Grace and NCB dominate trading

Trading climbed on Thursday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange with the number of stocks changing hands climbing, with the value surging well over Wednesday’s levels, resulting in prices of 29 shares rising and 40 declining as the Main Market indices slipped moderately, with the Junior Market and JSE USD market closing marginally higher as Grace Kennedy accounted for 2 million shares with a $150 million value and NCB Financial with 1.4 million shares for $72.44 million.
At the close of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index slipped 162.72 points to close at 317,931.81, the All Jamaican Composite Index sank 417.06 points to cease trading at 349,798.04 and the JSE Main Index sank 273.76 points to settle at 305,700.10. The Junior Market Index rose 14.01 points to end trading at 3,569.53 and the JSE USD Market Index popped 1.86 points to close at 223.39.
At the close of trading, 15,157,878 shares were exchanged in all three markets, up from 13,211,746 units on Thursday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $253.61 million, well over the $78.94million on the previous trading day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 61,468 shares for US$66,283 compared to 76,828 units at US$34,980 on Wednesday.
In Main Market activity, GraceKennedy led trading with 2.03 million shares followed by NCB Financial with 1.42 million units and Transjamaican Highway with 978,533 stock units.
In Junior Market trading, Stationery and Office Supplies led trading with 5.01 million shares followed by EduFocal with 1.01 million units and Tropical Battery with 284,723 stock units
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.25% preference share fell $2.66 to close at $15.14, 138 Student Living preference share increased by $31.50 to end at $210 and Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5% climbed $8.12 to finish at $109.50.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to value stocks, ended at 19.5 on 2023-24 earnings and 13.1 times those for 2024-25 at the close of trading. ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and 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 more detailed daily 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 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.