The Main and Junior Markets suffered big declines in trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Tuesday following a sharp rise in the volume and value of stocks traded over Monday’s activities with trading resulting in the prices of 38 shares rising, 45 declining and 30 remaining firm.
At the close of the market, the JSE Combined Market Index declined 3,130.40 points to 345,367.15, the All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 4,149.71 points to wrap up trading at 384,794.91, the JSE Main Index sank 2,999.25 points to settle at 333,119.15, the Junior Market Index dipped 36.58 points to 3,739.20 and the JSE USD Market Index climbed 1.90 points to end at 243.41.
At the close of trading, 23,414,907 shares were exchanged in all three markets, up from 8,400,039 units on Monday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $275.32 million, up from $39.95 million on the previous day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 28,644 shares for US$13,387 compared to 169,339 units at US$9,714 on Monday.
In Main Market activity, Kingston Wharves led with 7.33 million shares followed by Transjamaican Highway with 3.78 million stocks and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 1.66 million units.
In Junior Market trading, Jamaican Teas led with 1.62 million shares followed by Dolla Financial with 671,762 stocks and Lumber Depot with 601,830 units.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% sank $4.50 to close at $36 and 138 Student Living preference share increased $3 to $227.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to value stocks, ended at 14 based on 2024-25 earnings and 20.1 based on 2023-24 historical earnings. The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the other more detailed daily charts cover all the ordinary shares that are listed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange and are grouped by industry, allowing for easy comparisons within a sector and the overall market. The earnings per share (EPS) and PE ratios are based on 2024 and 2025 actual or projected earnings, excluding any major one time income or expense.
Pertinent information is required to navigate numerous investment options successfully in the stock market. The chart should be used in making rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the sector average, 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.