The JSE Securities Exchange South Africa (JSE) was in negative territory in noon trade on Wednesday, as a stronger rand dragged down heavyweight dual-listed and resources stocks. Selling filtered through to the rest of the market and decliners outnumbered advancers by about five to two.
At 12.16pm, the all-share and all-share industrial indices were 1,07% and 1,04% weaker respectively. Resources had retreated 1,41%, with the platinum mining index plunging 3,23% and the gold mining index surrendering 1,54%. Financials fell 0,39%, while the banks index eased 0,18%.
The rand was trading at R7,02 per dollar from R7,13 when the JSE closed on Tuesday, while gold was quoted at $407,90 an ounce from $405,85/oz at the JSE’s last close.
“The JSE is down mainly because of the rand. It had a good run up and there is a bit of profit-taking — the market is taking a bit of a breather,” a dealer said.
He added that it had been a fairly quiet morning, with no major corporate news. The market had shrugged off the morning’s producer inflation data, which came in as expected.
Shares to decline in morning trade included London-listed diversified resources group Anglo American, which was 1,04% or R1,71 softer at R162,80. BHP Billiton was down 1,12% or 29 cents at R59,50.
Harmony was 2,32% or R2,69 lower at R113,30 and Gold Fields gave up 1,66% or R1,63 to R96,50.
Impala Platinum plunged 3,29% or R20 to R588 and AngloPlat slumped 2,98% or R11,02 to R359.
Cellular network operator MTN group, which has enjoyed a strong run recently, led industrials lower, slipping 3,69% or R1,18 to R30,81. Telkom was off 1,54% or R1,15 at R73,65 after touching an all-time high on Tuesday.
Pulp and paper producer Sappi shed 2,2% or R2,20 to R97,80 and services group Bidvest tumbled 3,15% or R1,55 to R47,70.
Swiss-listed luxury goods group Richemont dipped nine cents to R17,92 and London-listed beverages group SABMiller was down 51 cents at R69.
On the financial front, London-listed Old Mutual lost 10 cents to R11,95, Liberty International plc weakened 1,08% or 92 cents to R84,28 and banking group Nedcor, Old Mutual’s subsidiary, surrendered 2,67% or R1,81 to R65,99.
Moody’s Investors Service on Tuesday placed the A2 senior debt and Prime-1 commercial paper ratings of Old Mutual and other ratings of Old Mutual Group entities on review for possible downgrade.
The rating agency also said it had placed its C+ financial strength rating of Nedbank under review for possible downgrade.
However, it is difficult to tell whether the news affected the shares, given the general market weakness and the fact Old Mutual was up in the United Kingdom.
On the JSE’s upside, beverages group ABI added 1,63% or R1,06 to R66,06.
Tiger Brands ticked up 33 cents to R80,45 and microlender ABIL advanced 1,57% or 15 cents to R9,70.
South Africa’s December producer price index had been expected to continue the year-on-year (y/y) deflation trend after September 2003 posted the first y/y deflation since World War II.
The median forecast for December was for a y/y decline of -1,8% from November’s post-1945 record low decline of -2,5% y/y. The range was from -3,0% y/y to -1,5% y/y. — I-Net Bridge