The Jamaica Stock Exchange recorded exceptional performance in January 2026, with the JSE Main Market index surging over 9 percent and the USD Market index jumping 26.5 percent while other major key Main Market indices posted substantial gains. The markets, excepting the Junior Market that slipped mildly for the month, showed remarkable strength, marking one of the strongest monthly performances in recent years, with West Indies Petroleum Terminal 700 percent gain playing a major role in the robust gains.
At the close of January, the JSE Main Index ended at 346,437.16, with gains of 28,450.28 points for an 8.9 percent increase. The JSE All Jamaican Composite Index ended at 403,422.64 after rising 38,108.26 points up 10.4 percent and the JSE Select Index rose 603.96 points to 8,279.55 after rising by 7.9 percent. The gain in the market was not broad-based, as it arose from the prices of 16 stocks rising and 29 declining.
The extraordinary performance in January was primarily driven by exceptional gains in West Indies Petroleum Terminal following its Main Market listing in December last year, gains in the financial services sector, infrastructure stocks, including Transjamaican Highway, that gained quite a bit and selective manufacturing companies.
West Indies Petroleum Terminal delivered an exceptional performance with a remarkable 699 percent gain in January, making it the standout performer across the entire Jamaica Stock Exchange. The company operates Jamaica’s largest independent petroleum storage infrastructure and recently completed its transition to the Main Market in December 2025. This extraordinary performance significantly contributed to the JSE Index’s overall 26.9 percent monthly gain.
TransJamaican Highway posted a robust 33 percent gain, benefiting from increased traffic volumes and toll rate adjustments and taking on board the operations of the leg of the tolling road into the Mandeville area. The company operates Jamaica’s East-West toll road network under a concession with the Government of Jamaica.
The financial services sector showed strong momentum with NCB Financial Group, along with Wisynco Group, hitting 52 weeks high ahead of the month-end, both gaining 18 percent. Kingston Wharves advanced 16 percent, reflecting renewed investor confidence in Jamaica’s blue-chip stocks.
Tropical Battery led Main Market declines with a 21 percent loss, reflecting pressure from increased costs and reduced revenues in the third quarter and a loss for the nine months to June compared with a profit in 2024.
VM Investments and Productive Business Solutions both declined 15 percent, while Supreme Ventures, Jamaica’s gaming and lottery operator, fell 13 percent following lower profits for 2025 up to September.