Prices jumped broadly on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Thursday, following a 109 percent jump in the volume of stocks traded as the value surged 401 percent higher than on Wednesday, after investors ended trading in 53 securities down from 59 on Wednesday, with 27 rising, eight declining and 18 ending unchanged.
A total of 18,676,905 shares were traded at $323,528,081 compared to 8,932,182 units at $64,616,360 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 352,394 shares at $6,104,303 up sharply from 151,393 units at $1,095,193 on Wednesday and month to date, an average of 316,608 stocks at $1,867,646, just slightly more than the 314,910 units at $1,666,623 on the previous day. Trading in July closed with an average of 283,368 shares at $2,135,482.
Wigton Windfarm led trading with 4.31 million shares for 23.1 percent of total volume, followed by Sagicor Group with 3.28 million units for 17.5 percent of the day’s trade, Stanley Motta with 2.10 million units for 11.2 percent market share, Wisynco Group and Transjamaican Highway chipped in with 1.52 million units for 8.1 percent market share respectively and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 1.24 million units for 6.6 percent of total volume.
The All Jamaican Composite Index gained 3,802.79 points to finish at 354,823.78, the JSE Main Index popped 2,577.57 points to 321,731.80 and the JSE Financial Index rallied 1.08 points to end at 72.05.
The PE Ratio, a formula used to compute appropriate stock values, averages 12.9 for the Main Market. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are calculated based on the last traded prices and earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending up to August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 10 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close, Barita Investments climbed 47 cents to end at $76.37, with 413,555 shares crossing the market, Eppley rallied 97 cents to $36.50 in switching ownership of just 2 units, Jamaica Producers gained $1.80 and ended at $19.81 while exchanging 31,851 stocks, Jamaica Stock Exchange popped 98 cents in closing at $10.68, with 215,983 stock units clearing the market, JMMB Group increased 69 cents to $27.84 in an exchange of 140,735 units, Kingston Wharves rose $3 to $30 after exchanging 109,829 shares, Massy Holdings lost 90 cents to close at $100.10 with traders dealing in 1,580 stocks, 
MPC Caribbean Clean Energy advanced $9.50 and ended at $82 as investors exchanged 6 stock units, NCB Financial gained 40 cents to end at $73.40 with investors swapping 116,996 shares, Pan Jamaica rose $2.02 to close at $49.01 after 27,867 stocks were traded, Portland JSX declined $1 and ended at $9 trading 1,756 stock units, Proven Investments advanced 35 cents to close at $22.45 in trading 1,598 units, Sagicor Group increased $5.92 in closing at $50 after investors swapped 3,275,234 stock units, Sagicor Real Estate Fund dropped 35 cents to $8.15 after 10,408 shares passed through the market, Scotia Group climbed 83 cents to end at $33.84 with investors dealing in 704,129 units, Seprod rallied $4.99 in closing at $74.99 with investors transferring 435,817 stocks, Supreme Ventures skidded 49 cents to end at $27.50, with 361,791 units changing hands.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.50% preference share fell 48 cents to close at $5.52 after an exchange of 13,126 stock units and Jamaica Public Service 7% popped $6.02 and ended at $52.82 in an exchange of 93 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
A total of 500,869 shares were traded for US$62,995 compared to 136,351 units at US$23,735 on Wednesday.
Sterling Investments dipped 0.04 of a cent to 1.94 US cents in trading 241,000 stocks, Sygnus Credit Investments ended at 10.23 US cents with investors dealing in 192 shares and Transjamaican Highway popped 0.04 of a cent in closing at 1.74 US cents after an exchange of 151,153 stock units.
