The JSE was steady at midday on Wednesday, unmoved by the release of local CPI and CPIX data which was in line with market expectations.
By noon, the JSE’s all-share index had collected 0,52% as the gold-mining index advanced 1,22%. The platinum-mining index added 0,95% and financials climbed 0,68%. Resources recovered 0,58%, banks lifted 0,43% and industrials were 0,32% better.
The rand was bid at 6,97 to the US dollar, unchanged from when the JSE closed on Tuesday, while gold was quoted at $730,30 a troy ounce from $728,20 at the JSE’s last close.
“The JSE is actually surprisingly strong. There has been a recovery in shares which have been hurt quite badly like Naspers. Also Investec is up quite nicely after being hammered yesterday,” said a local equities trader.
He added that there seems to be some genuine buying.
Commenting about CPI and CPIX data released earlier, he said: “The data didn’t affect the market, investors just shrugged it off.”
At midday on the JSE, Anglo American had lifted R5,59, or 1,24%, to R457, but BHP Billiton was unchanged from Tuesday’s close at R241,50.
Sasol slumped R3,23, or 1,04%, to R306,02 and Kumba Iron Ore shot up R6,50, or 2,85%, to R234,50.
Anglogold Ashanti lost 54 cents to R325,45, but Goldfields added 3,02%, or R3,69, to R125,69.
Angloplat collected R13, or 1,25%, to R1 053, and Impala gained R2 to R245. Lonmin edged up R3,69 to R458,29 and Aquarius Platinum surged R14,65, or 5,97%, to R260.
Cement manufacturer PPC rose 2,73%, or R1,27, to R47,73 and Murray and Roberts lifted 1,53%, or R1,29, to R85,39.
Diversified industrial group Barloworld rallied 3,24%, or R3,93, to R125,21.
In the retail sector, Spar added 1,55%, or 80 cents, to R52,50 and Woolies edged up eight cents to R17,58. JD Group was off 3,18%, or R1,89, to R57,61.
Media stock Naspers recovered 3%, or R5,30, to R181,80, while Johncom was 52 cents lower at R87,38.
Among financial stocks, Investec collected 2,62%, or R1,89, to R73,89 and Investec was up 3,56%, or R2,50, to R72,80.
Standard Bank advanced 55 cents to R98,50, while Absa added 30 cents to R120,90. – I-Net Bridge