All three Jamaica Stock Exchange markets closed the month higher on Monday following a fall in the volume and value of stocks traded compared to Friday, which was dominated by the trading of two big blocks of Elite Diagnostics shares. Trading ended with the prices of 55 shares rising, 35 declining and 25 remaining firm and resulted in the major indices of the Main, the Junior and the JSE USD Markets all rising.
At the end of the market activity, the JSE Combined Market Index rallied by 1,407.95 points to close at 378,617.87, the All Jamaican Composite Index popped 658.34 points to end at 444,952.20, the JSE Main Index rose by 1,329.07 points to finish at 373,456.26, the Junior Market Index climbed by 19.11 points to 3,001.17 and the JSE USD Market Index popped 2.09 points to finish at 321.17.
At the close of trading on the last day of August, 70,310,030 shares were exchanged in all three markets, down from 131,771,450 units on Friday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounting to $228.37 million, down from $351.1 million on the previous day. Trading on the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 1,186,972 shares for US$82,527 compared to 1,152,520 units at US$117,982 on Friday.
In Main Market activity, Wigton Energy led trading with 26.12 million shares, followed by Transjamaican Highway with 7.84 million stocks and Radio Jamaica with 4.60 million units.
In Junior Market trading, Derrimon Trading led with 3.92 million shares, followed by Fosrich with 3.68 million stocks and ONE on ONE Educational with 2.92 million units.
In Main Market ordinary share movements, Pan Jamaica increased $2 in closing at $46.00, Sagicor Group popped $1.70 to $42.00, Sagicor Real Estate Fund rallied $1.19 to end at $9.99, Mayberry Group rose $1 and ended at $6.20 and Eppley advanced 95 cents to finish at $35.95.
Among the top losers, Barita Investments declined $2.89 to close at $65.01, NCB Financial shed $1.50 to $68.50, Sygnus Real Estate Finance dropped $1.29 to $7.30, Quantas Advantage lost 80 cents to finish at $15.90 and West Indies Petroleum slipped 76 cents and ended at $9.17.
In the preference share segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% fell by $5.18 to $29, 138 Student Living preference share climbed $16.95 to finish at $250 and Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5% fell $1.82 and ended at $103.
In the Junior Market, among the top winners, Access Financial gained $1.19 to end at $19.80, on small volume, Cargo Handlers climbed 90 cents in closing at $16.40, Caribbean Cream rose 47 cents to a 52 weeks’ high of $2.80, Fontana climbed 29 cents in closing at $6.49 and Blue Power increased 25 cents to $3.50. Among the top losers, Honey Bun dipped 63 cents and ended at $5.35, Jetcon Corporation fell 21 cents to finish at $3.77, Limners and Bards skidded 10 cents to end at $1.00, Regency Petroleum lost 9 cents to $4.30 and Indies Pharma shed 6 cents to close at $2.65.
At the close of trading, the PE ratio for the current year, compiled from projected 2026-27 earnings, is 14 and 16.3 based on 2025 historical earnings. Major one-off income or expenses are excluded from earnings where applicable. The PE ratio is one of the most used measures in valuing shares. It is calculated by dividing the stock price by earnings per share. The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the all daily charts provide investors with regularly updated information to assist in making investment decisions. The PE ratio chart includes all ordinary shares listed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, grouped by industry and facilitates easy comparisons within sectors and the overall market.
Pertinent information is needed to navigate the numerous options in the stock market. The chart should be used to help in decision-making, especially when investing close to the market or sector averages, and not straying too far from it unless compelling reasons exist. This approach reduces emotional bias in investment decisions and places them on fundamentals, without straying far from the majority of investors. Investors who buy stocks near the average will not overpay. The net asset value of each company is incorporated into the chart. Investors can use this measure in assessing stock values. The chart also includes daily changes in stock prices and the percentage year to date price movements based on the last traded price. Dividends that are paid or 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.
Trading closed at the end of the week, with the volume of stocks exchanged surging 455 percent, with a 473 percent jump in value compared with Thursday. Trading resulted in an exchange of 44 securities, compared with 43 on Thursday and ending with prices of 22 rising, 16 declining and six closing unchanged.
At the close of the market, the Junior Market Index rose by 5.38 points to close at 2,982.06. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator ended with four stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
Indies Pharma rallied 6 cents to end at $2.71 with a transfer of 18,069 shares, Jamaican Teas increased 8 cents and ended at $2.28, with 3,066,400 units crossing the exchange, KLE Group shed 19 cents to end at 91 cents with investors trading 417 stocks. Knutsford Express climbed 60 cents to $8.20 in an exchange of 7,135 stock units, Lasco Financial slipped 10 cents and ended at $1.65, with 503,037 shares changing hands, Limners and Bards rose 10 cents to close at $1.10 after an exchange of 35,194 stock units. Lumber Depot advanced 16 cents to $2.65, with 1,109,000 stocks changing hands, Mailpac Group lost 14 cents to end at $2.36, with an exchange of 81,781 units, Main Event ended at $4.00 after rising 5 cents with an exchange of 802 shares. ONE on ONE Educational rallied 15 cents to finish at 75 cents after a transfer of 3,241,821 units, Regency Petroleum gained 9 cents in closing at $4.39 with investors trading 6,383 shares, Spur Tree Spices popped 12 cents to end at $1.40 after 20,010 stock units passed through the market and Stationery and Office Supplies advanced 10 cents to $1.65 with a transfer of 2,020,749 shares.
