The rampant rand wreaked havoc on the JSE Securities Exchange South Africa (JSE) on Tuesday morning, sending heavyweight resources and dual-listed stocks sprawling. Platinum counters, hit by the double whammy of the strong rand and a lower platinum price, were down sharply.
At 11.58am the all-share index was 0,75% softer. Resources were 1,36% in the red, the gold mining index was 1,71% weaker, while the platinum mining index had taken a 3,05% pummeling. The financial and banks indices were down 0,57% and 0,26% respectively, while the all-share industrial index was flattish (-0,09%).
The rand was quoted at R6,26 per dollar from R6,42 when the JSE closed on Monday, while gold was quoted at $419,45 an ounce from $416,65/oz at the JSE’s last close.
A dealer said that the market was down because of the rand, the strength of which was attributed to dollar sales stemming from Anglo American’s sale of its 20% stake in Gold Fields to MMC Norilsk Nickel for $1,16-billion.
“The market is looking horrible. It is a bit of a bloodbath and there is not too much green,” a dealer said.
“Platinum stocks have taken a wipe out. In addition to the rand’s strength, the platinum price has taken a bath — it was down $20-$25 overnight,” he added.
Impala Platinum plunged 3,42% or R18 to R508 and AngloPlat tumbled 2,86% or R8 to R272.
London-listed diversified resources group Anglo American was down R1,25 at R149,75 and BHP Billiton weakened 2,05% or R1,20 to R57,40.
On the gold mining index, Harmony dived 2,9% or R2,90 to R97 and AngloGold surrendered 1,52% or R4,01 to R260. Gold Fields fell 1,22% or R1 to R81.
“Even though it is down, there seems to be demand for Gold Fields. There seems to be switching into Gold Fields from other gold counters,” the dealer commented.
On the industrial market, London-listed beverages group SABMiller slipped 1,37% or R1 to R71,90.
Steel producer Iscor was 1,69% or 61 cents softer at R35,39 and London-listed IT Group Dimension Data weakened 2,38% or 10 cents to R4,10.
Retailer Woolies dropped 1,87% or 14 cents to R7,35 and Edcon retraced 2,05% or R2,95 to R141,05.
However, Swiss-listed luxury goods group Richemont climbed 14 cents to R16,14 and cellular network operator MTN group rang up 1,81% or 58 cents to R32,60. Telecoms group Telkom was 50 cents stronger at R74,50.
Media group Naspers was up 40 cents at R44.
Liberty International Plc led financials lower, losing 1,96% or R1,76 to R88,25. Old Mutual was off 1,2% or 14 cents at R11,51.
Banking group FirstRand fell 1,04% or 10 cents to R9,56, Nedcor slid 1,76% or R1,15 to R64,25 and Absa was 1,06% or 50 cents weaker at R46,50.
Standard Bank, however, strengthened 15 cents to R40,75.
Microlender ABIL advanced 10 cents to R11,80 and financial services group Sanlam (SLM) inched up two cents to R9,02. — I-Net Bridge