South African stocks extended losses by noon on Tuesday as traders took profits amid volatility, uncertainty and concern over the global economic slowdown.
The local bourse, moving in line with weaker global markets, was weighed further by sharp losses in the resource sector and falling precious metal prices. Local banking stocks also came under pressure, possibly in reaction to the bank downgrade by global credit ratings agency Fitch.
By 11.59am, the JSE’s all-share index had given up 2,47%, weighed by resources which were down 3,18%, platinum stocks which lost 1,53% and gold miners which were down 0,65%. Banks were 3,37% lower, financials lost 2,46% and industrials were down 1,79%.
The rand was last bid at 10,17 to the dollar from 9,92 when the JSE closed on Monday, while gold was last quoted at $745,17 a troy ounce from $753,30/oz at the JSE’s last close.
The platinum price was at $845/oz from its previous close of $846/oz and Brent crude was at S$57,27 from its close of $59.,8.
Dow Jones Newswires reports that London shares fell with more downbeat data on the economy and weakness for commodity producers and banks offsetting a strong performance for Vodafone Group.
Other European shares were also under pressure in morning trade after a disappointing end to trade on Wall Street on Monday.
In London the FTSE was last down 2,34%. Earlier Asian markets were sharply weaker after excitement and positive sentiment from China’s stimulus package died down and traders started to take profits.
In Japan, the Nikkei closed down 3%.
“Yesterday markets were up impressively and as a result of the day-to-day volatility, today markets are down quite sharply,” a local trader said.
“There is profit taking after yesterday’s gains,” he explained.
“There is not much direction at the moment and locally markets are just following global markets,” he added.
The trader said that banking stocks had come under pressure, possibly in reaction to the downgrade by Fitch.
He pointed out that it has been “the pattern” lately that one day markets are up on the slightest bit of positive news, and then very soon after that reality kicks in and heavy losses become the name of the game.
On the JSE, resources giant Anglo American was down R7,40, or 3,11%, to R230,50 rand and BHP Billiton gave up R7,67, or 4,32%, to R169,9.
Sasol gave up R 9,49, or 3,41%, to R269.
ArcelorMittal was down R5,98, or 7,07%, to R78,55 and Highveld Steel gave up R1,31, or 2,04%, to R6,.95.
However Kumba Iron Orewas up R2, or 1,35%, to R150.
Platinum miner Impala Platinum (IMP) was down R3, or 2,50%, to R117 and Lonmin was off R13,99, or 7,46%, to R173,6.
Gold miners were flat, with AngloGold Ashanti edging down R1,25 rand to R188.
Among industrials, brewer SABMiller lost R7,81, or 5,04%, to R147, Barloworld gave up R2,72, or 4,61%, to R56,29 and Bidvest was down R1,50, or 1,52%, to R97.
Among banks Standard Bank shed R2,85, or 3,73%, to R73,65, Nedbank was down R1,03, or 1,15%, to R88,50, Absa lost R2,34, or 2,41%, to R94,76 and FirstRand gave up 66 cents, or 4,55%, to R13,84.
Global credit ratings agency Fitch Ratings has changed its outlook on Absa Bank, Investec Bank and Nedbank and their respective holding companies to Negative from Stable, following Monday’s revision to the outlook on South Africa’s sovereign Long-term foreign currency Issuer Default Rating (IDR) of ‘BBB+’.
Fund managers Coronation Fund Managers (CML) was unchanged at R4,90.
The group earlier reported a 33% decline in diluted headline earnings per share to 48,6 cents for the year ended September 2008 compared with 72,7 cents a year ago.
Cement producer Pretoria Portland was down R1,14, or 3,88%, to R28,23. The cement manufacturer earlier reported an 8% rise to 283 cents in its headline earnings per share for the year ended September 2008.
Construction group Stefanutti Stocks added five cents to R11,85.
The firm earlier reported diluted headline earnings per share of 85,08 cents for the six months ended in August 2008 compared with 40,22 cents a year ago.
MTN was down 60 cents to R112,50 and Telkom gave up R1,15, or 1,05%, to R108,85.
Kelly Group was up 35 cents, or 7,22%, to R5,20. The group earlier said that for the year ended September 2008 its earnings per share and headline earnings per share are expected to increase by between 25% and 35%. – I-Net Bridge