The JSE was at an all-time high in midday trade on Friday as commodity prices continued to firm, with gold rising to yet another 25-year-high and copper prices also rising strongly.
A moderately weaker rand was also helping to support the market.
By 12.02pm, the all share index was up 1,06% as resources added 1,68%, industrials were up 0,62% and the platinum mining index advanced 2,79%. The
gold mining index, however, was down 0,02%. Financials were 0,78% firmer while
the banking index was up 1,74%.
During the morning session, the all share index hit a record 21 779 points.
The rand was bid at 6,04 per dollar from 6,06 when the JSE closed on Thursday, while gold was quoted at $681,45 a troy once from $674,05/oz at the JSE’s last close. On Friday morning, gold hit a fresh 25-year-high of $684,69/oz.
“The market is being driven once again by commodities and base metals,” an equities trader said.
Among resources Anglo advanced 650 cents to R275, while BHP Billiton was up 165 cents to R131,90 and petrochemicals group Sasol was 396 cents firmer at R269,02.
Among gold counters, AngloGold Ashanti was up 283 cents to R343, Harmony Gold was 15 cents better at R101,70, but Gold Fields was down 74 cents to R150,25.
Earlier on Friday morning AngloGold Ashanti reported adjusted headline earnings per share of 200 cents in the March quarter from 94 cents in the December 2005
quarter.
Seven analysts polled by I-Net Bridge had expected adjusted headline earnings per share of 123 cents for the March quarter, with forecasts ranging from 111 cents to 218 cents.
Gold output for the quarter declined by 10% to 1,340-million troy ounces from 1,494-million oz in the December quarter. AngloGold Ashanti recently advised that it expected to produce 1,347-million oz of gold in the March quarter.
Harmony reported a headline loss of 50 cents per share for the quarter ended March from a loss of 75 cents in the December quarter.
Seven analysts polled by I-Net Bridge had expected Harmony to report March quarter headline loss per share of 34 cents. Forecasts ranged from a loss of 96 cents to a profit of four cents.
Harmony had been expected to have produced gold output of between 614 000 troy ounces and 601 000 oz, down 6% to 8% from the previous quarter’s 653 171 oz.
Among platinums, Impala Platinum was up R41 to R1 234 and AngloPlat added R16 to R656, earlier hitting an all time high of R663.
Among industrials, London-listed brewer SABMiller added 70 cents to R130, while Bidvest collected 45 cents to R108,50.
Among banks and financial stocks, Old Mutual added 23 cents to R22,10.
Nedbank added 39 cents to R131,40, while Standard Bank advanced 265 cents to R86,05 and Absa was up 69 cents to R119,45.
Standard Bank announced on Friday that it proposes to privately place non-redeemable, non-cumulative preference shares during May 2006 and has commenced a process to assess market demand in this regard.
The company aims to raise between one billion and two billion rand of preference share capital at an effective cost of 63% of prime.
“The preference share capital which qualifies as tier one capital is being raised to maintain a cost effective, prudent capital base for the group. This will accommodate current strong balance sheet growth, potential acquisitions and a continuation of the limited share buy-back programme established in 2005,” the group said.
Among telecommunications stocks, MTN — the most active share traded in the
morning session — added 220 cents to R67,36. – I-Net Bridge