Gold stocks shone on Wednesday in noon trade on the JSE Securities Exchange South Africa (JSE), which was flat overall after a quiet morning’s trade. In addition to gold, solid corporate results released before the opening were also positive for the local bourse, but these influences were offset by a firmer rand and weaker European markets.
By 12.02pm, the all-share index was level (+0,03%) as was the all-share industrial index (-0,02%). Resources rose 0,36%, with the gold mining index surging 2,5%, but the platinum mining index slumped 0,49%. The financial and banks indices fell 0,43% and 0,65% respectively.
The rand was quoted at R6,85 per dollar from R6,92 when the JSE closed on Tuesday, while gold was quoted at $380,80 an ounce from $374,80/oz at the JSE’s last close.
“The JSE is mixed and pretty flat overall. Gold is the light at the end of the tunnel on the better bullion price. We gave also seen bounces in telecoms stocks after their recent knocks and had some good results out this morning,” a dealer said. He added that the market had been very quiet.
“On the downside, it is predominantly the firmer rand that is weighing. European markets are also a bit weaker.”
On the gold mining index, AngloGold added 2,73% or six rand to R226, Gold Fields gained 2,44% or R1,72 to R72,11 and Harmony was 2,02% or R1,45 higher at R73,15.
London-listed diversified resources group Anglo American advanced 50 cents to R135,95.
Telecoms group Telkom ticked up 1,11% or 83 cents to R75,50 and cellular network operator MTN Group jumped 1,28% or 35 cents to R27,70.
Brand management group Barloworld was 1,14% or 80 cents better at R70,80 after earlier trading as high as R72,25.
Barloworld on Wednesday reported a sparkling set of interim results, with headline earnings per share for the six months ended March 31 up 77% to 374 cents from 211 cents a year ago. An interim dividend of 115 cents per share was declared, up 28% from the 90 cents of a year ago.
London-listed IT group Dimension Data climbed 1,19% or five cents to R4,25 and retailer Econ rallied 2,78% or R3,75 to R138,50.
Didata on Wednesday reported a return to profitability, after two reporting periods of losses. The group reported interim basic earnings per share of 0,1 United States cents for the six months to March 31 2004, up from a 2,2 US cents loss in the previous comparative period.
Edcon reported a 103% rise in its headline earnings per share (Heps) for the year to end-March 2004, to 1 597 cents from a restated 786 cents in the previous year. The group declared a record final dividend of 521 cents, 182% higher than that of 2003, for a total dividend for the year of 768 cents, a 149% rise from 2003.
“Edcon’s results were brilliant. Yesterday [Tuesday] its shares traded as low as R130, but bounced in the afternoon,” the dealer commented.
Retailer Woolies roared ahead 2,71% or 19 cents to R7,20, pulp and paper producer Sappi strengthened 54 cents to R93,05 and transport and logistics group Imperial rose 1,33% or 90 cents to R68,60.
On the JSE’s downside, Impala Platinum retreated 1,8% or eight rand to R437 and synthetic fuels group Sasol slipped 1,46% or R1,50 to R101.
Swiss-listed luxury goods group Richemont gave up 1,83% or 31 cents to R16,59.
Standard Bank slid 1,03% or 41 cents to R39,49 and FirstRand fell six cents to R9,44.
Real estate company Liberty International plc lost 88 cents to R88,01. — I-Net Bridge