JSE Market pressured on Tuesday

The Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange declined in trading on Tuesday as the Junior Market and the JSE USD market closed moderately higher as trading ended with an increase in the number of stocks changing hands, at a lower value than on the previous trading day, resulting in prices of 28 shares rising and 33 declining.
At the close of trading on Tuesday, the JSE Combined Market Index fell 324.62 points to end at 332,505.5, the All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 1,373.96 points to closed trading at 356,909.71, the JSE Main Index declined 401.33 points to finish at 319,006.9. The Junior Market Index rallied 8.39 points to end at 3,828.51 and the JSE USD Market Index popped 0.29 points to 237.09.
At the close of trading, 24,829,048 shares were exchanged in all three markets, up from 16,632,807 units on the previous day, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $68.28 million, well below $91.77 million on the prior day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 21,979 shares for US$501 compared to 6,425 units at US$5,351 on Monday.
In Main Market activity, Wigton Windfarm led trading with 8.66 million shares for 55 percent of total volume followed by Lasco Manufacturing with 2.91 million units for 18.5 percent of the day’s trade and Transjamaican Highway with 1.90 million units.
In Junior Market trading, EduFocal led trading with 2.88 million shares followed by Omni Industries with 1.89 million stocks and JFP Ltd with 1.51 million units.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.25% preference share gained $1.99 to $20.99, Eppley 7.75% preference share rose $1.42 to end at $19.99 and Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5% rallied $6 in closing at $108.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to value stocks, ended at 20.7 on 2023-24 earnings and 13.8 times those for 2024-25 at the close of trading. ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and 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 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.