The JSE was in positive territory in noon trade on Wednesday, propelled by higher precious-metals prices and stronger world markets. Volumes were again light, however, as players remained nervous about committing money to the market in a big way.
By midday, the all-share index added 1,5%. Resources rallied 2,04%, the gold-mining index gained 1,21% and the platinum-mining index perked up 2%. Industrials and financials firmed 1,05% and 1,04% respectively, while the banks index was 1,65% better.
The rand was bid at R7,08 per dollar from R7,12 when the JSE closed on Tuesday, while gold was quoted at $642,35 a troy ounce from $633,95/oz at the JSE’s last close.
“Gold seems to be driving the market — some of the resources shares are looking good,” a dealer said. “Telkom has also bounced after being knocked yesterday [Tuesday].”
He added that firmer European markets were also helping the JSE. This followed a good recovery in the Dow overnight.
The dealer noted, however, that it had been another quiet morning’s trade. While the northern-hemisphere holidays might have contributed to this, the biggest factor was investors’ jitters.
“Guys have had a tremendous run and might be nervous to put money into the market after the recent correction,” he asserted.
Leading the JSE’s upside, global resources group BHP Billiton surged 3,05% or R4,25 to a record high of R143,60. Anglo American advanced 2,29% or R6,68 to R298,20.
AngloGold Ashanti jumped 1,65% or R5,75 to R355, Gold Fields gained 1,01% or R1,70 to R169,85 and Harmony was 92 cents higher at R114,74.
Impala Platinum leaped 2,54% or R33 to R1 332 and AngloPlat climbed 1,38% or R10 to R735. Lonmin was up 3,56% or R12,95 at a highest-to-date R377.
Coal and iron-ore miner Kumba, which earlier traded at an all-time high of R136,85, was 1,53% or R2,04 in the black at R135,25.
Among industrials, London-listed brewer SABMiller strengthened 1,57% or two rand to R129.
Telkom jumped 2,64% or R3,19 to R124,20 and MTN Group gained 1,2% or 64 cents to R53,89.
Services group Bidvest was 2,25% or R2,25 better at R102,45.
Mittal Steel was 2,69% or R2,10 stronger at R80,10.
Retailer Massmart rebounded 3,38% or R1,60 to R49.
Truworths rang up 3,69% or 80 cents to R22,50 and Edcon climbed 1,43% or 39 cents to R27,64. Edcon traded as high as R27,90 after it announced that group sales had increased by 15% for the three months ended July 8 compared with the same period last year. It said that shareholders could expect “another meaningful rise in earnings, ahead of the sales growth”.
On the financial front, Sanlam strengthened 1,4% or 21 cents to R15,20 and London-listed Old Mutual firmed 16 cents to R21,45.
Liberty Group, however, eased 38 cents to R73,92.
FirstRand forged ahead 2,28% or 39 cents to R17,50 and its major shareholder RMB Holdings rallied 2,78% or 70 cents to R25,90.
Standard Bank was 1,5% or 15 cents to the good at R78, Nedbank notched up R1,04 to R119,54 and Absa added 70 cents to R104,45. — I-Net Bridge