JSE Markets slipped on Thursday

All three markets of the Jamaica Stock Exchange declined moderately at the close of trading on Thursday following a fall in the number and value of traded shares dropped compared to Wednesday’s trading.
At the close of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index dropped 994.07 points to 334,761.41, the All Jamaican Composite Index shed 1,879.32 points to 357,059.58. The JSE Main Index shed 971.08 points to end at 322,099.07, the Junior Market Index declined 9.51 points to 3,731.89 and the JSE USD Market Index slipped 1.27 points to end at 241.06.
At the close of trading, 17,340,719 shares were exchanged in all three markets, down from 26,660,691 units on Wednesday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $109.09 million, down from $154.59 million on Wednesday and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 156,654 shares for US$16,462 compared to 664,963 units at US$18,341 on Wednesday.
Main Market trading was dominated by Wigton Windfarm led trading with 3.55 million shares followed by Transjamaican Highway with 2.04 million units and GraceKennedy with 687,786 units
In the Junior Market, Future Energy led trading with 2.23 million shares, followed by Derrimon Trading with 888,112 units and Jamaican Teas with 641,782 units.
At the close of the market, some of the major Main Market stocks that rose are AS Bryden climbed $1 to end at $43, Caribbean Cement popped $3.74 to $55, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund rallied $2.49 and ended at $40, Guardian Holdings advanced $20 and ended at $389, Jamaica Producers gained $1 to end at $27 and Seprod increased $2.70 to close at $85.70.
The major declining Main Market stocks include Pan Jamaica skidded $3.95 to $45.55, Sagicor Group fell 99 cents to end at $42 and Scotia Group dropped $2.34 in closing at $39.06.
Trading ended in the Junior Market, with only moderate price changes.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 9.5% declined $50 to close at $2,850.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 21.4 on 2022-23 earnings and 13.9 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.