Main Market rises on light trading

Trading activity on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market remained light on Tuesday, with the volume of stocks traded declining 25 percent and the value just 5 percent more than on Monday after 57 securities were traded compared to 58 on Monday, with 19 rising, 19 declining and 19  unchanged.
A total of 7,123,490 shares were traded for $40,413,642 compared to 9,529,184 units at $38,472,860 on Monday.
Trading averaged 124,974 shares at $709,011 versus 164,296 stocks at $663,325 on Monday and month to date, an average of 218,420 units at $939,523 compared to 249,752 units at $1,016,812 on the previous day. May closed with an average of 226,361 units at $1,362,447.
Wigton Windfarm led trading with 2.66 million shares for 37.4 percent of the volume  Transjamaican Highway followed with 1.64 million units for 23 percent of the day’s trade and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 1.12 million units for 15.8 percent of the day’s trade.
The All Jamaican Composite Index climbed 1,720.36 points to finish at 371,176.34, the JSE Main Index climbed 866.00 points to 336,184.38 and the JSE Financial Index slipped 0.14 points to 75.05.
The PE Ratio, a formula used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 13.3 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are computed based on the last traded prices and earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending up to August 2023.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows seven stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments rallied 95 cents and ended to $75.95 after 22,774 shares crossed the market, Caribbean Cement advanced $3.78 to close at $55.78 with 1,666 stock units clearing the market, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund lost 38 cents in closing at $40.02 with investors trading 327 stocks, Guardian Holdings shed $5 to end at $475 in an exchange of 13,932 units, Jamaica Stock Exchange dipped 32 cents to $13.40 after a transfer of 9,000 shares, JMMB Group fell 50 cents to end at $29.50, with 114,308 units changing hands, Key Insurance declined 38 cents and ended at $3, with 76,127 stocks crossing the exchange, Kingston Wharves dipped 50 cents to $30 with a transfer of 4,307 stocks, Mayberry Investments gained 50 cents to close at $9 with an exchange of 70,360 shares, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy fell $1 in closing at $70 with investors trading 12 stock units, Pan Jamaica Group rallied $1.95 to close at $52 after an exchange of 334 units, Portland JSX lost $1.25 to end at $9.75 as 27 stocks passed through the market, Sagicor Group rose 50 cents in closing at $50 and closed with an exchange of 6,084 shares, Scotia Group popped 40 cents to $34.50 while 7,196 units were traded, Seprod rose $4.96 and ended at $73.50 in switching ownership of 11,076 stock units and Sygnus Real Estate Finance dipped $1.98 to $13 in trading 20 stocks.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 7.15% due 2028, popped 31 cents and ended at $2.99 in an exchange of 300 stocks and JMMB Group 7.25% preference share shed 54 cents to end at $3.07 as investors exchanged 8,153 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.