Month end gains on the Main and Junior Markets were muted at the close on Friday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, with prices of 41 shares rising, 30 declined and 39 remaining firm, with trading volume rising, but at a slightly lower value than on Thursday. The JSE USD Market fell hard to close out the month.
At the close of the market, the JSE Combined Market Index gained 671.64 points to 335,843.84, the All Jamaican Composite Index added 978.82 points to conclude trading at 374,106.01, the JSE Main Index climbed 460.35 points to end at 324,831.62, with the Junior Market Index rallying 31.87 points to close trading at 3,523.10 and the JSE USD Market Index lost 18.11 points to settle at 218.57.
At the close of trading, 36,882,466 shares were exchanged in all three markets, up from 30,096,234 units on Thursday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $210.87 million, down from $217.66 million on the previous day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 2,331,792 shares for US$107,303 well over the 1,443,539 units at US$59,446 on Thursday.
In Main Market activity, Wigton Energy led with 12.31 million shares, followed by Transjamaican Highway with 3.0 million stocks and Sterling Investments with 2.48 million units.
In Junior Market trading, ONE on ONE Educational led with 1.86 million shares, followed by Regency Petroleum with 1.53 million stocks and Stationery and Office Supplies with 1.05 million units.
In the preference segment, 138 Student Living preference share lost $43 and ended at $168.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to value stocks, ended at 13.2 based on 2024-25 earnings and 16.5 computed on 2024 earnings. The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the other, more detailed charts providing investors with regularly daily updated information to help decision-making.
The PE ratio chart covers all ordinary shares listed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, and is grouped by industry, allowing for easy comparisons within a sector and the overall market. The earnings per share (EPS) and PE ratios are based on 2024 and 2025 actual or projected earnings, excluding any major one time income or expense.
Pertinent information is required to navigate numerous investment options successfully in the stock market. The chart should be used in making rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the sector average, 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 incorporated into the chart. Investors can use this measure in assessing stock values. The chart also shows daily changes in stock prices and the percentage year to date price movement based on the last traded prices. Dividends that are paid or are 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.