The Jamaican economy is set to suffer a major setback in the second quarter with tourist traffic to the island falling according to preliminary data of visitor traffic through the country’s two international airports.
Passenger traffic through Sangster’s International Airport in Montego Bay in June slipped marginally from 448,500 last year to 447,400 which dragged the six months performance to an increase of just 3.2 percent to 2,742,400 from 2,656,800 in 2023, while Kingston Norman Manley dipped 2.2 percent to 144,400 from 147,700 in 2023, and declined 2.3 percent to 810,600 from 829,500.
While the critical arrivals grew attractively in the first quarter, data released by Grupo Aeroportuario Del Pacífico shows Montego Bay enjoying an 8 percent rise with Kingston flat, Montego Bay suffered a 4.2 percent fall in April and was effectively flat in May. Kingston was down7.7 percent in April and 1.1 percent in May. The decline affects the sector and will spill over into support industries such as transportation, agriculture, manufacturing and utilities and also affect communities that cater to the sector.
Trading activity rises on JSE Main Market
Trading climbed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Friday, with a 220 percent jump in the volume of stocks traded and a more moderate rise of 39 percent in value compared to Thursday’s activities, with trading in 57 securities up from 55 on Thursday, with prices of 16 stocks rising, 20 declining and 21 ending unchanged, and ending with the market index dropping.
JMMB Group and Pulse Investments traded at intraday 52 weeks’ low of $21.90 and $1.34 respectively.
The market closed with an exchange of 26,181,772 shares for $59,057,741 compared with 8,176,004 units at $42,458,252 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 459,329 shares at $1,036,101 up from 148,655 units at $771,968 on Thursday and month to date, an average of 1,182,094 units at $11,365,796 down from 1,276,584 stocks at $12,716,237 on the prior day and June with an average of 246,425 units at $1,945,941.
Wigton Windfarm led trading with 11.73 million shares for 45.1 percent of total volume followed by Palace Amusement with 10.10 million units for 38.9 percent of the day’s trade and Sagicor Select Manufacturing & Distribution Fund with 1.63 million units for 6.3 percent of the day’s trade.
The All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 439.53 points to end the day at 357,690.12, the JSE Main Index fell 675.66 points to close at 318,897.75 and the JSE Financial Index fell 0.06 points to cease trading at 67.31.
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 four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and five with lower offers.
At the close of market activity, AS Bryden fell $1 to $37 as investors exchanged 8,526 stock units, Barita Investments climbed 60 cents and ended at $74.60, with 2,780 shares changing hands, Caribbean Cement rose $2.39 to close at $64.50 after an exchange of 4,141 units. Eppley rallied $3.67 to finish at $38.67 with a transfer of 7,149 stocks, Eppley Caribbean Property Fund sank $3.38 in closing at $37.60 with investors swapping 6 shares, GraceKennedy popped 41 cents to end at $73.99 in an exchange of 12,024 units. Guardian Holdings declined $10.99 to $349 with investors trading 77 stocks, Jamaica Stock Exchange advanced 95 cents to end at $11.50 in an exchange of 1,630 stock units, Massy Holdings shed $7.90 in closing at $80 with traders dealing in 3,146 shares. 
MPC Caribbean Clean Energy increased $18 and ended at $108 after an exchange of 14 stock units, NCB Financial gained 79 cents to finish at $57.89 after 25,247 stocks passed through the market, Pan Jamaica rose $1.78 to close at $49.30 after a transfer of 3,442 units. Proven Investments dropped 88 cents to $19.07 with investors trading 2,528 shares, Seprod sank 90 cents to close at $79, with 1,896 stocks crossing the exchange and Sygnus Credit Investments slipped $1.04 to end at $10.95 in trading 10,154 units.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 9.5% lost $1 in closing at $2,699 after 51 stock units were exchanged and Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5% dipped $2 and ended at $108, with 2,659 shares crossing the market.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Gains for JSE USD Market
Investors pushed the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market higher at the end of trading on Friday, following a 21 percent rise in the volume of stocks exchanged with a 48 percent lower value than on Thursday, resulting in trading in seven securities, the same number as Thursday with prices of two rising, one declining and four ending unchanged.
