South Africa Equity Market | 26 Aug 2015: Johannesburg Stock Exchange ends in bear, all sectors in red

Johannesburg, South Africa (Capital Markets in Africa) — Johannesburg Stock Exchange equity markets returned to the South Pole path. JSE All Share closed 1.27 percent or 621.60 points lower to end at 48,359.24 points and the JSE Top 40 index crashed by 584.99 points or 1.35 percent to end at 42,854.06 points.

JSE Financial sector index plunged by 1.37 percent or 594.03 points at 42,904.46 points. Both Industrial sector index and industrial 25 index advanced by 1.21 percent to close at 70,119.86 points and 1.30 percent to settle at 62,419.10 points respectively. The resource index crashed by 1.37 percent or 456.64 points to close at 32,891.69 points and the Gold mining sector index tumbled by 6.40 percent with a closing level of 886.26 points.

Looking at the market strength/breath (measured as ratio of gainers to losers), the market recorded 114 price gainers, 228 price losers and 65 remained unchanged, hence market strength/breathe ended negative.  On the top ten biggest gainers list today was Adcock Ingram Holdings, whose shares rose 6.09% to sell at ZAR 50.50 after investors bought and sold 1,040,925 shares in 462 deals. Metrofile Holdings gained 4.90% after 90 deals traded 1,038,846 shares, pushing the share price up to ZAR 4.50.

Gold Fields fell to ZAR 36.99 after investors exchanged 3,521,527 shares in 3,758 deals, resulting in a loss of 8.40% in the share price. After 1,353 deals totalling 2,048,847 shares, Harmony Gold Mining Company slid 6.40% to ZAR 11.40 a share. 

On the currency markets front, the South rand was stronger against US dollar at ZAR 13.1116 by appreciating by 0.21 percent and added 1.71 percent against British pound to trade at ZAR 20.2561. The rand also appreciated by 1.77 percent against the Euro to close at ZAR 14.8976.