The JSE was barely changed at noon on Monday, having retreated from the morning’s highs as investors locked in profits after Friday’s record run.
At 12.09pm, the all-share index was up just 0,05%. Resources fell 0,24%, the gold-mining index was down 0,73% but the platinum-mining index was up 1,39%.
Industrials gained 0,41%, financials edged up 0,02% and banks gained 0,11%.
The rand was bid at 7,10 to the US dollar from 7,11 when the JSE closed on Friday, while gold was quoted at US$657,05 a troy ounce from $654,10 at the JSE’s last close.
“I would imagine profit-taking is the main reason behind the JSE being flat, but it’s not unusual to see this kind of volatility ahead of a futures close-out on Thursday,” a Johannesburg-based trader said.
Boosted by a stronger platinum price, leading platinum stocks provided support on the upside, the trader said.
Impala Platinum climbed 2,20% to R227 and Anglo Platinum added 0,41% to R1 225.
Anglo Platinum said earlier that it would be suspending underground production at its Rustenburg Platinum mine’s Rustenburg section for about seven days to implement measures to address concerns associated with the safety of employees.
On the resource index, Anglo American lost 0,91% to R440,95 and BHP Billiton was off 0,40% to R193.
Steel maker Highveld Steel surged 2,84% to R90,50 after saying that it expects its headline and basic earnings per share for the interim period ending June to be between 55% and 65% higher than that for the same time last year.
Among gold counters, AngloGold Ashanti gave up 0,26% to R289,50 rand and Gold Fields fell 1,71% to R115,21.
Diversified mining group Metorex (MTX) climbed 2,83% to R27,25. It said earlier that it was in talks regarding a possible corporate activity, which might affect its share price.
Heavyweight industrial group Barloworld shed 0,36%, or R199,29 but investment group Remgro added 0,28% to R187,03.
London-listed brewing giant SABMiller was 0,29% better at R178,50.
Among banks and financials, Standard Bank strengthened 0,19% to R106,71, Absa firmed 0,43% to R139,50 while Nedbank gave up 0,15% to R144,20.
Life insurer Old Mutual edged down 0,08% to R25,17 but Sanlam gained 0,09% to R23,02. — I-Net Bridge