The Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market closed the first month of the year with a 9 percent gain, with the market index at the highest level in more than 3 years following B gains in Transjamaican Highway and newly listed West Indies Petroleum. Trading ended with a moderate increase in the number of shares traded at a 67 percent lower value than on Thursday with trading in 60 securities, down from 64 on Thursday and ending with prices of 26 rising, 15 declining and 19 ending unchanged.
The market closed after trading 24,529,732 shares with a value of $118,203,561, after a decline from 26,835,604 stock units at $357,812,042 on Thursday.
Trading ended with an average of 408,829 shares, with a value averaging $1,970,059, after a slide from 419,306 stock units worth $5,590,813 on Thursday. Trading for the month to date, averages 271,336 stock units at $2,043,022 in alignment with 264,574 shares at $2,046,611 on the previous day and well below December, with an average of 395,435 stock units at $4,321,753.
Sagicor Select Financial Fund led trading with 5.86 million shares for 23.9 percent of total volume followed by Transjamaican Highway ending with 5.79 million stocks for 23.6 percent of the day’s trade, Wigton Energy closed with 4.35 million stock units for 17.7 percent of the volume traded, Radio Jamaica closed with 2.50 million shares for 10.2 percent of the volume traded, QWI Investments with 1.28 million stocks for 5.2 percent of the overall traded shares and JMMB 9.5% with 1.17 million stock units for 4.8 percent of market share.
The All Jamaican Composite Index increased 847.04 points to finish at 403,422.64, the highest since late 2022. The JSE Main Index advanced 620.92 points to 346,437.16, the highest point since late early November 2022 and the JSE Financial Index increased 0.59 points to settle at 64.24. At the close, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 13 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 18. 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 fiscal year ending around August 2026.
At the close of trading, Barita Investments climbed $2.01 to $72.01 with investors snapping up a total of 21,110 shares, Caribbean Cement rallied by 50 cents to finish at $107.50 in an exchange of 19,487 stock units, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund rallied 35 cents and ended at $47.15 with 1,256 shares clearing the market. GraceKennedy popped 85 cents to end at $71.10 as investors exchanged 4,182 stocks, Jamaica Producers skidded 54 cents in closing at $24.40 after trading of 180,158 units, JMMB Group gained 50 cents to close at $18.49 following an exchange of 259,051 shares. Kingston Wharves increased $2.05 to $37.05 with investors trading 3,612 stocks, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy advanced $3 to close at $44 with an exchange of 618 units, Proven Investments popped 99 cents in closing at $15.09 with 292 stock units passing through the market. 
Sagicor Real Estate Fund advanced $1.83 to end at $7.99 after a transfer of 136,908 shares, Scotia Group rose $1.46 and ended at $51.21 after the trading of 23,498 stocks, Seprod gained $5.98 to finish at $83.98 with 80,620 units crossing the exchange. West Indies Petroleum fell $1.65 to $10.55, with traders dealing in 209,310 stock units and Wisynco Group increased 50 cents to end at a 52 weeks high of $22.99 after an exchange of 32,362 shares.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% climbed $2.19 in closing at $43 with investors trading 114 stocks. Jamaica Public Service 9.5% rallied $397.50 to close at $2,599 after an exchange of 282 units, 138 Student Living preference share dropped $24 and ended at $220 with 52 stock units changing hands and Sygnus Credit Investments 10% popped 95 cents to finish at $106.95 with a transfer of 762 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.