At the end of the market activity, the JSE Combined Market Index popped 1,289.89 points to finish at 377,209.92, at the same time the All Jamaican Composite Index climbed 2,804.47 points to end at 444,293.86, the JSE Main Index climbed 1,308.61 points to settle at 372,127.19, the Junior Market Index climbed 5.38 points to finish at 2,982.06 and the JSE USD Market Index declined 4.62 points to 319.08.
Among the top losers, Proven Investments dropped $1.30 to close at $9.05, Scotia Group lost $1.20 to end at $58.20, NCB Financial shed 99 cents to finish at $70.00, Jamaica Producers declined 92 cents and ended at $20.52 and Mayberry Group fell 90 cents to end at $5.20.
At the end of the market activity, the JSE Combined Market Index climbed 1,232.72 points to end at 375,920.03, but the All Jamaican Composite Index fell by 1,242.31 points to close at 441,489.39, the JSE Main Index popped 981.69 points to 370,818.58, the Junior Market Index advanced a solid 40.98 points to finish at 2,976.68 and the JSE USD Market Index rallied by 2.36 points to settle at 323.70.
Among the top losers, Kingston Wharves slipped $2 to close at $32.00, Pan Jamaica fell $2 to $44.00, West Indies Petroleum dipped $1.23 to end at $9.02, NCB Financial lost $1.01 to end trading at $70.99 and Seprod dropped $1 to close at $73.00.
Trading ended with an exchange of 18,762,216 shares at $26,992,788, after an increase from 5,922,663 units at $8,419,573 on Wednesday.
ICInsider.com compiles the PE ratios, which are derived by dividing the last traded price of a stock by the earnings per share for companies with their fiscal year ending around August 2026.
Indies Pharma shed 5 cents to close at $2.65 with 335,513 units crossing the market. Iron Rock Insurance gained 49 cents to close at $2.69 with investors dealing in 76 stocks, JFP advanced 5 cents to 47 cents with 19,234 units crossing the exchange, Knutsford Express rose 5 cents in closing at $7.60 after trading of 277 shares. Limners and Bards declined 5 cents to finish at $1 as investors exchanged 5,000 stock units, Mailpac Group rallied 28 cents and ended at $2.50 in switching ownership of 5,205 shares, Main Event fell 5 cents to close at $3.95 after an exchange of 454 stocks. ONE on ONE Educational dropped 5 cents to 60 cents in an exchange of 13,910 units and Spur Tree Spices shed 12 cents to end at $1.28 in an exchange of 56,507 stock units.
The market ended with, the JSE Combined Market Index falling 3,059.82 points to 374,687.31, the All Jamaican Composite Index dipped 4,195.71 points to close at 442,731.70, the JSE Main Index lost 3,432.24 points toend trading at 369,836.89, the Junior Market Index rallied by 30.92 points to end trading at 2,935.70 and the JSE USD Market Index rallied 1.81 points to settle at 321.34.
Among the top losers, Barita Investments dropped $4.80 to end at $63.00, AS Bryden fell $1.55 to $23.43, Carreras declined 50 cents to finish at $33.00, NCB Financial shed 50 cents and ended at $72.00 and 138 Student Living dropped by 32 cents in closing at $2.58.
The market closed following an exchange of 5,922,663 shares for $8,419,573, after it dropped from 13,003,089 units at $21,567,572 on Tuesday.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 11.5. ICInsider.com compiles the PE ratios, derived by dividing the last traded price of stocks by earnings per share for companies with their fiscal year ending around August 2026.
Lasco Financial rose 18 cents to close at $1.78 in an exchange of 12,574 units. Mailpac Group dropped 28 cents to $2.22 with the trading of 18,626 stocks, Medical Disposables rallied 9 cents to end at $1.18 with 2,474 shares passing through the market, ONE on ONE Educational popped 6 cents to close at 65 cents after the trading of 5,334 stock units. Paramount Trading gained 8 cents to close at $1.03 as investors exchanged 179,604 stock units, Regency Petroleum dipped 15 cents to finish at $4.30 in switching ownership of 80,507 shares, Spur Tree Spices slipped 6 cents and ended at $1.40 with 1,239,159 shares changing hands and Woodcats International advanced 6 cents to 57 cents with 388,776 units crossing the market.
Company results for Main Market listed companies continue to show encouraging outcomes for the year, auguring well for increased stock prices for the balance of the year, barring any negative developments in the economy that could derail the market.
What the company results are pointing to is the potential for more gains in the months ahead if current trends holds.
Express Catering will benefit from the recovery expected in the tourism sector in the coming months and is one worth acquiring at current low prices. Caribbean Cream put in an impressive first quarter, with the price around $2, the upside is great, with projected earnings of 55 cents per share and RA Williams has returned to profit making and should deliver attractive gains in the months ahead. Image Plus and MFS Capital have been expanding with acquisitions and or expansion of existing business lines.