Stocks struggled on Jamaica Stock Exchange

Stocks recorded marginal gains for the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange with the Main Market and JSE USD market closing moderately lower as trading ended with the number of stocks changing hands falling, but with a higher value than on the previous Friday, resulting in prices of 40 shares rising and 35 declining.
At the close of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index climbed 4,477.60 points to 330,162.54, the All Jamaican Composite Index dived 1,074.34 points to 355,496.20, the JSE Main Index shed 4,686.69 points to end trading at 317,371.31. The Junior Market Index popped 1.27 points to close at 3,718.96 and the JSE USD Market Index lost 2.04 points to end the day at 219.91.
At the close of trading, 18,502,297 shares were exchanged in all three markets, down from 25,075,060 units on Friday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $220.98 million, well above the $160.33 million on the previous trading day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 533,385 shares for US$13,379 compared to 36,637 units at US$5,319 on Friday.
In Main Market activity, NCB Financial led trading with 3.04 million shares followed by Transjamaican Highway with 2.29 million units, Wigton Windfarm was next with 1.42 million stock units, JMMB 9.5% preference share closed with 1.38 million shares and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 1.17 million stocks.
In Junior Market trading, Omni Industries led trading with 2.27 million shares followed by Future Energy with 535,987 units and Dolla Financial with 534,594 stocks.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.50% preference share shed $1.49 to end at $5.50, Jamaica Public Service 7% climbed $3 to end at $48, Productive Business Solutions 10.5% preference share dropped $99.99 to close at $1100 and Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5% rallied $12.55 and ended at $108
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 21.4 on 2023-24 earnings and 13.4 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.