The JSE all-share index is trading flat today as resource counters partially offset recent gains in the aftermath of yesterday’s stimulus announcement from the European Central Bank.
The resource index is 1.57% lower, while financials add 0.67% and industrials 0.36%.
In company news, Aspen Pharmacare’s wholly owned subsidiary AGI has entered into an agreement with Novartis to acquire the rights of Mono-Embolex, an injectable anti-coaglulant, for $142.3m.
AVI released a trading statement in which the company has guided it expects consolidated headline earnings per share for the interim period to have increased by between 8% and 11% against the prior years’ comparative period.
Anglo American Platinum has guided that full-year headline earnings are likely to have decreased to between R650m and R875m in 2014 from R1.451m in 2013.
The Rand is trading at R11.42 to the Dollar, R12.82 to the Euro and R17.10 to the British Pound. In commodities Gold is trading at $1,294/oz., Platinum at $1,274/oz., and Brent Crude at $49.37/barrel.
On the economic front, HSBC Manufacturing PMI data out of China and France were both ahead of consensus estimates, while the German figure was slightly below expectation although still alluding to industry growth.
Flash Services PMI data out of France showed marginal industry contraction, while The German services PMI alluded to industry expansion ahead of consensus estimates. U.K. retail sales on a m/m basis highlighted growth of 0.4%.
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