Rising stocks pushed the Jamaica Stock Exchange higher on Thursday, resulting in all the major indices rising, following a rise in prices of 36 shares, with 37 declining and 33 remaining firm. At the end of trading, the value and volume of stocks traded rose compared to the prior day.
At the close of the market, the JSE Combined Market Index climbed 1,854.30 points to wrap up trading at 322,053.88, the All Jamaican Composite Index rose 2,555.15 points to settle at 359,324.63, the JSE Main Index gained 1,791.42 points to close trading at 311,346.70, the Junior Market Index rose 19.73 points to 3,397.43 and the JSE USD Market Index rose 4.31 points to 201.90.
At the close, 28,990,936 shares were exchanged in all three markets, up from 16,679,320 units on Wednesday, with the value of trades on the Junior and Main markets amounting to $111.82 million, up from $86.73 million on the previous day. The JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 161,171 shares for US$16,786 compared to 86,887 units at US$76,965 on Wednesday.
In Main Market activity, Wigton Energy led trading with 5.71 million shares, followed by Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 5.08 million stocks and Transjamaican Highway with 1.74 million units.
In Junior Market trading, Stationery and Office Supplies led with 3.65 million shares, followed by ONE on ONE Educational with 1.89 million stocks and GWest Corporation ended with 1.41 million units.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% popped $5.99 to $42 and Productive Business Solutions 10.5% dropped $10 and ended at $1,140.
The market’s PE ratio, the most common measure used in valuing stocks, ended at 13.7 based on 2024-25 earnings and 16.1 based on 2024 earnings.
The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the other, more detailed daily charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making. The PE ratio chart covers all the ordinary shares that are listed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, and are 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.