The JSE Securities Exchange South Africa was modestly firmer at midday on Monday, but well off its intraday high.
Dealers said that the local bourse had taken its cue from firmer world markets, but that lack of interest had caused it to surrender some of its gains.
At 1203, the all share index was up 0,26%. The indi-25 had gained 0,34%, while financials were 0,94% firmer. The platinum mining index jumped 1,31% and the resources index was flat (-0,08%). On the downside, the gold mining index slumped 1,72%, while the IT index was 1,35% weaker.
The rand was trading at 8,5450 to the dollar from 8,5960 when the JSE closed on Friday, while gold was quoted at $369,10 an ounce from a previous $367,85.
Volumes were extremely light, with less than R400-million worth of shares having traded.
“The JSE is still up on the day. It is just lack of interest that is making it drift,” a dealer asserted. “The market is very quiet — there is no volume going through.”
The dealer said that there were still concerns about world markets. He added that Telkom’s listing, scheduled for March 4, was also taking money, particularly from institutions, out of the market.
A second dealer agreed that there were major concerns. “London was pushed up on relatively little volume. It would appear that Friday’s uptick on the Dow was linked to month-end window dressing,” he said.
Shares to gain on the JSE on Monday included London-listed diversified resources group Anglo American (AGL), which was up 55 cents at R119,05.
Swiss-listed luxury goods group Richemont (RCH) was up 5 cents at R14,30 and London-listed financial services group Old Mutual (OML) 1,47% or 17 cents stronger at R11,75.
Platinum stocks were among the top performers on the resources board with AngloPlat (AMS) adding 1,22% or four rand at R332 and Impala (IMP) improving 1,52% or nine rand to R600.
However, gold stocks led the downside of the resources index. Gold Fields (GFI) gave up 2,88% or R3,20 to R108,10, AngloGold (ANG) shed 1% or three rand to R297 and Harmony (HAR) was 50 cents weaker at R130,50.
The second dealer said that while the gold price had weakened a bit on the back of the stronger dollar, it was still up from Friday.
“The gold market is overpriced,” said the second dealer, adding that good demand had been seen for platinum stocks.
Other shares to decline on Monday included pulp and paper producer Sappi (SAP), which shed 1,48% or R1,75 to R116,50.
Sappi on Monday reported first quarter headline earnings per share of 23 US cents, from 14 cents a year ago and 32 cents in the previous quarter.
The results were below analysts’ expectations of 25 US cents. The range had been from a low of 24 cents to a high of 27 cents. On the financial index, advancers dominated, with commercial banks stronger across the board. FirstRand (FSR) was up 2,10% or 15 cents at R7,30, Nedcor (NED) notched up 1,83% or two rand to R111, ABSA (ASA) added 30 cents to R33,20 and Standard Bank (SBK) was 10 cents stronger at R30,05. – I-Net-Bridge