Markets mostly fall on Tuesday

The JSE USD market closed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange with a moderate increase in the market index, the Main and Junior Markets declined in trading on Tuesday as the Junior Market closed moderately lower and the Main market with a larger decline as trading ended with the number and value of stocks changing hands falling, compared with the previous day, resulting in prices of 28 shares rising and 38 declining.
At the close of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index dropped 2,991.49 points to 328,761.07, the All Jamaican Composite Index sank 3,652.53 points to wrap up trading at 352,843.23, the JSE Main Index shed 3,035.29 points to close at 316,244.88. The Junior Market Index dipped 11.73 points to end at 3,673.59 and the JSE USD Market Index popped 0.23 points to 233.95.
At the close of trading, 36,121,615 shares were exchanged in all three markets, down from 295,800,813 units on Monday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $271.59 million, well below the $811.40 million on the previous day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 73,669 shares for US$5,026 compared to 193,327 units at US$18,349 on Monday.
In Main Market activity, JMMB Group 7.25% preference share due 2024 led trading with 17.0 million shares followed by Wigton Windfarm with 7.60 million units, Massy Holdings with 1.40 million stock units and Transjamaican Highway with 1.17 million units.
In the Junior Market, Fosrich led trading with 1.16 million shares followed by Dolla Financial with 665,331 and JFP Ltd with 591,969 stocks.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% shed $5.40 to close at $42.60.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 21 on 2023-24 earnings and 12.7 times those for 2024-25 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 within a sector and the overall market. The EPS & PE ratios are based on 2023 and 2024 actual or projected earnings, excluding major one off items.
Pertinent information is required 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.
The chart should be used in making rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the average for the sector, 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 quickly assess the value of stocks based on this measure. 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.