The market closed with an exchange of 269,334 shares for US$34,981 compared to 222,252 units at US$66,982 on Thursday.
Trading averaged 38,476 stock units at US$4,997 versus 31,750 shares at US$9,569 on Thursday, with a month to date average of 35,003 shares at US$3,553 compared with 34,379 units at US$3,294 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 0.37 points to end the day at 224.94.
The PE Ratio, a most used measure for computing appropriate stock values, averages 8.1. 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 four stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with a lower offer.
At the close of the market, AS Bryden ended at 22.49 US cents with traders dealing in 10,699 stocks, First Rock Real Estate USD share popped 0.47 of a cent to 4.47 US cents in switching ownership of 215 stock units, 
Margaritaville slipped 0.4 of one cent to end at 8.5 US cents after an exchange of 240 shares. MPC Caribbean Clean Energy popped 9.15 cents and ended at a 52 weeks’ high of 70.15 US cents with investors trading 14 stocks, Proven Investments remained at 12 US cents with an exchange of 115,060 shares and Transjamaican Highway ended at 2 US cents after 126,852 stocks crossed the market.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group US8.5% preference share ended at US$1 in an exchange of 16,254 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trading drops on Junior Market
Trading activity dropped on Friday on the Junior Market of the Jamaica Stock Exchange, following Thursday big trade in tTech, with an 88 percent decline in the volume of stocks traded and an 89 percent fall in value compared to Thursday with trading in just 33 securities down from 39 on Thursday and ended with prices of 11 stocks rising, 
13 declining and 9 unchanged, with Edufocal trading at an intraday all time low of 41 cents.
The market closed with 6,927,786 shares being traded for $14,113,440 compared to 58,236,687 units at $126,195,317 on Thursday.
Trading ended with an average of 209,933 shares at $427,680 down from 1,493,248 units at $3,235,777 on Thursday. Trading for the month to date averages 346,589 units at $632,252 compared to 361,089 stock units at $653,959 on the prior day and June with an average of 318,732 units at $696,979.
Dolla Financial led trading with 2.49 million shares for 36 percent of total volume followed by Stationery and Office Supplies with 1.34 million stocks for 19.4 percent of the day’s trade and Omni Industries with 1.05 million units for 15.2 percent of the day’s trade.
At the close of trading, the Junior Market Index lost 34.68 points to cease trading at 3,722.15.
The Junior Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 12.7, that is 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 five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Consolidated Bakeries fell 4 cents to close at $2.25, with 891 shares crossing the exchange, Fontana gained 42 cents to close at $8.30 in switching ownership of 83,832 stocks, Future Energy shed 10 cents in closing at $3.29 after 14,448 shares passing through the market. 
Honey Bun rose 6 cents and ended at $8.69 in trading 2,221 stock units, Indies Pharma rallied 8 cents to end at $2.64 with an exchange of 10,224 shares, Jamaican Teas increased 20 cents to finish at $2.35 after investors exchanged 9,052 units. Lasco Financial sank 15 cents to $1.70, with 2,500 stocks changing hands, Lumber Depot skidded 4 cents in closing at $2.78 as investors exchanged 304,146 stock units, Main Event sank 95 cents to end at $11.55 with a transfer of 1,894 shares. Spur Tree Spices dipped 14 cents to close at $2.01, with 549,322 units crossing the market and tTech popped 20 cents to finish at $2.50 with an exchange of 46,800 stocks.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Main & Junior Market fall USD market rises
The Main and Junior markets of the Jamaica Stock Exchange declined in trading on Friday with the JSE USD market closing moderately higher as trading ended with the number and value of stocks changing hands falling, from the previous trading day, resulting in prices of 25 shares rising and 31 declining.
