Markets continue to bounce in the new year from their December close as trading closed Wednesday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, as prices of 45 shares rose, 41 declined and 31 remained firm, resulting in a rise in major indices of the Main Market, the Junior Market index rising and the JSE USD Market jumping. Trading ended with a sharp rise in the volume of stocks exchanged, with a greater value than on Tuesday.
At the close of the market, with the newly listed West Indian Petroleum trading at a new record high of $4.52 and a PE ratio of an incredible 152, the JSE Combined Market Index rose 3,051.39 points to end at 334,207.01, the All Jamaican Composite Index increased by 3,581.55 points to 372,436.50, the JSE Main Index advanced 3,065.20 points to 323,948.39, the Junior Market Index rose 16.64 points to 3,409.53 and the JSE USD Market Index increased 10.20 points to conclude trading at 222.06.
At the close of trading, 130,633,092 shares were exchanged in all three markets, with JFP contributing 108 million units, compared with trading of 35,548,832 units on Tuesday. The value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $139.49 million, up from $124.3 million on the previous day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 581,330 shares for US$834,878 up sharply from 523,207 units at US$20,031 on Tuesday.
In Main Market activity, Transjamaican Highway led with 6.69 million shares, followed by Sagicor Select Manufacturing & Distribution Fund with 2.68 million stocks and Innovative Energy with 1.13 million units.
In Junior Market trading, JFP led with 108.29 million shares, followed by Kintyre Holdings with 2.91 million stocks and Atlantic Hardware with 1.81 million units.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 7% popped $4.72 to end at $44, 138 Student Living preference share lost $34.75 to end trading at $215 and Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5% advanced $3.94 in closing at $104.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to value stocks, ended at 14.3 based on 2026-27 earnings and 15.6 based on 2025-26 historical earnings. The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the other more detailed daily charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making. The PE ratio chart covers all ordinary shares listed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, grouped by industry, allowing for easy comparisons within a sector and the overall market. The earnings per share (EPS) and PE ratios are based on 2025 and 2026 actual or projected earnings, excluding any major one time income or expense.
Pertinent information is required to navigate numerous investment options successfully in the stock market. The chart can be used to help make rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the sector average, not straying 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 not staying 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 incorporated into the chart. Investors can use this measure in assessing stock values. The chart also shows daily changes in stock prices and the percentage year to date price movement based on the last traded prices. Dividends that are paid or are 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.
The market closed with 15,161,289 shares being traded at $89,302,685 compared to 13,515,579 stock units at $63,554,888 on Monday.
At the close, Barita Investments fell $1 to $70, following trading in 4,204 shares, before the company announced the acquisition of JN Fund Managers, in a move that should boost profit. Caribbean Cement slipped 90 cents to close at $104.60 with investors dealing in 13,729 units, GraceKennedy sank $3.49 in closing at $69.01, with 59,641 stocks crossing the market. Jamaica Producers rose $1.68 and ended at $23.88, with investors exchanging 206 shares, JMMB Group declined 95 cents to end at $17.05, with 9,525 stock units changing hands, Proven Investments sank $1.29 to finish at $14.21 in trading 1,815 shares. Seprod dipped $5.71 to $78.20 after 6,847 stock units passed through the market, Supreme Ventures increased 50 cents to finish at $15.99 with investors swapping 28,385 units, Sygnus Credit Investments lost 41 cents and ended at $12 after closing with trading in 7,919 stocks and
At the close of the market, there was buying interest for over 20 million shares, ranging from 45 cents to a high of $3.45.
The market closed with an exchange of 523,207 shares for US$20,031 compared to 107,514 stock units at US$4,811 on Monday.
The winners include recently listed West Indies Petroleum, trading at a record high of $3.45, at PE ratio of 69 times 2024 earnings from continuing operations.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 9.5% dropped $200 to end up at $2,300, 138 Student Living preferred share rose $36 to $250 and Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5% fell $3.94 in closing at $100.
On a day of below-average trading, that closed with an exchange of 13,515,579 shares at $63,554,888 compared to 9,985,799 stock units at $64,681,027 on Friday.
At the close on a day of mostly negative price changes, AS Bryden sank $2.36 to finish at $31, with 2,238 shares clearing the market, Barita Investments rose $1.15 and ended at $71 after a transfer of 1,189 stock units, Berger Paints fell 86 cents to $5.34 after trading of 7,652 shares. Carib Cement dropped 50 cents to $105.50, after 9,625 stock units passed through the market, First Rock Real Estate climbed 41 cents to $10.50, with investors swapping 800 units, GraceKennedy sank 47 cents in closing at $72.50, with 30,701 shares crossing the market. Jamaica Producers skidded $1.68 to $22.20 with a transfer of 878 units, Jamaica Stock Exchange lost 92 cents to end at $11 as investors exchanged 49,819 stocks, JMMB Group declined $1.20 in closing at $18, with 36,205 stock units crossing the market. Margaritaville shed 44 cents to close at $11.54 with investors dealing in 85 shares, Mayberry Group popped 66 cents and ended at $7.66 in an exchange of 606 stocks, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy dropped $2 to finish at $45, with 67 units changing hands.
