After being down almost 1% earlier, the JSE managed to claw its way back into positive territory by midday on Tuesday as the weaker rand lent some support to resources stocks and Dow futures were up.
A trader said that the Dow futures were looking positive — up 30 points — which is an indication of a firmer start on Wall Street later this afternoon.
At midday, the JSE all-share was up a slight 0,14%. Resources added 0,87%, the gold-mining index was flat (0,02% better), but the platinum-mining index eased 0,38%. Financials shed 0,67% and banks fell 1,26%, while industrials were off 0,24%.
The rand was bid at 7,22 to the United States dollar from 7,16 from when the JSE closed on Monday, while gold was quoted at $668,35 a troy ounce from $669,60/oz at the JSE’s last close.
“The rand is a bit weaker, which is supporting resources stocks. The Dow futures are up and the local market is reacting favourably to that. I think that we are starting to stabilise and are crawling back into positive territory. However, the market is still digesting the subprime issue,” said a local trader.
He added that it was a quiet day on the local bourse and that investors are waiting for direction from the Dow later in the afternoon.
Anglo American gained R9,75, or 2,41%, to R415 and BHP Billiton was up R1,53 to R196,05. Sasol shed R2,50 to R280,50.
Among gold miners, AngloGold Ashanti added 20 cents to R270, Goldfields shed five cents to R107,25 and Harmony was ten cents firmer at R70,50.
Anglo Platinum was R7,50 better at R913, but Impala Platinum gave up 1,52%, or R3,01, to R194,99 and Lonmin collected R1,80 to R446,81.
Highveld Steel and Vanadium collected R2,49, or 2,55%, to R99,99 and Hulamin perked up 3,18%, or 70 cents, to R22,70.
Uranium One eased 48 cents to R76,50. Earlier the company said its net loss for the three months to end June was $13,7-million, or four US cents per share, compared to a loss of $32,2-million, or 15 US cents per share, for the same period last year.
Paper and pulp producer Sappi was down R1 to R109, while Mondi fell R1,32, or 1,99%, to R64,88.
In construction, Basil Read Holdings retreated 50 cents, or 1,82%, to R27, but Group Five advanced 50 cents to R57,50.
Raubex Group added 7,78%, or R2,10, to R29,10.
Brewer SAB Miller fell 1,25%, or R2,27, to R180.
In retailers, JD Group was off 66 cents, or 1,03%, to R63,15, while Ellerine added 60 cents to R62,50.
Naspers N pulled back R1,60 to R161,80 but Johncom collected 40 cents to R92.
Among financial stocks, Investec weakened 2%, or R1,65, to R80,95 and Investec retreated R1,70, or 2,05%, to R81,30.
Gold Reef Resorts retreated 20 cents to R31,20, Sun International fell 55 cents to R148,50 and City Lodge Hotels weakened 50 cents to R76.
Gold Reef’s share price rocketed 10,6% on Monday on news that it was in talks with a group of investors that could lead to a R34 per share buyout.
Telkom lost R1,16 to R170,76 and MTN Group shed 35 cents to R100,10.
Altech climbed 3,31%, or R2,21, to R69,06, Alton collected 100 cents, or 2,17%, to R47 and Bytes was up 120 cents, or 6,92%, to R18,55. Byte’s share price has risen 14% so far this month, while Caltech’s has added 10%.
Last week the companies released separate cautionary announcements advising they had entered into preliminary discussions that might impact on their share prices. A local trader speculated at the time that one company might buy into the other or that an offer to minorities could be in the offing.
Banking group First Rand was 43 cents, or 1,84%, lower at R22,97 and Nedbank lost R1,70, or 1,22%, to R137,30.
In insurance, Santam added 1,45%, or R1,50, to R105. — I-Net Bridge