The JSE Securities Exchange (JSE) was deluged with red in noon trade on Friday, following a sell-off on world markets. A weaker rand failed to stem the tide.
By noon, the all-share index weakened 1,02%. Industrials lost 0,38% and financials fell 1,19%. Resources retreated 1,6% and the gold-mining index surrendered 1,08%, while the platinum-mining index was flat. The banks index gave up 0,64%.
The rand was quoted at R6,34 per dollar, little changed from when the JSE closed on Thursday, while gold was quoted at $422,10 a troy ounce from $424/oz at the JSE’s last close.
“World markets have taken a beating and we have just followed. There is a lot of selling here,” a dealer said. “I don’t think the market should be down at these levels given where the rand is — I think there might be some futures selling coming into the market.”
He continued that trade was relatively thin and everything was getting hit.
The dealer said that players that had long positions were either taking to the sidelines or trying to square these ahead of the weekend.
A feature on the downside was London-listed financial services group Old Mutual, which plunged 6,33% or 96 cents to R14,20 on news that it is in preliminary talks to buy Swedish insurer Skandia.
“If the deal goes through, Old Mutual will have to start looking for finances. They have £1-billion cash and the deal should cost around £3,2-billion,” the dealer explained.
He noted that junior gold-miner Western Areas was also under pressure after its rights issue announced on Thursday.
Western Areas shares nosedived 9,89% or R2,25 to R20,50.
When it announced its results on Thursday, it said it is to proceed with a R800-million rights issue.
Western Areas reported a profit decline of almost 200% for the three months to March 2005.
The company reported a loss of R186,8-million compared with a R189,9-million profit for the quarter ended December 2004.
Gold-miner Harmony tumbled 2,5% or one rand to R39 and AngloGold Ashanti shed 2,02% or four rand to R194.
Gold Fields, however, gained 50 cents to R62,20.
London-listed diversified resources group Anglo American weakened 1,41% or R1,99 to R139 and BHP Billiton lost 2,32% or R1,75 to R73,75.
Kumba dropped 4,03% or R2,50 to R59,50.
Petrochemicals group Sasol slipped 1,93% or three rand to R152,40.
On the industrial market, Telkom was off 1,62% or R1,85 at R112,05.
Pulp and paper producer Sappi tumbled 2,08% or R1,25 to R58,75 and diversified industrial Barloworld was 1,31% or R1,20 weaker at R90,60.
While retailer Massmart slipped 2,2% or one rand to R44, Edcon climbed 1,51% or R3,99 to R267,99.
Furniture group Steinhoff was 1,19% or 16 cents firmer at R13,55.
Construction and engineering group Aveng added 1,29% or 15 cents to R11,75.
Financial services group Sanlam down 1,44% or 17 cents at R11,65, while Liberty Group slumped 3,26% or R2,10 to R62,40.
Standard Bank surrendered 1,02% or 65 cents to R63,30, Nedcor shed 1,64% or R1,25 to R74,75 and Absa eased 35 cents to R82,55.
Technology holding company VenFin bucked the trend, firming 21 cents to R27,20.
Stockbroker Barnard Jacobs Mellet rocketed 12% or 30 cents to R2,80 after it said in a trading update that for the year to March it expects its basic earnings per share to be between 125% and 140% higher than for the previous year, with its headline earnings per share likely to increase between 15% and 25%. — I-Net Bridge