Trading picked up a tad on the Jamaica Stock Exchange US dollar market on Thursday with a 35 percent rise in the volume of stocks traded with the value surging 127 percent over Wednesday, resulting in the exchange of nine securities, up from just three on Wednesday with prices of four rising, two declining and three ending unchanged and leaving to market in a fall to close out the day.
The market closed with an exchange of 172,951 shares for US$8,636 compared to 127,825 stocks at US$3,803 on Wednesday. Trading averaged 19,217 shares at US$960 compared to 42,608 stocks at US$1,268 on Wednesday, with a month to date average of 224,904 units at US$8,706 compared with 256,821 shares at US$9,908 on the previous day and January that ended with an average of 103,137 units for US$4,549.
The US Denominated Equities Index dropped 14.41 points to settle at 219.58. The Investor’s Choice bid-offer indicator shows two stocks ending with bids higher than their last selling prices and one with a lower offer.
The PE Ratio, one of the best known measures to determine appropriate stock values, averages seven. The PE ratio is calculated based on last traded prices divided by projected earnings, computed by ICInsider.com for cmpanies with financial year ending around August 2025.
At the close, AS Bryden slipped 5.5 cents to end at 16.5 US cents with traders dealing in just 2 stock units, First Rock Real Estate USD share gained 0.01 of a cent in closing at 3.29 US cents with 130 shares passing through the market, Proven Investments increased 0.96 of a cent to 11.96 US cents with 2,301 stocks trading. 
Sterling Investments remained at 1.86 US cents in an exchange of 3,984 units, Sygnus Credit Investments ended at 6.5 US cents with 15,126 shares crossing the market and Transjamaican Highway popped 0.04 of a cent and ended at 2.69 US cents as investors exchanged 150,922 units.
In the preference segment, JMMB Group US8.5% preference share lost 1.96 cents to US$1.16 in trading 176 stocks, Sygnus Credit Investments US 8% gained 75 cents and ended at US$9.75 after an exchange of 200 stock units and Sygnus Credit Investments E8.5% ended at US$9.95 with a transfer of 110 shares.
Prices of securities trading are those for the last transaction of each stock unless otherwise stated.