Investors traded 6,771,997 shares for $16,602,569 versus 6,996,281 units at $20,642,380 on Wednesday.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows nine stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
GWest Corporation rallied 10 cents to end at 98 cents, with 1,141 shares crossing the market, Image Plus Consultants gained 22 cents to close at $2.24 with an exchange of 353,408 units. Indies Pharma popped 7 cents and ended at $3.19 with traders dealing in 69,698 stocks, JFP Ltd climbed 9 cents to $1.64 after 15,586 shares changed hands, Lasco Distributors rose 30 cents and ended at $4.50 with shareholders swapping 61,494 stock units, Lasco Manufacturing increased 11 cents to $5.31 with investors dealing in 3,256 stock units, Limners and Bards skidded 19 cents in closing at $1.81 as investors exchanged 10,926 units. Lumber Depot rallied 23 cents to close at $2.30 in an exchange of 279,065 shares, MFS Capital Partners shed 15 cents to end at $2.34 after a transfer of 157,154 stocks, ONE on ONE Educational popped 14 cents to end at $1.15 after exchanging 755,234 shares, Paramount Trading gained 25 cents to close at $1.95 with investors transferring 4,183 units. Regency Petroleum increased 14 cents to close at $2.54 with an exchange of 1,301,575 stock units, 
Spur Tree Spices rose 14 cents and ended at $2.39, with 348,421 stocks changing hands, Stationery and Office Supplies advanced 23 cents in closing at $2.03 as investors exchanged 691,043 stock units and Tropical Battery climbed 8 cents to close at $2.04, with 88,445 stocks crossing the market.
At the close, the JSE Combined Market Index climbed 3,120.24 points to close at 336,078.51, the All Jamaican Composite Index rose 3,802.79 points to 354,823.78, the JSE Main Index popped 2,577.57 points to 321,731.80, the Junior Market Index jumped by 78.13 points to settle at 3,919.73, while the JSE USD Market Index rose 1.37 points to conclude trading at 239.83. 
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks ended at 17.3 on 2022-23 earnings and 11.7 times those for 2023-24 at the close of trading. ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily report charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
Investors should use the chart to help make rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the average for the sector and not going too far from it unless there are compelling reasons to do so. This approach helps to remove emotions from investment decisions and place them on fundamentals while at the same time not being too far from the majority of investors. Investors who buy when the price of a stock is close to the average will find that they are not inclined to overpay for a stock.
Addition to fixed assets absorbed $2.4 billion during the year and includes work in progress of $1.4 billion. In 2022, addition to fixed assets was $637 million as the group increased investments in plant and machinery to expand its operation, which William Mahfood advises is targeted to expand factory and warehouse space by 60 percent to meet growing demand locally and overseas for its products.
Trading resulted in an exchange for 8,932,182 shares for $64,616,360, down from 17,477,049 units at $200,353,274 on Tuesday.
The PE Ratio, the most common formula used in valuing stocks, averages 12.8 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 2024.
JMMB Group dropped 54 cents to close at $27.15 after an exchange of 22,349 stocks, Kingston Properties increased 40 cents in closing at $7.30 with investors dealing in 68 stock units, Massy Holdings climbed 90 cents to $101 with stakeholders exchanging 1,772 shares, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy gained $2.80 and ended at $72.50 after a transfer of 194 units. Seprod rallied $5 to close at $70 with a transfer of 146,479 units, Supreme Ventures gained 44 cents in closing at $27.99, with 9,896 shares changing hands, Sygnus Credit Investments shed 50 cents to land at $11.47 in an exchange of 67,753 stocks and Wisynco Group climbed $1.15 in closing at $18, with 81,066 stock units crossing the exchange before reporting full year profit results after the market closed, of $4.9 billion, up 21 percent over earnings for 2022 and resulting in earnings of $1.31 per share.
Jamaica Public Service 7% fell $12.06 to $46.80, with 358 stock units clearing the market and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share advanced 50 cents to end at $100 in an exchange of 47 stocks.
A total of 136,351 shares were exchanged for US$23,735 compared with 593,068 units at US$64,296 on Tuesday.
Investments gained 0.45 of one cent and ended at 15 US cents in an exchange of 70,006 stock units. Sygnus Credit Investments climbed 1.13 cents to end at 10.23 US cents with 21,557 stocks changing hands, Sygnus Real Estate Finance USD share ended at 10 US cents with shareholders swapping 48 units and Transjamaican Highway rose 0.09 of a cent and ended at 1.7 US cents, with 21,369 stock units crossing the market.
Investors traded 6,996,281 shares for $20,642,380 compared with 5,425,798 units at $34,684,589 on Tuesday.
