Trading rises on the Jamaica Stock Exchange

The value of stocks traded declined on the Jamaica Stock Exchange on Friday, but the volume surged from the levels on Thursday and ended with the JSE Main Market and the JSE USD rising as the Junior Market index closed down but remained above the 3,900 points mark for a second day.
The rise of Main Market indices was pushed mainly by Guardian Holdings, up $29, Massy Holdings with the rise of $8.80, Pan Jamaica with $3.46, followed by Sagicor Group, adding $1.29 to Thursday‘s price and Caribbean Cement, up $1.27.
At close, the JSE Combined Market Index added 3,257.76 points to close at 330,149.24, while the All Jamaican Composite Index popped 168.58 points to settle at 346,820.31, the JSE Main Index increased 3,589.20 points to 315,399.16. The Junior Market Index slipped 11.26 points to 3,920.71 and the JSE USD Market Index rose 0.42 points to settle at 226.02.
Investors traded 36,643,282 shares in all three markets, up from 22,006,435 stock units on Thursday. The value of stocks traded slipped on the Junior and Main markets to $87 million from $98 million on Thursday. The JSE USD market ended trading after 31,673 shares were traded, for US$7,572 compared to 218,678 units at US$7,411 on Thursday.
In the preference segment, Jamaica Public Service 9.5% dropped $9 to end at $2890 and Productive Business Solutions 9.75% preference share increased $4.25 to close at $125.
The market’s PE ratio, the most popular measure used to determine the value of stocks, ended at 23.1 on 2022-23 earnings and 11.2 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 in the local stock market successfully. 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 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.