Publications
Partners
Johannesburg - The JSE firmed at the opening bell on Friday, as sentiment was buoyed by strong private sector jobs data in the US.
A local dealer said that non-farm payrolls data expected out later in the day would drive further direction.
By 09:11 local time, the JSE All Share [JSE:J203] index added 0.24%, with banks picking up 0.49% and financials gaining 0.34%. Industrials also gained 0.34%. Platinum miners firmed 0.13%, gold miners gained 0.50% and resources were flat (0.02%).
The rand was bid at R6.69 to the dollar, from R6.67 to the dollar at the JSE's close on Thursday. Gold was quoted at $1 530.77 a troy ounce from $1 527/oz at the JSE's previous close, while platinum was at $1 745/oz, from $1 736/oz previously.
The dealer said that volume had remained relatively light throughout the week with all eyes on the US jobs data later.
Dow Jones Newswires reported that Asian stock markets were mostly higher on Friday after strong private sector jobs data in the US lifted sentiment, with mergers and acquisition activity dominating choppy action on the Korean bourse.
Japan's Nikkei Stock Average rose 0.7%, while South Korea's Kospi Composite was down 0.1%. The Shanghai Composite Index was down 0.1%, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index added 0.9%.
After the upbeat ADP private sector US jobs data on Thursday, "all eyes will be on tonight's US non-farm payrolls," said Philip Wee at DBS Research in Singapore. "Having entered into the first month of the second half, the market is looking for reasons to look past the soft patch in the second quarter."
In Tokyo, the Nikkei briefly rose above the 10 200 mark for the first time since the March 11 earthquake, buoyed by a weaker yen and optimism on the US economy.
European stocks are expected to open higher on Friday, after a round of better than expected labour data from the world's largest economy on Thursday raised expectations for the all-important US nonfarm payrolls release later.
The ADP employment report on Thursday showed that private businesses added 157 000 jobs in June, against expectations for a gain of 95 000. Separately, data showed that new claims for unemployment benefits fell more than expected for the week ended July 2.
As a result, economists have raised their expectations for Friday's nonfarm payrolls release, which is due at 12:30 GMT. Rabobank said initial expectations were for a 105 000 increase, but after Thursday's data, these are likely to have been revised up to 135 000.
A local dealer said that non-farm payrolls data expected out later in the day would drive further direction.
By 09:11 local time, the JSE All Share [JSE:J203] index added 0.24%, with banks picking up 0.49% and financials gaining 0.34%. Industrials also gained 0.34%. Platinum miners firmed 0.13%, gold miners gained 0.50% and resources were flat (0.02%).
The rand was bid at R6.69 to the dollar, from R6.67 to the dollar at the JSE's close on Thursday. Gold was quoted at $1 530.77 a troy ounce from $1 527/oz at the JSE's previous close, while platinum was at $1 745/oz, from $1 736/oz previously.
The dealer said that volume had remained relatively light throughout the week with all eyes on the US jobs data later.
Dow Jones Newswires reported that Asian stock markets were mostly higher on Friday after strong private sector jobs data in the US lifted sentiment, with mergers and acquisition activity dominating choppy action on the Korean bourse.
Japan's Nikkei Stock Average rose 0.7%, while South Korea's Kospi Composite was down 0.1%. The Shanghai Composite Index was down 0.1%, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index added 0.9%.
After the upbeat ADP private sector US jobs data on Thursday, "all eyes will be on tonight's US non-farm payrolls," said Philip Wee at DBS Research in Singapore. "Having entered into the first month of the second half, the market is looking for reasons to look past the soft patch in the second quarter."
In Tokyo, the Nikkei briefly rose above the 10 200 mark for the first time since the March 11 earthquake, buoyed by a weaker yen and optimism on the US economy.
European stocks are expected to open higher on Friday, after a round of better than expected labour data from the world's largest economy on Thursday raised expectations for the all-important US nonfarm payrolls release later.
The ADP employment report on Thursday showed that private businesses added 157 000 jobs in June, against expectations for a gain of 95 000. Separately, data showed that new claims for unemployment benefits fell more than expected for the week ended July 2.
As a result, economists have raised their expectations for Friday's nonfarm payrolls release, which is due at 12:30 GMT. Rabobank said initial expectations were for a 105 000 increase, but after Thursday's data, these are likely to have been revised up to 135 000.
