Main Market drops Junior & USD markets rise

The Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange dropped in trading on Wednesday as the Junior Market JSE USD market inched moderately higher as trading ended with the volume and value of stocks changing hands falling, compared with the previous trading day, resulting in prices of 38 shares rising and 43 declining.
At the close of trading on Wednesday, the JSE Combined Market Index shed 3,094.00 points to 346,606.02, the All Jamaican Composite Index skidded 3,659.77 points to close at 371,934.81, the JSE Main Index dropped 3,376.48 points to lock up trading at 334,062.14. The Junior Market Index popped 8.29 points to 3,803.26 and the JSE USD Market Index rose 1.15 points to 260.70.
At the close of trading, 38,865,018 shares were exchanged in all three markets, down from 53,603,621 units on Tuesday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $80.9 million, sharply down from $409.6 million on the previous trading day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 497,176 shares for US$96,746 compared to 328,443 units at US$47,111 on Tuesday.
Trading in the Main Market was dominated by Wigton Windfarm with 25.74 million shares followed by Transjamaican Highway with 2.10 million units and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 1.86 million stock units.
In the Junior Market, Dolla Financial led trading with 1.06 million shares followed by ONE on ONE Educational with 837,365 units and EduFocal with 373,478 stock units.
At the close of trading on the Main Market Pan Jamaica advanced $3.40 in closing at $51.40 to be the sole major gaining ordinary stock.
The Main Market, Berger Paints shed 77 cents and ended at $5.85, Caribbean Cement lost $3.50 to $56, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund dipped $1.74 to end at $38.26, Jamaica Stock Exchange sank 90 cents in closing at $9.10, Kingston Wharves dropped 72 cents to close at $31.98, Sagicor Group declined 90 cents to close at $43, Scotia Group fell $2.40 and ended at $45 and Seprod dipped $1.50 to $81.
At the end of Junior Market trading, AMG Packaging advanced 34 cents to $3.08, Cargo Handlers rose 90 cents and ended at $14, Dolphin Cove increased 30 cents to end at $18.80, Honey Bun rose 25 cents and ended at $6.70, ISP Finance increased 50 cents to end at $31.50, while Caribbean Assurance Brokers lost 27 cents to close at $2.11, Iron Rock Insurance fell 42 cents to $2.10 and Main Event skidded 65 cents in closing at $13.55.
In the preference segment, Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share gained $27.44 in closing at $118.45.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 21.4 on 2022-23 earnings and 14.5. 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 pertaining to the highest bid and the lowest offer for each company.