Main Market rallies others fall

The Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange rose moderately on Friday, but the Junior Market and the USD Market slipped lower following a rise in the volume of stocks traded but with a lower value than Thursday as the markets continue to consolidate.
At the close, the JSE Combined Market Index climbed 535.15 points to 341,889.02, the All Jamaican Composite Index rose 91.12 points to 362,517.50, the JSE Main Index rose 906.61 points to 327,867.62 while the Junior Market Index lost 33.95 points to end at 3,929.05 and the JSE USD Market Index fell 4.07 points to settle at 238.88.
Trading of Preference shares with notable price movements are Eppley 7.50% preference share rallied 91 cents in closing at $6.12, Jamaica Public Service 7% dipped $1 to $70 and 138 Student Living preference share jumped $13.39 to close at $102.63.
At the close, investors exchanged 26,925,878 shares, in all three markets, compared with 18,916,750 stocks on Thursday. The value of stocks trading in the Junior and Main markets was $133.9 million, down from $217 million on Thursday. Trading on the JSE USD market ended with investors exchanging 584,142 shares for US$30,721 from 477,710 units at US$21,075 on Thursday.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks ended at 18.1 on 2022-23 earnings and 12.2 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.