The JSE remained firm at noon on Friday on the back of strong overseas markets but further gains were restricted ahead of United States inflation data due later in the day.
At 12.09pm, the all-share index was up 0,34%. Resources gained 0,78%, the platinum-mining index was up 0,56% but the gold-mining index gave up 0,16%. Industrials fell 0,10%, banks lost 0,58% while financials improved 0,10%.
The rand was bid at 7,16 to the US dollar — unchanged from when the JSE closed on Thursday — while gold was quoted at $650,60 a troy ounce from $651,10 at the JSE’s last close.
“We are supposed to be flying higher. But the guys are waiting for inflation figures in the US,” a Johannesburg-based trader said.
He added that the local bourse was being kept afloat by stronger overseas markets.
On the resource index, Anglo American was up 1,74%, or R7,53, to R440,28 and BHP Billiton was flat at R193.
Paper maker Sappi added 85 cents to R136,10 and Sasol firmed R2,50 to R259.
Among gold counters, AngloGold Ashanti weakened 0,55%, or R1,60, to R290 and Gold Fields lost 55 cents to R115,25.
Junior gold and uranium miner Simmer & Jack edged down seven cents to R7,32. It earlier reported a diluted headline loss per share of 17,69 cents for the year ended March 31 from a loss of 11,02 cents a year earlier.
Eland Platinum gave up 3,71%, or R3,51, to R91. It said earlier that talks regarding a possible corporate action were still on after a media report suggested that potential suitors had walked away.
Impala Platinum was up 1,03%, or R2,30, to R226,50 and Lonmin surged 4,80%, or R27, to R590.
Elsewhere, consumer brands group AVI fell nine cents to R19,81. It said earlier that it expects its consolidated headline earnings per share for the year ending June 2007 to increase by between 30% and 40% when compared year on year.
London-listed brewer SABMiller was up R1,29 to R175,19 and Remgro weakened 1,32%, or R2,44, to R182,55.
Among banks, Standard Bank was 64 cents softer at R105,86, Nedbank shed R1,39 to R142,21 but FirstRand improved 89 cents to R138,89.
Life insurer Old Mutual gained 24 cents to R24,25 and Sanlam was down three cents to R22,99. — I-Net Bridge