Trading jumps on JSE USD Market, prices fall

---

Trading jumped on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market on Wednesday, with the volume of stocks traded surging 680 percent with a 229 percent greater value than on Tuesday, resulting in an exchange of seven securities, down from 11 on Tuesday with prices of three declining and four ending unchanged.

The market closed with an exchange of 331,937 shares for US$18,427 up from 42,535 stocks at US$5,597 on Tuesday. Trading averaged 47,420 shares at US$2,632 well above 3,867 stocks at US$509 on Tuesday. Trading closed with a month to date average of 112,030 units at US$4,623 in line with 114,839 stocks at US$4,710 on the previous day and below December with an average of 229,957 units for US$7,451. The US Denominated Equities Index fell 0.30 points to conclude trading at 236.20. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows six stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and none with a lower offer. The PE Ratio, one of the best known measures used to determine appropriate stock values, averages 7.5. The PE ratio is calculated based on last traded prices divided by projected earnings, computed by ICInsider.com for companies with financial year ending around August 2025. At the close of the market, First Rock Real Estate USD share ended at 3.79 US cents with investors trading 19,155 units, MPC Caribbean Clean Energy skidded 5 cents and ended at 60 US cents with 100 stocks passing through the market, Proven Investments remained at 12.55 US cents after an exchange of 888 shares. Sterling Investments closed at 1.8 US cents with investors swapping 1,915 stocks, Sygnus Credit Investments ended at 7 US cents after an exchange of 204,834 shares and Transjamaican Highway lost 0.03 of one cent in closing at 2.7 US cents with investors trading 105,015 stock units. In the preference segment, Productive Business Solutions 9.25% preference share shed 17 cents to US$10.58 in an exchange of 30 units. Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated. .