Junior Market climbs as Main Market slips

The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange recovered 75 percent of the 84 points loss on Thursday, at the close on Friday, while the USD Market inched marginally higher but the Main Market ended moderately lower as the volume fell below that on Thursday even as the value ended higher as Guardian Holdings topped the price movers, with an increase of $22.50.
The JSE Combined Market Index slipped 25.06 points to  328,147.03, while the All Jamaican Composite Index shed 1,958.70 points to close at 348,168.19, the JSE Main Index fell 615.77 points to 314,658.33. The Junior Market Index jumped 62.91 points to end trading at 3,773.17 and the JSE USD Market Index popped 1.05 points to finish at 228.67.
Investors traded 11,515,257 shares, in all three markets, compared to 19,049,560 units on Thursday. The value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets ended at $103.07 million from $75.1 million on Wednesday. The JSE USD market closed after 306,262 shares were traded, for US$15,475 down from 3,636,438 units at US$276,260 on Thursday.
In the preference segment, stocks closed with no notable price change.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 21.6 on 2022-23 earnings and 11.9 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 successfully navigate numerous investment options in the local 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.