The JSE was mixed at midday on Tuesday as world markets started to pull back off their highs after United States futures indicated a weaker opening on Wall Street.
At midday on the JSE, the all-share index was 0,52% lower. Resources shed 0,69%, and the gold- and platinum-mining indices retreated 2,22% and 0,38% respectively. Industrials dipped 0,33%; financials were off 0,52% and banks lost 0,89%.
The rand was bid at 7,42 to the US dollar from 7,37 when the JSE closed on Monday, while gold was quoted at $656,10 a troy ounce from $659,15/oz at the JSE’s last close.
“It is quite a mixed market. We started slightly firm in the morning following world markets, but they have pulled back off their highs and we have followed,” said a local trader.
The FTSE all-share was flat (+0,01%);,the Hang Seng added 0,62% and the Nikkei advanced 1,07%.
Among resource stocks, Anglo American was down R2,50 to R379,50, and BHP Billiton shed 99 cents to R187,01 but Exxaro firmed 50 cents to R65.
Petrochemical giant Sasol lost R1 to R269.
Gold miner AngloGold Ashanti fell 1,49%, or R4, to R265, Goldfields dipped 2,88%, or R2,99, to R101,01 and Harmony slumped 2,63%, or R1,75 , to R64,75.
Platinum miner Anglo Platinum retreated R14, or 1,65%, to R836, but Impala Platinum added 75 cents to R184,50.
Paper and pulp producer Sappi shed 2,05%, or R2,18, to R104,20 but Mondi gained 3,06%, or R1,93, to R65,03.
Cement manufacturer PPC collected 2,14% or 85 cents to R40,60.
Among retailers, Massmart rose 2,19%, or R1,75, at R81,55 and JD Group climbed 4,37%, or R2,80, to R66,80.
Ellerine Holdings rallied 20,33%, or R12,30, to R72,80 and ABIL added 52 cents, or 1,76%, to R30,03.
The country’s biggest microlender, African Bank Investments Limited, also known as ABIL, disclosed on Monday that it has submitted a letter to the board of furniture group Ellerine Holdings expressing an interest to acquire the company.
ABIL plans to offer R85 per share for Ellerines, equating to a purchase consideration of about R9,85-billion, and intends to settle the purchase consideration by way of an issue of new ABIL ordinary shares.
In the telecommunications sector, MTN Group pulled back R2,88, or 2,93%, to R95,40.
Banking group Absa slumped 1,37%, or R1,75, to R126, Nedbank gave up 1,52%, or R1,99, to R128,80 but Standard Bank was flat (+0,01%) at R96.
In the life assurance sector, Liberty added 15 cents to R83,05 but Liberty Holdings fell 2,84%, or six rand, to R205.
South African insurer Santam was unchanged at R104. Earlier on Tuesday, it reported a 61% increase in headline earnings per share to 803 cents for the six months ended June from 498 cents a year ago. Diluted HEPS were up 63% to 793 cents from a previous 488 cents. — I-Net Bridge