Trading activity climbed as prices mostly rose on the final trading day for 2023 on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange on Friday, with the volume of stocks traded rising 194 percent and the value 185 percent more than on Thursday resulting in the trading of 20 securities as was the case on Thursday, and ended with prices of 12 stocks rising, three declining and five remaining unchanged.
Investors exchanged 295,781 shares for $2,657,158 up from 100,718 stock units at $931,366 on Thursday.
An average of 14,789 units were traded at $132,858 compared to 5,036 shares at $46,568 on Thursday, with trading month to date averaging 17,065 shares at $239,371 compared with 17,254 units at $249,160 on the previous day. The average trade for November amounted to 19,241 shares at $227,402.
The Composite Index popped 6.16 points to conclude trading at 1,214.10, the All T&T Index rose 7.48 points to 1,811.13, the SME Index remained unchanged at 70.72 and the Cross-Listed Index popped 0.67 points to lock up trading at 80.51.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Agostini’s ended trading for the year at $68.50, with 313 stock units crossing the market, Angostura Holdings gained $2.01 to close trading at $22 in an exchange of 3,495 shares, Calypso Macro Investment Fund rose 75 cents to end at $23.50 after 460 units passed through the market. First Citizens Group dipped 39 cents in closing at $49.11 in an exchange of 200 stocks, GraceKennedy rallied 34 cents to $4.50 with 44,851 shares changing hands, Guardian Holdings popped 40 cents to $19 with investors dealing in 14,150 stocks. JMMB Group remained at $1.35 in switching ownership of 13,608 units, Massy Holdings rallied 5 cents to close at $4.45 in trading 93,266 stock units, National Enterprises slipped 1 cent to end at $4.14 after a transfer of 20,910 shares. National Flour Mills increased 20 cents in closing at $1.94 in trading 2,010 stock units, NCB Financial ended at $3.40, with 14 stocks, One Caribbean Media climbed 30 cents to end at $3.80 with traders dealing in 6,550 units. 
Point Lisas rose 18 cents in closing at a 52 weeks’ high of $3.74 as investors exchanged 25,633 stocks, Prestige Holdings ended at $9.30 after 50 shares were traded, Republic Financial remained at $122.84 after an exchange of 7,943 stock units. Scotiabank shed 95 cents to end at $69 with a transfer of 1,497 stock units, Trinidad & Tobago NGL advanced 65 cents to $11 with 14,581 shares crossing the exchange, Trinidad Cement popped 30 cents to end at 3.30, with 39,696 stocks changing hands. Unilever Caribbean increased 9 cents and ended at $11.29 with investors transferring 6,220 units and West Indian Tobacco climbed 5 cents to end at $9 after an exchange of 334 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trinidad stocks mostly rise to close 2023
Trading surge for Jamaican stocks
Trading surged again on Wednesday following the sharp jump on Friday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange with the value of stocks traded exceeding $1 billion, with trading ending with the Junior and The Main Market rising above the close on Friday, with the USD Market also closing higher as the Junior Market slipped to close out trading, with market activity ending with the volume and falling below Wednesday’s levels on the penultimate day before the Christmas break for the market.
A total of 132,966,020 shares, were traded in all three markets, up from 123,026,015 units on Friday.
The value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounts to $1.06 billion compared with $527.23 million on Friday. The JSE USD market with 127,343 shares traded for US$6,740 compared to 159,494 units at US$2,742 on Friday.
Barita Investments was one of a number of stocks dominating trading, after an exchange of 1.84 million shares at $129 million, Caribbean Cement traded 2.15 million shares for $115.6 million, Mailpac Group trading 50.06 million shares for $103 million, Jamaican Teas ended with an exchange of 32.75 million units for $74.8 million, NCB Financial traded 3,108,015 shares at $202 million, Wisynco Group closed with 4.37 million shares for $93.8 million, Sygnus Credit Investments closed with 5.88 million at $62.9 million and Pan Jamaica had an exchange of 1.55 million shares for $76.7 million.
At the close of the market, Main Market stocks rallying were Seprod up $2.49, Guardian Holdings with a rise of $2.01, Pan Jamaica up $1.45 and Wisynco Group, up 50 cents. Declining Main Market stocks were Eppley Caribbean Property down $2.10 90 cents, First Rock Real Estate with a loss of $1.47 and NCB Financial with a fall of 90 cents.
Rising Junior Market stocks include Cargo handlers up $1.84, Spur Tree Spices gaining 39 cents and Medical Disposables up 20 cents. ISP Financial lost $4.55 and Knutsford Express fell $1.18.
