March ends trading on a high note for JSE

Trading surged to end March on a positive note with a sharp jump in the value and volume of stocks changing hands on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Thursday, resulting in the Main and Junior Market rising with the JSE USD market closing moderately and resulting in prices of 48 shares rising and 27 declining on a day that Ciboney traded in it new name, Innovative Energy.
At the close of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index climbed 1,076.40 points to 341,247.67, the All Jamaican Composite Index climbed 2,274.96 points to 368,584.26, the JSE Main Index rose 787.45 points to end at 327,798.70. The Junior Market Index jumped 46.14 points to 3,876.03 and the JSE USD Market Index declined 1.34 points to wrap-up trading at 247.81.
At the close of trading, 53,140,220 shares were exchanged in all three markets, well over the 15,566,466 units on Wednesday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounting to $266.30 million, up sharply over the $103.70, million on the previous trading day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 84,506 shares for US$3,441 compared to 303,812 units at US$36,667 on Wednesday.
Trading in the Main Market was dominated by Wigton Windfarm with 4.06 million shares followed by Transjamaican Highway with 2.67 million stock, Radio Jamaica was next with 2.42 million units, Sagicor Select Financial Fund followed with 1.85 million shares and Sagicor Group with 1.08 million units.
In the Junior Market, Spur Tree Spices led trading with 22.59 million shares followed by Indies Pharma with 2.94 million stock units, Fosrich with 2.47 million units, Mailpac Group with 2.31 million units and Stationery and Office Supplies with 1.79 million shares.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.50% preference share advanced $1.17 in closing at $6.25 and Jamaica Public Service 7% sank $5.99 to $42.01.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 20.6 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.