Publications
Partners
Johannesburg - The JSE opened virtually flat in extremely thin trade on Friday, which marks the last trading day of the year. Markets will close at noon ahead of the New Year's Day holiday tomorrow.
By 09:21 local time the JSE all share index was flat (-0.06%), with resources shedding 0.13% and gold miners falling 0.54%. But platinum miners were up 0.17%. Banks lost 0.18% and financials (-0.06%) and industrials (0.08%) were flat.
The rand was bid at R6.61 to the dollar from R6.64 at the JSE's close on Thursday. Gold was quoted at $1 409.46 a troy ounce from $1 405.93/oz at the JSE's previous close, while platinum was at $1 753.00/oz from $1 758.20/oz before.
A trader said local investors were tracking their international counterparts. "It is the last day of trade. We may see some action later," the trader said.
Dow Jones Newswires reports that Asian stock markets were mixed in holiday-thinned trade on Friday, even as coal companies led Chinese stocks higher.
Japan's Nikkei Stock Average was up 0.50%, and in Hong Kong, the Hang Seng was last 1.15% firmer.
Hong Kong and Singapore markets are on a half day session, and the Sydney and Wellington markets closed early. Markets in Japan, Indonesia, the
Philippines, South Korea, Malaysia and Thailand were shut for New Year's Eve.
Australian stocks drifted lower in thin trade and RBS's head of domestic sales trading Justin Gallagher said there was no theme to the selling. "The volumes are so atrocious, maybe there's a bit of rebalancing going on," he added.
