Jump in trading of Jamaican stocks

Stocks delivered more robust activity in trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday as trading jumped sharply over the previous trading day and ended with the number of stocks changing hands, nearly doubling the volume yesterday valued twice that on Wednesday, resulting in the Main and the Junior markets rising and the JSE USD market closed marginally lower, resulting in prices of 39 shares rising and 31 declining.
At the close of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index climbed 277.35 points to 332,927.92, the All Jamaican Composite Index gained 126.07 points to wrap up trading at 356,956.15, the JSE Main Index rose 207.13 points to end at 319,967.41. The Junior Market Index rallied 11.30 points to end at 3,759.44 and the JSE USD Market Index dipped 0.57 points to conclude trading at 241.53.
At the close of trading, 26,873,386 shares were exchanged in all three markets, up from 13,732,924 units on Wednesday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $160.33 million, well above the $64.77 million on the previous trading day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 110,239 shares for US$24,984 compared to 61,810 units at US$42,431 on Wednesday.
In Main Market activity, Lasco Manufacturing led trading with 2.35 million shares followed by Wigton Windfarm with 2.34 million stock units, Transjamaican Highway with 1.82 million stocks and Carreras with 1.15 million shares.
In the Junior Market, Tropical Battery led trading with 3.48 million shares followed by ONE on ONE Educational with 2.21 million stocks and Derrimon Trading with 1.76 million units.
In the preference segment, Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share skidded $11.10 to $102.40.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 21.3 on 2023-24 earnings and 13.5 times those for 2024-25 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 within a sector and the overall market. The EPS & PE ratios are based on 2023 and 2024 actual or projected earnings, excluding major one off items.
Pertinent information is required 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.
The chart should be used in making rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the average for the sector, 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 for investors 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 of the highest bid and the lowest offer for each company.