Gold stocks were under pressure in early trade on the JSE Securities Exchange South Africa (JSE) on Monday, paring gains on the all share index. While gold counters had taken their cue from their ADRs, which performed poorly on Friday, the remainder of the market was buoyed by a stronger Dow.
By 0919, the all share index was up 0,25%. The all share industrial and financial indices were 0,68% and 0,49% firmer respectively. The platinum mining index jumped 1,48%, while the IT index was up 0,22%. The gold index, however, lost 2,76% and the resources index was 0,19% lower.
The rand was trading at 8,0550 to the dollar from 8,0953 when the JSE closed on Friday, while gold little changed from the JSE’s last close at $352 an ounce.
A dealer, who said that the JSE was taking its cue from the US, expressed disappointment that the JSE was not up more given the fact the Dow was up 1,3%.
He said that the two Top 40 companies to report on Monday, BHP Billiton and Old Mutual, had both released results that were in line with expectations. Old Mutual (OML), the London-listed financial services group, was up 1,05% or 12 cents at R11,60, while resources group BHP Billiton (BIL) was unchanged at R40,70.
BHP Billiton reported interim earnings per share of US 15 cents, from continuing operations and before exceptional items, almost in line with market expectation of US 15.1 cents and down 25% from US 19.9 cents in the previous comparative period.
The decline in earnings was largely due to the strong rand.
Old Mutual reported a 20% increase in operating earnings per share to 179 cents for the year ended December 31, but in sterling terms, EPS was down 7% to 11.3 pence per share. The I-Net Bridge consensus forecast had been for EPS of 176.8 cents per share.
Resources shares to gain in early trade included Anglo American (AGL), which added R1,12 to R116,20. Synthetic fuels group Sasol (SOL) was 1,30% or R1,20
stronger at R93,20.
AngloPlat (AMS) advanced 1,03% or three rand to R293, while Impala (IMP) was up five rand at R525.
On the industrial index, Swiss-listed luxury goods group Richemont (RCH) was up
1,50% or 20 cents to R13,50 and pulp and paper producer Sappi (SAP) was 60
cents stronger at R116.
Retailer Profurn (PON) was up 10,46% or 39 cents at R4,12. Gold stocks dominated the downside of the market with AngloGold (ANG) retreating 3,32% or R9,01 to R262. Gold Fields (GFI) was down 2,76% or R2,90 to R102.
Harmony (HAR) was 3,44% or R4,24 weaker at R119, but its losses were exacerbated by the fact it went ex-dividend. Shareholders will receive an interim dividend of R1,25 on March 3. – I-Net-Bridge