The JSE was lower at noon on Monday, eroding earlier short covering-induced gains as easing metal prices weighed on the mining sector, traders said.
At noon, the all-share index was down 0,79%, with resources 1,70% weaker. Platinum miners were 1,99% lower, while gold miners were 0,88% softer. Industrials were off 0,02% but financials were up 0,84% and banks improved 1,88%.
The rand was bid at 7,75 to the dollar from 7,70 when the JSE closed on Friday, while gold was quoted at $920,13 a troy ounce from $932,60/oz at the JSE’s last close.
Dow Jones Newswires reports that United States stock futures slipped on Monday after a three-day break, with oil price relief and dollar strength not enough to encourage investors as the second-quarter earnings season nears.
S&P 500 futures fell 3,3 points to 1 261,60 and Dow industrial futures fell 24 points. Futures on the Nasdaq 100 edged up 0,75 of a point to 1 822,75.
Locally, traders said a firming dollar was putting pressure on the bullion price, sparking a broad-based retreat across all other metals.
“We saw a retreat in the gold price this morning [Monday] and the rand is not helping exporters either,” one trader said, adding banks and financials were recovering from oversold positions.
On the resource index, Anglo American was down R4,27 at R477,99 and BHP Billiton fell R6,20, or 2,31%, to R261,71.
BHP Billiton said earlier that its first oil and natural gas production had commenced from the Neptune development in the deepwater Gulf of Mexico.
Sasol lost R8,50, or 1,91%, to R436,50 as the price of crude oil retreats from record highs. Brent crude was last at $142,70 — down $1,72, or 1,19%, from its overnight close.
Among gold miners AngloGold Ashanti shed R1,41 to R253,59, Harmony was down R2,27, or 2,49%, to R88,99 but Gold Fields was flat (down two cents or -0,02%) at R91,24 amid reports that the National Union of Mineworkers will stage a nationwide strike to protest against the number of deaths at Gold Fields mines in the country.
Platinum miner AngloPlat was up R8 to 1 238 but Implats slumped R10,34, or 4%, to R248,16. Lonmin dropped R8,77, or 2,05%, to R418,83. It said earlier that it had now resumed normal smelting operations, with the Number One furnace tapping matte on July 5.
Brewer SABMiller was off R1,68, or 1,02%, at R162,73 and Bidvest eased R1,86, or 1,98%, to R92,14.
MTN was up R3,20, or 2,64%, to R124,20 as it continued to be buoyed by potential corporate activity, and Telkom added 98 cents to R132,98.
Among banks, Standard Bank added R2,14, or 2,94%, to R74,90, Absa improved R1,04, or 1,28%, to R82,54 and FirstRand was 16 cents, or 1,23%, better at R13,19.
Life insurer Old Mutual notched up 16 cents, or 1,18%, to R13,75 but Sanlam was off 23 cents, or 1,48%, to R15,31.
In the news, Shoprite tumbled 77 cents, or 2,04%, to R37,05 . It said earlier annual total turnover increased by 22,3% to R47,7-billion. — I-Net Bridge