Gains for all JSE Markets

Rising stocks pushed the Jamaica Stock Exchange three markets higher on Friday to end the week, resulting in prices of 29 shares rising and 32 declining as the market closed with an increase in the number of stocks changing hands, with a higher value over the previous trading day after Guardian Holdings dropped $15 to be the leading price mover.
At the close of trading on Friday, the JSE Combined Market Index rallied 2,179.26 points to 334,640.14, the All Jamaican Composite Index slipped 158.45 points to close at 356,570.54, the JSE Main Index rose 2,061.91 points to end trading at 322,058.00. The Junior Market Index climbed 29.00 points to close at 3,717.69, after hitting 3760 points in the morning session and the JSE USD Market Index rose 2.09 points to end the day at 221.95.
At the close of trading, 25,075,060 shares were exchanged in all three markets, up from 24,103,951 units on Thursday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $160.33 million, a fraction more than the $153 million on the previous trading day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 36,637 shares for US$5,319 compared to 456,359 units at US$13,103 on Thursday.
In Main Market activity, Wigton Windfarm led trading with 7.43 million shares followed by Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 5.13 million units, GraceKennedy was next with 1.51 million shares, Sagicor Select Manufacturing & Distribution Fund closed with 1.46 million stock and JMMB 9.5% preference share with 1.23 million units.
In the Junior Market, Omni Industries was the leading traded stock with 2.45 million units, to be followed by Lasco Financial with 575,941 stock units and Dolla Financial with 569,701 units.
In the preference segment, no stock ended with a notable price change.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 21.4 based on 2023-24 earnings and 13.3 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.