Trading closed Friday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange after a fall in the volume of stocks traded, with a higher value than on Thursday. Trading resulted in the major indices of the Main Market and the JSE USD Markets falling, while the Junior Market index rose marginally. At the end of trading, prices of 42 shares rose, 47 declined and 21 remained firm.
At the end of the market activity, the JSE Combined Market Index slipped 376.64 points to close at 371,601.66, as the All Jamaican Composite Index shed 1,137.30 points to end at 434,693.46, the JSE Main Index shed 431.36 points to 366,700.15, the Junior Market Index rallied a mere 4.99 points to 2,923.65 and the JSE USD Market Index slipped 3.48 points to 303.57.
The close of trading, closed with trading of 16,654,633 shares in all three markets, down from 22,338,507 units on Thursday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounting to $164.48 million, up from $108.47 million on the previous day. Trading on the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 510,507 shares for US$35,262 compared to 7,285,203 units at US$558,521 on Thursday.
In Main Market activity, Transjamaican Highway led trading with only 1.87 million shares, followed by Carreras with 1.79 million stocks and JMMB Group with 644,831 units.
In Junior Market trading, Woodcats International led with 1.73 million shares, followed by RA Williams with 907,623 stocks and Dolla Financial with 687,910 units.
In Main Market ordinary share movers, AS Bryden rallied $2.87 in closing at $23.95, Massy Holdings rose $1.45 to $75.05, JMMB Group advanced $1.10 to finish at $19.29, Transjamaican Highway rallied 29 cents to close at $10.50 and Jamaica Producers gained 20 cents to close at $18.10. Among the top losers, Barita Investments declined $2.68 to end at $65.12, Sygnus Real Estate Finance lost $2.09 to close at $6.90, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund skidded $2 and ended at $40.00, GraceKennedy fell $1.90 in closing at $76.60 and Eppley dipped $1.75 to $33.00.
In the preference share segment, Sygnus Credit Investments 10% dropped $8.99 to $105.
In the Junior Market, among the winners, Access Financial rallied by $3.81 to finish at $19.33, Iron Rock Insurance climbed 42 cents to end at $3.22, Image Plus rose 15 cents to end at $1.40, Lasco Financial gained 13 cents to close at $1.59, Limners and Bards rose 10 cents after it ended at $1.10, Regency Petroleum advanced 10 cents to $4.16 and Caribbean Flavours increased 10 cents to $1.27. Among the losers, Knutsford Express dropped 61 cents to close at $8.05, Blue Power shed 30 cents to $3.20, Caribbean Cream slipped 24 cents to end at $2.40, Elite Diagnostic lost 23 cents and closed at $1.52 and Caribbean Assurance Brokers dropped 17 cents to close at $1.70.
At the close of trading, the PE ratio for the current year, compiled from projected 2026-27 earnings, is 13.3 and 16.4 based on 2025 historical earnings. Major one-off income or expenses are excluded from earnings where applicable. The PE ratio is one of the most used measures in valuing shares. It is calculated by dividing the stock price by earnings per share. The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the daily charts provide investors with regularly updated information to assist in making investment decisions. The PE ratio chart includes all ordinary shares listed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, grouped by industry and facilitates easy comparisons within sectors and the overall market.
Pertinent information is needed to navigate the varied options in the stock market. The chart should be used to help in decision-making, especially when investing close to the market or sector averages, and not going too far from it unless compelling reasons exist. This approach reduces emotional bias in investment decisions and places them on fundamentals, without straying far from the majority of investors. Investors who buy stocks near the average will not overpay. The net asset value of each company is incorporated into the chart. Investors can use this measure in assessing stock values. The chart also includes daily changes in stock prices and percentage year to date price movements based on the last traded price. Dividends that are paid or 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.