The Junior Market maintained its resilience by month’s end, although it mostly traded lower than the December close for most of the month and ended slipping just half a point at the close of January, with the index declining by 11.11 points to finish the month at relatively stable 3,390.30, with Atlantic Hardware leading the market, as just under half of the companies listed gained, with trading ending with 22 rising and 23 declining.
Main Market performance outshines the Junior Market. When the incredible and unsustainable 700 percent increase in the price of West Indies Petroleum share price is removed, the average gain for the Main Market is 10 percent compared to 11 percent for the Junior Market. Losses are close as well, with an average of 7 percent for the Main Market and 11 percent for the Junior Market.
The early 2025 Junior Market listing, Atlantic Hardware led market gains with a 50 percent increase in January, driven by perceptions of strong hardware and building materials demand following the passage of Hurricane Melissa over Jamaica.
Jetcon Corporation followed closely with a 47 percent gain, benefiting from increased demand for new cars in Jamaica, with profit projected at 25 cents per the ICInsider.com for 2025, expect the price to keep on climbing. ISP Finance Services rounded out the top performers with a solid 24 percent advance, despite lacklustre profits for the nine months to September. Caribbean Assurance Brokers and One on One Educational Services both posted 15 percent gains, after recovering from declines in 2025, demonstrating continued investor appetite for some battered-down companies’ shares in the Junior Market, One on One also posted stable results from the first quarter to November, doubling profit for the 2024 first quarter, auguring well for 2026 fiscal results, but that may not be sufficient in moving the stock’s price much higher.
Everything Fresh experienced the steepest decline in the Junior Market with a 30 percent loss, as investors see the company that distributes fresh produce and other food items facing margin pressures and sales challenges, with less demand for its products from the hotel sector. Knutsford Express Services fell 29 percent, impacted by rising fuel costs and competition in inter-city transportation.
CAC 2000 declined 23 percent, while Consolidated Bakeries dropped 21 percent, unable to find a firm footing for sustainable growth and profit. Dolla Financial Services, despite maintaining high trading volumes of shares, fell 19 percent as investors took profits following the stock’s stronger performance in 2024, as they reassess prospects for 2026 that could result in a major rise in profits that will boost the stock.