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Johannesburg - The JSE declined on Wednesday morning as
investor nervousness crept into the market.
A local trader said that investors were a bit unsure about
what may arise out of US jobs data due out today. The Portuguese bond auction
was also being monitored closely.
At 09:21 local time, the JSE All Share [JSE:J203] index was
0.29% weaker. Resources lessened 0.49%, gold stocks dipped 0.39% and platinum
shares dropped 0.30%.
Industrials were 0.20% lower, while financials and banks
were flat (-0.04% and 0.01% respectively).
The rand was bid at R7.83 to the dollar from R7.79 at the
JSE's close on Tuesday. Gold was quoted at $1 734.18 a troy ounce from $1
742.21/oz at the JSE's previous close, while platinum was at $1 590.50/oz, from
$1 616/oz before.
Dow Jones Newswires reported that most Asian stock markets
were modestly higher on Wednesday as encouraging Chinese manufacturing data
tempered concern over a batch of downbeat US economic reports, while earnings
disappointments in Japan capped stocks there.
Investors were wary as they digested several pieces of
competing global data and remained uneasy about Greece's protracted debt
restructuring talks. Oil prices rose on the China data, though the US dollar
continued to attract safe-haven flows after US consumer confidence, housing and
manufacturing data revealed weakness in the economy.
European stock markets were heading toward modest gains to open. However, with US futures slightly lower overnight, stock gains might be limited. Bunds and gilts might start mixed. The euro was lower, while oil futures and spot gold were higher.
