Values slip on the Jamaica Stock Exchange

Trading closed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Monday, with slippage in values in all markets and ended with QWI Investments leading trading with nearly 38 percent of the volume traded that exceeded trading on Friday in the overall market with the jumping sharply over trading on Friday, resulting in prices of 31 shares rising and 32 declining.
At the close of trading on Monday, the JSE Combined Market Index dipped 563.01 points to close at 347,546.01, the All Jamaican Composite Index dropped 775.69 points to cease trading at 370,745.49, the JSE Main Index shed 467.96 points to culminate at 334,783.44. The Junior Market Index fell 14.17 points to conclude trading at 3,833.36 and the JSE USD Market Index skidded 0.80 points to 255.39.
At the close of trading, 47,975,821 shares were exchanged in all three markets, up from 31,165,012 units on Friday, with the value of stocks traded on the Junior and Main markets amounted to $164.28 million, up from $120.9 million yesterday and the JSE USD market closed with an exchange of 452,800 shares for US$59,221 compared to 72,092 units at US$2,833 on Friday.
Trading in the Main Market was dominated by QWI Investments led trading with 13.42 million shares followed by Wigton Windfarm with 8.98 million units for 25.3 percent of the day’s trade, Transjamaican Highway with 5.22 million units, Mayberry Group with 1.31 million stock units, Carreras with 1.26 million shares and Sagicor Select Financial Fund with 1.04 million units.
In the Junior Market, Derrimon Trading led trading with 5.46 million shares, Mailpac Group with 1.44 million units and One Great Studio with 1.10 million stocks.
At the close of trading on the Main Market, Barita Investments increased by 93 cents to $71.20, Kingston Wharves popped $2.50 to end at $30.50, Massy Holdings gained $1 and ended at $100
In the Main Market, Eppley declined $4.50 to end at $34, Guardian Holdings shed $8 to close at $360, Jamaica Producers dropped $1.45 in closing at $23.55, JMMB Group fell 94 cents to close at $25.44, Scotia Group lost $1 to end at $44.50, Supreme Ventures dipped $1.17 in closing at $24.53.
At the end of Junior Market trading, Knutsford Express increased $1 and ended at $12.38 and Tropical Battery climbed 30 cents to end at $2.70 but Dolphin Cove was down 66 cents to $18.32.
In the preference segment, Eppley 7.25% preference share increased 90 cents in closing at $18.90, Jamaica Public Service 7% popped $1.80 and ended at $48.80 and Productive Business Solutions 10.5% preference share advanced $210 to close at $1,300.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 21.5 on 2022-23 earnings and 14.2 times those for 2023-24 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 covers all ordinary shares on the Jamaica Stock Exchange, grouped by industry, allowing for easy comparisons between the same sector companies and the overall market. The EPS & PE ratios are based on 2023 and 2024 actual or projected earnings, excluding major one off items.
Investors need pertinent information to navigate numerous investment options successfully in the stock market. The ICInsider.com PE ratio chart and the more detailed daily report charts provide investors with regularly updated information to help decision-making.
Investors should use the chart to help make rational decisions when investing in stocks close to the average for the sector and 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 assess the value of stocks based on this measure quickly. 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 pertaining to the highest bid and the lowest offer for each company.