JSE markets fall to close out the week

All three markets of the Jamaica Stock Exchange slipped at the close of trading on Friday as trading ended with a reduced volume of shares being exchanged, with a lower value than on Thursday, with a few stocks trading with sizable price movements on a day when prices of 27 stocks rose and 31 declined.
At the close of  the market on Friday, the Composite Index shed 465.78 points to end at 356,593.80. The JSE Main Index lost 723.40 points to conclude trading at 321,375.67. The Junior Market Index slipped 2.31 points to 3,729.58 and the JSE USD Market Index sank 3.74 points to lock up trading at 237.32.
At the close of trading, 12,488,845 shares were exchanged in all three markets, down from 17,340,719 units on Thursday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $97.58 million, down from $109.09 million on Thursday and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 649,338 shares for US$15,760 compared to 156,654 units at US$16,462 on Thursday.
Main Market trading was dominated by Transjamaican Highway which led trading with 2.47 million shares followed by Wigton Windfarm with 1.29 million units and Jamaica Producers with 955,735 units.
In the Junior Market, ONE on ONE Educational led trading with 1.19 million shares followed by EduFocal with 910,630 units and Stationery and Office Supplies with 437,366 units.
At the close of the market, some of the major Main Market stocks that rose are NCB Financial rose $1.89 to $67.99, Pan Jamaica gained $4.45 in closing at $50.
The major declining Main Market stocks include AS Bryden sank $2 in closing at $41, Caribbean Cement lost $3.68 to close at $51.32, Jamaica Producers dropped $5 to $22 and Seprod skidded $3.70 to $82.
On a day of limited price movement in the Junior Market, the major stocks with gains are Dolphin Cove gained $1.49 to $19.50, KLE Group climbed 51 cents to end at $1.85, Knutsford Express rose $1 in closing at $12 and Main Event advanced $1 to $16. No stocks ended with a major loss on Friday.
In the preference segment, 138 Student Living preference share climbed $24.28 to $192.28.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 2… on 2022-23 earnings and 1… 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.