The JSE Securities Exchange South Africa (JSE) was haemorrhaging in noon trade on Tuesday, when heavyweight dual-listed and resources stocks were bludgeoned by a stronger rand. While decliners outnumbered advancers on the all-share index by about three to two, they dominated on the Top 40 index by more than six to one.
At 12.14pm, the all-share index was down 1,14%. Resources plunged 1,8%, with the gold mining index plummeting 1,92% and the platinum mining index easing 0,42%. The financial and banks indices fell 1,03% and 1,55% respectively, while the all-share industrial index dipped 0,28%.
The rand was trading at R7,01 to the dollar from R7,14 when the JSE closed on Monday, while gold was quoted at $385,45 an ounce from $385/oz at the JSE’s last close.
The rand broke below R7 per dollar earlier in the day to trade at a three-year best level of R6,9875.
“The rand is driving everything at the moment,” a dealer said.
The dealer noted that the gold price was fairly steady.
A firmer Dow overnight and a stronger FTSE on Tuesday also failed to help the JSE.
London-listed diversified resources group Anglo American was down 1,91% or R2,52 at R129,10, while BHP Billiton was 2,26% or R1,10 weaker at R47,55.
Synthetic fuels group Sasol slipped 1,84% or R1,60 to R85,40.
Gold Fields led decliners on the gold mining index and was off 2,19% or R2,20 at R98,30, while on the platinum mining index, Impala was down three rand at R589.
On the financial front, Standard Bank slumped 2% or 65 cents to R31,85, FirstRand fell 2,14% or 16 cents to R7,30, while London-listed financial services group Old Mutual was down 1,52% or 17 cents at R11,03.
Swiss-listed luxury goods group Richemont retreated 11 cents to R14,25.
Pulp and paper producer Sappi shed 3,35% or R3,20 to R92,30 and transport and logistics group Imperial lost 1,72% or R1 to R57.
Cellular network operator MTN Group led the JSE’s upside, jumping 1,35% or 26 cents to R19,45.
MTN shares soared 8,66% on Monday after the group said in a trading update that it expected its adjusted headline earnings per share (HEPS) for the six-month period ending September to be substantially above the headline earnings per share for the comparative period last year.
According to the JSE’s listings requirements, “substantially” indicates an increase of over 30%.
Services group Bidvest (BVT) was 30 cents better at R41,80 and financial services group Sanlam was four cents stronger at R7,65. — I-Net Bridge