At the close of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index rose 1,922.04 points to close at 330,516.72, the All Jamaican Composite Index rallied 858.00 points to 354,396.78, the JSE Main Index rallied 761.89 points to wrap-up trading at 317,560.34. The Junior Market Index popped 5.11 points to end the day at 3,733.25 and the JSE USD Market Index rose 1.36 points to conclude trading at 222.46.
In the preference segment, no stock traded with a notable price change.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 21 on 2022-23 earnings and 14.1 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.
Pre Christmas rally for Trinidad Exchange
Trading ended on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange on Friday, with the volume of stocks traded rising 196 percent with the value 10 percent lower than on Thursday and resulting in the trading of 15 securities compared with 16 on Thursday, and ended with five stocks rising, three declining and seven remaining unchanged.
Investors exchanged 498,663 shares for $13,047,460 versus 168,184 stock units at $14,467,631 on Thursday.
An average of 33,244 units were traded at $869,831 compared to 10,512 shares at $904,227 on Thursday, with trading month to date averaging 17,478 shares at $265,945 compared with 16,568 units at $231,107 on the previous day, comparing favourably to the average trade for November of 19,241 shares at $227,402.
The Composite Index popped 5.08 points to end at 1,204.34, the All T&T Index advanced 6.49 points to end at 1,797.38, the SME Index dipped 0.23 points to close at 72.62 and the Cross-Listed Index gained 0.50 points to lock up trading at 79.74.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows seven stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close, Agostini’s ended trading at $68.50 with investors exchanging 4,813 stock units, Angostura Holdings rose $1.95 to finish at $21.94, with 23 shares clearing the market, Ansa McAl lost 6 cents to end trading at $54 with investors dealing in 77 units. CinemaOne fell 5 cents and ended at $7.20 after 243,152 stocks crossed the market, First Citizens Group popped 21 cents to close at $49.21 after investors closed trading with an exchange of 1,193 shares, FirstCaribbean International Bank ended at $7.05 after a transfer of 201 stocks. Guardian Holdings rose 85 cents in closing at $18.25 with investors swapping 12,476 units, Massy Holdings rose 16 cents to end at $4.44 after an exchange of 78,561 stock units, 
National Enterprises remained at $4.15 with a transfer of 55,390 shares. NCB Financial ended at $3.40 as investors traded 7,123 stocks, Prestige Holdings ended at $9.25 after 141 units passed through the market, Republic Financial shed 16 cents and ended at $122.84 with investors transferring 75,553 stock units. Scotiabank rallied 1 cent to close at $69.99 after an exchange of 9,825 shares, Trinidad & Tobago NGL ended at $10.30 and closed trading with 4,560 stocks changing hands and West Indian Tobacco ended at $9 with traders dealing in 5,575 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Ansa Mcal & Republic send TTSE higher
Ansa McAl jumped $2.06, Republic Financial gained 83 cents and NCB Financial rose 40 cents, but a $1.96 drop in the price of Angostura Holdings could not prevent the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange from rising on Thursday, following gains in the prices of seven stocks, after five declined and four remaining unchanged after trading in 16 securities compared with 18 on Wednesday.
Investors exchanged 168,184 shores for $14,467,631 versus 199,721 stock units at $6,925,227 on Wednesday.
At the close on Thursday, an average of 10,512 shares were traded at $904,227 compared to 11,096 stock units at $384,735 on Wednesday. Trading for the month to date averages 16,568 shares at $231,107 compared to 16,965 units at $186,965 on the previous day and the average trade for November of 19,241 shares at $227,402.
The Composite Index climbed 10.24 points to conclude trading at 1,199.26, the All T&T Index advanced 1.84 points to end the day at 1,790.89, the SME Index remained unchanged at 72.85 and the Cross-Listed Index gained 2.69 points to settle at 79.24.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Agostini’s climbed 35 cents to a 52 weeks’ high of $68.50 in switching ownership of 100 stock units, Angostura Holdings dropped $1.96 to $19.99 with investors swapping 213 shares, Ansa McAl increased $2.06 to $54.06 with a transfer of 23 units. Ansa Merchant Bank ended at $45.50 after 75 stocks passed through the market, First Citizens ended at $49 with investors trading 5,203 shares, FirstCaribbean International Bank popped 1 cent to close trading at $7.05 after an exchange of 5,240 stocks. GraceKennedy advanced 1 cent in closing at $4.11 with investors trading 1,049 units, Guardian Holdings shed 1 cent to close at $17.40, with 1,114 stock units crossing the market, Massy Holdings declined 7 cents to end at $4.28 after trading 26,620 shares. National Enterprises ended at $4.15 as investors exchanged 4,146 stocks,
NCB Financial rose 40 cents to $3.40 in trading 6,135 units, Prestige Holdings rallied 9 cents in closing at $9.25, with 2,751 stock units changing hands. Republic Financial gained 83 cents to end at $123 with an exchange of 113,312 shares, Scotiabank remained at $69.98 with 260 stocks clearing the market, Trinidad & Tobago NGL slipped 2 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ low of $10.30 while exchanging 1,718 units and Unilever Caribbean fell 13 cents to $11.35 and closed with an exchange of 225 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading jumps on the JSE on Tuesday
JMMB Group dominated trading on Tuesday with 11.12 million shares changing hands at $278 million and spiking trading above Monday’s outturn as the Main and Junior markets slipped at the close and ended lower than the close on Monday as trading picked up in the Main Market but slipped in the Junior Market and the USD market.
