Trading closed Thursday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Combined Market with a jump in the volume of stocks exchanged and having a greater value than on Wednesday, resulting in Main and the Junior Markets declining as the JSE USD Market just inched forward as trading resulted in declining stocks overwhelming those rising with prices of 41 rising, 52 declining and 21 remaining firm.
At the close of the market, the JSE Combined Market Index dropped 2,323.95 points to 342,178.72, the All Jamaican Composite Index skidded 2,939.83 points to close at 380,322.56, the JSE Main Index declined 2,330.96 points to finish at 329,764.00, the Junior Market fell just 13.23 points to 3,742.00 and the JSE USD Market Index popped 0.06 points to conclude trading at 241.99.
At the close of trading, 21,574,580 shares were exchanged in all three markets, up sharply from 16,404,398 units on Wednesday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $99.96 million, up from $82.1 million on the previous day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 39,450 shares for US$4,029 compared to 2,521,741 units at US$130,691 on Wednesday.
In Main Market activity, Transjamaican Highway led with 3.41 million shares followed by Wigton Energy with 901,123 stocks and Eppley Caribbean Property Fund with 600,008 stock units.
In Junior Market trading, Stationery and Office Supplies led with 7.45 million shares including several different trades followed by Jamaican Teas with 3.03 million stocks and Omni Industries with 309,810 units.
In the preference segment, 138 Student Living preference share gained $20 to $290 and Productive Business Solutions 10.5% preference share sank $60 to end at $990.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to value stocks, ended at 13.7 based on 2023-24 earnings and 20 based on 2024-25 historical earnings. The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the other more detailed daily charts 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.