The Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange gained in trading on Friday as the Junior Market JSE USD market slipped moderately as trading ended with the number exchanged fell, with the value traded jumping sharply over that on Thursday, with GraceKennedy accounting for $257.57 million worth of stock traded, with trading ended with 29 ordinary shares rising and 35 declining, with AS Bryden closing at a record high of $45 to be up 100 percent since listing in late 2023.
At the close of trading on Friday, the JSE Combined Market Index climbed 2,814.34 points to close at 335,199.54, the All Jamaican Composite Index jumped 3,718.84 points to 359,839.19, the JSE Main Index rallied 3,015.95 points to close trading at 322,238.80. The Junior Market Index lost 1.62 points to lock up trading at 3,766.95 and the JSE USD Market Index slipped 0.01 points to end the day at 238.06.
At the close of trading, 23,346,054 shares were exchanged in all three markets, down from 24,096,418 units on Thursday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $389.49 million, up from $52.34 million on Thursday and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 30,455 shares for US$3,516 compared to 81,185 units at US$2,499 on Thursday.
Main Market trading was dominated by Wigton Windfarm led trading with 4.96 million followed by JMMB Group 7.5% with 4.18 million units, GraceKennedy with 3.29 million units, Carreras with 2.46 million units and Radio Jamaica with 1.12 million units.
In the Junior Market, EduFocal led trading with 922,326 shares, followed by AMG Packaging with 568,839 units and Dolla Financial with 530,862 stock units.
At the close of the market, some of the major Main Market stocks that rose are AS Bryden advanced $8.50 in closing at a record high of $45, Barita Investments rose $1.87 to $72.40 and JMMB Group rose 88 cents and ended at $24.68.
The major declining Main Market stocks include First Rock Real Estate declined $1.04 and ended at $6.01 and NCB Financial falling by $2.05 to $65.05.
On a day of limited price movement in the Junior Market, the major stocks with gains are AMG Packaging increased 41 cents to $3.17 and Caribbean Assurance Brokers popped 24 cents to end at $2.25, with the major losing stocks being Access Financial dropping $2.50 to close at $20.50 and Consolidated Bakeries falling 32 cents in closing at $1.88.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% dropped $6 to close at $42.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 21.4 on 2022-23 earnings and 13.9 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.
Ciboney & Transjamaican JSE hottest stocks
Ciboney and Transjamaican Highway stocks recorded gains of 150 percent and 98 percent to September respectively in a period of poor performance for the Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange that fell 8 percent over the same period. The Trinidad and Tobago based Massey Holdings was next with a 30 percent rise.
The above two leading stocks were not only dominant Main Market, they were the best performing ones in the overall market of the exchange bettering the next best, the Junior Market, ISP Finance with a gain of 94 percent.
The Main Market had only eight companies recording gains for the first nine months of 2023 as tight monetary policy pursued by Bank of Jamaica and poor profit results of several companies weighed down on stock prices.
Ciboney rise follows the acquisition of the majority shares from Finsac by the new majority owners IEC Energy Company. Transjamaican Highway the next performer was pushed by an outstanding jump in profits for the six months to June over the similar period last year, with earnings of 14 Jamaican cents per share versus just 3 cents for the same period last year. The stock’s performance was also helped by the declaration of a substantial increase in dividend of 18.66 cents up from 8.55 cents last year.
The commercial rental property company Stanley Motta, delivered a 12 percent increase, Jamaica Broilers chipped in with 10 percent and Productivity Business Solutions 9 percent.
Most of the Main Market worst performing stocks reported disappointing results compared to the previous year. Palace Amusement Company was the only listing of the worst performing stocks that recorded improved profit compared to 2022.
Mayberry Investments suffered a sharp reversal in profit during 2023 compared to the previous year, Berger Paints profit fell sharply with the company reporting a loss during the period, Radio Jamaica reported a loss during the last two quarters compared to the previous year. Barita Investments profits are down sharply with the third quarter to June down from $1.5 billion in 2022 to just $504 million in the current year.
Jamaica Stock Exchange led the declining stocks with a 43 percent drop, First Rock Capital was next with a fall of 38 percent followed by Palace and Pulse down 35 percent each. Barita Investments dropped 32 percent and Radio Jamaica ended with a fall of 31 percent, Salada Foods ended up with the lowest decline of the TOP10 worst performing stocks with a loss of 20 percent.
More slippage for JSE USD market on Thursday
Trading on Thursday ended with the market declining after trading just under 45 percent more shares than on Wednesday, on the US dollar market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, resulting in many more stocks falling than rising.
Six securities traded, similar to Wednesday, with prices of one rising, four declining and one remaining unchanged, resulting in the JSE USD Equity Index slipping 031 points to end at 211.77.
Overall, 658,389 shares changed hands for US$27,752 compared to 455,125 units at US$12,464 on Wednesday. The average PE Ratio ends at 12.8 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings.
Trading averaged 109,732 units at US$4,625, up from 75,854 shares at US$2,077 on Wednesday. Trading averaged 80,524 units for the month to date at US$6,116 in contrast to 78,855 units at US$6,201 on Thursday. March ended with an average of 68,746 units for US$13,137.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with lower offers.