At the close of the market, the Main Market stocks rallying were Seprod up $2.90 followed by GraceKennedy with a rise of $1.50, Scotia Group climbing 90 cents to close at a new 52 weeks’ closing high and Jamaica Producers up by 74 cents. Declining Main Market stocks include Guardian Holdings down $10, Stanley Motta off 84 cents and Sygnus Real Estate Finance losing 80 cents.
Rising Junior Market stocks include CAC 2000 up by 51 cents and Dolphin Cove gaining 43 cents while Main Event dropped $1.30 and Fontana skidded 47 cents.
At the close of the market, the JSE Combined Market Index dropped 358.46 points to close at 325,672.01, the All Jamaican Composite Index dipped 486.87 points to 347,967.73, the JSE Main Index shed 15.87 points to close at 313,169.72. The Junior Market Index dropped 39.23 points to close at 3,650.24 and the JSE USD Market Index rallied 5.39 points to wrap up trading at 221.61.
Investors traded 20,978,708 shares, in all three markets, up from 12,392,600 units on Monday. The value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounts to $360.1 million up from $120.48 million on Monday. The JSE USD market closed after 47,641 shares were traded, for US$822 compared to 286,910 units at US$7,613 on Monday.
In the preference segment, Productive Business Solutions 10.5 % preference share fell $10 and ended at $1090 in trading 55 stock units and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share advanced $10.50 in closing at $115.50.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 21.1 on 2022-23 earnings and 13.7 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.
Gains for Trinidad stock market
Trading ended on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange on Monday, with the volume of stocks traded jumping 86 percent with the value up 82 percent more than on Friday, resulting in 17 securities being traded similar to trading on Friday and ended with seven stocks rising, six declining and four remaining unchanged.
Investors exchanged 274,928 shares for $1,760,054 versus 147,925 stock units at $967,923 on Friday.
An average of 16,172 units were traded at $103,533 compared to 8,701 shares at $56,937 on Friday, with trading month to date averaging 12,538 shares at $149,359 compared with 12,220 units at $153,374 on the previous trading day, marginally lower than the average for November of 19,241 shares at $227,402.
The Composite Index increased 7.28 points to lock up trading at 1,191.81, the All T&T Index advanced 13.08 points to finish at 1,796.95, the SME Index gained 0.90 points to settle at 72.85 and the Cross-Listed Index popped 0.15 points to close at 76.17.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ended bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Agostini’s ended at $68.50 in an exchange of 471 units, Angostura Holdings gained $2.97 in closing at $19.99 with investors trading 737 stocks, Endeavour Holdings rose 25 cents to end at $13.50, with 1,377 shares crossing the market. 
First Citizens Group declined 30 cents and ended at $49 with a transfer of 1,625 stock units, FirstCaribbean International Bank remained at $7 with investors trading 24,025 shares, GraceKennedy rallied 5 cents to $4.10 after 18,206 stock units passed through the market. Guardian Holdings sank 59 cents to $17.41 with investors swapping 2,220 stocks, Massy Holdings dipped 4 cents to close at $4.36 and closed after an exchange of 26,402 units, National Enterprises increased 53 cents in closing at $4.08 in trading 173,011 stocks. National Flour Mills popped 1 cent to end at $1.95 after a transfer of 12,150 units, One Caribbean Media fell 30 cents in closing at $3.50 with traders dealing in 20 shares, 
Point Lisas advanced 25 cents to $3.50, with 9,300 stock units crossing the market. Prestige Holdings shed 10 cents to end at $9.15 after exchanging 50 shares, Republic Financial remained at $124 with investors transferring 3,115 stock units, Scotiabank dropped 20 cents to close at $69.80 in an exchange of 1,270 units. Trinidad & Tobago NGL ended at $10.32, with 504 stock units changing hands and Trinidad Cement climbed 9 cents and ended at $2.95 with an exchange of 445 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Big price movements for ICTOP10
The Main and Junior Markets closed the week slightly lower, resulting in big gains and losses in the Junior Market while movements in the Main Market were more moderate than the Junior Market stocks and surprisingly there is only one new entrant into the top 10 listings, this week.
