Junior Market gains, Main Market falters

The Junior Market rose for a second day in a row but remained below the close for August while the Main and the JSE USD Market fell on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Tuesday, with the value of stocks traded rising above Monday’s levels accompanied by a fall in the volume of stocks traded.  
At the close, the JSE Combined Market Index shed 1,567.18 points to finish trading at 335,914.48, the All Jamaican Composite Index fell 512.67 points to 355,125.22, the JSE Main Index dropped 1,935.10 points to 321,763.77, the Junior Market Index popped 26.05 points to 3,898.55 while the JSE USD Market Index fell 2.20 points to end at 243.25.
Trading of Preference shares ended, with Jamaica Public Service 7% preference share dropping $12 to $41.
At the close, investors traded 6,987,843 shares in markets, down from 9,618,088 stocks on Monday. The value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets was $56.7 million, up from $53.06 million on Monday. Trading on the JSE USD market ended with investors exchanging 195,527 shares for US$19,350 from 193,702 units at US$30,250 on Monday.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks ended at 17 on 2022-23 earnings and 11.4 times for 2023-24 at the close of trading. ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily report charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
The PE ratio chart covers all ordinary shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange. It shows companies 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 assess the value of stocks based on this measure quickly. 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.