Main & Junior Market rises, USD market dips

The Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange had another day of positive movements in trading on Tuesday as the Junior Market inched marginally higher and the JSE USD market slipped moderately as trading ended with the number of stocks changing hands climbing, with the value of stocks traded rising over the previous trading day, resulting in prices of 34 shares rising 42 declining.
Trading activity ended with the JSE Combined Market Index climbing 948.84 points to 346,973.62, the All Jamaican Composite Index rallied 3,627.70 points to end at 372,841.38, the JSE Main Index popped 918.50 points to 334,296.03. The Junior Market Index rose 9.98 points to 3,820.19 and the JSE USD Market Index dipped 1.58 points to close at 250.44.
At the close of trading, 29,750,591 shares were exchanged in all three markets, up from 16,865,715 units on Tuesday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $88.9 million, up from $79.13 million yesterday and the JSE USD market ended trading with 301,671 shares for US$25,796, up from 186,772 units at US$6,867 on Monday.
Trading in the Main Market was led by Wigton Windfarm led trading with 5.62 million shares followed by Transjamaican Highway with 2.93 million units, Sagicor Select Manufacturing & Distribution Fund with 2.45 million units, Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 1.08 million units and QWI Investments with 1.02 million units.
In the Junior Market, Dolla Financial led trading with 7.19 million shares followed by Future Energy with 3.25 million units and Tropical Battery with 817,037 units.
At the close of the market, in the Main Market Eppley Caribbean Property Fund popped $1 to trading at $40, Guardian Holdings climbed $9 to end at $369, NCB Financial advanced 99 cents to $67.99 and Sagicor Group rose $2.07 to end at $45.97.
The major declining Main Market stock is GraceKennedy that dipped $1.52 to close at $75.50.
At the close of the Junior Market Caribbean Assurance Brokers advanced 35 cents to $2.44 and Dolla Financial rose 38 cents and ended at $2.98, while ISP Finance shed $6.49 to $25.01, Caribbean Cream lost 40 cents in closing at $3.50 and Lasco Financial dipped 32 cents to close at $1.77.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% gained $3.21 to end at $49.30.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 20.9 on 2022-23 earnings and 14.2 times those for 2023-24 at the close of trading. ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the 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 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 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.
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 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 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.