Trading picks up on JSE Main Market

Trading activity climbed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended on Friday, with an 86 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded as the value rose moderately compared to trading on Thursday, which resulted in 55 securities trading similar to Thursday and ended with 11 rising, 21 declining and 23 ending unchanged.
The All Jamaican Composite Index rose 129.65 points to end at 353,437.71, the JSE Main Index dropped 684.90 points to close at 320,070.80 and the JSE Financial Index popped 0.16 points to end trading at 70.48.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator closed positively with 14 stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and only two with lower offers, an indication that the market seems set to open higher on Monday.
A total of 10,256,198 shares were traded for $39,416,576 up from just 5,505,100 units at $37,890,404 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 186,476 shares at $716,665 compared with 100,093 shares at $688,916 on Thursday with a month to date average of 404,148 units at $1,824,055, compared to 423,304 stock units at $1,921,505 on the previous day. July closed with an average of 283,368 units at $2,135,482.
Wigton Windfarm led trading with 3.51 million shares for 34.2 percent of total volume, followed by Stanley Motta with 2.80 million units for 27.3 percent of trading and Transjamaican Highway with 1.45 million units for 14.1 percent of market share.
The PE Ratio, a formula used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 12.6 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are based on the last traded prices and earnings forecasted by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending up to August 2024.
At the close, Barita Investments fell 97 cents and ended at $74.01 with a transfer of 20,256 shares,  Caribbean Producers lost 30 cents in closing at $10 with investors transferring 71,971 units, Carreras advanced 33 cents to close at $8.48 in an exchange of 672,556 stock units. Eppley Caribbean Property Fund dipped $5.94 to $36 after exchanging 500 stocks, First Rock Real Estate rose 70 cents to  $8.80 as investors traded 22,920 stocks, GraceKennedy fell $1 to close at $76 while exchanging 9,262 units. Guardian Holdings shed $18.25 to $421.50 after 51 stock units were traded, Kingston Wharves dropped $2.89 in closing at a 52 weeks’ low of $26.01 with an exchange of 6,154 shares, Massy Holdings popped 75 cents to end at $101 with stakeholders exchanging 5,500 stock units. Mayberry Investments climbed 64 cents to $8.64 in switching ownership of 14,745 shares, NCB Financial rose 60 cents to close at $73 after an exchange of 28,933 stocks, Stanley Motta fell 48 cents to end at $4.52 in an exchange of 2,800,110 units and Supreme Ventures declined 50 cents to $27.50 with 34,040 units clearing the market.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.25% preference share increased 50 cents in closing at $18.50, following trading in 300 stocks, JMMB Group 7.25% preference share traded 9,271 units and slipped 5 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ low of $1.45 and Productive Business Solutions 10.5 % preference share dived $100 and ended at $1000, with 150 shares crossing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.