The JSE retained its weaker tone at noon trade on Thursday on profit-taking while resources were hit by fears that Beijing might raise interest rates.
At 12pm the all-share index was off 0,45%. Resources fell 0,65% and the gold- and platinum-mining indices gave up 0,50% and 0,05% respectively. Industrials were down 0,32%, financials eased 0,30% and banks shed 0,45%.
The rand was bid at 7,09 per dollar, from 7,06 when the JSE closed on Wednesday, while gold was quoted at $686,85 a troy ounce from $687,90/oz at the JSE’s last close.
“It’s really nothing more than just profit-taking after we’ve had successive record moves in the last few days,” a Johannesburg-based dealer said.
He added that the general trend was still fairly bullish — players simply removed money off the table in the absence of corporate news to give direction.
A second dealer said that weaker rand failed to spark buying for miners on concerns that China might raise interest rates, which could tame that country’s fast-growing economy.
“Commodity prices are linked to growth in the Chinese economy, that’s why we are seeing a pullback in resources, [despite a weaker rand],” the dealer added.
London-listed resources giant Anglo American shed R3,35 to R378,65 and BHP Billiton was off R1,34 to R161,11.
Petrochemicals giant Sasol gave up R1,50 to R243.
Among gold counters, AngloGold Ashanti lost 50 cents to R337, Goldfields was down 53 cents to R135,77 and Harmony eased 1,74%, or R2, to R113.
Platinum producer Anglo Platinum edged up R11,10 to R1 226,10 but Impala Platinum was down 1,12%, or R2,75, to R242,7.
London-listed global brewer SABMiller was R1,05 in the red at R161,75 but Richemont added 18 cents to R42,43.
Sugar producer Illovo tumbled 2,51%, or 50 cents, to R19,40 and Tongaat dipped 1,46%, or R2,05, to R138.
Nedbank was the biggest loser among the leading banks with 1,44%, or R2,20, at R150,60. Standard Bank was off 75 cents to R111,25 but FirstRand gained 10 cents to R25,15.
Medical insurance group Discovery was 1,86%, or 58 cents, better at R31,68. It said earlier that its joint venture with Prudential in the United Kingdom, PruHealth, continued to enjoy strong growth in the first quarter of 2007.
PruHealth had 108 000 lives on its books by the end of March, after breaching the 100 000 level in February. Gross written premiums came in at £16-million, 100% up on the £8-million achieved in the same period last year.
Old Mutual was off five cents to R24,45 and Liberty dropped 1,13%, or R1, to R87,80. — I-Net Bridge