JOHANNESBURG, Oct. 31 (Xinhua) -- The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) closed firmer on Tuesday, supported by platinum shares. The local bourse continued to drift sideways amid uncertainties about South Africa's economy.
Platinum shares have been performing beyond expectations over the past week, buoyed by a strong production report from Impala.
The platinum index gained 1.61 percent, while the gold index was 0.25 percent lower.
At the close session, the all share was 0.17 percent higher at 58,980.11 points, while the blue-chip top 40 index also gained only 0.17 percent to 52,570.2 points. The industrial index was 0.13 percent lower and the financial index lost 0.26 percent.
The local currency tumbled as banks and retailers crept lower on Tuesday. The South Africa's rand traded weak at R14.15 to the dollar.
The local is under pressure following last week's medium-term budget policy statement, which many analysts predicted will drag the country's local-currency rating being downgraded to sub-investment grade.
Anglo American Platinum added 1.3 percent to R405.09, Impala 3.21 percent to R39.22 and Lonmin 5.07 percent to R19.48.
British American Tobacco gave up 0.55 percent to trade at R912.19 and Steinhoff was 0.29 percent softer at R61.77.
The Foschini group was one of the busiest shares on the JSE in terms of value and traded 1.41 percent higher at R136.77. Mr Price lost 0.46 percent to R175.25.
Iron-ore producers pushed higher, with Kumba advancing 1.89 percent to R272.
Standard Bank tumbled 0.04 percent to R164 and Capitec 0.46 percent to R940.27.
Diversified industrial group Barloworld eased 2.28 percent to R134.86.
Investment group Brait continues to be volatile, with the share price dropping 2.06 percent to R52.65.
Octodec fell 8.26 percent to R20.09 after earlier reporting a 0.8 percent growth in its full-year distribution. Enditem
