Trading climbed sharply Friday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange with a rise in the value and volume of stocks exchanged over Thursday, resulting in the Main Market major indices declining, the Junior Market index rising and the JSE USD Market slipping modestly. At the close of the market, the prices of 43 shares rose, 44 declined and 20 remained firm.
At the end of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index sank 913.83 points to 334,405.35, the All Jamaican Composite Index skidded 1,830.32 points to end at 370,401.03, the JSE Main Index fell 996.12 points to close at 322,011.90, the Junior Market Index gained just 5.41 points to end the day at 3,691.77 and the JSE USD Market Index dipped 0.09 points to finish at 228.44.
At the close, 35,576,411 shares were exchanged in all three markets, up from 13,725,384 units on Thursday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $412.87 million, up from $43.03 million on the previous day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 99,769 shares for US$4,828 down from 786,467 units at US$21,436 on Thursday.
In Main Market activity, Sagicor Select Manufacturing & Distribution Fund led trading with 8.53 million stocks followed by Wigton Energy with 8.27 million shares and Transjamaican Highway with 4.65 million units.
In Junior Market trading, Derrimon Trading led with 826,221 stocks followed by Kintyre Holdings with 634,117 shares and Fosrich with 630,700 units.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to value stocks, ended at 13.8 based on 2024-25 projected earnings and 20.5 based on 2023-24 historical earnings. 
The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and other 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 earnings per share (EPS) and PE ratios are based on 2023 and the 2024 actual or projected earnings, excluding major one time income or expense.
Pertinent information is required to navigate numerous investment options successfully in the stock market. The chart should be used in making rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the sector average, 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.