The JSE Securities Exchange moved to an all-time high on Thursday despite the steady rand, which has moved off its worst levels in a year. Resources remained the star performers.
The all share index rose to a fresh high of 13,965.10 shortly after midday.
By midday, the all share and all share industrial indices added 0,77% and 0,90% respectively. Resources rallied 1,01%, the gold mining index was unchanged, while the platinum mining index collected 0,87%.
Financials were flat — up 0,03% — while the banks index was 0,11% in the red.
The rand was quoted at 6,89 per dollar from 6,87 when the JSE closed on Wednesday, while gold was quoted at $417,20 a troy ounce from $415,70/oz at the JSE’s last close.
Traders said they had seen good demand on Thursday morning and the market was stronger despite the firmer rand compared with Wednesday and despite lower US markets, which came under pressure from a higher oil price.
“We have seen some solid volumes in the last couple of days. There has been some programme trading and on Tuesday — month-end — we saw hedge funds active. It’s a good market to be in,” a trader said.
Resources stocks were a feature. “The likes of Billiton and Rio were strong in Australia and that has continued in London,” the trader said.
Anglo American added R2,30, or 1,4%, to R166,50 and BHP Billiton was R1,56, or 1,88%, better at R84,61.
Among gold counters, AngloGold Ashanti advanced R2,09 to R240,10, Harmony was up five cents to R53,45, but Gold Fields was off 20 cents to R77,30.
Petrochemicals group Sasol was 55 cents stronger at R169,60, while Sappi was up 45 cents to R67,95.
Swiss-listed luxury goods group Richemont rose 66 cents, or 3,09%, to R22. The company earlier reported that it had entered into an agreement with Spanish investment company Torreal SCR, SA for the sale of its wholly-owned subsidiary Hackett Limited for an undisclosed amount.
The transaction will have no material impact on Richemont’s balance sheet, cash flow or results for the year ending March 31 2006, it said.
London-listed brewer SABMiller was down 125 cents to R101,90. Traders said it could be a reaction to reports that Dutch brewer Heineken is considering building a brewery in South Africa.
Insurer Sanlam was up 18 cents, or 1,67%, to R10,98. “There has been solid trade in Sanlam, there seems to be a big buyer out there.”
Sanlam was the second highest value share traded in the morning session, with 12,46-million shares changing hands in 539 deals. – I-Net Bridge