The JSE Securities Exchange (JSE) was weaker in noon trade on Thursday, dragged down by a stronger rand and softer world markets. Losses were most pronounced on the Top 40 index, where decliners outpaced advancers by about five to two.
By 11.57am, the all-share index was down 0,46%. The financial and banks indices fell 0,3% and 0,52% respectively. Resources retreated 0,96%, the platinum mining index dipped 0,12%, but the gold mining index inched up 0,11%. The all-share industrial index was flat (+0,02%).
The rand was quoted at R6,47 per dollar from R6,46 when the JSE closed on Wednesday, while gold was quoted at $390,80 an ounce from $393,00 at the JSE’s last close.
“The market has fallen in a bit of a heap. The rand has strengthened from about R6,54 this morning to R6,47 and this has impacted on the negative side. European markets and United States futures are down which is also dragging us weaker,” a dealer said. He added that volumes had not been huge.
On the resources market, London-listed Anglo American lost R1,26 to R133,75 and BHP Billiton slumped 1,86% or one rand to R52,90.
Oil and chemicals group Sasol slipped 1,08% or R1,11 to R101,49.
While gold miner Harmony surrendered 1,23% or 91 cents to R72,99, Durban Roodepoort Deep jumped 2,99% or 55 cents to R18,95.
AngloGold Ashanti and Gold Fields were little changed at R221,02 (up two cents) and R42,04 (down nine cents) respectively.
“Gold stocks were definitely oversold — they took a hammering yesterday [Wednesday],” the dealer commented.
While AngloPlat added 99 cents to R244,99, Impala eased R1,90 to R488.
London-listed beverages group SABMiller was a feature, surging 2,06% or R1,59 to R78,80.
“There have been reports that SAB has pulled their bid on Harbin. They were looking at paying a very high PE for it and now it looks like they are going to sell out, instead of buying into something they don’t need,” he explained.
According to AFX, SABMiller declined to comment on market speculation that it is withdrawing its offer for China’s Harbin Brewery shares.
SABMiller spokesperson Mitch Ramsay declined to say anything when contacted by AFX-Asia on the matter.
SABMiller holds 29% of Harbin Brewery, which it could sell to Anheuser-Busch after the latter offered to buy the rest of the shares in Harbin Brewery that it does not own at 5,58 Hong Kong dollars a share, topping SABMiller’s bid of 4,30 Hong Kong dollars.
Swiss-listed luxury goods group Richemont was 12 cents softer at R16,98 and pulp and paper producer Sappi shed 75 cents to R90,25.
Packaging group Nampak tumbled 2,06% or 30 cents to R14,29.
Retailer Metcash slumped 2,47% or six cents to R2,37 after reporting a few minutes earlier that headline earnings per share for the year ended April 30 were flat at 25,8 cents from 26,7 cents a year ago.
No dividend was declared, but the company said that upon conclusion of the recently announced proposed management buyout of Metcash Trading Africa, a distribution of about 61 cents per share would be made to shareholders.
Telecoms group Telkom was down 1% or 80 cents at R79,10 and cellular network operator MTN Group slid 21 cents to R30,30.
On the financial front, Standard Bank weakened 25 cents to R42,55, FirstRand fell seven cents to R9,98 and Absa was 35 cents in the red at R48,30.
However, Nedcor climbed 59 cents to R61,99 and its parent company Old Mutual rose four cents to R11,30.
Real estate company Liberty International plc was 55 cents lower at R87,50. — I-Net Bridge