SARAH BULLEN, Johannesburg | Thursday 4.30pm.
ONE would be forgiven for thinking the Johannesburg Stock Exchange lacked a pulse on Thursday as it all but shut down as the United States markets closed for Thanksgiving.
A miserably thin volume at R667-million left the all share index 0,08% up, with the all gold index gaining 0,43%. Losing negligible ground were the financial and industrial indices, which shed 0,12% and 0,08% respectively.
The Alsi 40, which tracks the blue chip stock, gained 0,25% on the day. Dealers said strong European markets helped pull the JSE off its morning lows. With Wall Street’s close appearing to send most markets into retreat, the Asian markets also had a thin day, with Japan’s benchmark Nikkei 225 inching 0,89% up while Hong Kong’s Hang Seng Index gained just over half a percent.
Bonds lost significant ground on the day, shooting above the 16% level they have been hovering around for a couple of weeks to verge on 17%. At 4.30pm the R150 was trading at a 16,98% yield. The rand held steady against the dollar, trading at R5,68% at 4.30pm while the rand made some strong gains against the pound — trading at R9,34 to the pound.
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