Cape Town - The JSE was trading against the downward emerging market trend, with the Top 40 gaining 0.43% at 38 550 just after lunch on Thursday.
Resources were leading the charge, with Kumba Iron Ore (+2.73% at R450.97), African Rainbow Minerals (+2.69% at R191) and Amplats (+2.53% at R416.06) among the top gainers.
Gold Fields bucked the trend, dropping a massive 10.48% at R59 after the gold miner posted a loss for the second quarter.
Diversified resources group Exxaro added 0.03% to R162.59‚ despite posting a 39% drop in first-half headline earlier on Thursday.
Gold Fields said its loss mostly derived from impairment charges of $143m at its Tarkwa operations and $127m at its Damang operations, both of which are in Ghana.
Despite the losses, it said it would spend $300m to snap up Barrick Gold's Australian assets.
Among financial services counters, Sanlam was the top performer, gaining 2.33% at R46.99.
Standard Bank was the only bank showing a gain, up 0.12% at R113.30.
First Rand, Absa and Nedbank lost ground - 1.42%, 0.34% and 0.52% respectively.
Retailer Massmart dipped 1.58% to R152.33 after reporting a 9.9% fall in first-half profit on Thursday as debt-laden consumers at its home market cut down on spending.
Meanwhile, the rand took a beating on Thursday, trading down 1.77% at R10.34 against the greenback. Against the pound and euro the local currency was changing hands at R16.11/£ (-1.28%) and R13.77/€ (-1.03%) respectively.
Resources were leading the charge, with Kumba Iron Ore (+2.73% at R450.97), African Rainbow Minerals (+2.69% at R191) and Amplats (+2.53% at R416.06) among the top gainers.
Gold Fields bucked the trend, dropping a massive 10.48% at R59 after the gold miner posted a loss for the second quarter.
Diversified resources group Exxaro added 0.03% to R162.59‚ despite posting a 39% drop in first-half headline earlier on Thursday.
Gold Fields said its loss mostly derived from impairment charges of $143m at its Tarkwa operations and $127m at its Damang operations, both of which are in Ghana.
Despite the losses, it said it would spend $300m to snap up Barrick Gold's Australian assets.
Among financial services counters, Sanlam was the top performer, gaining 2.33% at R46.99.
Standard Bank was the only bank showing a gain, up 0.12% at R113.30.
First Rand, Absa and Nedbank lost ground - 1.42%, 0.34% and 0.52% respectively.
Retailer Massmart dipped 1.58% to R152.33 after reporting a 9.9% fall in first-half profit on Thursday as debt-laden consumers at its home market cut down on spending.
Meanwhile, the rand took a beating on Thursday, trading down 1.77% at R10.34 against the greenback. Against the pound and euro the local currency was changing hands at R16.11/£ (-1.28%) and R13.77/€ (-1.03%) respectively.