JSE Main & USD markets gains, Juniors slip

The Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange gained at the close of trading on Thursday, with the USD Market also closing higher as the Junior Market slipped to close out trading, with market activity ending with the volume and value of stocks traded falling below Wednesday’s levels on the penultimate day before the Christmas break for the market.
At the close of the market, Main Market stocks rallying were Jamaica Broilers with a gain of $1.49, Sagicor Group up $1 and Scotia Group closing at a new 52 weeks’ closing high of $37.50, after gaining 38 cents. Declining Main Market stocks include GraceKennedy down $2.17 and Barita Investments with a fall of 90 cents.
Rising Junior Market stocks include Main Event with a gain of 40 cents, Blue Power up 37 cents, and AMG Packaging gaining 33 cents. Declining stocks include Medical Disposables falling 42 cents followed by Caribbean Cream with a loss of 31 cents and Iron Rock Insurance down 44 cents.
At the close of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index rose 512.77 points to 328,594.68, the All Jamaican Composite Index climbed 571.53 points to wrap up trading at 351,983.29, the JSE Main Index popped 723.66 points to 315,985.82. The Junior Market Index dipped 18.95 points to wrap-up trading at 3,682.39 and the JSE USD Market Index gained 4.25 points to finish at 223.13.
Investors traded 10,449,490 shares, in all three markets, down from 13,761,322 units on Tuesday. The value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounts to $48.29 million compared with $65.97 million on Tuesday. The JSE USD market closed after just 6,525 shares were traded, for US$320 compared to 130,502 units at US$2,973 on Wednesday.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% rallied $1 to $41 and Productive Business Solutions 10.5 % preference share lost $30 to end at $1,060.
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 13.7 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.