Junior Market rallies Main Market drops

The Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange jumped right out at the open to hit the day’s high point at 3,824.08 and drifted down just below the 3,800 points level at the close but the Main Market and the JSE USD market declined to close out the week on Friday on a negative note with both market ending the week lower than the start. Trading on the overall market ended as the number and value of stocks changing hands dropped, from the previous trading day, resulting in prices of 37 shares rising and 31 declining.
The market closed, with the JSE Combined Market Index shedding 1,804.41 points to 335,158.42, the All Jamaican Composite Index plunged 3,372.85 points to 358,878.15, the JSE Main Index dropped 2,142.25 points to finish at 322,041.87. The Junior Market Index jumped 35.75 points to end at 3,794.14 and the JSE USD Market Index declined by 3.05 points to end at 237.70.
At the close of trading, 7,124,664 shares were exchanged in all three markets, down sharply from 17,138,332 units on Thursday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $82.86 million, well below the $147.59 million on the previous trading day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 880,808 shares for US$49,826 up from 66,053 units at US$5,573 on Thursday.
In Main Market activity, Kingston Wharves led trading with 890,307 shares followed by JMMB 9.5% preference share with 810,423 stock units and Transjamaican Highway with 672,372 units while in Junior Market activity, Spur Tree Spices led trading with 344,879 shares followed by ONE on ONE Educational with 334,089 units and Future Energy with 208,553 stocks.
In the preference segment, Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share gained $4.99 to finish at $115.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 19.9 on 2023-24 earnings and 13.4. times those for 2024-25 at the close of trading. ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and a more detailed daily charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
The PE ratio chart covers all Jamaica Stock Exchange ordinary shares, 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 are 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.