The JSE Securities Exchange (JSE) on Thursday ticked higher, after two days of consolidation, on buying interest, with volumes very thin, equity brokers said.
By 12.05pm, the all-share index was 0,69% higher. Resources climbed 0,75% and the gold-mining index was 0,71% higher. The all-share industrial index added 1,04% but the banks index was 0,41% in the red. The financial and platinum-mining indices inched up 0,1% and 0,75% respectively.
The rand was quoted at R6,68 per dollar, little changed from when the JSE closed on Wednesday, while gold was quoted at $406,15 a troy ounce from $406,10/oz at the JSE’s last close.
“The JSE is a little higher on buying interest, but volumes are very light,” a broker said.
Just after midday, London-listed resources group Anglo American had added R1,30 to R148,95 and BHP Billiton jumped 1,11% or 69 cents to R62,70.
AngloPlat lost 25 cents to R285,75, Gold Fields gained 20 cents to R82,20 and Harmony was 111 cents better at R82,55.
Swiss-listed luxury goods group Richemont rallied 24 cents to R17,05 and London-listed brewer SABMiller strengthened 80 cents to R81,50.
Food group Tiger Brands leaped 4,1% or R3,68 to R93,88. Earlier, Tiger Brands touched an all-time high of R94 on excitement about the unbundling of the group’s retail chain Spar, which will be separately listed in late October or early November.
While cellular network operator MTN Group was up 73 cents at R29,59, Telkom shed 55 cents to R80,80.
Retailer Massmart added 35 cents to R35,60 and construction group Murray & Roberts tumbled 10 cents to R12,80.
Before the opening, Massmart reported a 31,5% increase in headline earnings per share for the year ending June 2004 to 318,8 cents from 242,4 cents in the previous comparative period.
The group declared a final dividend per share of 98 cents for a total annual dividend of 159 cents, up 64% from 97 cents in the 2003 financial year.
Murray & Roberts reported a 15% decline in diluted earnings per share to 149 cents for the year ending June 2004, from 175 cents in the previous comparative period.
The group declared a final dividend per share of 30 cents for a total annual dividend of 45 cents, down 14% from 52,5 cents in the 2003 financial year.
On the financial front, Standard Bank was 19 cents lower at R43,45. London-listed financial services group Old Mutual added nine cents to R12,50. — I-Net Bridge