Markets continue to bounce in the new year from their December close as trading closed Wednesday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, as prices of 45 shares rose, 41 declined and 31 remained firm, resulting in a rise in major indices of the Main Market, the Junior Market index rising and the JSE USD Market jumping. Trading ended with a sharp rise in the volume of stocks exchanged, with a greater value than on Tuesday.
At the close of the market, with the newly listed West Indian Petroleum trading at a new record high of $4.52 and a PE ratio of an incredible 152, the JSE Combined Market Index rose 3,051.39 points to end at 334,207.01, the All Jamaican Composite Index increased by 3,581.55 points to 372,436.50, the JSE Main Index advanced 3,065.20 points to 323,948.39, the Junior Market Index rose 16.64 points to 3,409.53 and the JSE USD Market Index increased 10.20 points to conclude trading at 222.06.
At the close of trading, 130,633,092 shares were exchanged in all three markets, with JFP contributing 108 million units, compared with trading of 35,548,832 units on Tuesday. The value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $139.49 million, up from $124.3 million on the previous day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 581,330 shares for US$834,878 up sharply from 523,207 units at US$20,031 on Tuesday.
In Main Market activity, Transjamaican Highway led with 6.69 million shares, followed by Sagicor Select Manufacturing & Distribution Fund with 2.68 million stocks and Innovative Energy with 1.13 million units.
In Junior Market trading, JFP led with 108.29 million shares, followed by Kintyre Holdings with 2.91 million stocks and Atlantic Hardware with 1.81 million units.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% popped $4.72 to end at $44, 138 Student Living preference share lost $34.75 to end trading at $215 and Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5% advanced $3.94 in closing at $104.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to value stocks, ended at 14.3 based on 2026-27 earnings and 15.6 based on 2025-26 historical earnings. The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the other more detailed daily charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making. The PE ratio chart covers all ordinary shares listed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, grouped by industry, allowing for easy comparisons within a sector and the overall market. The earnings per share (EPS) and PE ratios are based on 2025 and 2026 actual or projected earnings, excluding any major one time income or expense.
Pertinent information is required to navigate numerous investment options successfully in the stock market. The chart can be used to help make rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the sector average, not straying 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 not staying 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 incorporated into the chart. Investors can use this measure in assessing stock values. The chart also shows daily changes in stock prices and the percentage year to date price movement based on the last traded prices. Dividends that are paid or are due to be paid and yields for each company are shown in the Main and Junior Markets’ daily report charts, along with the closing volume of the highest bid and the lowest offer for each company.