S. African bourse closes higher, assisted by financial, resources shares

The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) closed higher on Tuesdays after a topsy-turvy morning amid expected U.S. rate increases in June.

The all share index closed 0.80 percent higher at 53,050.76 and the blue-chip top 40 edged up 1.07 percent. The gold index was up 1.01 percent and banks rose 1.06 percent. Financials climbed 1.24 percent and resources rose 0.68 percent.

Commodity prices failed to provide support with the spot gold price falling 1.18 percent to 1,234.19 U.S. dollars a fine ounce. The platinum price edged up 0.25 percent to 1,008.07 dollars.

The rand at 5: 00 p.m. local time was trading at R15.66 to the U.S. dollar, R22.84 to the British pound and R17.47 to the euro.

In a note in the morning, Momentum SP Reid said the JSE delivered an inconsistent performance on Monday, and the potential for a short and sharp break in either way is present in the market given the current technical position.

Among the bigger market cap shares Anglo American lost 1.99 percent up at R374.13.

On the top ten gainers list for today was Ascendis Health (ASC), whose shares advanced 11.01 percent to R24.80 after investors traded 723,806 shares in 320 deals. Wescoal Holdings (WSL) also rose, climbing 9.09 percent to R1.80 after 105 deals exchanged a total of 616,903 shares.

Losing 5.97 percent was Impala Platinum Holdings (IMP), after investors bought and sold 4,052,660 shares in 3,697 deals and sent the share price down to R46.92. Rebosis Property Fund (REB) lost to R9.75 after investors traded 2,832,330 shares in 501 deals, resulting in a loss in share price of 5.34 percent. Endit