Juniors & JSE USD markets jump Main Market falls

Investors pushed the Junior and the JSE USD markets much higher at the close of trading on Thursday but left the Main market languishing for support with the market sliding at the close to lower landing following a sharp fall in the volume and value of stocks traded compared to that of Wednesday.
At the close, the JSE Combined Market Index fell 286.71 points to close at 339,406.02, the All Jamaican Composite Index shed 1,227.06 points to close at 361,613.51, the JSE Main Index dropped 863.88 points to close at 324,342.50, while the Junior Market Index jumped 56.73 points to close at 4,017.12 and the JSE USD Market Index added 8.38 points to settle at 255.82.
Preference shares with notable price movements but are in the TOP10 graphs are Productive Business 10.50% preference share that jumped $24.99 to $1125 while Jamaica Public Service 7% rose $4.15 to end at $45.69.
At the close, investors exchanged 13,544,737 shares in all three markets, up from 71,109,240 stocks on Wednesday. The value of stocks trading in the Junior and Main markets was a mere $47.8 million, down from $190.27 million on Wednesday. Trading on the JSE USD market ended with investors exchanging 112,148 shares for US$10,192 from 929,491 units at US$16,864 on Wednesday.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks ended at 18.8 on 2022-23 earnings and 12.5 times those 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 and 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.