NCB Financial slipped 75 cents to $39 with an exchange of 55,965 stock units, Pan Jamaica advanced $6 to end at $51, after closed with 3,509 shares changing hands, Proven Investments sank 49 cents in closing at $15.50 with investors trading 982 stock units. Scotia Group dropped 55 cents and ended at $52.45 after an exchange of 42,504 units, Seprod rallied 71 cents to close at $83.91 with investors trading 12,109 stocks, Supreme Ventures lost $1 to finish at $15.49 after an exchange of 1,583,115 units and West Indian Petroleum increased 64 cents and ended at a record high of $2.59 in trading a mere one share.
The market closed with an exchange of 107,514 shares for US$4,811, down from 202,981 stock units at US$8,951 on Friday.
At the close of the market, the JSE Combined Market Index dropped 4,265.80 points to 325,472.58, the All Jamaican Composite Index declined by 3,694.26 points and ended at 363,505.90, the JSE Main Index plunged by 4,212.23 points to end at 315,271.70, the Junior Market Index fell 33.09 points to 3,348.78 and the JSE USD Market Index lost 3.03 points to settle at 211.05.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to value stocks, ended at 15.6 based on 2026-27 earnings and 16 based on 2025-26 historical earnings, excluding any major one time income or expense.
The market closed with an exchange of 9,985,799 shares for $64,681,027 compared to 138,255,200 stock units at $802,340,940 on Wednesday.
At the close of the first day trading in 2026, Barita Investments shed $5.90 in closing at a 52 weeks low of $69.85 after an exchange of 2,504 shares, Caribbean Cement sank $1.50 to end at $106, after the trading of 5,487 stocks, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund rose 40 cents to close at $47.15 with an exchange of 555 units. First Rock Real Estate dropped 87 cents to finish at $10.09, with 3,963 shares crossing the exchange, Guardian Holdings rose $2.40 and ended at $344.90 with traders dealing in 103 stock units, JMMB Group lost 75 cents to end at $19.20 in an exchange of 87,839 shares. Kingston Wharves rallied $4.49 in closing at $36.49 with investors trading 1,991 stock units, Mayberry Group skidded 90 cents to $7, after 18,733 stocks passed through the market, Mayberry Jamaican Equities sank 49 cents to close at $8.51 as investors exchanged 143 units. NCB Financial popped $3.75 and ended at $39.75 after it closed with 125,392 shares changing hands, Pan Jamaica dropped $6 to end at $45 with investors swapping 775 stock units, Proven Investments increased $2.24 to finish at $15.99, with an exchange of 3,579 stocks.
Sagicor Group fell 48 cents and ended at $41, with 83,824 units crossing the market, Seprod shed 78 cents to $83.20 after trading of 8,205 stocks, Supreme Ventures dipped $3.07 to end at $16.49 after a transfer of 1,605,332 units. Sygnus Credit Investments advanced 72 cents in closing at $12.40 with investors trading 25,837 shares, Sygnus Real Estate Finance gained $1.15 to close at $13 in switching ownership of 1,930 stock units, West Indian Petroleum rose 64 cents to finish at a record high of $1.95 after an exchange of only one share and Wisynco Group advanced 46 cents and ended at $19.96 with a transfer of 83,839 stock units.
The market closed with an exchange of 202,981 shares for US$8,951 compared to 2,016,016 stock units at US$116,202 on Wednesday.
At the close of the market, the JSE Combined Market Index increased 1,293.84 points to 329,738.38, the All Jamaican Composite Index popped 1,885.78 points to close at 367,200.16, the JSE Main Index climbed 1,497.05 points to wrap up trading at 319,483.93, the Junior Market Index dropped 19.54 points to finish at 3,381.87 and the JSE USD Market Index increased 1.92 points to 214.08.
In the preferred segment of the market, Jamaica Public Service 7% gained $3.63 to finish at $40, 138 Student Living preference share popped $2.99 to $250, Productive Business Solutions 10.5% rallied $85 to end at $1,145, Sygnus Credit Investments 10% slipped $4 to $106 and Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5% rose $1.95 to close at $104.