Trading closed Thursday on the Jamaica Stock Exchange with a sharp rise in the volume of stocks exchanged, with a lower value than on Wednesday, resulting in the prices of 47 shares rising, 31 declining and 38 remaining firm and ending with a rise in the Main Market major indices and the Junior Market index rising and the JSE USD Market declining.
At the close of the market, the JSE Combined Market Index increased 1,293.20 points to conclude trading at 384,974.18, the JSE Main Index advanced 1,535.63 points to 333,759.82, the Junior Market Index rose 18.41 points to end at 3,694.58 and the JSE USD Market Index declined 1.06 points to 238.42.
At the close, 44,212,615 shares were exchanged in all markets, up from just 17,532,335 units on Wednesday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $119.46 million, down from $175.73 million on the previous day and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 80,626 shares for US$9,893 compared to 153,983 units at US$11,863 on Wednesday.
In Main Market activity, Transjamaican Highway led trading with 3.39 million shares followed by Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 2.19 million stocks and Sterling Investments with 1.78 million units.
In Junior Market trading, Lasco Financial led with 11.97 million shares followed by GWest Corporation with 11.31 million stocks and Limners and Bards with 3.80 million units.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to value stocks, ended at 13.8 on 2024-25 earnings and 20 based on 2023-24 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 and is 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 to assess 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.