At the close, First Rock Capital dropped 1 cent in closing at 8 US cents with an exchange of 106,971 shares, Margaritaville ended at 9 US cents in trading 4,000 stocks, Proven Investments fell 0.02 of a cent to close at 26.97 US cents in exchanging 33,753 stock units. Sterling Investments dipped 0.3 of a cent to end at 2 US cents with an exchange of 336,049 shares, Sygnus Credit Investments rose 0.01 of a cent to end at 15 US cents with 7,616 stock units changing hands and Transjamaican Highway dropped 0.04 of a cent to end at 0.91 US cents trading 170,000 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Slippage for JSE USD market
Trading on Wednesday, ended with the market declining after trading 57.5 percent more shares than on Tuesday, at the close of the US dollar market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, resulting in fall of 6.63 points to 212.08 in the market index.
Six securities traded, similar to Tuesday with the price of one rising, two declining and three closing unchanged.
The average PE Ratio based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2021-22 earnings ends at 13.2.
Overall, 455,125 shares traded, for US$12,464 compared to 289,034 units at US$36,227 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 75,854 units at US$2,077, in contrast to 48,172 shares at US$6,038 on Tuesday. Trading averaged 78,855 units for the month to date at US$6,201 in contrast to 79,037 units at US$6,451 on Tuesday. March ended with an average of 68,746 units for US$13,137.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows no stock ending with the bid higher than the last selling price and none with lower offers.
At the close, First Rock Capital ended at 9 US cents after trading 50,237 shares, Margaritaville settled at 9 US cents in switching ownership of 10,670 shares, Productive Business Solutions climbed 1 US cents to close at US$1.01 with an exchange of 40 units. Proven Investments slipped 0.01 of a cent to end at 26.99 US cents in trading 13,669 shares, Sygnus Credit Investments shed 0.09 of a cent in closing at 14.99 US cents 200 stock units crossing the market and Transjamaican Highway ended at 0.95 US cents after an exchange of 380,309 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Gains for JSE USD stocks on Wednesday
Trading on Thursday ended with the market index rising after trading 70 percent fewer shares than on Wednesday, resulting in four stocks rising, one declining and two ending unchanged as seven securities changed hands, compared to eight on Wednesday at the close of the US dollar market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange.
JSE USD Equity Index gained 2.48 points to end at 204.13. The average PE Ratio ends at 13.7 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with 515,824 shares trading for US$142,671 shares down from 1,709,808 units at US$372,565 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 73,689 shares at US$20,382, down from 213,726 shares at US$46,571 on Wednesday. Trading month to date averages 70,045 units at US$14,464 close to 69,785 units at US$14,041 on Wednesday. February averaged 69,547 units for US$9,223.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, First Rock Capital traded 471 stocks at 8.9 US cents, Margaritaville declined 0.1 of a cent to close at 9.9 US cents in trading 44,352 stock units, Proven Investments rose 0.1 of a cent to 25.1 US cents with 370,637 units crossing the exchange. 
Sterling Investments advanced 0.01 of a cent to end at 1.99 US cents while exchanging 10,733 stock units, Sygnus Credit Investments rose 0.2 of a cent to end at 14.2 US cents in an exchange of 15,433 stocks and Transjamaican Highway ended at 0.96 US cents in an exchange of 53,000 shares.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 5.75% climbed 5 cents to US$2.05 with 21,198 stocks clearing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
JSE USD stocks slipped
The US dollar market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed trading on Monday, with the market index declining after trading 99 percent fewer shares than on Friday.
At the close of the market, trading ended with two securities changing hands compared to four on Friday and ended with no stocks rising, two declining and none remaining unchanged.
The JSE USD Equities Index declined by 0.38 points to settle at 193.35, and the average PE Ratio ended at 13.6 based on ICInsider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with an exchange of 12,620 shares, amounting to just US$1,667 compared to 1,125,027 units at US$106,525 on Friday.
The average trade for the day amounts to 6,310 units changing hands at US$834, in contrast to an average of 281,257 shares at US$26,631 on Friday. Trading ended with an average of 42,298 units
for the month to date at US$5,461 in contrast to 43,798 units at US$5,653 on Friday.
By comparison, October ended with an average of 697,808 units for US$17,320.
At the end of trading, the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the market shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with lower offers.
At the close of the market, First Rock Capital Investment shed 0.063 of a cent to close at 8.01 US cents with an exchange of 2,620 stocks and Sygnus Credit Investments fell 1.92 US cents to close at 14.5 US cents while exchanging 10,000 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Limited trading on JSE USD market
The US dollar market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange closed trading on Friday, with the market declining after investors traded 57 percent fewer shares than Thursday.
Trading ended with four securities changing hands compared to four on Thursday and ended with the prices of one stock rising, one declining and two remaining unchanged.
The JSE USD Equities Index shed 2.25 points to settle at 188.78, and the average PE Ratio of the market ended at 13.5 based on IC Insider.com’s forecast of 2020-21 earnings.
The market closed with an exchange of 46,025 shares, accounting for US$13,692 compared to 107,781 units at US$20,162 on Thursday.
The average trade of 11,506 units changing hands atUS$3,423 on Friday, in contrast to an average of 26,945 shares, at US$5,040on Thursday. Trading ended, with an average of 43,115units for the month to date at US$3,826 in contrast to 45,925 units at US$3,862. By comparison, July ended with an average of 133,150 units for US$18,282.
IC bid-offer Indicator| At the end of trading,
the Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator reading for the JSE US Dollar market shows two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and no with lower offers.
At the close of the market, First Rock Capital Investment traded 1,475 stocks at 9 US cents, Proven Investments remained at 24 US cents, with investors switching ownership of 38,400 stock units and Transjamaican Highway ended trading on Thursday at 0.093 cents and closed at 0.092 of a US cent, with 3,750 units changing hands.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group 5.75% gained 4 cents to close at US$2.05 after trading 2,100 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
