The JSE was slightly firmer just after midday on Monday, benefiting from higher commodity prices. Volumes were extremely light, however, ahead of Tuesday’s Independence Day holiday in the US.
By 12.15pm, the all-share index inched up 0,15%. Resources rose 0,21%, the gold-mining index gained 0,72% and the platinum-mining index perked up 1,26%. The financial and banks indices firmed 0,16% and 0,39% respectively, while the all-share industrial was flat (+0,01%).
The rand was bid at 7,08 per dollar from 7,20 when the JSE closed on Friday, while gold was quoted at $620,85 a troy ounce from $579,35/oz at the JSE’s last close.
“The market has gone marginally into positive territory. The rand strengthened quite a bit — it went to 7,06 — and the market dropped, but it has since flattened,” a dealer said.
He added that with commodity prices all up, the gold and platinum shares were handling quite nicely.
The dealer said that a bit of negativity had also come into the market, with a number of shares going ex-dividend.
He noted that it had been a very quiet morning, characterised by light volumes.
“Canada is closed today [Monday] and it is a half day in the US, which is closed tomorrow [Tuesday],” the dealer explained.
The US celebrates Independence Day on Tuesday.
On the resources index, London-listed Anglo American was off 20c at R293,02 and BHP Billiton dipped 25c to R138,50.
AngloGold Ashanti shed 1,41% or R4,99 to R350. Gold Fields, however, gained 1,85% or R3 to R165 while Harmony was 2,1% or R2,40 higher at R116,50.
Impala Platinum jumped 1,57% or R20,68 to R1Â 340,50 and AngloPlat added R4,90 to R759,90.
Lonmin lost R1,83 to R369,67 after going ex-dividend of 336,22c per share.
Coal and iron ore miner Kumba strengthened 1,17% or R1,50 to R129,50.
Among industrials, Swiss-listed luxury goods group Richemont retreated 1,38% or 45c to R32,05.
London-listed brewer SABMiller, which went ex-dividend of 226,36c per share, was R1,21 softer at R127.
Other industrials to go ex-dividend were Telkom, which slid 3,4% or R4,49 to R127,50 and Illovo Sugar, which lost 1,78% or 35c to R19,35.
Telkom and Illovo went ex-dividend of R9 per share and 42,5c per share respectively.
Media group Naspers was down 1,45% or R1,77 to R120,10 and retailer Shoprite surrendered 1,38% or 35c to R25,05.
Services group Bidvest, however, leaped 3,29% or R3,25 to R102.
Food group Tiger Brands roared ahead 3,48% or R5 to R148,50.
Retailer Foschini firmed 2,45% or R1,12 to R46,87, while fast food group Famous Brands soared 5,71% or 60c to R11,10.
Cellular network operator MTN Group climbed 39c to R53,29.
Among financials, Sanlam sagged 2,41% or 35c to R14,15, but Liberty group gained 69c to R72,69.
FirstRand firmed 1,36% or 23c to R17,13 and Absa added 59c to R100,89, but Standard Bank slipped 65c to R76,35 and Nedbank was R1 to R112.
Specialist bank Investec strengthened 1,79% or R6 to R341. — I-Net Bridge