The Main Market and the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange rose in trading on Friday. The JSE USD market closed moderately lower as trading in all markets ended with the number of stocks changing hands jumping, with the value falling sharply from that on the previous trading day, resulting in prices of 26 shares rising and 40 declining.
At the close of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index climbed 2,420.45 points to 320,352.26, the All Jamaican Composite Index popped 1,212.91 points to close off at 351,010.95 and the JSE Main Index advanced 2,491.45 points to wrap-up trading at 308,191.55. The Junior Market Index popped 5.01 points to end the day at 3,574.54 and the JSE USD Market Index dipped 2.50 points to end the day at 220.89.
At the close of trading, 37,579,905 shares were exchanged in all three markets, up from 15,157,878 units on Thursday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $93.73 million, well below the $253.61 million on the previous trading day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 87,202 shares for US$7,834 compared to 61,468 units at US$66,283 on Thursday.
In Main Market activity, Radio Jamaica led trading with 15.48 million shares followed by Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 8.70 million stocks, Wigton Windfarm with 1.86 million stock units, Transjamaican Highway with 1.60 million shares and Jamaica Broilers with 1.02 million units.
In Junior Market trading, EduFocal led trading with 1.10 million shares followed by Omni Industries with 975,120 units and Dolla Financial with 901,467 stock units.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.25% preference share rose $3.46 to $18.60, 138 Student Living preference share sank $1 in closing at $209 and Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5% dipped $8.11 to close at $101.39.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to value stocks, ended at 19.1 on 2023-24 earnings and 13.1 times those for 2024-25 at the close of trading. ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and 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 within a sector and the overall market. The EPS & PE ratios are based on 2023 and 2024 actual or projected earnings, excluding major one off items.
Pertinent information is required to navigate numerous investment options successfully in the stock market. The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and more detailed daily charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
The chart should be used in making rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the average for the sector, 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 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.
Stocks mostly steady on Trinidad Exchange
Stocks ended trading on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange on Friday, with the majority ending with no price movements resulting from trading of 19 securities compared with 21 on Thursday and ending with prices of three rising, four declining and 12 ended firm after an 819 percent jump in the volume of stocks traded, valued 245 percent more than on Thursday.
The market closed with trading of 945,555 shares for $3,878,705 up from 102,849 stocks at $1,122,683 on Thursday.
An average of 49,766 shares were traded at $204,142 up from 4,898 units at $53,461 on Thursday, with trading month to date averaging 18,704 shares at $129,229 up from 16,535 stocks at $123,987 on the previous day and an average for July of 12,380 shares at $139,960.
The Composite Index declined 4.07 points to end at 1,067.16, the All T&T Index dipped 3.46 points to 1,602.81, the SME Index remained unchanged at 78.26 and the Cross-Listed Index slipped 0.66 points to 69.14.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Agostini’s ended at $66 after 5 stocks were traded, Angostura Holdings closed at $18.06 with a transfer of 28 units, Ansa McAl ended at $63 after an exchange of 8,805 shares. Calypso Macro Investment Fund closed at $23.60 with investors trading 43 stocks, First Citizens Group ended trading of 1,000 shares at $45, FirstCaribbean International ended at $7.03, with 100 stock units changing hands. GraceKennedy shed 9 cents to $3.41 in trading 31,163 units, JMMB Group declined 5 cents and ended at $1 and closed after trading of 1,957 stock units, Massy Holdings remained at $3.60 with investors trading 165,045 shares. National Enterprises finished trading of 672,389 stock units at $3.14, National Flour Mills fell 10 cents to finish at $1.80 with 36,625 stocks clearing the market, Point Lisas ended at $3.10 in an exchange of 752 units. Prestige Holdings remained at $10.50, with 66 stocks crossing the market, Republic Financial advanced 46 cents to $112.96 after a transfer of 2,205 shares, Scotiabank slipped $2.30 to close at $55.50 as investors exchanged 800 stock units. Trinidad & Tobago NGL remained at $5 after 5,812 units passed through the market, Trinidad Cement popped 4 cents and ended at $2.53 with investors swapping 1,453 stocks, Unilever Caribbean rose 1 cent to finish at $10.78 after an exchange of 3,060 shares and West Indian Tobacco ended at $6.50 following the trading of 14,247 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Jump in value of traded on JSE USD Market
The value of Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market stocks jumped 89 percent on Thursday, with a 20 percent fall in the volume of stocks traded declining compared with that on Wednesday, resulting in the exchange of six securities, compared to five with prices of two rising, one slipping and three ending unchanged.
