $1,286,709 on the previous day. April’s trading averaged 264,549 stock units at $1,409,410.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 7.56 million shares for 36.8 percent of total volume, followed by JMMB Group 7.5% with 3.34 million units for 16.3 percent of the day’s trade, Carreras ended with 1.31 million units for 6.4 percent market share, Sygnus Credit Investments came in with 1.27 million units for 6.2 percent share of trading, Wigton Windfarm with 1.14 million units for 5.5 percent market share and Scotia Group with 1.08 million units for 5.3 percent of total volume.
The All Jamaican Composite Index climbed 2,328.48 points to  369,604.09, the JSE Main Index rose 1,411.65 points to 334,046.03 and the JSE Financial Index gained 0.13 points to 75.36.
The PE Ratio, a formula used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 13.5 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are calculated based on the last selling prices of stocks and earnings forecasted by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending up to August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 11 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling price and four with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments popped 95 cents and ended at $77.80 as 40,535 shares passed through the market, Berger Paints dipped 35 cents to $7.75 after exchanging 313 units, Caribbean Cement increased $2 in closing at $52 as investors exchanged 14,427 stocks. Caribbean Producers dropped 70 cents to end at $9 after trading 126,441 stock units, Carreras fell 36 cents to $8 after an exchange of 1,306,872 units, GraceKennedy rallied 69 cents in closing at $82.19 with 5,806 stock units changing hands. Jamaica Broilers shed 49 cents to close at $36 after a transfer of 15,029 shares, Kingston Wharves declined 50 cents and ended at $32 after an exchange of 4,540 stock units, Mayberry Investments climbed 49 cents to end at $7.40 in switching ownership of 6,307 stock units. Mayberry Jamaican Equities gained 49 cents to $10.50, with 34,936 stocks crossing the market, NCB Financial rose 39 cents in closing at $71.40 after an exchange of 92,064 shares, Pan Jamaica Group advanced $2 to close at $54, with 518,344 units crossing the market. Salada Foods traded 515,000 shares after hitting a 52 weeks’ intraday low of $3 but ended trading with a 5 cents fall to $3.55, Scotia Group increased $1 to $35 in an exchange of 1,080,214 stock units. Supreme Ventures climbed 55 cents to $27.50 while exchanging 13,359 shares, Sygnus Credit Investments rose $1.60 and ended at $12.85, with 1,269,256 stocks clearing the market and Wisynco Group rallied 39 cents in closing at $17.50 with shareholders swapping 16,282 units.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.25 preference share advanced $1.75 to end at $19.25 with investors transferring 5,000 units, Jamaica Public Service 7% lost $15.97 to close at $90 with an exchange of 371 stock units and 138 Student Living preference share shed $25 after it ended at $125, with 42 stocks changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.