Stocks struggled in trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday, with prices of 32 shares rising, 53 declining and 28 remaining firm, following a rise in the volume of stocks changing hands, with a greater value than on Wednesday and resulted in Main Market major indices declining, the Junior Market index falling and the JSE USD Market just inching higher.
At the close of the market, the JSE Combined Market Index fell 2,080.68 points to wrap up trading at 332,838.38, while the All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 2,211.66 points to end at 370,532.49, the JSE Main Index skidded 2,055.72 points to settle at 322,360.49, the Junior Market Index shed 16.34 points to 3,432.94 and the JSE USD Market Index rose 0.27 points higher to end at 248.20.
At the close of the market, 28,146,064 shares were traded in all three markets, up sharply from 10,415,345 units on Wednesday. The value of stocks traded on the Main and the Junior markets amounted to $169.12 million, up from $34.32 million on the previous day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 217,386 shares for US$11,618 compared to 264,864 units at US$21,126 on Wednesday.
In Main Market activity, Wigton Energy led with 12.43 million shares, followed by Transjamaican Highway with 2.88 million stocks and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 1.16 million units.
In Junior Market trading, Kintyre Holdings led with 1.63 million shares, followed by Jamaican Teas with 678,649 stocks and Dolla Financial with 394,523 units.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 9.5% advanced $2 to close at $2,690, 138 Student Living preference share dipped $4.95 to $201, Productive Business Solutions 10.5% preference share popped $5 in closing at $1,050, Sygnus Credit Investments 10% climbed $3 and ended at $104 and Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5% sank $5 to finish at $95.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to value stocks, ended at 12.7 based on 2024-25 earnings and 18.8 based on 2024 earnings.
The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help in decision-making. The PE ratio chart covers all the 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.