The Main and Junior markets of the Jamaica Stock Exchange rose at the close of trading on Thursday as the JSE USD market closed moderately lower as trading ended with the number of stocks and the value changing hands rising over the previous day and resulting in prices of 36 shares rising and 30 declining.
At the close of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index climbed 496.48 points to 326,056.47, the All Jamaican Composite Index rallied 1,667.39 points to 354,910.05, the JSE Main Index rose 358.22 points to 313,422.34. The Junior Market Index popped 21.67 points to 3,672.89 and the JSE USD Market Index fell 3.15 points to end trading at 224.87.
At the close of trading, 19,944,044 shares were exchanged in all three markets, up from 7,685,373 units on Wednesday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $84.8 million, well over the $58.43 million on the previous trading day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 200,309 shares for US$13,942 compared to 25,171 units at US$2,096 on Wednesday.
In Main Market activity, Wigton Windfarm led trading with 6.79 million shares followed by Transjamaican Highway with 3.16 million stocks and Lasco Manufacturing with 516,282 units.
In Junior Market trading, Jamaican Teas led trading with 2.06 million shares followed by JFP Ltd with 1.09 million units and Fosrich with 936,403 stocks.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 9.5% rallied $2 to $2,699.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to value stocks, ended at 19.8 on 2023-24 earnings and 13.5 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.
Trading rises on Trinidad Exchange
Stocks ended with mostly gains on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange on Thursday, but the market major market indices slipped as the volume of stocks traded jumped by 469 percent valued 231 percent more than on Wednesday and resulted in trading of 20 securities up from 17 on Wednesday and ending with prices of seven rising, five declining and eight ended firm.
The market closed with trading of 738,069 shares for $3,061,906 up from 129,803 stock units at $924,862 on Wednesday.
An average of 36,903 shares were traded at $153,095 in contrast to 7,635 units at $54,404 on Wednesday, with trading month to date averaging 11,026 shares at $145,296 compared to 9,346 stock units at $144,793 on the previous day and an average for June of 9,110 shares at $119,497.
The Composite Index dipped 2.92 points to 1,120.75, the All T&T Index dropped 5.65 points to settle at 1,677.04, the SME Index remained at 78.26 and the Cross-Listed Index was unchanged at 73.55.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows three stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
At the close of trading, Agostini’s ended at $68.78 with a transfer of 579 stock units, Angostura Holdings popped 50 cents in closing at $17.75 as investors exchanged 25 shares, Calypso Macro Investment Fund ended at $24.25 and closed with an exchange of 431 units. 
Endeavour Holdings advanced $2 and ended at a 52 weeks’ high of $17 after investors traded 72 stocks, First Citizens remained at $44.05 with investors trading 800 units, FirstCaribbean International ended at $6.86 after 30 stock units were traded. GraceKennedy remained at $3.79 in the trading of 10 shares, Guardian Holdings slipped 5 cents to end at a 52 weeks’ low of $15.55 after an exchange of 422 stock units, JMMB Group fell 3 cents in closing at $1.10 with investors trading 20 shares. Massy Holdings slipped 2 cents to finish at $3.58 in switching ownership of 673,271 units, National Enterprises lost 1 cent and ended at $3.19 with traders dealing in 47,005 stocks, National Flour Mills ended at $2.03 in an exchange of 2,730 stock units. 
Investors in NCB Financial shares traded 569 shares at $3, One Caribbean Media dipped 1 cent to $3.66 with an exchange of 100 units, Point Lisas rose 5 cents to $3.15 with 1,250 stock units changing hands. Prestige Holdings gained 29 cents to end at $11.90 after a transfer of 8 stock units, Republic Financial rallied $1.10 to $115.10 with investors trading 1,565 shares, Scotiabank popped 1 cent higher to $64 in an exchange of 2,910 stocks. Trinidad Cement climbed 13 cents to $2.64 after 3,772 units were traded and West Indian Tobacco remained at $8.50 with 2,500 stock units clearing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading drops on JSE Main Market
The Main Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange lost ground on Wednesday, following a 57 percent plunge in the volume of stocks traded with the value slipping by 11 percent from the levels on Tuesday, with trading in 53 securities slightly down from 54 on Tuesday, with prices of 20 stocks rising, 18 declining and 15 ending unchanged.
Trading closed with an exchange of 5,083,717 shares for a total sum of $55,164,698 compared to 11,714,898 units at $61,785,252 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 95,919 shares at $1,040,843 compared to 216,943 units at $1,144,171 on Tuesday and month to date, an average of 712,442 units at $6,709,992 compared with 749,405 units at $7,049,885 on the previous day and June with an average of 246,425 units at $1,945,941.
