BHP Billiton fell 5% to A$23.96 in Sydney on Thursday morning. This was partly due the share going ex-dividend, but also because its chief financial officer warned shareholders that Chinese demand for iron ore and other commodities was slowing down. BHP closed 2.12% lower at R208.35 on Wednesday, contributing to the JSE all share index suffering a fourth day of losses. The tone of stock exchanges trading ahead of the JSE’s opening on Thursday was generally gloomy, with Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index down 0.98%, mainland China’s Shanghai composite index down 0.85% and the Shenzhen composite index down 0.63%. The European Central Bank (ECB) will make an interest rate announcement at 2:45pm Johannesburg time. Inflation in Germany and some other member countries has returned to the lower end of the ECB’s target range, leading for calls for the central bank to raise its interest rate from zero. But ECB president Mario Draghi is not expected to announce any changes on Thursday. First Nationa...
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