Trading picks up on JSE Main Market

Trading activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended on Friday, with the volume of stocks traded rising 44 percent and the value jumping 172 percent over Thursday, following trading in 58 securities up from 55 on Thursday, and ended with prices of 24 rising, 21 declining and 13 ending unchanged.
Investors traded 8,921,791 shares for $66,764,856 up from 6,187,825 units at $24,579,359 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 153,824 shares at $1,151,118 versus 112,506 shares at $446,897 on Thursday and month to date, an average of 200,991 units at $1,336,141, compared with 206,282 units at $1,356,898 on the previous day. April closed with an average of 264,549 units at $1,409,410.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 3.32 million shares for 37.2 percent of total volume after the price closed at a record high of $1.85, ahead of the company reporting record first quarter profits. Wigton Windfarm followed with 2.11 million units for 23.6 percent of the day’s trade and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 1.26 million units for 14.1 percent of the market.
The All Jamaican Composite Index lost 2,547.79 points to close at 369,575.13, the JSE Main Index fell 776.23 points to 333,707.63 and the JSE Financial Index lost 1.10 points to settle at 75.37.
The PE Ratio, a formula used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 13.2 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are computed based on the last selling prices of stocks and earnings forecasted by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending between November 2022 and August 2023.
The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 10 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments gained 50 cents and ended at $77.50, with 1,105 shares crossing the market, Caribbean Cement fell $1.80 to close at $51.20 with a transfer of 608 stocks, Caribbean Producers declined 38 cents to end at $9.71 in an exchange of 55,429 stock units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund lost $6.53 in closing at $35.07 in switching ownership of 1,195 units, GraceKennedy gained $4.88 to in ending at $82.38, with 36,347 stock units crossing the market, Guardian Holdings popped $7.99 to $480 while exchanging 1,445 units, Jamaica Broilers shed $3.33 in closing at $33.95 with 980,603 shares clearing the market, Kingston Wharves rose $2.47 to $32.99, with investors trading 1,000 shares, Margaritaville dropped $4.40 to $14.60 in an exchange of 32 stocks, Mayberry Jamaican Equities rallied 49 cents to  $10.50 with shareholders swapping 22,988 stock units, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy rose $7 to close at $90 while 123 shares passed through the market, NCB Financial dipped $3.48 to end at $71.50 in trading 171,711 units, 138 Student Living advanced 39 cents to $5.40 after a transfer of 25,247 shares, Scotia Group fell 38 cents in ended at $34.62, with 34,830 units changing hands, Seprod dipped 96 cents in closing at $71 with an exchange of 12 stocks, Supreme Ventures gained 70 cents and ended at $27.70 after investors were involved in trading 28,660 stock units, Wisynco Group advanced 93 cents to close at $17.50 after an exchange of 46,863 stock units.In the preference segment, Eppley 5% preference share rose $3.97 in closing at $22, with 100 units crossing the exchange, Jamaica Public Service 7% rallied $15.65 to $95 after exchanging 2,001 stocks, Jamaica Public Service 9.5% increased $20 to end at $3000 and closed with just one share changing hands and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share popped $10.90 to close at $106.93 with investors transferring 87 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.