The JSE was weaker at midday on Wednesday, with resources and mining counters under pressure from lower commodities prices.
Gold and platinum prices touched respective highs of $500 an ounce and $1 000/oz on Tuesday, but have since retreated.
By noon, the all-share index was off 0,76%, with the gold-mining index down 1,82%, the platinum-mining index 1,17% lower and resources 1,34% weaker. The financial and banks indices were both off 0,39% and the industrial index was 0,38% weaker.
The rand was bid at R6,46 per dollar from R6,45 when the JSE closed on Tuesday, while gold was quoted at $492,60 a troy ounce from $496,60/oz at the JSE’s last close. Platinum was last quoted at $981/oz from $993,50/oz at the previous close.
“We have seen a bit of profit-taking today mainly due to the strong rand and weaker commodities prices. It seems that things are just slowing down in anticipation of the December holidays,” said an equities trader.
Anglo was down 125 cents to R204 and BHP Billiton was down 111 cents to R97,10.
Sasol was 680 cents lower, or 3%, lower at R219,02. An equities trader said Sasol’s softer tone was probably due to the strong rand and weaker oil prices.
Earlier, the petrochemicals group issued a trading update, saying its headline earnings for the six months ending December 31 are expected to be between 65% and 75% higher than those of the comparable previous reporting period.
It said international oil prices have been nearly 25% higher than anticipated, the rand:dollar exchange rate has been weaker than expected and pleasing plant efficiencies and operating rates have generally been achieved.
Sasol added that it is important to note, however, that based on an expectation that international oil prices will be lower in the second half of the financial year and that commodity chemical prices and margins will also weaken, earnings growth for the full financial year is expected to be more in line with the profit outlook given in September this year.
Among gold counters, AngloGold Ashanti was 56 cents lower at R277,50, Gold Fields shed 201 cents to R99 and Harmony was 278 cents weaker at R79,38.
Anglo Platinum was off R15,74, or 3,55%, to R434, but Impala Platinum was 400 cents better at R839.
Among industrials, SABMiller was down 171 cents to R116,20 and luxury-goods group Richemont was 24 cents softer at R25,64. However, Imperial was up 99 cents to R124,99 and AECI was 50 cents stronger at R52,50.
Banking stocks were mixed, with Absa down 150 cents to R90,50, but Nedbank was 115 cents stronger at R88,75.
AFX reports the FTSE 100 remained under pressure in midmorning trade as an 8% rally in the shares of Daily Mail was offset by weakness in the energy and pharma sectors, said dealers.
At 10.07am, the FTSE 100 was down 40,2 points at 5 450,8, with the broader indices also weaker.
Volume was strong, with 692,1-million shares changing hands in 63 444 deals.
Energy stocks were one of the main drags on the United Kingdom blue-chip index on Wednesday morning as oil prices slipped further as mild temperatures in the United States calmed concerns of a supply crunch during winter.
At 9.20am, New York’s main contract, light sweet crude for delivery in January, fell 11 cents to $56,39 a barrel from its close of $56,50 in the US where it had lost 86 cents overnight. — I-Net Bridge