South African stocks were sharply lower at noon on Wednesday, weighed by miners on falling metal prices and banks after worse-than-expected inflation data.
At noon, the all-share index tumbled 1,26%. Resources fell 2,14%, the gold and platinum mining indices gave up 2,42% and 2,78% respectively. Banks were down 2,21%, financials edged down 0,26% and industrials weakened 0,29%.
The rand was bid at 7,71 to the US dollar from 7,75 when the JSE closed on Tuesday, while gold was quoted at $893,65 a troy ounce from $908,65/oz at the JSE’s last close.
“Gold is down, platinum is down and copper is not doing that well, and that’s the reason for the weakening mining sector,” one trader said.
Above-forecasts CPIX inflation data added to the bearish sentiment, traders said.
Statistics SA data showed on Wednesday that April CPIX rose to 10,4% y/y, from 10,1% in March and above 9,9% the market had expected.
Platinum was last trading at $2 047/oz, a telling $75,50 drop, and in reaction, Anglo Platinum fell R35, or 2,47%, to R1 383. Impala Platinum tumbled R10,50, or 3,04%, to R334,50.
Among gold miners, AngloGold Ashanti was off R5,02, or 1,66%, to R296,98, Gold Fields lost R3,37, or 3,24%, to R100,56 and Harmony dropped R2,78, or 2,93%, to R91,97 as the gold price dipped below the $900 level on falling oil price.
Diversified mining giant Anglo American was down R5,25, or 1,01%, to R517 and BHP Billiton dropped R9,21, or 3,01%, to R297.
Synthetic fuels maker Sasol sank R11,20, or 2,32%, to R471,80. Brent crude futures were last trading at $126,29 per barrel, down $2.02, or 1,57%.
Elsewhere, brewer SABMiller was up R1 to R202 and Tiger Brands added 26 cents to R159,86.
Among banks and financials, Standard Bank tumbled R2,09, or 2,39%, to R85,40 after saying it would be unable to meet its earnings targets.
“It is unlikely that the group will achieve its objective of normalised headline earnings per share growth of inflation (CPIX) plus five percentage points for 2008,” it said.
Separately, the group said late on Tuesday it planned to buy the shares it didn’t already own in Liberty Holding, the entity that controls Liberty Group Limited, for R4,4-billion.
Shares in Liberty Group rallied R6,44, or 9,49%, to R74,33 while Libhold soared R36,40, or 20,61%, to R213. – I-Net Bridge