Trading closed Wednesday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange after a fall in the value and volume of stocks traded compared with Tuesday. The major indices of the Main Market rose, the Junior Market index declined and the JSE USD Market climbed. At the end of trading the prices of 38 shares rose, 40 declined and 25 remained firm.
At the end of the market activity, the JSE Combined Market Index rose 2,226.12 points to 385,874.88, the All Jamaican Composite Index rallied by 2,464.48 points to end at 455,519.26, the JSE Main Index rose 2,565.74 points to 380,397.80, the Junior Market Index dipped by 31.64 points to 3,087.55 and the JSE USD Market Index increased 9.23 points to conclude trading at 286.19.
At the close of trading, 54,864,739 shares were exchanged in all three markets, down from 73,160,671 units on Tuesday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounting to $104.6 million, down from $215.21 million on the previous day. Trading on the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 841,584 shares for US$51,462, well above 287,015 units at US$18,834 on Tuesday.
In Main Market activity, QWI Investments surprisingly led trading with 46.06 million shares, followed by Transjamaican Highway with 1.66 million stocks and Wigton Energy with 899,524 units.
In Junior Market trading, Image Plus led with 826,510 shares, followed by ONE on ONE Educational with 303,570 stocks and Woodcats International with 283,974 units.
In Main Market ordinary share segment, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy increased $3.15 to end at $27.00, GraceKennedy climbed $2 to close at $84.00, Scotia Group rose $1.38 to finish at $71.50, Margaritaville advanced $1.35 and ended at $11.00 and Pan Jamaica popped 97 cents to close at $45.97.
Among the losing stocks, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund fell by $1.50 to close at $39.50, Sygnus Credit Investments dropped 67 cents to $10.06, NCB Financial shed 50 cents to close at $72.00, Stanley Motta dipped 39 cents to $7.00 and Barita Investments lost 35 cents and ended at $73.95.
In the preference share segment, Jamaica Public Service 9.5% rose by $50 to close at $2,150.
Among Junior Market top winners, Jetcon Corporation gained 25 cents in closing at a 52 weeks high of $5.75, Jamaican Teas rallied 22 cents to end at $2.19, Express Catering rose 11 cents and ended at $3.00, AMG Packaging advanced 9 cents to finish at $1.80, GWest Corporation and ended at, Mailpac Group climbed 7 cents in closing at $2.38 and Derrimon Trading increased 7 cents to close at 95 cents. Among the top losers, Cargo Handlers slipped $1.49 and ended at $14.01, Access Financial fell by 84 cents to end at $20.14, Dolla Financial skidded by 21 cents to finish at $3.63, CAC 2000 dropped 16 cents and ended at a 52 weeks low of 75 cents and Image Plus skidded by 14 cents to end at $1.62.
At the close of trading, the PE ratio for the current year, compiled from projected 2026-27 earnings, is 13.5 and 17.5.1 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 numerous 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.