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Johannesburg - The JSE stayed weaker at noon on Friday as the market awaited US employment data, which might give some direction.
By 12:01 local time, the JSE All Share [JSE:J203] index was down 0.41%, with resources falling 0.39%, platinum miners shedding 0.13% and gold miners dropping 0.74%. Financials lost 0.17% and industrials eased 0.52%. But banks were flat.
The rand was bid at 6.73 to the dollar from 6.72 at the JSE's close on Thursday. Gold was quoted at US$1 485.53 a troy ounce from US$1 488.43/oz at the JSE's previous close, while platinum was at $1 791.70/oz, from $1 771.00/oz previously.
"The market will wait for US employment data due out later today. It might tread sideways until then," an equity derivatives trader said.
There was still nervousness fuelled by the commodity sell-off. Falling commodity prices have been putting pressure on markets around the world.
Dow Jones Newswires reported that European shares edged higher, with Royal Bank of Scotland Group among the top gainers. The bank said its first-quarter net loss more than doubled, but charges for bad debt continued to improve and its lending margins strengthened.
US stock futures edged higher on Friday as investors prepared for April nonfarm-payrolls figures and other labour data a day after equities saw heavy pressure from a dramatic crash in commodities prices.
The US Labor Department will release nonfarm payrolls and other labour market data at 08:30 EDT.
The possibility of a weaker-than-expected figure cannot be excluded "as both February and March data were supported by unusual increases, which are unlikely to be repeated in April", wrote strategists at KBC Bank in Brussels.
By 12:01 local time, the JSE All Share [JSE:J203] index was down 0.41%, with resources falling 0.39%, platinum miners shedding 0.13% and gold miners dropping 0.74%. Financials lost 0.17% and industrials eased 0.52%. But banks were flat.
The rand was bid at 6.73 to the dollar from 6.72 at the JSE's close on Thursday. Gold was quoted at US$1 485.53 a troy ounce from US$1 488.43/oz at the JSE's previous close, while platinum was at $1 791.70/oz, from $1 771.00/oz previously.
"The market will wait for US employment data due out later today. It might tread sideways until then," an equity derivatives trader said.
There was still nervousness fuelled by the commodity sell-off. Falling commodity prices have been putting pressure on markets around the world.
Dow Jones Newswires reported that European shares edged higher, with Royal Bank of Scotland Group among the top gainers. The bank said its first-quarter net loss more than doubled, but charges for bad debt continued to improve and its lending margins strengthened.
US stock futures edged higher on Friday as investors prepared for April nonfarm-payrolls figures and other labour data a day after equities saw heavy pressure from a dramatic crash in commodities prices.
The US Labor Department will release nonfarm payrolls and other labour market data at 08:30 EDT.
The possibility of a weaker-than-expected figure cannot be excluded "as both February and March data were supported by unusual increases, which are unlikely to be repeated in April", wrote strategists at KBC Bank in Brussels.
