Gains for JSE Main & Junior Market

The Main and Junior Market indices rose on Thursday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, but the JSE USD market declined on a day of falling value and volume of stocks traded with some notable price gains on thin volume that may suggest selling pressure may be easing for a number of stocks.
At close, the JSE Combined Market Index rallied 2,694.85 points to close at 329,034.59, the All Jamaican Composite Index popped 2,102.23 points to finish at 346,114.55, the JSE Main Index rose 2,691.19 points to conclude trading at 314,672.35 the Junior Market Index climbed 19.78 points to 3,895.51 and the JSE USD Market Index slipped 5.37 points to 240.17.
Investors traded 35,221,185 shares in all three markets, down sharply from 61,568,093 stock units on Wednesday. The value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $108.99 million, down from $183.3 million on Wednesday. On Wednesday, trading on the JSE USD market ended with investors exchanging 866,262 shares were traded, for US$20,932 compared to 127,251 units at US$12,519 on Wednesday.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 9.5% shed $95 to close at $2,900 and 138 Student Living preference share advanced $8.70 and ended at $95.71.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 20.6 on 2022-23 earnings and 11 times those for 2023-24 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 between the same sector companies 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.