Main Market drops Junior & USD markets rise

The Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange declined in trading on Wednesday as the Junior and JSE USD markets closed moderately higher as trading ended with the number and value of stocks changing hands falling, compared with the previous trading day, resulting in prices of 29 shares rising and 38 declining, on a day when Lasco Distributors and Lasco Manufacturing switched over to the Main Market from the Junior Market., with the latter jumping 70 cents at the close of the day.
At the close of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index dropped 1,382.30 points to close at 340,171.27, the All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 2,210.62 points to close at 366,309.30, the JSE Main Index sank 1,536.68 points to close at 327,011.25. The Junior Market Index rallied 13.03 points to culminate at 3,829.89 and the JSE USD Market Index gained 0.31 points to finish at 249.15.
At the close of trading, 15,566,466 shares were exchanged in all three markets, down from 25,574,514 units on Tuesday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounting to $103.70 million, compared with $167.57, million on the previous trading day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 303,812 shares for US$36,667 compared to 154,383 units at US$11,426 on Tuesday.
Trading in the Main Market was dominated by Transjamaican Highway with 3.84 million shares followed by Wigton Windfarm with 1.03 million units and Carreras with 404,211 stocks.
In the Junior Market, Stationery and Office Supplies led trading with 1.51 million shares followed by Spur Tree Spices with 1.06 million stock units and Fosrich with 995,605 units.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.50% preference share dipped $1.21 to $5.08.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 20.5 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 for investors 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 of the highest bid and the lowest offer for each company.