Junior Market rises, JSE Main Market falls

Trading picked up on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Monday with increased activity in the Main and Junior Markets with the JSE USD market closing with fewer shares changing hands with a lower value than on Friday with the number of stocks changing hands rising, with the value of stocks traded jumping sharply over the previous trading day, resulting in prices of 33 shares gaining and 39 declining.

At the close of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index shed 2,096.14 points to 323,574.82, the All Jamaican Composite Index skidded 1,331.62 points to close trading at 356,654.64 and the JSE Main Index sank 2,353.97 points to 310,266.31. The Junior Market Index rose 21.52 points to end at 3,747.45 and the JSE USD Market Index rallied 1.68 points to end the day at 222.28.
At the close of trading, 16,138,151 shares were exchanged in all three markets, up from just 7,927,009 units on Friday with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $85.44 million, well over the $54.13 million on the previous trading day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 121,661 shares for US$8,414 compared to 386,222 units at US$19,062 on Friday.
In Main Market activity, Transjamaican Highway led trading with 5.98 million shares followed by QWI Investments with 1.84 million stocks and Wigton Windfarm with 1.29 million units.
In Junior Market trading, Paramount Trading led trading with 1.06 million shares followed by One Great Studio with 964,792 units and Fosrich with 472,000 stock units.
In the preferred segment, Eppley 7.50% preference share slipped 99 cents to $5.61 and Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5% sank $2 to end at $103.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to value stocks, ended at 21.3 on 2023-24 earnings and 12.8 times those for 2024-25 at the close of trading. ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and 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 more detailed daily 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 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.