Investors push Jamaican stocks higher

All three markets of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed high in trading on Friday with trading ending with the number and the value of stocks changing hands falling, compared with the previous trading day and resulting in prices of 39 shares rising and 30 declining.
At the close of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index climbed 1,883.78 points to 341,888.19, the All Jamaican Composite Index climbed 1,253.54 points to end at 367,796.95, the JSE Main Index gained 1,821.11 points to wrap up trading at 328,795.31. The Junior Market Index popped 20.08 points to culminate at 3,828.57 and the JSE USD Market Index advanced 5.05 points to finish at 249.19.
At the close of trading, 23,484,571 shares were exchanged in all three markets, compared with 29,437,556 units on Thursday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $77.55 million, down from $153.98 million on the previous trading day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 262,328 shares for US$19,513 compared to 771,589 units at US$17,159 on Thursday.
Trading in the Main Market was dominated by Wigton Windfarm with 12.52 million shares followed by Radio Jamaica with 3.02 million units, Transjamaican Highway closed with 1.62 million units and Carreras finished trading with 1.02 million units.
In the Junior Market, Stationery and Office Supplies led trading with 641,945 shares followed by Lasco Manufacturing with 308,644 stock units and JFP Ltd with 225,478 units.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 20.7 on 2022-23 earnings and 14.1 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 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.
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 for investors 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.