The JSE was weaker just before midday on Monday, dragged down by a weaker rand and profit-taking following last week’s rally. A number of heavyweight stocks going ex-dividend exacerbated the negativity in a market that was quiet due to the Labour Day holiday in the United States.
By 11.56am, the all-share index shed 0,61%. Resources retreated 1,16% and the platinum-mining index lost 0,88%. Financials and industrials fell 0,32% and 0,26% respectively. The gold-mining index gained 0,14%, however, and the banks index was 0,25% in the black.
The rand was bid at R6,23 per dollar from R6,26 when the JSE closed on Friday, while gold was quoted at $445,70 a troy ounce from $444,35/oz at the JSE’s last close.
“I think we are seeing some profit-taking after last week’s move up. The rand is also very strong,” a dealer said.
He added that a number of stocks were also ex-dividend, which was further weighing on the downside.
“There is also an element of caution in the market. Not everyone wants to rush in. People are not sure as to what the ramifications of Hurricane Katrina will be on the global economy,” he commented.
The Labour Day holiday in the US had also made for a very quiet morning, the dealer concluded.
On the JSE’s downside, global resources group BHP Billiton tumbled 2,48% or R2,40 to R94,35 after going ex-dividend of 93,94 cents per share.
Anglo American was off 80 cents at R163,70.
Petrochemicals group Sasol slipped 1,42% or R3,15 to R218,60.
AngloPlat surrendered 1,26% or R4,02 to R316 and Impala weakened five rand to R680.
AngloGold Ashanti gave up two rand to R228.
Mittal Steel slumped 4,58% or R2,35 to R48,95 and Kumba slid 3,59% or R2,97 to R79,70 after going ex-dividend of R2,40 and R3,80 per share respectively.
Swiss-listed luxury goods group Richemont eased 13 cents to R24,82.
Brand-management group Barloworld was down 50 cents at R102,50 and services group Bidvest was 64 cents lower at R87,35.
Food group Tiger Brands fell 1,02% or R1,35 to R131,50.
Media group Naspers was 1,42% or R1,50 in the red at R104. It went ex-dividend of 70 cents per share.
Furniture group Steinhoff shed 2,12% or 37 cents to R17,08 and Foschini weakened 2,08% or one rand to R47.
Truworths was down 2,56% or 50 cents at R19 after it started trading without its 37-cents-per-share dividend.
Other industrials to go ex-dividend, of 37 cents per share and R1 per share respectively, were Business Connexion and Grindrod.
Business Connexion dived 6,25% or 38 cents to R5,70 and Grindrod lost 2,55% or R1,40 to R53,60.
On the financial front, London-listed Old Mutual was 2,32% or 38 cents lower at R16,03 and Sanlam shed 1,49% or 20 cents to R13,20.
Liberty Group, which went ex-dividend of R1,26 per share, lost 1,39% or 90 cents to trade at R63,80.
Nedbank was 1,42% or R1,50 weaker at R90,50 after going ex-dividend of R1,05 per share.
On the JSE’s upside, Gold Fields gained 50 cents to R73,50 and Western Areas soared 5,86% or R1,30 to R23,50.
The MTN Group gained 25 cents to R48,10 and Telkom climbed 45 cents to R128,55.
London-listed brewer SABMiller ticked up 25 cents to R117.
Cement producer PPC was 1,14% or three rand better at R267 and construction group Murray & Roberts rose 2,06% or 35 cents to R17,35. Its intraday high of R17,50 was its strongest since 1996.
Retailer Lewis rallied 3,34% or R1,44 to a lifetime high of R44,55.
Absa added 1,27% or R1,20 to R96 and FirstRand firmed 10 cents to R16,25. — I-Net Bridge