Investors gobbled up 23 percent of Elite Diagnostic shares in a trade in the making for months, with funding recently tied up, to conclude the trade. Trading data show NCB Capital Markets selling its 66 million shares and Damian Chin-You 14.52 million units. The Jamaica Stock Exchange closed Friday with a sharp rise in the volume of stocks traded, with a greater value than on Thursday. Trading resulted in the major indices of the Main Market rising, the Junior Market index rising and the JSE USD Market index slipping. At the close ot the day, prices of 51 shares rose, 42 declined and 20 remained firm.

At the end of the market activity, the JSE Combined Market Index popped 1,289.89 points to finish at 377,209.92, at the same time the All Jamaican Composite Index climbed 2,804.47 points to end at 444,293.86, the JSE Main Index climbed 1,308.61 points to settle at 372,127.19, the Junior Market Index climbed 5.38 points to finish at 2,982.06 and the JSE USD Market Index declined 4.62 points to 319.08.
At the close of trading, 131,771,450 shares were exchanged in all three markets, up from 48,920,195 units on Thursday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounting to $351.1 million, after rising from $288.74 million on the previous day. Trading on the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 1,152,520 shares for US$117,982 compared to 1,380,642 units at US$104,440 on Thursday.
In Main Market activity, Stanley Motta led with 10.0 million shares, followed by Transjamaican Highway with 4.84 million stocks and Radio Jamaica with 3.06 million units.
In Junior Market trading, Elite Diagnostic led with 81.28 million shares, followed by Fosrich with 6.89 million stocks and ONE on ONE Educational with 3.24 million units.
In Main Market ordinary share movements, among the top winners, Kingston Wharves climbed $2 to $34.00, West Indies Petroleum rose 91 cents to $9.93, Quantas Advantage advanced 70 cents in closing at $16.70, JMMB Group increased 50 cents to $17 and Mayberry Jamaican Equities gained 49 cents to end at $6.50. Among the top losers, Proven Investments dropped $1.30 to close at $9.05, Scotia Group lost $1.20 to end at $58.20, NCB Financial shed 99 cents to finish at $70.00, Jamaica Producers declined 92 cents and ended at $20.52 and Mayberry Group fell 90 cents to end at $5.20.
In the preference segment, 138 Student Living preference share rose by $47.75 to finish at $233, Productive Business Solutions 10.5% climbed by $25 to $1,290 and Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5% slipped $1.50 and ended at $105.
In the Junior Market, among the top winners, Knutsford Express rallied 60 cents to $8.20, Cargo Handlers increased 50 cents to close at $15.50, Elite Diagnostic climbed 26 cents to $1.50, Caribbean Flavours increased 22 cents to close at $1.22 and Caribbean Cream gained 17 cents to end at $2.33. Among the top losers, Blue Power slipped 30 cents and ended at $3.25, Everything Fresh skidded 24 cents to end at $1.82, Fontana dipped 20 cents to close at $6.20, KLE Group lost 19 cents to 91 cents and Mailpac Group slipped 14 cents to close at $2.36.
At the close of trading, the PE ratio for the current year, compiled from projected 2026-27 earnings, is 13.8 and 16.1 based on 2025 historical earnings. Major one-off income or expenses are excluded from earnings where applicable. The PE ratio is one of the most used measures in valuing shares. It is calculated by dividing the stock price by earnings per share. The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the daily charts provide investors with regularly updated information to assist in making investment decisions. The PE ratio chart includes all ordinary shares listed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, grouped by industry and facilitates easy comparisons within sectors and the overall market.

Pertinent information is needed to navigate the numerous options in the stock market. The chart should be used to help in decision-making, especially when investing close to the market or sector averages, and not going too far from it, unless compelling reasons exist. This approach reduces emotional bias in investment decisions and places them on fundamentals, without straying far from the majority of investors. Investors who buy stocks near the average will not overpay. The net asset value of each company is incorporated into the chart. Investors can use this measure in assessing stock values. The chart also includes daily changes in stock prices and percentage year to date price movements based on the last traded price. Dividends that are paid or 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.