Market Updates | Barita Insights | December 22, 2025

For the week ending December 19, 2025, the local stock market, measured by the Combined Index, improved by 0.12%. The Main Market Index improved by 0.15%, the Junior Market Index declined by 0.21%, and the JSE USD Equities Index declined by 1.29%. During the MPC Caribbean Clean Energy Limited USD was the largest gainer, rising by approximately 30.00% to close at $0.32. Margaritaville (Turks) Limited was the biggest decliner, which fell by 22.76% to close at $11.54.

Large-cap stocks, reflecting those listed on the Main Market Index are outperforming on a YTD basis, declining by 6.64%, relative to its Junior Market counterpart which has declined by 12.67%.

For the week ending December 19, 2025, overall market activity resulted from 126 stocks of which 58 advanced, 54 declined and 14 traded firm. Market volume amounted to 124,714,805 units valued at over $1,296,121,425.66. Key contributors to trading volume are Sagicor Select Funds Limited Manufacturing & Distribution with 29,828,378 (23.13%), followed by NCB Financial Group Limited with 18,184,329 units (14.10%) and TransJamaican Highway Limited with 14,286,353 units (11.08%).

Revisiting relevant news during the week:

Inflation hits 12-year high after storm damage
Hurricane Melissa delivered an immediate hit to household budgets in November, pushing consumer prices up by 2.4 per cent in the sharpest monthly increase Jamaica has seen in more than a decade, according to latest data coming out of the Statistical Institute of Jamaica (STATIN).
Inflation hits 12-year high after storm damage

BOJ weighs inflation surge against weak demand in rate decision
The Bank of Jamaica (BOJ) enters the final day of its policy meeting on Wednesday, needing to balance the fastest rise in consumer prices in over a decade against clear signs of weak domestic demand before tomorrow’s interest rate announcement.
BOJ weighs inflation surge against weak demand in rate decision

Jamaica Broilers swings to quarterly loss amid US challenges
Jamaica Broilers Group Ltd posted a second-quarter net loss, dragged down by mounting costs and falling prices at its troubled US operations, as the Caribbean’s largest integrated poultry business moved to repair its balance sheet with a major upward revaluation of property assets.
Jamaica Broilers swings to quarterly loss amid US challenges

GraceKennedy eyes full control of Tastee Cheese producer
Kingston, Jamaica — GraceKennedy has agreed to buy out the shareholding of New Zealand’s Fonterra Co-operative Group in Dairy Industries (Jamaica) Ltd (DJIL), taking full control of the manufacturer of Jamaica’s iconic Tastee Cheese.
GraceKennedy eyes full control of Tastee Cheese producer

138 Student Living p rofit jumps 72% as UWI talks near end
Student housing developer 138 Student Living Jamaica Limited (138 SL) posted a 72 per cent surge in full-year profit to $245.8 million for the year ended September 2025, even as unresolved billing disputes with The University of the West Indies (The UWI) continued to weigh on quarterly revenue, forcing the company to restate three years of financial results.
138 Student Living profit jumps 72% as UWI talks near end

SAGICOR MERGES CARIBBEAN UNITS INTO NEW US$6.9B ENTITY
Sagicor Group Jamaica Limited (SJ) and Sagicor Life Inc (SLI) are set to be merged under a new holding company called Sagicor Group Caribbean Limited (SGC) which will be listed on the Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE).
SAGICOR MERGES CARIBBEAN UNITS INTO NEW US$6.9B ENTITY