The JSE Securities Exchange South Africa (JSE) was flat in noon trade on Tuesday, with continued strength in the rand offsetting the positive effect of firmer world markets and the gold price sustaining its break above the $400-an-ounce level.
At 11.59am, the all-share index was flat (-0,05%). Financials fell 0,54%, with the banks index tumbling 1,35%. The all-share industrial index was 0,12% softer. Resources ticked up 0,26% and the platinum mining index climbed 0,17%, but the gold mining index was 0,79% weaker.
The rand was trading at R6,38 per dollar, little changed from when the JSE closed on Monday, while gold was quoted at $401,38 an ounce from $400,70/oz at the JSE’s last close.
“The JSE is off slightly. The strong rand has impacted on the negative side,” a dealer said.
While the rand was stronger on Monday than at Friday’s close, the JSE had nevertheless surged over 2% on basket buying by a large futures player.
“The gold price is above $400, which is a big plus factor and overseas markets are slightly firmer,” the dealer added.
He said that demand for heavyweights like Anglo American was also helping the local bourse on the upside.
Anglo added R1,30 to R140,55 in morning trade, while BHP Billiton was 15 cents better at R50,65.
AngloPlat advanced 1,39% or R4,01 to R293.
On the all-share industrial index, cellular network operator MTN Group rang up 1,7% or 46 cents to R27,46 after trading at a three- year high of R28 just after the opening.
After the close on Monday, MTN reported that it had boosted adjusted headline earnings per share by 102% to 123,3 cents.
Media group Naspers was up 1,30% or 50 cents at R38,99.
Financials to firm included banking group Absa, which was 30 cents in the black at R41,80. Its intraday high of R42,50 was its best since May 1998.
Nedcor was up 1,03% or 70 cents at R68,80.
Standard Bank, however, led the market’s downside, surrendering 4,18% or R1,65 to R37,85 after surging more than 7% on Monday.
FirstRand fell 1,9% or 17 cents to R8,77.
“Banks were pushed up to such an extent yesterday [Monday], there had to be some kind of a retracement,” the dealer commented.
Despite the high gold price, gold miner Gold Fields gave up 2,27% or two rand to R86 and Harmony was 1,23% or R1,25 weaker at R100,25.
Synthetic fuels group Sasol shed 76 cents to R84,24.
Telecommunications group Telkom was 1,46% or 96 cents weaker at R64,74 and brand management group Barloworld lost 3,47% or R2,29 to R63,61. — I-Net Bridge