South Africa Market Watch | 18 Aug 2015: JSE returns to green, with gains across the main sector indices except resource sector index

 Johannesburg, South Africa (Capital Markets in Africa) — Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) returned to green, with gains across the main sector indices except resource sector index. JSE All Share advanced by 225.93 or 0.45 percent to close at 50,977.03 points and the JSE Top 40 index surged by 179.83 points or 0.40 percent to end at 45,467.35 points.

From the sector perspectives, financial sector index gained 0.58 percent or 258.87 points at 45,017.66 points. Both Industrial sector index and industrial 25 index advanced by 0.58 percent to close at 73,857.81 points and 0.58 percent to settle at 65,855.13 points respectively. However, the resource index down by 0.48 percent or 169.35 points to closed at 35,157.04 points but the Gold mining sector index climbed by 3.61 percent with a closing level of 842.53 points.

Looking at the market strength/breath (measured as ratio of gainers to losers), the market recorded 188 price gainers, 154 price losers and 73 remained unchanged, hence market strength/breathe ended positive.  Amongst the top gainers was Syfrets & Commercial Union Property Fund climbed by 10.23 percent to end at ZAR 31.00 after investors exchanged 390 shares. Marshall Monteagle Plc rose by 7.78 percent after traded 2,500 shares, boosting the share price to ZAR 15.10. Africapalladium Debs also added 7.63 percent to sell at ZAR 76.77 after investors traded 276,888 shares. Raubex Group Limited rose by 6.54 percent to ZAR 19.71 after exchanged a total of 263,567 shares. Lodestone Reit Limited surged by 5.57 percent to end at ZAR 7.39.

On the losers’ league table, was Brimstone Investment Corporation Limited whose shares fell to ZAR 14.50 after 2,010 shares were bought and sold, resulting in a loss in share price of 15.20 percent. Arcelormittal SA Limited lost 7.64 percent as shares slid to end at ZAR 12.93, after 220,993 shares were traded. Stefanutti Stocks Holdings Limited tumbled by 5.51 percent to conclude at ZAR 4.63 a share after investors bought and sold 162,574 shares. Lonmin Plc plunged by 4.49 percent after investors traded 19,190,346 shares, sending the share price sliding to ZAR 6.80. Bee-Sasol Limited sagged by 3.27 percent to end at ZAR 325.00 after exchanging 158 shares.

On the forex markets front, the South rand was weaker against US dollar at ZAR 12.9142 by depreciating by 013 percent and depreciated by 0.55 percent against British pound to trade at ZAR 20.1922. The rand appreciated by 0.40 percent against the Euro to close at ZAR 14.2399.