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Johannesburg - South African stocks ended slightly lower on Wednesday, snapping a two-day winning streak, as miners came under pressure from a stronger rand and faltering metal prices.
The benchmark JSE Top-40 index was down 0.27% at 46 351 and the broader All-share index inched down 0.23% to 51 610.
"The rand is little firmer and the price of iron ore continues to pull back and that is keeping diversified miners under some pressure," said Rabi Thithi, a trader at Avior Research.
The rand, whose strength puts pressure on dollar-denominated earnings at mining companies, firmed for the second straight day while iron ore hit its lowest in nearly two years as a rise in supply outstripped demand from China.
Iron ore producer Kumba Iron Ore lost 1.3% to R329.30 while rival Assore lost 1.1% to R324.52 and African Rainbow Minerals retreated 0.75% to R184.61.
In earnings news, Imperial Holdings gained as investors cheered a dividend payout even after the transport firm posted a fall in full-year profit. Shares in the company were up 1% at R197.15, reversing losses suffered early in the session.
Discovery climbed 1.9% to R100 after the insurer flagged as much as 50% surge in full-year earnings.
Trade was robust with 206 million shares changing owners, well above last year's daily average of about 176 million shares.
