Main & USD markets rise Junior slips

The Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange and the JSE USD market closed higher in trading on Wednesday as the Junior Market closed moderately lower as trading ended with the value and number of stocks changing hands falling, compared with the previous trading day, resulting in prices of 38 shares rising and 39 declining.
At the close of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index climbed 831.32 points to close at 341,043.32, the All Jamaican Composite Index advanced 1,037.70 points to end trading at 367,153.49, the JSE Main Index popped 969.26 points to close at 328,170.40. The Junior Market Index dipped 8.87 points to 3,799.02 and the JSE USD Market Index popped 2.01 points to end at 247.65.
At the close of trading, 15,867,211 shares were exchanged in all three markets, down from 29,117,170 units on Tuesday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $82.89 million, down from $107.24 million on the previous trading day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 288,604 shares for US$12,293 compared to 407,861 units at US$34,259 on Tuesday.
Trading in the Main Market was dominated by Wigton Windfarm with 3.25 million shares followed by Radio Jamaica with 2.80 million units, Transjamaican Highway was next with 2.66 million stock units and QWI Investments with 1.02 million shares.
In the Junior Market, Tropical Battery led trading with 536,975 shares followed by Fosrich with 476,598 units and Future Energy with 382,069 stock units.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% popped $3 in closing at $48, 138 Student Living preference share climbed $1 to $219 and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share shed $24.90 to end at $95.09.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 20.2 on 2022-23 earnings and 13.8. 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.