The Main Market Index crept up by just 475 points after trading ended on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday, but failed to wipe out the 2,481 points lost on Tuesday. Trading in resulted in the volume of stocks traded jumping 68 percent, with Transjamaican Highway commanding 76 percent, following release of strong first quarter results recently. The value of stocks slipped 6 percent from Wednesday, with 61 securities changing hands, up from 56 on Wednesday, with prices of 28 advancing, 19 declining and 14 ending unchanged.
The market closed with 24,639,843 shares trading for $149,281,517, well above 14,696,324 stock units at $159,154,978 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 403,932 shares valued at $2,447,238 compared to 262,434 stocks at $2,842,053 on Wednesday and for the month to date, an average of 234,590 units at $1,895,198, in line with 216,563 shares at $1,836,429, the previous day and April with an average of 1,417,136 units at $6,010,754.
Transjamaican Highway led trading with 18.72 million shares for 76 percent of the total volume, followed by Wigton Energy, with 2.23 million units for 9.1 percent of the day’s trade and Carreras with 677,132 stocks for 2.7 percent of the volume traded, as investors go after solid dividend income.
The All Jamaican Composite Index sank 597.24 points to conclude trading at 369,489.20, the JSE Main Index climbed 474.82 points to 322,380.66 and the JSE Financial Index popped 0.16 points to settle at 67.74. At the close, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows nine stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.7. The JSE Main and the 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 increased trading, Berger Paints slipped 63 cents to finish at $7.07 with traders dealing in 1,800 shares, following lower first quarter profits results released on Wednesday, Caribbean Cement fell $1 to end at $82 with investors passing 37,179 stock units through the market, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund rallied $5 to end at $42 after a transfer of 1,010 shares. First Rock Real Estate skidded 48 cents in closing at $9.02 with 54 units crossing the market, General Accident sank 47 cents and ended at $4.90 with investors trading 68,568 stocks, despite a major increased in its first quarter profit, Guardian Holdings popped $8 to close at $348 with 222 shares crossing the exchange. Jamaica Broilers dipped 50 cents to $27 as traders exchanged 25,578 stock units, Jamaica Stock Exchange increased 70 cents to close at $13.20, in the trading of 124,403 units, as investors cheered the very positive first quarter profit that more than doubled, Mayberry Group lost $1.18 in closing at $6.30 as 4,175 stocks changed hands. 
MPC Caribbean Clean Energy climbed $1 to finish at $64 with 12,100 shares crossing the market, Pan Jamaica rose $1 and ended at $53 with investors trading 17,498 stock units, Scotia Group shed 88 cents to end at $56.40 after traders exchanged 80,012 stocks. Seprod advanced $1.48 in closing at $83.98 in trading 4,314 units, Supreme Ventures gained 38 cents to end at $19.99 after an exchange of 61,340 stocks and Sygnus Credit Investments popped 89 cents and ended at $12.27 with investors dealing in 575 shares.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% climbed 56 cents to close at $44.38 with a transfer of 60 stock units, 138 Student Living preference share fell $56.50 to end at $185 with investors swapping 809 units and Productive Business Solutions 10.5% preference share increased $40 to finish at $1,100 in an exchange of 100 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated