A reversal in fortunes at the close placed a damper on the Christmas cheer the JSE enjoyed for most of the shortened trading day, with the All Share index breaking its three-day winning streak with a 0.16% dip. The rand, however, made a dash for the R15.55-level against the US dollar, breaking through just before midday to last trade at R15.54 against the greenback.
Heavyweights Prosus (+0.81%) and Naspers (+1.46%) extended their Tencent-induced gains, while energy counters Montauk (+5.06%) and Vivo (+1.78%) added to the early cheer.
Mixed metals prices – palladium gained 3.15% to $1,951.00/oz, while gold and platinum dropped 0.27% to $1,803.93/oz and 0.26% to $973.00 respectively – led to a mixed performance in commodity prices, with the losers outweighing the gainers. Among the losers dragging the bourse down were South32 (-6.48%), Thungela Resources (-4.06%), African Rainbow Minerals (-1.24%) and Exxaro (-1.67%). Platinum stocks reversed their early gains, with Implats ending down 1.13%, Angloplat down 0.30%, and Northam 0.20%. Anglo American (+0.19%) and Gold Fields (+0.24%) were among the rare commodity gainers.
Sasol (0.11%) also reversed gains on a stronger oil price ($76.12 a barrel) to end the day up slightly.
Indicators as at 12:00
Source: TreasuryONE
