Winning stocks clobbered losers on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Friday, with 26 stocks rising, 14 declining, and 15 ending firm. This followed trading in 55 securities compared with 57 on Thursday and pushed the market higher to close out the week of mostly negative market movements on a positive note. The market closed with a 27 percent fall in the volume of traded stocks, with a 138 percent higher value than on Thursday.
The market closed with only 4,863,576 shares trading worth $68,352,713, versus 6,629,484 stock units at $28,683,781 on Thursday.
Trading ended with an average of 88,429 shares at $1,242,777 compared with 116,307 stock units at $503,224 on Thursday and for the month to date, an average of 143,241 units at $1,232,367, well in line with the 147,028 shares at $1,231,648 on the previous day and well below May with an average of 245,284 stock units at $2,050,773.
Carreras led trading with 851,346 shares for 17.5 percent of total volume, followed by Transjamaican Highway, with 575,472 stock units for 11.8 percent of the day’s trade and Palace Amusement with 473,112 stocks for 9.7 percent of the volume traded.
The All Jamaican Composite Index rallied 829.31 points to end at 359,170.72, the JSE Main Index climbed 1,170.81 points to close trading at 311,290.55 and the JSE Financial Index popped 0.28 points to wrap up trading at 64.53. At the close, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows seven stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
The Main Market ended with an average PE Ratio of 13.5. 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 the market, Barita Investments gained 97 cents to end at $70.97 with 70,007 shares changing hands, Berger Paints rose 92 cents to finish at $7.52 with investors trading 466 stock units, Caribbean Cement slipped 39 cents and ended at $81.70 with 5,656 shares crossing the market. Caribbean Producers climbed 54 cents to $8.49 with traders dealing in just 912 stocks, Eppley Caribbean Property fell $2.69 in closing at $40 with 2,416 units passing through the market, Jamaica Broilers dropped 93 cents to end at $24 with investors swapping 5,361 shares. JMMB Group increased 99 cents to $21 with 407,001 stock units crossing the exchange, Lasco Manufacturing popped 46 cents and ended at $6.65 with a transfer of 118,962 units, Massy Holdings advanced 50 cents to $77.50 with investors trading 136 stocks. NCB Financial rallied $2.75 to end at $43 after an exchange of 314,079 shares, 138 Student Living popped 52 cents to finish at $4.02 after investors finished trading 68,154 stock units, Proven Investments sank 94 cents to close at $16.11 in an exchange of 143 units. Sagicor Group skidded $2.11 to $40 with traders clearing 37,767 stocks, Sagicor Real Estate Fund increased $1.40 to finish at $8.50 in an exchange of 150 shares, Scotia Group fell 97 cents and ended at $52.50 with investors dealing in 136,538 stocks. Seprod shed $3.82 to close at $75.18 after a transfer of 2,768 units, Stanley Motta climbed 60 cents in closing at $6.88 as investors exchanged just 8 stock units, Supreme Ventures rose 35 cents to end at $20.30 as brokers switched ownership of 242,701 shares and Sygnus Real Estate Finance advanced $1.13 in closing at $8.63 after an exchange of 19 stocks.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% rallied 49 cents to $37.25 as 39 units passed through the market, 138 Student Living preference share, gained 50 cents to close at $195 with an exchange of 8 stock units and Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5% rose 50 cents and ended at $100.50 with investors trading a mere one share.Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.