Trading levels rose on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday, with the volume of stocks changing hands exceeding the near 10 million shares on Tuesday fueled by a rise in value and resulting in the Main Market and Junior Market declining and the USD market closing marginally higher as Main Market stocks dominated.
Both GraceKennedy and Guardian Holdings led rising stocks  with a gain of $2, followed by Kingston Wharves up $1.141 but declining stocks held the upper hand with Eppley dropping $2.49, Sagicor Group with a loss of $1.98, followed by NCB Financial down $1.85 and Massy Holdings off $1.44.
The JSE Combined Market Index popped 524.68 points to close trading at 323,875.43, while the All Jamaican Composite Index rallied 384.80 points to end at 346,482.52, the JSE Main Index dipped 173.48 points to wrap up trading at 310,953.91. The Junior Market Index gave most of the 54.04 points gained on Tuesday with a drop of 41.33 points to settle at 3,682.38to settle at 3,723.71 and the JSE USD Market Index gained 1.76 points to close at
Investors traded 11,954,522 shares, in all three markets, down from 9,863,787 units on Tuesday. The value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounts to a mere $48.78 million up from $36 million on Tuesday. The JSE USD market closed after 730,855 shares were traded, for US$13,102 compared to 102,487 units at US$9,725 on Tuesday.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.50% preference share increased $1.26 and ended at $6.76 Jamaica Public Service 7% fell $1.50 to  $44.5 and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share skidded $11.15 to $105.
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 13.8 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 in the local stock market successfully. 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 assess the value of stocks based on this measure quickly. 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.