Cement pops $5.11 to $63 on record profit

Following the release of first quarter results with profit surging by 546 percent to $1.9 billion compared to just $289 million in 2023, Caribbean Cement climbed $5.11 to $63 and helped push the Main Market index higher at the close of trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday, but the Junior Market JSE USD market closed lower, with trading ending with the number and the value of stocks changing hands falling, from that of the previous day and resulting in prices of 35 shares rising and 39 declining.
At the close of the market, the JSE Combined Market Index popped 185.88 points to 335,667.69, the All Jamaican Composite Index climbed 1,210.71 points to 361,367.26, the JSE Main Index increased 415.26 points to 322,448.87. The Junior Market Index shed 30.45 points to close at 3,811.24 and the JSE USD Market Index sank 6.14 points to close at 234.72.
At the close of trading, 21,758,231 shares were exchanged in all three markets, down from 38,032,128 units on Tuesday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounts to $71.03 million, well below the $150.17 million on the previous trading day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 148,890 shares for US$30,599 compared to 82,573 units at US$14,855 on Tuesday.
In Main Market activity, Wigton Windfarm led trading with 9.21 million shares followed by Transjamaican Highway with 5.36 million units and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 799,442 stocks.
In Junior Market trading, Fosrich led trading with 769,267 shares followed by ONE on ONE Educational with 670,243 stock units and Caribbean Assurance Brokers with 597,643 units.
At the close of trading the Main Market listed
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% sank $6.43 and ended at $42.51 and 138 Student Living preference share gained $28 in closing at $218.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 19.90 on 2023-24 earnings and 13.6 times those for 2024-25 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 within a sector and the overall market. The EPS & PE ratios are based on 2023 and 2024 actual or projected earnings, excluding major one off items.
Pertinent information is required to navigate numerous investment options successfully in the 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.
The chart should be used in making rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the average for the sector, 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 for investors 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 of the highest bid and the lowest offer for each company.