Big declines in Main & Junior Markets on Tuesday

Trading picked up on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Monday with a greater volume of stocks trading at a much higher value than on Monday, with both the Main and the junior Market indices dropping from Monday’s close while the JSE USD Market rose after sharp declines in a series of stocks led by Guardian Holdings, down $104.99, ISP finance with a fall of $7.50, Pan Jamaica down $5.41, Seprod falling $4.70, Eppley Property $4.30, Carib Cement off $2.77 and Access down $2,45.
Trading closed with a plunge in JSE Combined Market Index by 4,203.69 points to end trading at 323,867.88, the All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 3,347.62 points to finish at 347,377.50, the JSE Main Index dived 4,153.74 points to 310,988.80. The Junior Market Index dropped 35.17 points to wrap-up trading at 3,677.75 on Tuesday and the JSE USD Market Index rose 3.47 points to end trading at 227.60.
Investors traded 20,284,498 shares, in all three markets, up from 12,196,470 units on Monday. The value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounts to $174.37 million up from just $40.13 million on Monday, as Wisynco Group dominated trading with 5.18 million shares for $104 million. The JSE USD market closed after 198,410 shares were traded, for US$3,547 compared to 89,619 units at US$7,899 on Monday.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% popped $1 to end at $46.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 20.8 on 2022-23 earnings and 13.5 times those for 2023-24 at the close of trading. ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
The PE ratio chart covers all ordinary shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, 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.
Investors need pertinent information to successfully navigate numerous investment options in the local stock market. The 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.
The net asset value of each company is reported as a guide to quickly assess the value of stocks based on this measure. The chart also shows daily changes in stock prices and the percentage year to date price movement based on the last traded prices.
Dividends paid or payable and yields for each company are shown in the Main and Junior Markets’ daily report charts, along with the closing volume pertaining to the highest bid and the lowest offer for each company.