The JSE Securities Exchange South Africa (JSE) was looking soggy at midday, with the continued strength in the rand and damp European equities weighing on the bourse.
At noon the all-share index was 1,21% weaker, the all-share industrial index was 0,94% lower, the financial index slipped 0,44%, the resources index fell 1,79%, the platinum index dipped 1,23%, the banks index was 0,26% softer and the gold index was flat.
The rand was trading at R6,94 to the dollar, unchanged from when the JSE closed on Monday, while gold was quoted at $387,05 an ounce from $383,75/oz at the JSE’s last close.
“The market has been pretty dismal thus far. The fact that the rand is maintaining its stronger position below R7 to the United States dollar is placing pressure on equities, as is the negative trend on European markets,” a dealer commented.
Diversified resources groups weighed on the bourse, with BHP Billiton losing 3,52% or R1,90 to R52,05 and Anglo American slipped 1,66% or R2,40 to R142,60. BHP Billiton went ex-dividend of 55,41 cents on Monday.
Sasol gave up 3,17% or R2,95 to R90,00.
Among dual-listed industrial counters Richemont was 3,06% or 49 cents to R15,50, SABMiller declined 1,04% or 65 cents to R61,75 and Sappi was 80 cents lower at R89,00.
Impala fell 1,87% or R11,50 to R602,50.
Gold counters moved off their earlier low levels but were still taking some strain. AngloGold lost R1,41 to R283,00 and Gold Fields shed 14 cents to R90,75, while Harmony added 71 cents to R98,70.
Other big losers by midday included Old Mutual, which gave back 1,26% or 15 cents to R11,75, Sanlam was 1,27% or 11 cents down at R8,55 and Naspers N shares declined 1,91% or 65 cents to R33,30.
MTN Group continued on the firmer trend set this morning, adding 22 cents to R23,69, while Telkom was unchanged at R56,00. Telkom was the most active share by value traded, with 1,38-million shares valued at R77-million changing hands in 81 deals. MTN was in second place, with 2,82-million shares worth R66-million changing hands in 222 deals.
On the retail front Metcash jumped 1,35% or 3 cents to R2,25, while Steinhoff declined 2,74% or 20 cents to R7,10.
Steinhoff this morning announced that it is to make an international offering of 126 342-million new shares at an issue price of €0,84365 per share, raising an amount of €106,6-million before expenses.
The offer price is based on a price of R6,68 per Steinhoff share and a rand-euro exchange rate of R7,918 per euro. — I-Net Bridge