Wisynco Group led trading with 2.21 million shares for 43.5 percent of total volume followed by Transjamaican Highway with 1.08 million units for 21.2 percent of the day’s trade and Wigton Windfarm with 467,244 units for 9.2 percent market share.
The All Jamaican Composite Index lost 1,518.48 points to end at 353,242.66, the JSE Main Index dipped 863.93 points to end at 313,064.12 and the JSE Financial Index skidded 0.38 points to 66.18.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 13.9. The JSE Main and USD Market PE ratios are based on last traded prices and earnings forecasts by ICInsider.com for companies with the financial year ending around August 2025.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 13 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and eight with lower offers.
At the close, AS Bryden gained $2.98 and ended at $37.99 as investors exchanged 120 stock units, Caribbean Cement dipped 70 cents to $64.10 after 6,692 units passed through the market, Eppley sank $2.79 to close at $35.11 in an exchange of 141 shares. Eppley Caribbean Property Fund lost 35 cents to finish at $40.55 after the trading of 1,683 stock units, GraceKennedy shed 40 cents to end at $73.20 with a transfer of 11,564 shares, Guardian Holdings popped $5 in closing at $350, with 86 stock units crossing the market. Jamaica Broilers rallied 98 cents to $33.98 after an exchange of 928 units, Kingston Wharves sank 99 cents to close at $26 with 3,633 stocks changing hands, Lasco Manufacturing gained 30 cents to end at $6.10 with an exchange of 15,387 units. 
NCB Financial slipped 40 cents in closing at $52 after closing with an exchange of 6,993 stocks, Pan Jamaica fell $1.99 to $47, with 3,282 shares crossing the exchange, Proven Investments declined $1.19 and ended at $18.50 with investors trading 4,057 stock units. Sagicor Group climbed 75 cents to $40.75 after a transfer of 6,473 shares, Scotia Group skidded $1.24 to end at $44 with traders dealing in 23,673 units, Sygnus Credit Investments rose 32 cents and ended at $10.99 in an exchange of 226 stocks and Wisynco Group advanced 40 cents to close at $20.50 with investors trading 2,210,502 stock units.
In the preference segment, Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5% popped $9.04 to end at $100 in switching ownership of 2,000 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading plunges for JSE USD Market
Trading plunged on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market on Wednesday, with a 95 percent in the volume and value of stocks passing through compared with Tuesday, resulting from trading in six securities, compared to eight on Tuesday with prices of three stocks rising, two declining and one ending unchanged.
The market closed with an exchange of 25,171 shares for US$2,096 compared to 484,869 units at US$42,958 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 4,195 stock units at US$349 down sharply from 60,609 shares at US$5,370 on Tuesday, with a month to date average of 35,114 shares at US$2,571 compared with 37,198 units at US$2,721 on the previous day and June that ended with an average of 53,325 units for US$3,682.
The US Denominated Equities Index gained 1.67 points to end at 228.02.
The PE Ratio, a most used measure for computing appropriate stock values, averages 7.9. The PE ratio is computed 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 two stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with a lower offer.
At the close, First Rock Real Estate USD share ended at 4.03 US cents after investors traded 182 stocks, Proven Investments popped 0.1 of a cent to end at 11.9 US cents in trading 1,171 shares, Sygnus Credit Investments shed 0.49 of one cent in closing at 7 US cents after a transfer of 21,798 units and Transjamaican Highway increased 0.08 of a cent to finish at 2.08 US cents with investors trading 1,759 stocks.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group US8.5% preference share fell 4.99 cents and ended at US$1.20 with 6 units crossing the market and Equityline Mortgage Investment preference share popped 16.5 cents to close at US$1.265 as investors exchanged 255 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
CDs rates remain steady
Bank of Jamaica HQ.
Rates on 30 day certificate of deposit offered by Bank of Jamaica, rose marginally at the latest auction of $50 billion, with an average interest rate of 9.54 percent, up marginally from 9.47 percent last week, bringing the total amount of 30 days CD’s to $232 billion, down from $235 billion following last week’s auction.
A total of 451 bids were received by the central bank amounting to $60.8 billion of which 400 were successful. The highest interest rate payable was 9.85 percent of which 70.48 percent of the amount that was a part of the bid was satisfied.
Although CDs rates have fallen from the peak of nearly 12 percent in April they are still well off from the Bank of Jamaica’s Overnight rate of 7 percent.
