Trading closed Wednesday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange with a fall in the volume and value of stocks exchanged, compared to Tuesday, resulting in the Main and Junior Market indices declining as the JSE USD Market climbed. At the end of trading, prices of 36 shares rose, 47 declined and 22 remained firm.
At the close of the market, the JSE Combined Market Index sank 1,678.91 points to conclude trading at 329,562.66, the All Jamaican Composite Index slipped 2,981.22 points to settle at 367,403.09, the JSE Main Index dropped 1,594.90 points to 318,785.22, the Junior Market Index skidded 21.41 points to end at 3,453.43 and the JSE USD Market Index popped 4.12 points to finish at 213.71.
At the close of trading, 9,136,240 shares were exchanged in all three markets, down from 30,530,666 units on Tuesday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets falling to $42.64 million, from $66.64 million on the previous day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 371,175 shares for US$159,855 compared to 552,534 units at US$66,374 on Tuesday.
In Main Market activity, Transjamaican Highway led trading with 2.40 million shares, followed by Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 987,752 stocks and Wigton Energy with 499,603 units.
In Junior Market trading, Lasco Financial led with 1.11 million shares, with the price hitting a 52 week low, followed by Spur Tree Spices with 419,289 stocks and Kintyre Holdings with 373,159 units.
In the preference segment, 138 Student Living preference share fell $35.98 to finish at $204 and Sygnus Credit Investments 10% fell $2.10 to $101.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to value stocks, ended at 13.7 based on 2024-25 earnings and 16.1 based on 2024 earnings.
The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the other, more detailed daily charts that provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making. The PE ratio chart covers all ordinary shares listed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, grouped by industry, allowing for easy comparisons within a sector and the overall market. The earnings per share (EPS) and PE ratios are based on 2024 and 2025 actual or projected earnings, excluding any major one time income or expense.
Pertinent information is required to navigate numerous investment options successfully in the stock market. The chart should be used in making rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the sector average, 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 incorporated into the chart. Investors can use this measure in assessing stock values. The chart also shows daily changes in stock prices and the percentage year to date price movement based on the last traded prices. Dividends that are paid or are due to be paid 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.