The market closed with an exchange of 61,468 shares for US$66,283 compared to 76,828 units at US$34,980 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 10,245 stock units at US$11,047 compared with 15,366 shares at US$6,996 on Wednesday, with a month to date average of 262,440 shares at US$7,616 compared with 282,888 units at US$7,338 on the previous day and July that ended with an average of 30,304 units for US$2,118.
The US Denominated Equities Index rose 1.86 points to conclude trading at 223.39.
The PE Ratio, a most used measure for computing appropriate stock values, averages 8. The PE ratio is calculated based on last traded prices divided by projected earnings done by ICInsider.com for companies with financial year ending and or around August 2025.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows none ending with a bid higher than the last selling price and two with lower offers.
At the close, Margaritaville ended at 8.09 US cents as investors exchanged 200 shares, Proven Investments dropped 0.64 of one cent to 10 US cents after investors ended trading 21,764 stocks and Transjamaican Highway increased 0.01 of a cent in closing at 1.91 US cents after 2,291 shares changed hands.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group US8.5% preference share remained at US$1.20 with traders dealing in 7,591 stock units, JMMB Group 5.75% ended at US$1.85 in switching ownership of 29,616 shares and Sygnus Credit Investments E8.5% climbed 30 cents to US$10 with investors swapping 6 stock units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading dives on Trinidad Stock Exchange
Rising stocks just edged out those declining on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange on Thursday, with trading in 21 securities up from 16 on Wednesday and ending with prices of eight rising, seven declining and six ending firm following a 71 percent drop in the volume of stocks traded with a 67 percent lower value than on Wednesday
The market closed with trading of 102,849 shares for $1,122,683 down sharply from 356,474 stock stock at $3,417,254 on Wednesday.
An average of 4,898 shares were traded at $53,461 compared to 22,280 units at $213,578 on Wednesday, with trading month to date averaging 16,535 shares at $123,987 compared with 17,508 units at $129,887 on the previous day and an average for July of 12,380 shares at $139,960.
The Composite Index popped 6.57 points to end the day at 1,071.23, the All T&T Index increased 7.35 points to close trading at 1,606.27, the SME Index remained at 78.26 and the Cross-Listed Index advanced 0.80 points to settle at 69.80.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
At the close of trading, Agostini’s rallied $1 and ended at $66 after 21 shares passed through the market, Angostura Holdings increased 81 cents to $18.06 with investors trading 137 stocks, Ansa McAl ended at $63, with 9 shares changing hands. First Citizens Group ended at $45 with investors dealing in 6,202 stock units, FirstCaribbean International Bank rose 30 cents to $7.03 after exchanging 3,449 shares, GraceKennedy fell 16 cents in closing at $3.50 with investors trading 13,837 shares. Guardian Holdings advanced 40 cents to close at $12.90 after 29 units passed through the market, Guardian Media remained at $1.65 with investors swapping 50 stocks, JMMB Group ended at $1.05 in an exchange of 215 shares. Massy Holdings rose 8 cents to end at $3.60 with 35,679 stock units clearing the market, National Enterprises gained 9 cents and ended at $3.14 after an exchange of 10 stocks, National Flour Mills climbed 10 cents to finish at $1.90 with a transfer of 2,700 units. NCB Financial remained at $2.56 as investors exchanged 939 stocks, One Caribbean Media ended at $3 after a transfer of 11,607 shares, Point Lisas sank 2 cents to close at $3.10 with traders dealing in 5,540 stock units. Prestige Holdings slipped 48 cents and ended at $10.50, with 3,146 units crossing the exchange, Republic Financial lost 50 cents to end at $112.50 in trading 3,891 stocks, Scotiabank skidded 20 cents to finish at $57.80 with 640 shares crossing the market. Trinidad & Tobago NGL sank 25 cents to a 52 weeks’ low of $5 with an exchange of 13,810 stock units, Trinidad Cement dropped 4 cents to close at a 52 weeks’ low of $2.49 after 400 units were traded and West Indian Tobacco rose 50 cents and ended at $6.50 in an exchange of 538 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
CD rates drop below 8%
In today’s auction of certificates of deposit, Bank of Jamaica received 563 bids for $89.897 billion for the $49 billion in CDs on offer, resulting in an average yield for successful bids of 7.99 percent.
The rate is down from last week’s 8.84 percent and follows Tuesday’s announcement of a 0.25 percent cut in the Bank of Jamaica’s overnight rates and the gradual easing in CD rates since it peaked in March at nearly 12 percent and a general easing of liquidity within the financial market, with funds held by the central bank on short term CDs are now at $120 billion compared to just under $160 billion in March this year.
The reduction also comes following a drop in inflation for 2024 of less than 4 percent from January to July.