Stocks fell on the JSE Main & Junior Markets

Trading on Friday ended with 39 ordinary shares declining against just 27 that gained as the Jamaica Stock Exchange suffered declines in the Main Market and the Junior Market but the JSE USD market closed higher following a rise in the volume and value of stocks trading.
At the close of trading on Friday, the JSE Combined Market Index shed 1,100.91 points to close at 335,745.66, the All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 3,528.13 points to 359,937.89, the JSE Main Index lost 1,060.72 points and wrapped up trading at 322,697.93. The Junior Market Index fell 12.12 points to end at 3,780.14 and the JSE USD Market Index rose 4.38 points to 241.69.
At the close of trading, 16,067,798 shares were exchanged in all three markets, up from 10,635,206 units on Thursday,
with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $60.18 million, up from $38.4 million on Tuesday and the JSE USD market closed after 13,643 shares were traded, for US$3,500 compared to 250,247 units at US$11,360 on Thursday.
Main Market trading was dominated by Transjamaican Highway with 3.35 million shares followed by Carreras with 2.22 million units, Wigton Windfarm with 1.32 million units and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 1.17 million units.
In the Junior Market, One Great Studio led trading with 1.13 million shares followed by Dolla Financial with 727,676 units and Everything Fresh with 565,867 units.
At the close of the market, Main Market stocks rallying were Eppley Caribbean Property Fund climbing $1.02 and ended at $38.02. First Rock Real Estate popped $1.05 to end at $8, GraceKennedy gained $1.40 in closing at $79.40,
Declining Main Market stocks include Barita Investments with a loss of $2.01 to close at $71, JMMB Group declining $1.25 to $24.25, Sagicor Group dropping $5.39 and ended at $41.60, Scotia Group skidded $1.29 in closing at $38, while Sperod sank $8 to close at $77.
In the Junior Market rising stocks include Cargo Handlers with a gain of 92 cents in closing at $14 and the only stock with a sizable loss in this market was AMG Packaging down 70 cents in ending at $3.20.
In the preference segment, Productive Business Solutions 10.5 % preference share advanced $5 to end at $1,080.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 21.9 on 2022-23 earnings and 14 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 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 pertaining to the highest bid and the lowest offer for each company.