The JSE Securities Exchange roared to a record high on Friday, propelled by higher commodity prices and spill-over buying from Wednesday’s interrupted futures closeout. The gains came despite a firmer rand.
By 12.08pm, the all share index advanced 0,8% to 14 323,94, having earlier touched an all-time high of 14 346,42. Resources rallied 1,86% and the gold mining index gained 1,05%. The all share industrial and financial indices firmed 0,11% and 0,23% respectively. The platinum mining index eased 0,38%, however, while the banks index was flat.
The rand was quoted at R6,69 per dollar from around R6,78 at 6.15pm on Wednesday, while gold was quoted at $436,05 a troy ounce from $428.70 late on Wednesday.
The JSE was closed on Thursday for Youth Day.
During the futures closeout on Wednesday afternoon, trade on the JSE was halted for two hours due to a technical problem, which resulted in trade being extended.
“There are a quite a bit of offloading trades going through from Wednesday,” a dealer said. “We also missed yesterday when there was a huge push on resources stocks overseas. BHP Billiton was upgraded on the China scenario and gold went through $430/oz. Commodity prices were all higher.”
He added that gains in resources stocks were not as high locally as they were in dollar terms, capped to an extent by the stronger rand.
On the JSE’s resources index, BHP Billiton soared 3,84% or R3,25 to R87,90 rand and Anglo American advanced 1,26% or R2,05 rand to R164,80.
Petrochemicals group Sasol was up 1,83% or R3,40 rand at R189, having surged to a record high of R189,87.
Kumba leaped 2,45% or R1,50 to R62,75.
Gold Fields jumped 2,48% or R1,80 to R74,30 and Harmony was 1,34% or 70 cents higher at R53, but AngloGold Ashanti shed R1,49 to R236.
Impala Platinum was unchanged at R591, but earlier traded at a best level since February last year of R598. AngloPlat, however, lost 1,36% or R3,99 to R288,99.
On the all share industrial index, Swiss-listed luxury goods group Richemont climbed nine cents to R22,90.
Brand management group Barloworld was 60 cents better at R91,50.
Pulp and paper producer Sappi strengthened 50 cents to R70,90.
Retailers put in a strong showing, with Foschini forging ahead 3,22% or R1,24 to R39,74. Truworths rose 2,54% or 45 cents to R18,20 rand, Woolies rang up 1,49% or 15 cents to R10,25 and Edcon was bolstered 1,25% or R3,50 to R283,50.
London-listed brewer SABMiller, however, tumbled 2,34% or R2,45 rand to R102,35.
On the financial front, investment bank Investec Limited, which rocketed to a best level since July 2001 of R215, was 3,9% or R6,50 in the black at R210,50.
Nedbank was 1,22% or 96 cents better at R79,45.
London-listed Old Mutual firmed five cents to R14,37 rand, while Liberty Group gained 32 cents to R59,49.
Microlender ABIL added 1,42% or 26 cents to R18,61 after trading as a best level since August 1999 of R18,85.
Financial and risk services group Alexander Forbes was up 1,93% or 25 cents at R13,20 — its strongest since February last year.
On the downside, Standard Bank was 20 cents in the red at R65,30. -I-Net Bridge