The JSE was firmer in noon trade on Tuesday, with stronger European markets underpinning already positive sentiment towards equities. The gains came despite a slightly firmer rand.
By 11.55am, the all share index added 0,42%. The financial and banks indices
firmed 0,74% and 1,47% respectively. Industrials ticked 0,22% higher. Resources
rose 0,44% and the platinum mining index perked up 0,26%, but the gold mining
surrendered 1,3%.
The rand was bid at 6,48 per from 6,51 when the JSE closed on Monday, while gold was quoted at $432,08 a troy ounce from $431,25/oz at the JSE’s last close.
“The market seems quite nice at the moment. It looks like a sentiment story, although the rand is also helping banking stocks,” a dealer said.
He added that these stocks could also be benefiting from Standard & Poor’s upgrade of South Africa’s long-term foreign and local sovereign credit ratings on Monday afternoon.
The international credit rating agency upgraded South Africa’s long- term foreign and local currency sovereign credit ratings to BBB+ from BBB, and to A+ from A, respectively, on improved economic stability.
At the same time, the short-term foreign currency rating was raised to A-2 from A-3, and the A-1 short-term local currency rating was affirmed.
Global resources group BHP Billiton was also looking strong, having gained ground in London.
On the downside, gold stocks were taking most of the strain on the back of the firmer rand, the dealer said. While Harmony and Gold Fields were under a bit of pressure, AngloGold Ashanti was holding up well, he commented.
On the JSE’s upside, petrochemicals group Sasol strengthened 1,46% or R2,90 to R201,90, while BHP Billiton was 1,07% or 97 cents better at R91,85.
Impala Platinum inched four rand higher to R603.
Banking group FirstRand was 1,56% or 25 cents firmer at R16,30 after earlier trading at a lifetime high of R16,75. Its major shareholder RMB Holdings was 1,78% or 45 cents higher at R25,70 — off its highest ever level of R26,05 reached earlier. Standard Bank gained 1,59% or R1,16 to R74,10 after trading at an all-time high R74,70.
Absa added 1,17% or R1,09 to R94,25 and Nedbank was 1,17% or R1,09 better at R86,65. Nedbank earlier traded at a two-year high of R88.
Other advancers included cellular network operator MTN, which jumped 1,79% or 85 cents to R48,40.
Highveld Steel & Vanadium jumped 2,36% or R1,60 to R69,30.
On Monday afternoon, Hiveld reported interim headline earnings per share of 1,049.5 cents for the half-year to June 2005, up from 364.9 cents in the 2004 interim period.
More importantly, the group declared a six-month dividend per share of 1 050 cents, up from 120 cents before as well as a special dividend per
share of 650 cents.
Aspen Pharmacare advanced 1,92% or 55 cents to R29,25 after trading at a record high of R29,50.
Italtile jumped 3,23% or R5 to a lifetime high of R160. It said before the opening on Monday that it expects to announce an improvement in earnings per share and headline earnings per share for the year ended 30 June 2005 of between 25% and 28%, over that of the prior comparative period.
On the market’s downside, Harmony tumbled 2,43% or R1,29 to R51,71 and Gold Fields fell R1.25 to R68,75. DRDGOLD dropped 4,72% or 30 cents to R6,05.
AngloPlat dipped one rand to R289.
Swiss-listed luxury goods group Richemont retreated five cents to R23,37 and London-listed brewer SABMiller was 55 cents lower at R114.
Pulp and paper producer Sappi shed 1% or 70 cents to R69,15.
Mittal Steel slipped 1,59% or 85 cents to R52,60 and furniture group Steinhoff shed 1,71% or 29 cents to R16.71 rand. – I-Net Bridge