At the close of trading, the JSE Combined Market Index climbed 892.58 points to 331,646.99, the All Jamaican Composite Index slipped 439.53 points to end at 357,690.12, the JSE Main Index dipped 675.66 points to end at 318,897.75. The Junior Market Index dropped 34.68 points to 3,722.15 and the JSE USD Market Index rallied 0.37 points to close trading at 224.94.
At the close of trading, 33,157,102 shares were exchanged in all three markets, down from 66,615,941 units on Thursday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to just $63.58 million, well below the $168.55 million on the previous trading day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 269,334 shares for US$34,981 compared to 222,252 units at US$66,982 on Thursday.
In Main Market activity, Wigton Windfarm led trading with 11.73 million shares followed by Palace Amusement with 10.10 million units and Sagicor Select Manufacturing & Distribution Fund with 1.63 million stocks.
In Junior Market trading, Dolla Financial led trading with 2.49 million shares followed by Stationery and Office Supplies with 1.34 million units and Omni Industries with 1.05 million stocks.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 9.5% lost $1 in closing at $2,699 and Sygnus Credit Investments C10.5% dipped $2 and ended at $108.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to value stocks, ended at 20.3 on 2023-24 earnings and 13.8 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 reported as a guide for investors to quickly assess the value of stocks based on this measure. 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 of the highest bid and the lowest offer for each company.
Gains for Trinidad Exchange in closing week
Rising stocks pushed the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange higher on Friday, with the volume of stocks traded rising 43 percent and valued 327 percent more than on Thursday resulting in 17 securities trading as was the case on Thursday and ending with prices of four stocks rising, four declining and nine ended firm.
At the close of trading, the Composite Index climbed 12.51 points to end at 1,139.58, the All T&T Index rallied with 14.40 points to 1,712.93, the SME Index remained at 86.35 and the Cross-Listed Index advanced 1.47 points to cease trading at 73.64.
The market ended trading of 373,467 shares for $11,698,108 compared to 261,278 stock units at $2,740,733 on Thursday.
An average of 21,969 shares were traded at $688,124 compared with 15,369 units at $161,220 on Thursday, with trading month to date averaging 8,954 shares at $165,763 compared with 7,621 units at $112,267 on the previous day and an average for June of 9,110 shares at $119,497.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and three with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Agostini’s ended at $69.50 with a transfer of 900 shares, Angostura Holdings ended at $18.06, with 100 stocks crossing the exchange, Ansa McAl remained at $63.50 with traders dealing in 137,138 units. Calypso Macro Investment Fund rose 30 cents to close at $24 as investors exchanged 10 stock units, First Citizens Group ended trading of 6,044 shares at $44, FirstCaribbean International Bank advanced 19 cents to end at $7.05, with 105,256 stocks changing hands. GraceKennedy slipped 2 cents to $3.89 after an exchange of 31,128 units, JMMB Group ended at $1.20, with 192 stock units crossing the market, Massy Holdings popped 2 cents to end at $3.82 with an exchange of 56,324 shares. National Enterprises dipped 1 cent to close at $3.20 with 16,260 units clearing the market,
Prestige Holdings ended at $12.78 after trading of 51 stock units, Republic Financial shed 90 cents in ending at $115.60 after an exchange of 9,893 stocks. Scotiabank rose $2.32 to $64.32 with 4,624 shares crossing the market, Trinidad & Tobago NGL slipped 1 cent to end at $7 after an exchange of 179 stock units, Trinidad Cement ended at $3 with investors swapping 9 units. Unilever Caribbean ended at $11.21 after a transfer of 4,053 stocks and West Indian Tobacco ended at $8.50 in switching ownership of 1,306 units.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Trinidad Cement & Republic set up to explode
Trinidad Cement could be a big winner on the Trinidad and Tobago Stocks Exchange with a likely 250 percent climb to more than $10 and Republic Financial Holding could double if our projection of $12.50 is substantially realized for this fiscal year.
