The JSE was still firm at midday on Wednesday on the back of firmer world markets and a slight pick-up in emerging markets.
At midday, the FTSE was up 0,43%, the Hang Seng was up 2,87% and the Nikkei was up 0,64%.
At 12pm, the JSE all-share index was 1,93% higher. The financial and banks index rallied 2,17% and 2,20% respectively. Resources climbed 2,22%. The gold-mining index added 0,99% and the platinum-mining index soared 3,45%. Industrials were up 1,44%.
The rand was bid at 7,03 to the United States dollar from 7,07 when the JSE closed on Tuesday while gold was quoted at $670,10 a troy ounce from $670,75/oz at the JSE’s last close.
“It has been quite a nice day on the JSE as it has been pretty strong, directed from the world markets opening firmer. European markets are strong and Asia and emerging markets are a bit stronger. Investors are taking advantage by buying lower stocks,” said a local equities trader.
She added that the Dow was also expected to open firmer as futures indicated strength in the US. Commenting on local news in the market, she said: “All the results looked pretty good. Liberty is doing well, and the market seems to like the results.”
On the JSE, Anglo American added R8,20, or 2,08%, to R403,20 and BHP Billiton climbed R3,70 to R197,55.
Sasol shot up R8,26, or 3,01%, to R282,76.
Among gold miners, AngloGold Ashanti edged up R1 to R271 and Harmony recovered R1,25 to R69,75.
Anglo Platinum was up R22,49, or 2,52%, at R914,50, Impala Platinum strengthened R8 or 4,21% to R198 and Lonmin rose R11,28, or 2,53%, to R457.
Aquarius Platinum soared R7,50, or 3,98%, to R196. It reported on Wednesday morning that it had boosted its net profit by 119% to a record $187,2-million for the year to the end of June.
This translated into earnings per share of 218,5 US cents.
In construction, Murray and Roberts perked up R1,50 to R74, but Group Five gave up 20 cents to R58,30.
South Ocean Holdings was unchanged at R7. The company, which manufactures electrical products for the building industry, boosted headline earnings by 61,9% to 37,4 cents for the six months ended June. This was on the back of a 53,4% growth in revenue to R320,3-million.
Operating profit for the half-year increased by 73,9% to R59,8-million, with headline earnings up 86,7% to R42-million.
Basic earnings per share increased by 61,9% to 37,4 cents.
Investment company Remgro climbed R2,74 to R180,74.
Diversified industrials group Imperial advanced R3,60 to R139 and support services group Bidvest climbed R2,89, or 2,17%, to R135,89.
Naspers N added R2 to R169 rand and Primedia climbed R1,31, or 5,41%, to R25,51.
Sun International rallied R3,50, or 2,46%, to R145,50.
In telecommunications, fixed-line operator Telkom gained R6,55, or 3,94%, to R173 and MTN group firmed R2,85 to R101,26.
In banks, Absa and Standard Bank climbed R2,98 and R2,50 to R137,98 and R103,70 respectively.
Meanwhile, life and financial services group Liberty was R3,95 or 4,62% higher at R89,46. The group on Wednesday reported a 51,5% leap in BEE normalised headline earnings per share for the six months ended June from 384,9 cents to 583,1 cents.
BEE normalised embedded value per share was R89,68, up 8,6% since the year-end and 21,8% over 12 months.
The group’s volume growth continued its positive trend with life new business up 14,2% — I-Net Bridge