Resource stocks added plenty of extra muscle to the JSE on Thursday, which was underpinned by strength in gold and platinum. Earlier in the session the JSE hit a fresh trading high of 31 628,820 points, but was slightly below that level by midday.
Local market players are waiting for the decision on interest rates at the conclusion of the Reserve Bank Monetary Policy Committee’s (MPC) two-day meeting.
The announcement is due shortly after 3pm.
By noon, the all-share index was up 1,15%, led by a 1,96% climb in resources and a 1,74% rise in the platinum-mining index. The gold-mining index was 0,07% firmer. Banks gained 0,86% and financials advanced 0,5%, while industrials collected 0,47%.
The rand was bid at 6,83 to the US dollar, from 6,85 when the JSE closed on Wednesday, while gold was quoted at $746,65 a troy ounce from $742,75/oz at the JSE’s last close.
“The JSE is up on the back of resources stocks and strong commodities prices,” said a local equities trader.
Power failures and threats of a strike by South Africa’s mineworkers over safety at the country’s mines helped spur the platinum price to a high on Thursday.
Platinum was last trading at $1 397, having gained $13 since its Wednesday close. Platinum’s previous high was $1 385 an ounce on September 28.
But platinum was not the only precious metal recording gains — palladium was also testing fresh highs at $375, after gaining $10 an ounce on Wednesday.
While gold has surpassed its 28-year high of $746, it is still some way off its record high of $850 an ounce achieved in 1980.
Among platinum stocks on the JSE, Anglo Platinum edged up R4 to R1 134 and Impala Platinum added R6,52, or 2,62%, to R255,52. Lonmin was up R13,38, or 2,65%, to R517,40 and Aquarius Platinum advanced R11,44, or 4,88%, to R246.
In the resources sector, Sasol gained R4,80, or 1,47%, to R332. The petrochemicals group said earlier that its subsidiary Sasol Mining has formed a black women-controlled coal mining company called Ixia Coal. In a transaction valued at almost R1,9-billion, Ixia Coal will acquire 20% of Sasol Mining’s shareholding through the issue of new shares.
Anglo American added R9,94, or 2,11%, to R482 and BHP Billiton firmed R7,02, or 2,81%, to R257,02.
Gold miner AngloGold Ashanti lifted R1,87 to R302,98 but Goldfields was off 45 cents at R125,50 and Harmony shed 30 cents to R69,72.
In the industrial sector, brewer SABMiller edged up 77 cents to R209,32 and luxury goods group Richemont was 33 cents better at R45,50.
In the telecommunications sector, fixed-line operator Telkom was up R4,78, or 2,75%, to R178,78 and mobile network operator MTN Group rose R1,25, or 1,12%, to R113,25.
Banking group Firstrand edged up 11 cents to R24,39 and Nedbank collected R2,26, or 1,69%, to R135,96. – I-Net Bridge