Main Market and JSE stocks start August with gains

The Main and JSE US dollar markets gained at the close of trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange to start the new month on a positive note on Tuesday, but the Junior Market suffered a tidy fall as the volume and value of stocks traded fell compared to that on Monday.  
At the close, the JSE Combined Market Index jumped 2,060.70 points to 342,685.61, the All Jamaican Composite Index climbed 809.52 points to  365,998.56, the JSE Main Index rallied 2,654.62 points to 329,060.01, while the Junior Market Index declined 45.48 points to 3,894.52 and the JSE USD Market Index rallied 8.29 points to finish at 253.28.
Trading of Preference shares ended with notable price changes for Productive Business 10.50% preference share increasing by $5 to $1,155, Jamaica Public Service 7%  declining $2.02 to end at $50, 138 Student Living preference share advancing $1.98 to close at $99.98 and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share dropped $2.50 to end at $99.
At the close, investors exchanged 20,722,918 shares in all three markets, down from 35,539,078 stocks on Monday. The value of stocks trading in the Junior and Main Markets ended at $80.9 million, down from $139.59 million on Monday. Trading on the JSE USD market ended with investors trading 174,417 shares for US$27,278, compared with 953,823 units at US$22,262 on Monday.
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 12.6.
 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. It 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.