Scotia Group released full year results with EPS of $5.54 and announced the payments of a dividend of 40 cents per share, with the price hitting a new one year high on Friday. The dividend suggests a minimum payment of $1.60 per share over the next twelve months. Based on historical norms of 40-50 percent payout of profits it should be a higher payout. With the release of 2023 full year results, ICInsider.com switched over to 2024 earnings, with EPS at $7.50. Buying interest picked up during the week. The stock trades at an extremely low PE of 4.8 times projected 2024 earnings and still only 6.5 times based on earnings for 2023. AMG Packaging trades at 6.5 times 2024 earnings with only 58,816 shares on offer at the close on Friday and so is Jamaica Teas, with offers now generally above $2.53, with buyers mostly at $2.30, some selling came in for Access Financial this week, Caribbean Cement also has limited stocks on offer and so does Seprod.
Three Junior Market stocks gained 9 to 21 percent and three ended with 10 to 20 percent losses, while the Main Market had two stocks with worthwhile gains of 9 and 13 percent and three with sizable losses of 6 to 11 percent.
The Main Market ICTOP10 ended with, Key Insurance popping 13 percent to $2.49 and Scotia Group up 9 percent, while General Accident declined 11 percent to $4.50, Palace Amusement down 8 percent to $1.19 and 
Caribbean Producers lost 6 percent to close at $8.50.
The Junior Market ended, with Iron Rock Insurance jumping 21 percent to $2.50, followed by Lasco Distributors and Lasco Manufacturing rising 9 percent each to $3.93 and $4.63 respectively. AMG Packaging dropped 20 percent to $2.30, Caribbean Cream and Jamaica Teas fell 10 percent to $3.31 and $2.30 respectively.
Tropical Battery dropped out of the Junior Market ICTOP10 and is replaced by Elite Diagnostic. There were no changes in the IC Main Market TOP10
Indications of where stock prices could be by May 2024 can be seen from stocks with the highest values in the Main and Junior Markets.
The average PE for the JSE Main Market ICTOP 10 stands at 5.1, well below the market average of 12.8. The Main Market ICTOP10 is projected to gain an average of 299 percent by May 2024, based on 2023 forecasted earnings and now provides better values than the Junior Market with the potential to gain 204 percent over the same time frame.
In the Main Market ICTOP 10, a total of 15 of the most highly valued stocks representing 31 percent of the Main Market are priced at a PE of 15 to 108, with an average of 28 and 18 excluding the highest PE ratios and a PE of 23 for the top half and 16 excluding the stocks with overweight values.
The PE of the Junior Market TOP10 sits at 6.8, over half of the market, with an average of 13.2. There are 13 stocks, or 27 percent of the market, with PEs from b>15 to 50, averaging 21, well above the market’s average. The top half of the market has an average PE of 18, possibly the lowest fair value for stocks.
Of great import is that the averages of both markets are now converging around a PE of 20 for close to a third of the market, as the year is coming to a close and with more information available on the full year’s earnings.
ICTOP10 focuses on likely yearly winners, accordingly, the list includes some of the best companies in the market, but this is not always so. ICInsider.com ranks stocks based on projected earnings, allowing investors to focus on the most undervalued stocks and helping to remove emotions in selecting stocks for investments that often result in costly mistakes.
IC TOP10 stocks will likely deliver the best returns on or around May 2024 and are ranked in order of potential gains, computed using projected earnings for the current fiscal year. Expected values will change as stock prices fluctuate and result in weekly movements in and out of the lists. Revisions to earnings are ongoing, based on receipt of new information.
Persons who compiled this report may have an interest in securities commented on in this report.
Trading drops on Jamaica Stock Exchange
The Main Market and the USD markets of the Jamaica Stock Exchange declined at the close of trading on Friday while the Junior Market rose, with the volume and value of stocks changing hands declining from trading on Thursday.
At the close of trading, Eppley climbed $4, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund recovered the $3.80 it lost on Thursday, Guardian Holdings gained $2, Scotia Group up $1.50 and GraceKennedy with a rise of $1. Declining stocks were led by Pan Jamaica,, down $6.73 and NCB Financial fell $1.47.
