On a day of very low market activity, trading ended with a dip on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Friday, with the volume of stocks traded declining a sizable 97 percent, with the value 88 percent lower than on Thursday to a mere $29 million, with the largest trade falling below one million shares, after trading ending with an exchange of 59 securities down from 64 on Thursday, with prices of 17 rising, 26 declining and 16 ending unchanged.
The market closed on Friday with just 3,643,310 shares trading for a mere $29,016,024 well down from 109,013,663 units at $248,063,681 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 61,751 shares at $491,797 well below the 1,703,338 stocks at a value of $3,875,995 on Thursday and month to date, with an average of 429,751 stock units at $1,861,289 compared to 469,371 shares for $2,008,734 previously and January with an average of 257,074 stock units at $2,582,065.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with only 890,136 shares for 24.4 percent of total volume followed by Wigton Energy with 466,547 stock units for 12.8 percent of the day’s trade and Sagicor Select Manufacturing & Distribution Fund with 276,656 stocks for 7.6 percent of the volume traded.
The All Jamaican Composite Index skidded 1,208.34 points to 381,116.32, the JSE Main Index dipped 724.33 points to wrap up trading at 329,544.38 and the JSE Financial Index skidded 0.16 points to conclude trading at 67.96.
The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 10 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 14.7. 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 mediocre trades, Berger Paints popped 45 cents to close at $7.75 with investors swapping 71 units, First Rock Real Estate lost 80 cents to end at $8.55 with 6,000 stocks crossing the exchange, Guardian Holdings increased $5.75 and ended at $309.75 while investors completed the trading 142 shares. Jamaica Stock Exchange sank 52 cents to end at $12.81 with 1,673 stock units being traded, Kingston Wharves dropped 64 cents in closing at $30.31 in trading 6,213 shares, Massy Holdings climbed 85 cents to finish at $81.85 after a transfer of 296 units.
Mayberry Group fell 40 cents and ended at $7.20 with 3,167 stocks crossing the market, NCB Financial Group fell 33 cents and closed at a 52 weeks’ low of $49 after 52,703 shares were traded, Proven Investments rose $1.07 to $18.27 as investors exchanged 1,727 stock units, Sagicor Group slipped 50 cents and closed at $40.50 with 6,572 shares being traded. Seprod gained $3.98 to close at $88.98 with investors trading 9,565 units and Supreme Ventures sank 90 cents to finish at $19.60 in an exchange of 33,576 stocks.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.25% preference share advanced $2.25 to end at $19.25 with 11 stock units changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.