JSE Main Market pops higher as Juniors fall

The Junior Market and the JSE USD market slipped in trading on Monday while the Main Market inched marginally higher at the close on Monday, with 39 ordinary shares declining against just 33 rising as the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed following a rise in the volume and a decline in the value of stocks traded.
At the close of trading on Monday, the JSE Combined Market Index slipped 335.55 points to 335,510.11, the All Jamaican Composite Index rallied 82.60 points to 360,020.49, the JSE Main Index rose 36.27 points to end at 322,734.20. The Junior Market Index fell 30.78 points to end at 3,749.36 and the JSE USD Market Index shed 0.83 points to 240.86.
At the close of trading, 16,506,255 shares were exchanged in all three markets, up from 16,067,798 units on Friday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $48.4 million, down from $60.18 million on Tuesday and the JSE USD market closed after 23,424 shares were traded, for US$1,068 compared to 13,643 units at US$3,500 on Friday.
Main Market trading was dominated by Wigton Windfarm with 6.16 million shares followed by Transjamaican Highway with 1.46 million units and Ciboney Group with 719,955 units.
In the Junior Market, EduFocal led trading with 1.26 million shares followed by Express Catering with 570,734 units and ONE on ONE Educational with 419,388 units.
At the close of the market, Main Market stocks rising are MPC Caribbean Clean Energy popping 99 cents and ending at $90, Proven Investments rising $1.04 in closing at $23.48, Sagicor Group jumping $4.38 to end at $45.98, Scotia Group rising $1 to $39 and Seprod climbing $5.50 in closing at $82.50.
Declining Main Market stocks include First Rock Real Estate down $1.23 to $6.77, Guardian Holdings falling $3.99 to $395, Margaritaville shedding $2.58 to end at $15 and Wisynco Group sinking $1.23 to end at $20.06.
In the Junior Market rising stocks include just Indies Pharma with an increase of 39 cents to $3.04.
Stock with the largest losses in the Junior Market was Access Financial down 50 cents to end at $25, AMG Packaging sinking 59 cents to $2.61 and Cargo Handlers dropping $2.43 to close at $11.57.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% skidded $5 in closing at $40 and Productive Business Solutions 10.5 % preference share shed $20 to end at $1,060.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 21.8 on 2022-23 earnings and 13.9 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 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 pertaining to the highest bid and the lowest offer for each company.