JSE Main & Junior markets drop USD rise

Only the USD Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange recorded gains at the end of trading on Wednesday as the Junior Market slipped moderately as the Main Market major indices dropped as trading ended with the number and the value of stocks changing hands falling, resulting in prices of 39 shares rising and 29 declining.
At the close of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index fell 1,728.47 points to end at 330,014.20, the All Jamaican Composite Index skidded 3,411.32 points to 354,075.69, the JSE Main Index skidded 1,718.09 points to finish at 317,499.31. The Junior Market Index sank 11.69 points to end the day at 3,680.85 and the JSE USD Market Index rallied 2.61 points to conclude trading at 238.61.
At the close of trading, 10,562,804 shares were exchanged in all three markets, up from 14,746,118 units on Tuesday with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $76.65 million, just below the $80.45 million on the previous trading day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 276,289 shares for US$33,572 compared to 151,001 units at US$8,136 on Tuesday.
In Main Market activity, Wigton Windfarm led trading with 2.07 million shares followed by Jamaica Producers with 1.0 million stocks and JMMB 9.5% preference share with 687,416 units.
In the Junior Market, EduFocal led trading with 994,984 shares followed by Fontana with 394,800 stocks and Future Energy with 307,222 units.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.25% preference share rallied $1.16 and ended at $20.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 21.4 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.