So far both companies have posted interim results that point to improved fortunes, with Trinidad Cement posting earnings of $57 million, with earnings per share of 15.3 cents for the March quarter, up from a loss of $5 million in 2023 for the same period. The first quarter earnings suggest that full year results should be close to 60 cents per share and beat the 29 cents earned in the 2023 fiscal year.
Republic had profit climbing a solid 27 percent from $787 million to $1 billion for the half to March this year, with earnings per share of $6.13 with the stocks trading at 9.2 times this year’s earnings compared to an average of 15 for other banks and Scotiabank at nearly 16. In addition, the most powerful indicator of future profit growth is increased lending. Year over year loans grew by 9.4 percent to March but climbed even faster in the half year period by 5.4 percent or nearly 11 percent per annum.
The above projections arose from ICInsider.com compilation and introduction of a Price Earnings ratio chart based on stocks listed on the Trinidad and Tobago Stocks Exchange. The chart is similar to our Jamaica Stock Exchange PE ratio chart.
The chart provides users with PEs based on historical earnings excluding major one off items and current years’ projected earnings to be used as a critical investment tool.
The PE ratio chart covers all ordinary shares on the Trinidad and Tobago Stocks Exchange except for Jamaican stocks, grouped by industry, allowing for easy comparisons within a sector and the overall market.
Trading picks upon Trinidad Exchange
Stocks ended with mostly declines on the Trinidad and Tobago Stock Exchange on Thursday, resulting from trading in 17 securities compared with 16 on Wednesday and ending with prices of four rising, eight declining and five ending firm with the volume of stocks traded rising 226 percent valued 170 percent more than on Wednesday.
The market closed on Thursday after 261,278 shares were exchanged for $2,740,733 compared to 80,207 stock units at $1,014,983 on Wednesday.
An average of 15,369 shares were traded at $161,220 compared with 5,013 units at $63,436 on Wednesday, with trading month to date averaging 7,621 shares at $112,267 compared with 6,737 units at $106,677 on the previous day and an average for June of 9,110 shares at $119,497.
The Composite Index rose 1.87 points to close at 1,127.07, the All T&T Index increased 3.29 points to 1,698.53, the SME Index remained unchanged at 86.35 and the Cross-Listed Index rose 0.05 points to cease trading at 72.17.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and two with lower offers.
At the close of the market, Angostura Holdings ended at $18.06 and closed with an exchange of 13 units, Ansa McAl remained at $63.50 with 4,735 stocks clearing the market, First Citizens Group advanced $1.25 to $44 in trading 4,166 shares. FirstCaribbean International fell 4 cents to $6.86 after an exchange of 2,000 stock units, GraceKennedy popped 22 cents and ended at $3.91, with 2,657 shares crossing the market, JMMB Group remained at $1.20 with investors swapping 6 stocks. Massy Holdings skidded 15 cents to $3.80 with an exchange of 172,418 units, National Enterprises fell 4 cents in closing at $3.21, with 15,076 stock units changing hands, One Caribbean Media slipped 1 cent and ended at $3.67 with investors dealing in 10 shares. 
Point Lisas dipped 18 cents to close at $3.10, with 17,998 stock units crossing the exchange, Prestige Holdings slipped 2 cents to close at $12.78 with a transfer of 1,534 stock units, Republic Financial climbed $1.40 to $116.50 after an exchange of 5,260 stock units. Scotiabank declined $2.32 to $62 with investors trading 10,070 shares, Trinidad & Tobago NGL popped 1 cent higher to $7.01 in an exchange of 15,584 stocks, Trinidad Cement ended at $3 with traders dealing in 3,985 units. Unilever Caribbean shed 19 cents in closing at $11.21 after a transfer of 5,680 stock units and West Indian Tobacco remained at $8.50 with investors trading 86 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
Gains for JSE Main Market on Thursday
Trading sank well below the previous day’s levels on the Jamaica Stock Exchange Main Market on Thursday, with the volume of stocks traded declining 55 percent with the value plunging 73 percent lower than on Wednesday, with trading in 55 securities compared with 57 on Wednesday, with prices of 19 rising, 18 declining and 18 ending unchanged.
