The JSE was in positive territory just after midday on Monday although profit-taking had taken it off its best levels. Dealers said that last week’s volatility — which saw four down days and an almost 5% surge on Friday — made for an uncertain market.
By 12.05pm, the all share index was up 0,07%. Resources rose 0,29%, but the platinum mining index slipped 1,12% and the gold mining index eased 0,09%.
Industrials were flattish (-0,03%). The financial and banks indices eased 0,15%
and 0,12% respectively.
The rand was bid at 6 per dollar from 6,04 when the JSE closed on Friday, while gold was quoted at $553,95 a troy ounce from $551,18/oz at the JSE’s last close.
“It’s been a very undecided market,” said Cortex’s Lavan Gopaul. “When the market opened, it entered a slightly softer period, which was nothing more than a result of profit-taking after Friday’s enthusiastic buying. After that it turned positive as it got closer to the UK opening.”
He explained that a lot of Friday’s demand had come from offshore and this may have again been the case.
The all share index had then come off its highs however.
“After five days of losses and a wonderful Friday, people are unsure if the run can continue and don’t mind taking profits at this level,” Gopaul commented.
On the resources index, BHP Billiton was 85 cents better at R105,85, but Anglo American was off R2,20 at R223,80.
Petrochemicals group Sasol was up 3,05% or R6,55 at R221,55.
Sasol shares dived over 8% on Wednesday after it was announced that a task team would be appointed to investigate a possible windfall tax on the synthetic fuels industry.
Gold Fields gained 1,63% or R2,21 to R137,70 and Harmony was 41 cents higher at R95. AngloGold Ashanti, however, slumped 3,27% or R11 to R325.
Gold Fields and Bolivar Gold on Monday announced that the Supreme Court of
the Yukon Territory of Canada had approved the plan of arrangement by which Gold Fields would acquire Bolivar Gold.
Gopaul said that Gold Fields was expected to announce further corporate activity later in the week.
Impala Platinum weakened 1,46% or R16,88 to 1 143,12 after soaring over 15% on Friday.
Northam was down 2,68% or 75 cents at R27,25 after going ex-dividend of R1,15 per share
Lonmin tumbled 2,61% or R7,51 to R279,99. Lonmin shares rocketed almost 30% on Friday after the company announced that it had been in talks that could lead to an offer for the company.
Coal and iron ore miner Kumba jumped 2,27% or R2,50 to R112,50.
While Highveld Steel & Vanadium was 2,22% or R1,95 higher at R89,95, Mittal Steel surrendered 2,43% or R1,53 to R61,50.
Swiss-listed luxury goods group Richemont retreated 14 cents to R26,79 and London-listed brewer SABMiller dipped 40 cents to R121,60.
While cellular network operator MTN group gained 50 cents to R62,15, Telkom eased 42 cents to R160,48.
On the financial index, Sanlam slid 1,87% or 32 cents to R16,83, but London-listed Old Mutual firmed 10 cents to R20,09. Sanlam earlier traded at a record high of R17,35.
Nedbank was one rand in the black at R115,50 and Absa advanced 39 cents to R118,90. But Standard Bank was 39 cents softer at R83,70 and FirstRand was four cents in the red at R19,86.
Absa earlier traded at a record high of R121 while Nedbank’s intraday high of R116 was its strongest since January 2003.
Nedbank exceeded analysts’ forecasts on Monday by reporting an 81,7% leap in headline earnings to R3,167-billion for the year ended December.
This resulted in headline earnings per share of 797 cents, which was a 65% growth on the previous year’s earnings of 483 cents. On a fully diluted basis, Heps amounted to 791 cents, which was 64,1% higher than the previous year’s earnings – and more than 10% higher than the I-Net Bridge consensus forecast of
735,9 cents per share.
The group declared a final dividend of 185 cents, which was a 143% increase on the 2004 dividend. – I-Net Bridge