OWN CORRESPONDENT, Johannesburg | Thursday 5.00pm.
THE JSE continued its gains on Thursday, with a strong showing in the IT, financial and industrial sectors, finishing the day 0,71% or 57 points up.
Dimension Data, which posted the most active shares by value on the day, had added R2,30 to its share price by midday. At the same time Datatec was up R4,20. “On the back of the Nasdaq some of the quality IT counters are better,” a dealer said.
The industrial sector closed play a solid 1,35% or 128 points stronger, while financials ended the day 1,22% or 123 points up.
BOE continued its meteoric share price hike on news of its unbundling, trading the most active shares by volume.
“The futures guys have helped the industrial sector to go better especially the index stocks. A strong rand against the US dollar also helped us during the morning but the rand and bonds have since weakened,” said Keith Francis, an equities dealer at Barnard Jacobs Mellet.
By late afternoon the rand was trading at R6,47 to the dollar and R10,25 to the pound.
The gold index followed losses in the bullion price, ending 2,06% or 24 points weaker. At 4pm gold was trading on international markets at $285,50, some $2,30 down on the day.
Asian markets ended stronger, the Hang-Seng a whole 2,97% or 510 points in the black. The Nikkei closed 0,52% or 102 points good.