Trading rises to close out the week

Market activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market ended on Friday, with the volume of stocks traded rising 43 percent with 156 percent greater value than on Thursday as 56 securities were exchanged, up from 53 on Thursday, with 21 rising, 22 declining and 13 ending unchanged.
Overall, 4,959,941 shares were exchanged for $65,424,573 versus 3,472,392 units at $25,553,670 on Thursday. Trading averages 88,570 units at $1,168,296, compared to 65,517 shares at $482,145 on Thursday and month to date, an average of 169,983 units at $1,230,531, compared to 180,275 units at $1,238,398 on the previous trading day. July closed with an average of 173,643 units at $1,683,017.
Sagicor Select Financial Fund led trading with 1.34 million shares for 27 percent of total volume, followed by Wigton Windfarm with 564,932 units for 11.4 percent of the day’s trade and Transjamaican Highway with 524,843 units for 10.6 percent market share.
All Jamaican Composite Index gained 621.52 points to end at 418,550.69, the JSE Main Index rose 361.51 points to 367,335.68 and the JSE Financial Index advanced 0.66 points to 88.41.
The PE Ratio, a formula to ascertain appropriate stock values, averages 13.4 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are computed based on ICInsider.com’s forecasted earnings for companies with financial years ending up to the close of August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 14 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, Caribbean Producers popped 42 cents to $14.02 after trading 20,482 stocks. Eppley increased $1.28 to close at $39.93, with 75 stock units changing hands. Eppley Caribbean Property Fund fell $4.50 to end at $38.40 with the swapping of 300 stocks, First Rock Real Estate lost 40 cents in ending at $12.05 after trading 5,075 shares, Guardian Holdings surged $64.96 to $569.99 after exchanging 352 stocks.Massy Holdings lost $2.70 in closing at $87, with 1,178 stock units crossing the exchange. Mayberry Investments climbed 65 cents to close at $9.99 in exchanging 99 stocks, Mayberry Jamaican Equities shed 22 cents in closing at $13.88 in trading 104,177 units, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy lost 50 cents in ending at $84.50 while exchanging 321 stock units. NCB Financial rose $1.50 to end at $95 in trading 236,805 shares, Palace Amusement dropped $30 to $760 with an exchange of 10 stocks, PanJam Investment shed 50 cents to end at $60 in switching ownership of 5,628 stock units, Seprod climbed $3.37 in closing at $71.44 in an exchange of 97,364 units and Stanley Motta popped 50 cents to $5.50 after trading 1,600 stocks.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.50% preference share increased 87 cents to $7.47, with 201 shares crossing the market. Eppley 7.75% preference share declined $1 to end at $20 with one stock changing hands, JMMB Group 7.25% preference share rallied 28 cents to close at $3.27 in exchanging 90 stock units and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share gained $29.05 to close at a 52 weeks’ high of $156.05, with 105 shares crossing the exchange.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.