South Africa Market Watch | 6 July 2015: South African JSE falls 1.13%, industrial shares led losses

Johannesburg, South Africa (Capital Markets in Africa) —South African equity markets began the week bearish. The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) All Share closed 1.13 percent or 585.86 points lower to close at 51,381 points. The JSE Top 40 index also plunged by  1.34 percent or 623.18 points to end at 45,732.42 points and JSE Financial sector index went down by 0.55 percent or 242.50 points at 43,613.78 points. Both Industrial sector index and industrial 25 index fell by 1.40 percent (to end at 74,232.80) and 1.56 percent (to settle at 66,082.26) respectively. Likewise, the resource sector index tumbled by 0.92 percent with a closing level of 38,313.17. However, the JSE Gold index surged by 1.97 percent at 1,025.43 level.

Looking at the market strength/breath, the market recorded 121 price leaders and 188 price losers as well as 59 remained unchanged, hence market strength ended negative. On the gainers’ table, Eastern Platinum Limited was the biggest gainers with closing price of ZAR 17.49 in 5,820 shares, gaining 10.63 percent. Harmony Gold Mining Company was amongst the top gainers on Monday, rising 6.38 percent to ZAR 15.85 after investors traded 1,784,900 shares in 1,208 deals. Truworths International climbed 3.61 percent after 1,721 deals exchanged 1,022,371 shares, lifting the share price to ZAR 87.05. Others tops gainers were African Equity Empowerment Investments (added 5.43 at ZAR 2.33) and TEX South Africa (gained 5.35 percent with closing price of ZAR 10.43).

Amongst the biggest losers today was Interwaste Holdings, after 9 deals sold 217,255 shares, sending the share price down 7.83 percent to closed at ZAR 1.06. Petmin  fell 6.25 percent to trade at ZAR1.35 after 66 deals exchanged a total of 533,855 shares. Likewise, Spanjaard Limited plummeted by 20.00 percent to end at ZAR 4.00.

On the foreign exchange market, the South African Rand was weaker, trading at ZAR12.39 to the US dollar, ZAR 19.31 to the British pound and ZAR 13.71 to the Euro, by losing 0.95 percent, 0.89 percent and 0.28 percent respectively. However, the Rand rose by 0.92 percent against the New Zealand dollar to trade at ZAR 8.28 and against Aussie dollar to close at ZAR 9.3038 after appreciating by 0.48 percent.