The market closed on Thursday with 8,176,004 shares being traded for $42,458,252 compared to 17,985,127 units at $154,395,179 on Wednesday.
Trading averaged 148,655 shares at $771,968 compared to 315,529 units at $2,708,687 on Wednesday and for the month to date, an average of 1,276,584 stock units at $12,716,237 compared with 1,439,408 units at $14,440,476 on the previous day and June with an average of 246,425 units at $1,945,941.
Sagicor Select Financial Fund led trading with 2.56 million shares for 31.3 percent of total volume followed by Caribbean Producers with 2.45 million stocks for 29.9 percent of the day’s trade and Wigton Windfarm with 977,128 units for 12 percent market share.
The All Jamaican Composite Index advanced 1,003.17 points to settle at 358,129.65, the JSE Main Index rallied 1,098.84 points to close at 319,573.41 and the JSE Financial Index added 0.40 points to end at 67.37.
The Main Market ended trading with an average PE Ratio of 14. 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 eight stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and four with lower offers.
At the close of trading, AS Bryden rallied $1.98 and ended at $38 in switching ownership of 13,248 stock units, Barita Investments popped 40 cents to $74, with 4,300 shares crossing the market, Caribbean Cement skidded $2.09 to finish at $62.11 in trading 6,297 stocks. Eppley fell 50 cents to close at $35 with 7,702 units crossing the exchange, 
Eppley Caribbean Property Fund climbed $3.88 in closing at $40.98 with traders dealing in 34 stocks, Jamaica Stock Exchange sank 54 cents to end at $10.55 in an exchange of 10,687 shares. JMMB Group dropped 50 cents to $23.39, with 54,461 units crossing the market, Key Insurance rose 40 cents to $2.05 with investors dealing in 1,360 stock units, Massy Holdings gained $1.90 and ended at $87.90 after closing after an exchange of 1,310 shares. MPC Caribbean Clean Energy advanced $2 to finish at $90 as investors exchanged 20 stocks, NCB Financial sank 78 cents to close at $57.10 with a transfer of 27,346 units, Proven Investments increased 95 cents to end at $19.95 after an exchange of 296 stock units and Scotia Group climbed $1.46 to $45.46, with 2,256 shares changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.
tTech the second takeover for the week
tTech now follows Caribbean Producer in a shift in ownership to a third party, when today 52 million or 49 percent of the listed shares of the company were traded on the exchange as the Main Market and Junior markets of the Jamaica Stock Exchange recovered loss grounds at the close on Thursday the JSE USD market declined after the market closed with a moderately higher volume and value of stocks changing hands compared with Wednesday, resulting in prices of 31 shares rising and 34 declining.
At the close of trading on Thursday, the JSE Combined Market Index rallied 1,303.95 points to 332,539.57, the All Jamaican Composite Index popped 1,003.17 points to 358,129.65 and the JSE Main Index climbed by 1,098.84 points to end the day at 319,573.41. The Junior Market Index rose 35.57 points to finish at 3,756.8 and the JSE USD Market Index skidded 6.88 points to end the day at 224.57.
At the close of trading, 66,615,941 shares were exchanged in all three markets, up from 27,362,023 units on Tuesday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $168.55 million, below the $175.39 million on the previous trading day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 222,252 shares for US$66,982 compared to 448,485 units at US$18,478 on Wednesday.
In Main Market activity, Sagicor Select Financial Fund led trading with 2.56 million shares followed by Caribbean Producers with 2.45 million units and Wigton Windfarm with 977,128 stocks.
In Junior Market trading, tTech led trading with 52.01 million shares followed by Jamaican Teas with 3.01 million stocks and iCreate with 553,176 units.
In the preference segment, no stock traded with a notable price change.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to value stocks, ended at 20.5 on 2023-24 earnings and 13.9 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 reported as a guide for investors to quickly assess the value of stocks based on this measure. 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 of the highest bid and the lowest offer for each company.