Junior Market popped higher Wednesday
Trading activity fell sharply at the close of the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Wednesday, with a 74 percent drop in the volume of stocks traded, with an 83 percent lower value than on Tuesday with trading in 40 securities compared with 41 on Tuesday and ending with prices of 15 rising, 18 declining and seven closing unchanged.
The market ended with 2,576,485 shares trading at $4,262,470 down from 9,854,162 units at $24,889,108 on Tuesday.
Trading averaged 64,412 shares at $106,562, down from 240,345 stocks at $607,051 on Tuesday with trading for the month to date, averaging 388,998 units at $798,622 versus 409,509 stock units at $842,354 on the previous day compared to June with an average of 318,732 units at $696,979.
EduFocal led trading with 1.03 million shares for 40.1 percent of total volume followed by Dolla Financial with 460,385 units for 17.9 percent of the day’s trade and iCreate with 202,733 units for 7.9 percent market share.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index advanced 10.46 points to conclude trading at 3,651.22.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.4, based on last traded prices in conjunction with earnings projected by ICInsider.com for the financial years ending around August 2025.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows 10 stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close, Access Financial rose 51 cents in closing at $19.02 with an exchange of 30 stocks, Blue Power rallied 27 cents to $4.38 and closed after an exchange of 25,512 units, Caribbean Cream declined 9 cents to finish at $3.35 with traders dealing in 3,868 shares. Dolla Financial sank 14 cents and ended at $2.63 with 460,385 stocks clearing the market, Dolphin Cove dropped $1.85 to close at $21.15 with a transfer of 4,021 shares, Fontana popped 6 cents to end at $8.01, with 68,531 units crossing the exchange. Honey Bun gained 35 cents to end at $8.60 in trading 8,514 stocks, Indies Pharma increased 24 cents to end at $2.54, with 166,799 stock units crossing the market, ISP Finance climbed $5 in closing at $25 after a transfer of 76 shares. Jamaican Teas rose 16 cents t0 $2.27 after 29,150 units passed through the market, 
Jetcon Corporation fell 5 cents to close at 85 cents in switching ownership of 500 stocks, Mailpac Group skidded 8 cents to finish at $2.07 after an exchange of 119,499 stock units. Main Event sank 50 cents to close at $12, with 552 shares crossing the market, Regency Petroleum popped 14 cents to finish at $2.40 with investors swapping 19,551 units, Spur Tree Spices slipped 5 cents and ended at $2.10 in an exchange of 8,170 stock units. Stationery and Office Supplies advanced 5 cents to close at $1.69 after investors ended trading 240 stock units and tTech lost 29 cents to end at $2.65 as investors exchanged 50 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading drops on Jamaica Stocks Exchange
On another day of moderate activity, the Jamaica Stock Exchange, the volume and value of stocks traded fell well below Tuesday’s levels and resulted in the Main Market primary indices as the Junior Market and the JSE USD market recorded modest gains with the market closing with prices of 30 shares rising and 37 declining.
At the close of the market, the JSE Combined Market Index fell 752.92 points to close at 325,559.99, the All Jamaican Composite Index slipped 1,518.48 points to 353,242.66, the JSE Main Index slipped 863.93 points to 313,064.12. The Junior Market Index rose 10.46 points to 3,651.22 and the JSE USD Market Index advanced 1.67 points to cease trading at 228.02.
At the close of trading, 7,685,373 shares were exchanged in all three markets, down from 22,053,861 units on Tuesday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $58.43 million, well below the $86.67 million on the previous trading day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 25,171 shares for US$2,096 compared to 484,869 units at US$42,958 on Tuesday.
In Main Market activity, Wisynco Group led trading with 2.21 million shares followed by Transjamaican Highway with 1.08 million stocks and Wigton Windfarm with 467,244 units.
In Junior Market trading, EduFocal led trading with 1.03 million shares followed by Dolla Financial with 460,385 stocks for 17.9 percent of the day’s trade and iCreate with just 202,733 units.
In the preference segment, Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5 percent popped $9.04 to end at $100.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to value stocks, ended at 19.8 on 2023-24 earnings and 13.4 times those for 2024-25 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 includes all of the 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.
Few shares rise on Trinidad Exchange
Stocks continued with the negative bias for the year at the close of the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange on Wednesday, resulting from trading in 17 securities trading up from 14 on Tuesday and ending with prices of just two stocks rising, eight declining and seven ending firm with the volume of stocks traded, declining by 48 percent valued 41 percent lower than on Tuesday.
The market closed with 129,803 shares trading valued at $924,862 compared to 247,600 stock units at $1,557,890 on Tuesday.
