Big fall for Junior Market, Main Market gains

The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange plunged on Monday but the JSE USD Market inched higher at the close while the Main market recorded gains to start off the week positively, following a jump in both volume and value of stocks trading on the exchange.
At the close, the JSE Combined Market Index rose 377.13 points to close at 335,952.31, the All Jamaican Composite Index rallied 822.60 points to close at 354,449.13, the JSE Main Index rallied 1,017.76 points to close at 322,251.93, the Junior Market Index dived 62.33 points to 3,853.92, while the JSE USD Market Index popped 2.18 points to close at 244.58.
Preference share trading ended with notable price changes for Eppley 5% preference share advanced $1.03 to $22, Jamaica Public Service 7% shed $2 in closing at $50 and 138 Student Living preference share climbed $6.50 to end at $99.98.
At the close, investors dealt in 20,682,647 shares, in all three markets, up from 12,495,973 stocks on Friday. The value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main Markets ended at $109.34 million, up sharply from $64.3 million on Friday. Trading on the JSE USD market ended with investors exchanging 155,440 shares for US$5,637, compared with 118,609 units at US$17,580 on Friday.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks ended at 17.4 on 2022-23 earnings and 11.6 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.
The PE ratio chart covers all ordinary shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange. It shows companies grouped by industry, allowing for easy comparisons between them 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 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.
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.