South Africa Market Watch | 13 Aug 2015: Johannesburg Stock Exchange ends in green, with gains across the main sectors except gold mining

Johannesburg, South Africa (Capital Markets in Africa) —Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) rebound  to green region, with gains across the main sector indices except gold mining sector index.  Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) All Share plunged by 804.84 or 1.59 percent to close at 51,375.44 points and the JSE Top 40 index plummeted by 897.36 points or 2.00 percent to end at 45,877.71 points.

On the same trend, financial sector index surged by 0.93 percent or 416.29 points at 45,334.83 points. Both Industrial sector index and industrial 25 index advanced by 2.14 percent to close at 74,380.82  points and 2.40 percent to settle at 66,379.35 points respectively. Likewise, the resource index up by 0.21 percent or 76.16 points at 35,607.85 points but the Gold mining sector index sagged by 4.53 percent with a closing level of 829.78 points.

Looking at the market strength/breath (measured as ratio of gainers to losers), the market recorded 203 price gainers, 152 price losers and 58 remained unchanged, hence market strength/breathe ended positive.  Amongst the top gainers on Thursday was Eqstra Holdings, whose shares climbed 5.56 percent to end at ZAR 2.85 after investors exchanged 1,482,328 shares in 198 deals. Nu-world Holdings  rose 4.35 percent after 21 deals traded 204,414 shares, boosting the share price to settle at ZAR 24.00. Also on the gainers was Mediclinic International Limited, whose shares advanced 28.22 percent to sell at ZAR 13.95 after investors traded 567,708 shares. Eastern Platinum Limited also rose by 18.00 percent to ZAR 12.98 after exchanged a total of 2,000 shares. Nvest Financial Holdings Limited surged by 17.19 percent to end at ZAR 3.00.

On the losers’ league table, was Gold Fields whose shares fell to ZAR 35.37 after 1,972,747 shares were bought and sold in 2,363 deals, resulting in a loss in share price of 6.21 percent. Lonmin lost 4.81 percent as shares slid to end at ZAR7.71, after 1,942,942 shares were traded in 1,334 deals. Basil Read Holdings Limited tumbled by 8.70 percent to conclude at ZAR 4.20 a share after investors bought and sold 134,052 shares. DRD Gold Limited plunged by 6.94 percent after investors traded 318,295 shares, sending the share price sliding to ZAR 1.61. Quantum Foods Holdings Limited sagged by 6.86 percent to end at ZAR 3.26 after exchanging 1,972,747 shares.

On the forex markets front, the South rand was weaker against US dollar at ZAR 12.8062 by depreciating by 0.43 percent and depreciated by 0.35 percent against British pound to trade at ZAR 19.9485. The rand fell by 0.22 percent against the Euro to close at ZAR 14.2610.