JOHANNESBURG, Aug. 28 (Xinhua) -- The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) was weaker at the close of session on Monday, with a stronger local unit environment holding back trade in some of the big industrial stocks.
The local currency held near four-week highs to the U.S. dollar, weighing on rand-hedge stocks such as Naspers.
The all-share index was 0.18 percent lower to 56,555.62 points while the Top 40 index was 0.23 percent weaker to 50,058.29 points.
The major indices were mainly pulled down by industrials and financial shares. The Industrial index traded 0.7 percent weaker as Naspers declined 2.06 percent to R2,948 and Telkom dropped 3.72 percent to R62.1.
Other retailers were also weaker on the day, despite a stronger South Africa's rand that usually supports the retail sector.
Mining stocks were generally higher after the softer dollar supported commodity prices, with the gold price was trading at 1,306.16 dollars per ounce mark.
Harmony Gold bucked the trend though after a tremor at its Kusasalethu mine left at least three miners dead. Search and rescue efforts are continuing to find two more miners..
Shoprite gained 1.71 percent to R221 but Pick n Pay dropped 3.94 percent to R63.01. Woolworths dropped 3.28 percent to R60.18.
AngloGold Ashanti rose 2.54 percent to R121 while Harmony lost 2.55 percent to R23.7. Impala Platinum climbed 0.33 percent to R39.54 and Northam Platinum gained 3.17 percent to R47.25.
Murray & Roberts rose 5.22 percent to R14.1 and PPC gained 2.67 percent to R5. Enditem