An average of 7,635 shares were traded at $54,404 compared with 17,686 units at $111,278 on Tuesday, with trading month to date averaging 9,346 shares at $144,793 compared with 9,446 units at $150,075 on the previous day and an average for June of 9,110 shares at $119,497.
The Composite Index popped 4.49 points higher to 1,123.67, the All T&T Index slipped 2.47 points to 1,682.69, the SME Index sank 9.52 points to 78.26 and the Cross-Listed Index rallied 1.67 points to 73.55.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and six with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Calypso Macro Investment Fund remained at $24.25 in switching ownership of 90 stock units, Endeavour Holdings shed $2 to $15, with 240 shares changing hands, First Citizens ended at $44.05 after trading 3,747 units. FirstCaribbean International Bank ended trading at $6.86 after an exchange of 7,992 stocks, GraceKennedy slipped 10 cents to finish at $3.79 with a transfer of 3,390 units, JMMB Group gained 10 cents to end at $1.13 as investors exchanged 1,120 shares. Massy Holdings skidded 5 cents to $3.60 with 98,074 stocks passing through the market, National Enterprises ended at $3.20 with an exchange of 2,520 stock units, National Flour Mills fell 2 cents to end at $2.03 with 270 shares crossing the market. 
NCB Financial popped 20 cents in closing at $3 after a transfer of 431 units, Prestige Holdings lost 29 cents and ended at $11.61 with investors exchanging 828 stocks, Republic Financial dropped $1.10 to finish at $114 after an exchange of 2,059 stock units. Scotiabank ended at $63.99 with investors trading 63 shares, Trinidad & Tobago NGL remained at $7 with 65 stock units clearing the market, Trinidad Cement fell 5 cents to $2.51 with traders dealing in 1,135 units. Unilever Caribbean slipped 1 cent to $10.99, with 118 stocks crossing the market and West Indian Tobacco ended at $8.50 in trading 7,661 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Blow out profit for Iron Rock
Insurance revenues jumped 40 percent to $1.4 billion and net profit surged 150 percent to $84 million at Iron Rock Insurance for 2023 as insurance results climbed from $63 million to $120 and Investments delivered slightly higher gains of $79 million rising from $64 million in 2022, the company’s long-delayed audited financial statements show.
Operating expenses rose 14.4 percent from $104 million to $119 million as the company generated 39 cents in earnings per share for the year, up from 16 cents in 2022. ICInsider.com had a forecast of 32 cents.
At the end of 2023, shareholders’ equity stood at $748 million. Investments was $630 million, with reinsurance assets of $427 million and Insurance liabilities of $777 million.
The company improved its performance in the March quarter this year, with revenues rising by 29 percent to $401 million. Return on investments rose to $29 from $16 million in 2023. Other operating expenses climbed from $30 million to $37 million. A profit of $5.5 was realised, up from a $12 million loss in 2023, with earnings per share of 3 cents.
At the end of 2023, shareholders’ equity rose to $756 million. Investments stood at $719 million, with reinsurance assets of $312 million and Insurance liabilities of $735 million.
Iron Rock generated positive cash flows of $45 million in the quarter and $254 million for the 2023 fiscal year.
The stock was in the ICTOP10 Junior Market listing but was dropped following the suspension of trading but with projections of 55 cents per share for 2024 it will most likely be back, subject to stock price by week end.
The stock rose 12 cents on Tuesday to $2.30, with just three offers amounting to 115,000 shares, with 7,004 units at $3.30 up to $4.36.
With projected earnings of 55 cents per share, the PE ratio at the last price is just 4.2 times earnings, well below the market average of 12.4.
Falling interest rates
On Friday, July 5 investors in the Bank of Jamaica’s 28 days $37 billion CDs auction received an average interest rate of 9.91 percent with the highest successful rate at 10.249 percent, resulting in $141.5 billion being siphoned out of the financial market, with 299 successful bids out of a total 377 bids.
On July 12, Bank of Jamaica offered just $9 billion in CDs were offered, reducing the outstanding CDS to $139.5 billion, after attracting 278 bids covering $24.9 billion with just 74 successful bids from a high of 9.65 percent to a low of 8.50, with an average of 9.40 percent.
In the past week, Bank of Jamaica offered $36 billion and obtained 472 bids amounting to $52.68 billion with 392 succeeding with an average rate of 9.47 percent. The highest successful rate came out at 9.85 percent, the total amount of the 28 days CDS stood at $135 billion.
The average of the above rates is well below 11.90 percent on April 17 when the total amount of 28 days CDS was $155 billion.
The latest offering of $50 billion today is lower than the $53 billion that expires on Friday and is in line with BOJ’s commitment to ease liquidity within the financial market.