At the close, Access Financial advanced 20 cents to end at $25.20 with traders dealing in 7,190 shares, CAC 2000 fell 86 cents and ended at $5, with 2,185 stocks crossing the market, Cargo Handlers lost $1.30 to close at $15.11 with investors dealing in 86 stock units, Consolidated Bakeries declined 10 cents to close at $2.25 with an exchange of 20 units. Derrimon Trading skidded 10 cents in closing at $1.75 and closed with an exchange of 44,061 stocks, Dolphin Cove rose 60 cents to $16.60 after investors traded 1,116 stocks, EduFocal dipped 10 cents in closing at $1.34 after an exchange of 65,822 units, Elite Diagnostic rallied 27 cents and ended at $1.83, with 90,677 shares crossing the exchange. Everything Fresh dropped 17 cents to $1.37 after 98 stock units passed through the market, Fontana rallied 57 cents to $11.57 with a transfer of 19,107 shares, General Accident gained 11 cents to close at $5 after investors exchanged 200,222 stocks, 
GWest Corporation shed 10 cents to end at 88 cents after a transfer of 124 units. Honey Bun lost 29 cents in closing at $6.20 in switching ownership of 2,985 stocks, ISP Finance popped $3.27 and ended at $36.22, with just 30 shares crossing the market, JFP Ltd dipped 10 cents to $1.55 with shareholders swapping 326,764 units, KLE Group shed 9 cents to end at $1.55 while exchanging 14,500 units. Knutsford Express climbed $1.15 in closing at $11.25 in an exchange of 10,500 stock units, Main Event advanced $1.48 to $17.48 after 60,155 stocks were traded, MFS Capital Partners gained 33 cents to close at $2.49 in an exchange of 111,623 shares. 
Paramount Trading fell 10 cents and ended at $1.70 with 95 units clearing the market and Regency Petroleum rallied 17 cents to $2.40, with 747,105 units changing hands.
At the close, the JSE Combined Market Index climbed 1,603.19 points to 332,958.27, the All Jamaican Composite Index shed 428.15 points to 351,020.99, the JSE Main Index rallied 1,282.67 points to 319,154.23, the Junior Market Index jumped by 44.40 points to 3,841.60 and the JSE USD Market Index rose 3.33 points to 238.46.
The PE ratio chart covers all ordinary shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange. It shows companies grouped by industry, allowing for easy comparisons between the same sector companies and the overall market. The EPS & PE ratios are based on 2023 and 2024 actual or projected earnings, excluding major one off items.
The net asset value of each company is reported as a guide to assess the value of stocks based on this measure quickly. The chart also shows daily changes in stock prices and the percentage year to date price movement based on the last traded prices.
Investors exchanged 157,416 shares for $1,978,952 compared to 147,834 stock units at $2,564,061 on Tuesday.
At the close, Agostini’s dipped 7 cents to $67.93 after an exchange of 64 shares, Ansa McAl lost 40 cents and ended at $54, with 4,102 stocks crossing the market, Calypso Macro Investment Fund rose 50 cents to close at $22.50 after investors traded 499 units, Endeavour Holdings ended at $12 with a transfer of 589 stock units. First Citizens Group ended at $49, with 6,604 shares crossing the market, FirstCaribbean International Bank slipped 1 cent to $6.99 with a transfer of 246 units, GraceKennedy skidded 3 cents to close at $3.31, with 11,950 stocks changing hands, Guardian Holdings rallied 25 cents in closing at $19.25 with shareholders swapping 13,000 stock units. JMMB Group ended at $1.34 with an exchange of 28,795 shares, Massy Holdings remained at $4.55 with traders dealing in 67,742 stocks, National Enterprises rallied 1 cent in closing at $3.61 with 3,735 stock units clearing the market, National Flour Mills ended at $1.63 after 8,305 units passed through the market.
One Caribbean Media climbed 5 cents and ended at $3.75 as investors exchanged 5 units, Point Lisas remained at $3.40 in an exchange of 600 stocks, Prestige Holdings ended at $7.90 in trading 457 shares, Republic Financial fell 1 cent to $125.02 in switching ownership of 5,107 stock units, Scotiabank ended at $73 after trading 461 shares, Trinidad & Tobago NGL. dropped 20 cents to end at $14.60 after it closed with 2,588 units changing hands, Unilever Caribbean shed 9 cents in closing at $11.90 with an exchange of 22 stock units and West Indian Tobacco ended at $11 with stakeholders exchanging 2,545 stocks.