At the close of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index slipped 66.62 points to close at 324,332.88, the All Jamaican Composite Index skidded 451.88 points to 346,035.74, the JSE Main Index lost 392.04 points to close at 311,317.38. The Junior Market Index gained 34.37 points to end the day at 3,695.69 and the JSE USD Market Index dropped 4.56 points to wrap up trading at 219.33.
Investors traded 10,332,299 shares, in all three markets, down from 22,170,439 units on Thursday. The value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amount to a mere $38 million up from $63.54 million on Thursday. The JSE USD market closed after 49,892 shares were traded, for US$8,545 compared to 10,110 units at US$968 on Thursday.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.50% preference share skidded 54 cents in closing at $6.24 and Jamaica Public Service 7% dropped $4.50 to $40.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 21.2 on 2022-23 earnings and 13.7 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 successfully navigate numerous investment options in the local 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.
Gains for Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange
The Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange gained in trading on Friday, with a 34 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded but with a 64 percent drop in value compared with trading on Thursday, resulting in trading in 17 securities, similar to Thursday, and ended with prices of seven stocks rising, three declining and seven remaining unchanged.
Investors exchanged 147,925 shares for $967,923 versus 110,572 stock units at $2,716,960 on Thursday.
An average of 8,701 units were traded at $56,937 compared to 6,504 shares at $159,821 on Thursday. Trading for the month to date averages 12,220 shares at $153,374 compared with 12,558 units at $162,634 on the previous day and lower than the average for November of 19,241 shares at $227,402.
The Composite Index popped 4.22 points to finish at 1,184.53, the All T&T Index advanced 6.35 points to end trading at 1,783.87, the SME Index remained at 71.95 and the Cross-Listed Index climbed 0.27 points to 76.02.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Agostini’s ended at $68.50, with 144 shares changing hands, Angostura Holdings lost $1.48 to close at $17.02 in trading 1,914 units, Ansa McAl climbed 30 cents to close at $55.90 after investors traded 13 shares. Calypso Macro Investment Fund remained at $22.75 and closed with an exchange of 2,188 stock units, First Citizens Group rose 5 cents to $49.30 with investors trading 1,963 shares, FirstCaribbean International Bank ended at $7 in swapping 50 units. GraceKennedy popped 5 cents to $4.05 as investors traded 11,605 stocks, Guardian Holdings gained 60 cents and ended at $18 after a transfer of 5 stock units, JMMB Group rose 1 cent to $1.30 after 97,283 shares crossed the exchange. Massy Holdings ended at $4.40 with a transfer of 10,546 stock units, National Enterprises rallied 15 cents to $3.55 with 983 units crossing the market, 
Prestige Holdings remained at $9.25 in an exchange of 1,000 stocks. Republic Financial advanced $1 in closing at $124, with 2,024 units crossing the market, Scotiabank ended at $70 with traders dealing in 2,240 shares, Trinidad & Tobago NGL dipped 18 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ low of $10.32 in an exchange of 1,250 stock units. Trinidad Cement ended at $2.86 with investors trading 1,370 stocks and West Indian Tobacco fell 7 cents and ended at a 52 weeks’ low of $9 with 13,347 shares clearing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
JSE Markets marking time
The Main market and the USD markets of the Jamaica Stock Exchange eked out gains on Thursday while the Junior Market declined, with the volume of stocks changing hands exceeding those on Wednesday fueled by a rise in the traded value.
At the close of trading, Guardian Holdings led stocks rising with a gain of $8 followed by Seprod up $4.17, Eppley rose $2 $2.49, NCB Financial a $1.87 and Massy Holdings off $1.45 and Jamaica Broilers up by $1,10. Declining stocks saw Eppley Caribbean Property Fund falling $3.80 followed by MPC Caribbean Energy Fund with a fall of $3.64 and GraceKennedy down $1.50.
At the close of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index popped 524.07 points to close at 324,399.50, the All Jamaican Composite Index popped 5.10 points to wrap up trading at 346,487.62, the JSE Main Index advanced 755.51 points to end at 311,709.42. The Junior Market Index shed 21.06 points to close at 3,661.32 and the JSE USD Market Index inched 0.13 points higher to finish at 223.89.
Investors traded 22,170,439 shares, in all three markets, up from 11,954,522 units on Wednesday. The value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounts to a mere $63.54 million up from $48.78 million on Wednesday. The JSE USD market closed after 10,110 shares were traded, for US$968 compared to 730,855 units at US$13,102 on Wednesday.
In the preference segment, 138 Student Living preference share fell $24 and ended at $90.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 21 on 2022-23 earnings and 13.6 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 successfully navigate numerous investment options in the local 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.