JSE remains in the red
20 November 2009
The JSE remained in the red before close on Thursday, dragged down by weaker global markets, with a poor opening on Wall Street contributing to the losses.
The JSE's all share index dropped 0.56 percent to close at 27 059.210 points. Resources pulled back 1.28 percent, the platinum mining index shed 0.52 percent, while the gold mining index slumped 2.10 percent.
Banks and financials eased 0.60 percent and 0.36 percent respectively, however industrials bucked the weaker trend lifting 0.17 percent.
Resources heavyweight Anglo American plc dropped 2.25 percent to 317.58 rand while rival BHP Billiton retreated 1.96 rand to 230.04 rand. Synthetics giant Sasol shed 51 cents to 294.99 rand.
Among platinum miners, Anglo Platinum gained 2.88 rand to 705 rand, however Impala Platinum eased 1.06 percent to 168.70 rand and Lonmin dropped 2.01 percent to 211.66 rand.
Among gold counters, AngloGold Ashanti tumbled 3.28 percent to 324.99 rand, Gold Fields slipped 10 cents to 106.95 rand, while Harmony retreated 2.76 percent, to 78.55 rand.
Steel maker ArcelorMittal lost 2.28 percent to 106.51 rand, while Kumba Iron Ore dropped 1.07 percent to 254.87 rand.
Paper giant Sappi jumped 2.49 percent to 30.85 rand, however rival Mondi dropped 2.55 percent to 41.27 rand.
Among industrials, brewer SABMiller earlier reported adjusted earnings per share of US 80.0 cents for the six months ended September 2009, up six percent from 75.2 cents a year ago. Adjusted EPS were 49.9 UK pence compared with 38.9 pence and 648.9 SA cents from 585.8 cents a rise of 10 percent. Basic earnings per share were down 34 percent to 63.0 cents from 94.8 cents before.
The group said lager volumes decreased 1 percent on an organic basis with growth in Africa and Asia offset by weaker volumes in other markets. Group revenue was down 6 percent to $13.355-billion before and EBITA was two percent lower at $2.187-billion, impacted by weakness of the group's major operating currencies against the US dollar compared with the same period last year. The group's share price rallied 4.38 percent, to 216.75 rand.
Investment banking group Investec earlier reported basic headline earnings per share of 20.4 pence for the six months to 30 September from 25.6 pence earlier. Basic earnings per share were at 22.2 pence from 25.6 pence earlier. The board declared a dividend of 8 pence per ordinary share from 8 pence earlier. Operating profit decreased 10.7 percent to £216.0-million from £241.8-million, while adjusted earnings attributable to shareholders before goodwill and non-operating items decreased 3.1 percent to £160.4-million from £165.6-million previously. The group's share price pulled back 1.33 percent to 55.70 rand.
Banking giant Absa dropped 1.44 percent to 126 rand.
