Transjamaican Highway led trading with 12.5 million shares as buying investors piled into the stock on the last day of trading ahead of the Ex-dividend day next Tuesday. By the close of the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Thursday, rising stocks outnumbered those declining but the market indices declined solidly, following trading in 63 securities compared with 59 on Wednesday, and prices of 28 rising, 22 declining and 13 ending unchanged. The market closed with to a minor fall in the volume of stocks traded, even as the value climbed 28 percent over trading on Wednesday.
The market closed with 18,875,786 shares and ending with a value of $172,618,714, in comparison with 19,892,430 stocks at $135,267,009 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 299,616 shares at $2,739,980, from 337,160 stocks at $2,292,661 on Wednesday and for the month to date, an average of 317,772 units with a value of $2,523,653 compared with March with an average of 244,194 stock units at $3,119,428.
Transjamaican Highway was the leading trade, with 12.53 million shares for 66.4 percent of total volume, well behind was Supreme Ventures with 3.23 million stocks for 17.1 percent of the day’s trade and JMMB Group 7.35% – 2028 with 1.03 million units, for 5.5 percent of the day’s volume.
The All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 2,176.97 points to finish at 405,589.08, the JSE Main Index declined 1,620.11 points to close at 344,467.04 and the JSE Financial Index fell 0.23 points to 63.84. At the close, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 12 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 20.7. 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 2026.
At the close, AS Bryden slipped $1.70 in closing at $27.60, after 3,657 shares passed through the market, Barita Investments sank 49 cents to $69.30 in an exchange of 1,015 stock units, Berger Paints dipped 68 cents to close at $5.02 with investors trading 8,296 stocks. Caribbean Cement fell $3.49 to end at $104.50 with an exchange of 31,195 shares, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund popped $2.70 and ended at $44.70, with 5,943 stock units changing hands, Guardian Holdings climbed $4.95 to finish at $329.95 with a transfer of 275 shares. Jamaica Producers increased $1.24 to $23.74 after an exchange of 9 units, Jamaica Stock Exchange dropped 69 cents to finish at $12.21 in trading 7,755 stocks, JMMB Group gained 60 cents and ended at $17.10 after a transfer of 13,776 stock units. Kingston Properties rose $1.30 to close at $13.80, with 6,014 shares crossing the exchange, Kingston Wharves shed $1.85 in closing at $35.50 with investors dealing in 18,689 stock units, Margaritaville declined 81 cents to end at $11.19 after an exchange of 4,951 stocks. Massy Holdings advanced 93 cents in closing at $72.43 after trading of 1,777 units, Mayberry Jamaican Equities rallied 42 cents to $7.10 in an exchange of 52 shares, NCB Financial lost $1.92 to finish at $43 with investors swapping 443,847 stock units.
Pan Jamaica skidded 75 cents and ended at $48.25, with 2,143 units crossing the market, Proven Investments popped 42 cents to close at $14.27 in switching ownership of 691 stocks, Seprod sank 75 cents to end at $81, with 502 shares clearing the market. Stanley Motta shed 46 cents in closing at $6.53 as investors exchanged 155 stocks, Supreme Ventures sank 48 cents to a 52 weeks closing low of $14.49 and closed with an exchange of 3,228,392 units and Wisynco Group advanced 50 cents and ended at $22 with investors trading 72,364 stock units.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 9.5% rose $111 to close at $2,500 after two shares passed through the market, 138 Student Living preference share rallied $30 to end at $234 with traders dealing in two stocks, Productive Business Solutions 10.5% increased $4.30 to finish at $1,154.30 in an exchange of 67 units and Sygnus Credit Investments 10% climbed $11 and ended at $109 with investors trading 16 stock units.Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.