The JSE remained in the red by midday on Friday weighed by resources and gold stocks, which remained under pressure.
The local bourse moved in line with weaker European markets as investors opted to be cautious ahead of US employment data due for release later on Friday.
By 12:04pm the all-share index had lost 1,17%, with resources shedding 3,64% and gold miners down 1,70%. However, platinum counters edged up 0,43%.
Banks were up 2,61%, financials added 0,88% and industrials were up 0,40%.
The rand was last bid at R10,22 to the dollar from R10,21 when the JSE closed on Thursday, while gold was last quoted at $770,50 a troy ounce from $773,27/oz at the JSE’s last close.
The platinum price was at $807,50/oz from its previous close of $786,50/oz and Brent crude was at $42,53 per barrel from $42,28 before.
“We are still following world markets lower,” a local trader said.
“There is a lot of nervousness ahead of the non-farm payroll data this afternoon. Everyone has adopted a cautious, wait-and-see approach,” he said.
“The miners continue to dictate the moves and are leading us down,” he said.
Earlier the Nikkei was flat (down 0,1%) but the Hang Seng was up 1,9%.
Dow Jones Newswires reports that European stocks remained down, as investors adopted a cautious stance ahead of key US non-farm payroll report.
In London, the FTSE was last down 0,97%.
US stocks are expected to open higher, bouncing from Thursday’s late session sell-off.
A trader at GFT Global Markets calls the DJIA to open up 49 points at 8425 and the S&P 500 up three at 845,2.
On the JSE, Anglo American lost R13,50, or 6,75%, to R186,50 and BHP Billiton gave up R5,54, or 3,60%, to R148,46.
Petrochemicals group Sasol gave up R9,56, or 3,57%, to R257,94.
Gold miner AngloGold Ashanti shed R2,77, or 1,23%, to R222,23, Gold Fields weakened R1,47, or 1,89%, to R76,28 and Harmony gave up R2,25, or 2,53%, to R86,75.
Anglo Platinum was up R5,25, or 1,34%, to R396,25 but Lonmin weakened R9,01, or 8,79%, to R93,49.
African Rainbow was off R3,21, or 3,34%, to R92,99 and Exxaro lost R1,50, or 2,17%, to R67,50.
Elsewhere on the JSE, brewer SABMiller was up R1,01 to R162,01, Bidvest lost R2,70, or 2,57%, to R102,25 and Barloworld shed 50 cents, or 1,25%, to R39,50.
Banker Standard Bank added R2, or 2,51%, to R81,60, Nedbank collected R1,76, or 1,98%, to R90,80, Absa firmed R3,25, or 3,15%, to R106,45 and FirstRand rose 52 cents, or 3,54%, to R15,20.
Financial services group Old Mutual was down 33 cents, or 4,52%, to R6,97 but Sanlam was up 30 cents, or 1,81%, to R16,90.
Media group Caxton lost 40 cents, or 3,36%, to R11,50 and Avusa gave up 20 cents, or 1,12%, to R17,70.
Retailer Spar was down 96 cents, or 1,78%, to R52,98 but Steinhoff added 31 cents, or 3,05%, to R10,46 and Foschini was up 90 cents, or 2%, to R46.
Construction group Murray & Roberts was down R2,52, or 6,15%, to R38,48, Group Five lost 38 cents, or 1,23%, to R30,62 but Pretoria Portland added 44 cents, or 1,52%, to R29,44.
Telecommunication group MTN Group collected R2,55, or 2,69%, to R97,39 but Telkom eased 10 cents to R99,40. – I-Net Bridge