The JSE moved close to an all-time best on Tuesday — the first trading day of 2006 — due to a post New Year rally that saw a firmer resources sector and a higher gold price, brokers said.
By 12.29pm, the all share index had added 0,95%, the platinum and precious metals index was up 0,23%, the oil and gas index added 1,32%, the financials index climbed 0,62% and the banks index climbed 1,38%.
The all share index’s intraday high on Tuesday was 18 281,971 points, close to last week’s all-time high of 18 312,14 points.
However, the new industrial and gold mining indices were not updating due to technical problems at the JSE.
The rand was bid at 6,29 per dollar from 6,31 when the JSE closed on Friday, while gold was quoted at $520,80 a troy ounce from $513,30/oz at the JSE’s last close.
The JSE was experiencing a very strong post New Year rally, Afrifocus Securities portfolio manager Ferdi Heyneke said.
In general, news regarding the South African economy was very positive and with the rand strong, inflation was unlikely to be a problem, he added.
Interest rates were forecast to remain steady, with some economists expecting an interest rate cut in 2006, Heyneke said.
In the resources sector, BHP Billiton was last quoted at R105,25, up 135 cents or 1,3% and Anglo American was last at R218, up R4,30 or 2%.
Cellular provider MTN was last quoted up 125 cents or 2% at R63,40.
In the industrial sector, Remgro was up 20 cents or 0,2% to R122,20, cement maker PPC climbed 27 cents or 0,1% to R307,02 and brewer SABMiller was down 15 cents or 0,1% at R117,60.
Packaging group Nampak added 17 cents or 1% to R17,01 and media group Naspers climbed 150 cents or 1,3% to R113,51.
In the platinum sector, Anglo Platinum added two rand or 0,4% to R459. Impala Platinum was last at R934,50, up 0,3% or R2,50 and Northam Platinum fell 45 cents or 2,4% to R18,55.
Junior gold mining company Simmer and Jack Mines climbed to an all-time high of 122 cents on Tuesday.
Among the gold majors, AngloGold Ashanti added R2,01 or 0,6% to R316,01, Gold Fields climbed R1,70 or 1,5% to R113,50 and Harmony Gold gained one rand or 1,2% to R85,90.
During the morning trade, both Gold Fields and Western Areas climbed to long-term highs.
Western Areas was last quoted at R41,40, up 0,98% or 40 cents from the stock’s previous close.
In the financial sector, Nedbank was last at R99,30, down 70 cents or 0,7%, Absa climbed R1,21 or 1,2% to R102,21 and RMB Holdings added 20 cents or 0,7% to R27,50.
In the retail sector, Edcon added 69 cents or 2% to R35,85, Mr Price lost 35 cents to R18,35 and JD Group added 34 cents to R76,99. – I-Net Bridge