JSE USD market plunges

Trading on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market ended on Wednesday, with the volume of stocks changing hands rising 110 percent valued 521 percent more than on Monday and resulting in 10 securities traded, compared to eight on Monday with none rising, nine declining and one ending unchanged and sending the US Denominated Equities Index down 19.40 points to 207.57.
Investors traded 679,924 shares for US$31,830, up from 323,887 units at US$5,124 on Monday.
Trading averaged 67,992 units at US$3,183, up from 40,486 shares at US$641 on Monday, with a month to date average of 37,722 shares at US$1,963 compared to 35,067 units at US$1,856 on the previous trading day. April ended with an average of 394,241 units for US$22,357.
The PE Ratio, a measure used in computing appropriate stock values, averages 8.3. The PE ratio is computed based on the last traded price of each stock divided by projected earnings forecasts done by ICInsider.com for companies with their financial year ending between November 2023 and August 2024.
Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows five stocks ended with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
At the close, First Rock Real Estate USD share shed 0.78 of one cent to end at 4.4 US cents, with 56,186 shares changing hands, Margaritaville dipped 1.65 cents to 9.35 US cents after 20,000 units crossed the market, Productive Business Solutions lost 24.92 cents in closing at US$1.4508 with investors transferring 1,000 stocks. Proven Investments dropped 0.88 of one cent and ended at 16.02 US cents as investors exchanged 60,149 shares, Sterling Investments declined 0.3 of a cent to 1.68 US cents after hitting a 52 weeks’ intraday low of 0.160 cents with shareholders swapping 26,907 shares, Sygnus Credit Investments fell 1.95 cents in closing at 11.03 US cents after investors exchanged 1,075 stocks and Transjamaican Highway declined 0.1 of a cent to close at 1.2 US cents with 509,141 stock units crossing the market.
In the preference segment, Productive Business 9.25% preference share dipped US$1.50 and ended at US$11.50 as 100 units passed through the market, JMMB Group 5.75% fell 18.5 cents to end at 52 weeks’ low of US$1.615 and closed with an exchange of 4,966 stock units and JMMB Group 6% remained at US$1.07 with 400 shares changing hands.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.