Durrant Pate/Contributor

The Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE) registered its second decline in as many quarters, experiencing a broad contraction across all indices in the second quarter.

Among the eight declining indices, the USD Equities Index saw the largest decline, falling by 6.37 per cent. Meanwhile, the main market and junior market indices declined by 3.87 per cent and 5.38 per cent, respectively, while the JSE Manufacturing Index slipped by 4.02 per cent. 

The JSE Financial Index also declined, falling to 4.39 per cent. This market-wide decline largely reflects investors’ risk-off sentiment. Stocks advancing during the quarter included Carreras Limited, GraceKennedy Limited and Pulse Investments Limited.

However, the outlook for 2025 is that companies directly affected by Hurricane Beryl last year should see a rebound, though the interest rate direction so far seems to be guided by inflation expectations in Jamaica and abroad. Also, geopolitically, 2025 is expected to be a year of uncertainty. 

The fallout of these new sweeping policies could have a direct effect on smaller nations that rely on the US consumer and remittances from the US, such as Jamaica.