Trading closed Friday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange with a rise in the volume and the value of stocks that were exchanged, compared with trading on Thursday, resulting in gains in Main Market and the Junior Market indices with the JSE USD Market slipping. At the end of trading the prices of 53 shares rose, 40 declined and 25 remained firm.
At the close of the market, the JSE Combined Market Index rose 524.60 points to finish at 342,892.40, the All Jamaican Composite Index rallied 2,103.48 points to 384,557.15, the JSE Main Index eked out a gain of 222.47 points to close at 331,369.79, the Junior Market Index rallied 43.50 points to settle at 3,627.36 and the JSE USD Market Index shed 1.52 points to end at 224.45.
At the close of trading, 47,500,912 shares were exchanged in all three markets, up from 28,525,974 units on Thursday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to 172.89 million shares, up from $100.86 million on the previous day and the JSE USD market closed with an 318,360 shares for US$20,139 compared to 302,740 stocks at US$66,625 on Thursday.
In Main Market activity, Wigton Energy led trading with 12.01 million shares followed by Transjamaican Highway with 2.08 million stock units and Proven Investments with 966,973 shares.
In Junior Market trading, ONE on ONE Educational led trading with 7.84 million shares followed by Jamaican Teas which ended with 5.91 million stocks, Fosrich closed with 1.86 million stocks, Stationery and Office Supplies with 1.77 million units, Derrimon Trading with 1.13 million shares for 4.5 percent of the volume traded and Lasco Financial with 1.06 million stocks.
In the preference shares segment, Jamaica Public Service jumped $40 to $2.690, Eppley 7.75% lost $1.41 to close trading at $18 and Productivity Business Solutions fell $30 to close at $1,020.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to value stocks, ended at 13.6 based on 2024-25 earnings and 19.7 based on 2024 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 2024 and 2025 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 should be used in making rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the sector average, 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.